Welcome to our service - 3 July
This service sheet can be used individually or with households.
We would encourage you to say (or even sing) hymns and songs out loud.
Prayers, other liturgy or readings can be said out loud or silently, corporately or individually.
If you are able, we would also like invite you to join us for our main Sunday service, 10am, live on Zoom and in the church. Even if you have never been to St Gabriel’s before we would love you to join you. Please get in touch with the vicar Alistair (vicar@saintgs.co.uk) and he will send you the Zoom details.
Please join us for public worship in the church building this Sunday at 10am or 11:30am.
OPENING
OPENING
Faithful One, whose word is life: come with saving power to free our praise, inspire our prayer and shape our lives. For the kingdom of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
HYMN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5D3LEjGF8A
Morning has broken
like the first morning;
blackbird has spoken
like the first bird.
Praise for the singing!
Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing
fresh from the Word!
2. Sweet the rain's new fall
sunlit from heaven,
like the first dew fall
on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness
where His feet pass.
3 Mine is the sunlight!
Mine is the morning
born of the one light
Eden saw play!
Praise with elation,
praise every morning,
God's re-creation
of the new day!
Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965)
(c) David Higham Associates Ltd
from The Children's Bells
published by Oxford University Press
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
CONFESSION
Jesus says, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
So let us turn away from sin and turn to the Lord,
confessing our sins in penitence and faith.
A time of silence - for reflection
Father eternal, giver of light and grace,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour,
in what we have thought,
in what we have said and done,
through ignorance, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We have wounded your love,
and marred your image in us.
We are sorry and ashamed,
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and lead us out from darkness
to walk as children of light.
Amen.
ABSOLUTION
May the Father of all mercies
cleanse us from our sins,
and restore us in his image
to the praise and glory of his name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
COLLECT
O God, the protector of all who trust in you,
without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy:
increase and multiply upon us your mercy;
that with you as our ruler and guide
we may so pass through things temporal
that we lose not our hold on things eternal;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suTht0u2NiM
O LORD, GIVE ME AN UNDIVIDED HEART
To follow You.
O Lord, give me an undiminished love,
To see what You see, to do what You do,
O Lord, give me an undivided heart.
O Lord, give me an unrelenting mind
To seek Your face.
O Lord, give me an undefeated faith,
To see victory in all that I do,
To worship in spirit and truth.
To see less of me, and much more of You,
O Lord, give me an undivided heart.
O Lord, give me an undivided heart.
Chris Roe/Dave Markee.
Copyright � 1990 Thankyou Music.
READINGS
Ephesians 2. 19 – end New Living Translation
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
John 20.24-29 New Living Translation
One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
TALK written by Alistair Stevenson
Are you a person who commits 100% to something? Or are you someone who is always slightly unsure?
You may have heard me say this before, but I am very rarely 100% about anything and I often meet people who are incredibly sure of themselves. They will make a decision and go with it with 100% commitment that the decision they have made is 100% the right decision. I’ve no idea how they do that! How can you ever be 100% sure?
Often when I buy something I like to keep it in its box for a couple of days and if I do open it, I make sure I keep the wrapping pristine, just in case I change my mind.
Hindsight is, in my mind, often the only real way to assess if I’ve made the right decision about something.
When I was first approached about becoming the vicar of St Gabriel’s as part of a small church graft team from All Saints, was I 100% sure it was the right thing - I’m not sure. However, over the months of discernment leading up to becoming Vicar and now subsequently having been here for over 3 years, Catherine and I are 100% sure that this is where God wants us to be right now.
Is being unsure about something the same thing as doubt? And so do you struggle with doubt?
Today the church celebrates the apostle Thomas. I have always felt for Thomas as he has been labelled for centuries as ‘doubting Thomas’. A harsh description for someone who, according to early Christian writings outside the New Testament, went on to take the Gospel to southern India and was eventually martyred for his faith. Many churches and in fact family groups in those communities of southern India trace their faith all the way back to those who were first baptised by Thomas
In our passage we see that Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus first appeared to them, and even with their testimony, he won’t believe. Do you feel a bit like Thomas, you seem to be the one who misses out on those great spiritual experiences? They always seem to happen to other people.
And so Thomas says: “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
I won’t believe unless…
Are you familiar with this phrase? Whether you have been a Christian for many many years or only a few months, I'm pretty sure we have all, in some way, made this claim: I won’t believe unless.
Doubt and faith can manifest itself in a number of different ways.
We can struggle to actually believe that God exists. Our Chistian faith has become more of a lifestyle rather than a real and living belief in God. Maybe we believed more when we were younger but now faith is more of a habit than a belief.
Maybe we believe that God exists, but, like Thomas, we’re still looking for evidence. Something really tangible and physical that will allow us to put our trust in him?
Maybe we believe that God is real, but we doubt whether he has good plans and purposes for our lives. We doubt that he has called us or that he could use us - in all our weakness and brokenness.
Moses, who eventually led the Isrelites out of slavery in Eqypt is a prime example of this. In Exodus 3 he encounters the living God at the burning bush. Moses has to hide his face in fear of looking at God. God speaks to Moses, calling him to go to Pharaoh and lead God’s people out of Egypt. This is an incredible encounter. The kind of encounter that transforms lives - a once in a lifetime, game- changing, history making encounter. The kind of encounter that makes it into the Bible.
You would expect that Moses, having seen and heard God, having experienced his amazing presence, would immediately say ‘Yes God, I’ll go’ to the call on his life.
However, this is not Moses' response. The passage says: ‘But Moses’. In fact, from Exodus 3.11 to half way through chapter 4, 5 times we read: ‘But Moses’. In this extraordinary dialogue, Moses doubts whether God can use him. Each time God responds, declaring who he is, reminding Moses that he is the God of their ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God performs 3 miraculous signs, right there in front of Moses. And even then, Moses says: ‘God, please send someone else, I’m not good with words. Surely you can’t use me?’
If you haven’t read it recently, God back to Exodus 3 and 4 and read the story. See how much Moses doubted God.
Often we doubt whether God could use us. Our response is ‘but God’. But God, I’m not good enough, or clever enough, or young enough, or intelligent enough for you to use me.
Maybe we believe that God is real, but we doubt that he is good. As we look around our world, maybe at our own lives and see all the brokenness, the wars, the hurting, the pain, how can we believe in a God who would let all of this happen?
Maybe we don’t trust that God is sovereign? That he is actually at work?
A few years ago Catherine and I went to a Christian festival called Naturally Supernatural. As part of one of the main sessions there was an interview of a couple who leads a church in Northern Ireland called Causeway Coast Vineyard. It is a brilliant church and God is doing some incredible things through them. But at the beginning of the interview the couple shared their experience of the death of their baby daughter. And so I wanted to show that interview.
If you’re able, you can watch the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMFvCsj5glc&t=235s
(I recommend you at least watch until 10:30mins although the rest of the interview is brilliant).
On the back of that video I want to touch on some of the things that Neil and Janet said as they suffered in the midst of the death of their daughter. Neil said three things, he said they:
Embraced the mystery
Embraced community
Embraced hope.
In the midst of our doubt we need to embrace mystery. In fact, I would suggest that it is a critical part of our faith journey because through it we start to relinquish control and a desire to know it all. In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve ultimately doubted whether what God said was true and good for them. They believed the lies of the snake and desired to know more than they should. They are representative of every human heart. We doubt God, we believe the lies of the enemy and we choose to know more because through it we believe we will have more control.
It is a very healthy and important part of our questioning to learn to live with mystery. We can all too easily find security in answers and things that, in our own minds at least, make logical sense. But in searching for an answer we can often struggle to relinquish control instead of saying: ‘God I have questions - it doesn’t make sense - but I will trust you and believe that you are good and that you are at work beyond my understanding, beyond what I can perceive and see’. We need to give up and relinquish the need to control everything and to know everything.
The habit of Sabbath is critical to this. Through the practice of Sabbath, through taking 24 hours off each week to rest, in spite of all the things that we might have on our to-do list, we relinquish control and give our time and energy and striving, over to God
Sabbath,’ says the theologian Walter Brueggemann: ‘is the refusal to let one’s life be defined by production and consumption and the endless pursuit of private well-being.’*
We can spend much of life dissatisfied: wanting more stuff, more money, more friends, more applause, more miracles. But though Sabbath, through worship, we say that because we have Jesus, we have everything we will truly need.
Generosity is similar. David Stout touched on it last week. When we give away sacrificially our possessions, our money, our time, we are saying that we no longer put our trust in these things. Generosity - giving away - is an act of relinquishing control.
Secondly, in the midst of our doubt we need to embrace community. When we are hurting, or broken, when we have questions and doubt our default is often to retreat and move away from others instead of committing to the community of faith. And this is difficult because often we don’t want others to see us in pain, or struggling - it's vulnerable and hard. It might mean that people will see beyond the walls that so many of us put up to stop others - or God - seeing who we truly are and what is really going on in our lives.
There is no such thing as a solitary Christian. We are called into community and relationships because it is in that place God uses others to bring healing.
Finally, In the midst of our doubt we need to embrace hope. We need to choose to hope rather than despair. And often this is a conscious decision and goes against what we might be feeling or desire. We need to believe that there is a better and bigger story than the one we are in the midst of.
In our passage, Thomas, having seen and touched the risen Jesus, responds with these words: ‘My Lord and my God’. A deeply powerful statement of who Jesus is.
In the interview Janet spoke of the baseline that they could fall back on in the midst of their grief - the baseline truths that held them at their deepest, darkest moments. For them it was that God is good and that God didn’t do this.
What is your baseline? In the midst of your doubt, your questioning, your lack of trust, what is the baseline of your faith.
For Thomas, his response to Jesus was ‘My Lord and my God’. In the years to come, as Thomas travelled to India, as he no doubt experienced persecution and suffering and was eventually killed for his faith, I wonder whether he came back to this baseline truth - ‘My Lord and my God’.
Often in our darkest moments, in the valleys of life, we need simple truths that we fall back on, simple words that we are able to repeat when all other words are hard to say.
Today, it is likely that you are struggling with some kind of doubt. If you’re anything like me, you have questions, particularly as we reflect on the situations of our world right now. But, I would encourage you to do these three things in response:
Embrace the mystery
Embrace community
Embrace hop
Take a moment now, if you have some paper and a pen, in response to these three things, write down one practical thing that you could do for each of these three things.
God, give us the strength to do these things today and in the week to come. Amen.
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth
I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand
of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen
O LORD, HEAR MY PRAYER,
O Lord, hear my prayer:
When I call answer me.
O Lord, hear my prayer,
O Lord, hear my prayer:
Come and listen to me.
Jacques Berthier/Taizé.
Copyright © 1982 Ateliers et Presses de Taize (France).
PRAYERS - written by Linda Chambers
The Diocesan Conference for clergy and lay members is being held in Derbyshire this week Monday to Wednesday, so our prayers will focus on the Diocese of Sheffield.
Living God, we pray for all those attending the conference whether in person or online. Give energy to those behind the scenes setting up for the conference with all the logistics involved. Inspire and equip the visiting speakers and workshop leaders. Bless the many conversations over coffee and meal times as people share stories, ideas, encouragements, frustrations. And watch over families back at home. And we especially pray for Alistair and the team he has drawn together as they lead the different forms of worship during the conference. Anoint them with your Spirit and may your name be honoured and glorified. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Living God, we pray for all the parishes in the Diocese, for their mission and ministry. Thank you for those that are flourishing, encourage those that are struggling and where there are vacancies provide for their needs. We pray for Bishop Pete and Bishop Sophie, our Archdeacons and Assistant Archdeacons. Guide and equip them in their varied roles and responsibilities, especially where there may be particular stresses or challenges. Bless those based at Church House who serve and resource the Diocese in many different and often unseen ways. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Living God, we pray for the cities, towns and villages within the Diocese including our own city. May there be good relations between parishes and their local communities, businesses and schools. We pray for each local Council in the Diocese in their decision making, their prioritising of needs and distribution of resources, Please give them wisdom, discernment and compassion. May those who hold power in local industry, transport, health, education … use it wisely for the benefit of the wider population. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Living God, we are one of the parishes in the Diocese so we pray for our own needs and concerns. We pray for inspiration for Catherine and her team as they plan and prepare the holiday club in August. Bless the new Growth Groups and other informal ways of sharing fellowship and support. Sustain the Wholeness Group in their faithful prayer for individuals and situations. Comfort and encourage those who are unwell or struggling with any aspect of life at the moment.
And lest we forget the wider world … in a moment of quiet we remember Ukraine, Afghanistan, Bangladesh with their many and complex needs.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We close our prayers with the Diocesan Vision Prayer used by individuals and churches around the Diocese. May this be our prayer too:
Living God, Jesus calls his followers to seek first your kingdom.
Renew us as we make your love known;
Release us to share freely together in mission;
and Rejuvenate us to be fruitful in your service.
Give us courage, wisdom and compassion,
that strengthened with the grace of the Holy Spirit,
we may, as the Diocese of Sheffield,
both flourish and grow through Christ our Lord. AMEN
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen
SING:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQaOErUUjm8
Brother, sister let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant too.
2. We are pilgrims on a journey,
we are brothers on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.
3. I will hold the Christ-light for you
in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.
4. I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
`Til we've seen this journey through.
5. When we sing to God in heaven
we will find such harmony,
born of all we've known together
of Christ's love and agony.
6. Brother, sister let me serve you,
Let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant too.
OFFERTORY - Take a moment to consider how you are going to continue to give to the life of the church and support other aid agencies and mission organisations.
SAY:
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power,
the glory, the splendour, and the majesty;
for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
All things come from you,
and of your own do we give you.
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Acn2YWfbZE
Amazing grace –
how sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught
my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers,
toils and snares,
I have already come;
'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.
When we've been there
ten thousand years
bright shining as the sun,
we've no less days to sing God's praise
than when we've first begun.
John Newton (1725-1807)
BLESSING
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
The Lord God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
the holy and undivided Trinity, guard you, save you, and bring you to that heavenly city, where he lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.