Welcome to our service - 9 May
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. 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, 11:30am, for a service of Holy Communion.
OPENING
Let everything be said and done in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through Jesus Christ.
Sing psalms, hymns and sacred songs:
let us sing to God with thankful hearts.
Open our lips, Lord:
and we shall praise your name.
HYMN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJDWFYIkBns
HALLELUJAH! SING TO JESUS;
His the sceptre, His the throne;
Hallelujah! His the triumph,
His the victory alone.
Hark, the songs of holy Zion
Thunder like a mighty flood:
‘Jesus out of every nation
Hath redeemed us by His blood.’
Hallelujah! not as orphans
Are we left in sorrow now;
Hallelujah! He is near us,
Faith believes, nor questions how.
Though the clouds from sight receivedHim
When the forty days were o’er,
Shall our hearts forget His promise,
‘I am with you ever more’?
Hallelujah! Bread of heaven,
Thou on earth our food, our stay;
Hallelujah! here the sinful
Flee to Thee from day to day.
Intercessor, Friend of sinners,
Earth’s Redeemer, plead for me
Where the songs of all the sinless
Sweep across the crystal sea.
Hallelujah! sing to Jesus;
His the sceptre, His the throne;
Hallelujah! His the triumph,
His the victory alone.
Hark, the songs of holy Zion
Thunder like a mighty flood:
‘Jesus out of every nation
Hath redeemed us by His blood.’
William C. Dix (1837–98)
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
Lord God, our maker and our redeemer, this is your world and we are your people: come among us and save us.
We have wilfully misused your gifts of creation;
Lord, be merciful:
Forgive us our sin.
We have seen the ill-treatment of others
and have not gone to their aid;
Lord, be merciful:
Forgive us our sin.
We have condoned evil and dishonesty
and failed to strive for justice;
Lord, be merciful:
Forgive us our sin.
We have heard the good news of Christ,
but have failed to share it with others;
Lord, be merciful:
Forgive us our sin.
We have not loved you
with all our heart,
nor our neighbours as ourselves;
Lord, be merciful:
Forgive us our sin.
ASOLUTION
May God who loved the world so much
that he sent his Son to be our Saviour
forgive us our sins and make us holy to
serve him in the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
COLLECT
Risen Christ,
by the lakeside you renewed your call to your disciples:
help your Church to obey your command
and draw the nations to the fire of your love,
to the glory of God the Father. AMEN
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qS-7gh9tz0
JUBILATE, EVERYBODY,
Serve the Lord in all your ways,
And come before His presence singing,
Enter now His courts with praise.
For the Lord our God is gracious,
And His mercy’s everlasting.
Jubilate, Jubilate, Jubilate Deo.
Fred Dunn.
Copyright © 1977, 1980 Thankyou Music.
READINGS
James 2:1-13 New International Version - UK
My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the poor man, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have dishonoured the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as law-breakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘You shall not murder.’ If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a law-breaker.
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Matthew 5:43-48 New International Version - UK
‘You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
This the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
TALK written by Stuart Ibbotson
Today we are looking at issues of partiality and prejudice, or favouritism versus Love. The epistle writer James’ intent is to transform people into spiritual warriors who set the standard of faithful living in a world of corruption and compromise. So often people draw quick conclusions about others based merely on what they first see or hear.
You would need to enjoy a certain genre of music to know where the following lyrics come from:
Quick to judge
Quick to anger
Slow to understand
Ignorance and prejudice
And fear, walk hand in hand
The song is by one of my favourite groups- the Canadian band Rush
The whole song builds to this point and could have been written for our times and certainly recent events in the USA, but was written 41 years ago- so maybe things haven’t been moving in the right direction as much as they need to. But the words could well have been inspired by Jesus’ teaching, even though the group members were not Christians as far as I know- and some of their lyrics would suggest as much. However, it would seem that their use of the lyrics was influenced by Jesus’ teachings and maybe even by those opening words In James chapter 2, showing how these and the of the rest of the new testament have an ongoing impact on western civilisation at least, as argued by historian Tom Holland in his excellent book Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind.
Prejudice. Our English word stems from a Latin noun that emphasises a prejudgement of someone, causing us to form an opinion before knowing all the facts. We quickly make up our mind about something.
James says in 2:1 “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism.”
James begins by saying faith in Christ and partiality are just incompatible. James addressed fellow Christians. But for some reason it seems not all of their attitudes that accompanied their faith reflected well on them. The Greek word translated personal favouritism communicates how we see a person’s outward appearance.
Partiality and prejudice can go in two directions: positive or negative. On the one hand, by merely looking at the outside characteristics, we can miss fatal character flaws in a person masked by attractive attire, and the way they speak. On the other hand, we can too quickly condemn a person based on outward appearance, failing to see the Christ-like character and abundant spiritual fruit in a person’s life. James addressed the problem of prejudice that can be so easily shown in the first encounter with a person.
He says in 2:2-4 “Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
In the earliest days of Christianity, especially for Jewish believers, the place of meeting was a synagogue. In some cities some Christian Jews were still able to meet in a synagogue, until unbelieving Jews expelled them. They then met in other convenient places and this represents the equivalent of our places of worship today.
In James’ illustration, two men stand out as the church is gathering to worship together. One is expensively dressed. In the Near East, it was customary for a person of exceptional wealth or nobility to wear jewel-studded garments of fine fabric. Their garments announced that they were influential and powerful men who could change your life. The other was an exceptionally poor man in dirty, shabby clothes. No Jewels or silk to influence anyone.
In this illustration, the person is blinded by what we might call bling today, so the rich man gets the V.I.P treatment. You sit here in a good place. There were preferred seats in a synagogue for people of importance. Seating for men ran along the two sides of the synagogue and women and children sat in the balcony. The best seats were closest to where the speaker would be.
Whilst the extremely rich man would have been shown to the seat of honour the extremely poor man doesn’t even get a seat. The poor man is told to stand over there, or sit down by my footstool. In other words to stay out of the way! The illustration is about the person judging the rich man as being better than the poor. Now there is nothing intrinsically wrong with being rich, it is what work we put our wealth to if we have any and there is certainly nothing wrong with being poor. The problem James addressed here is the motive that affects the behaviour of the person dealing with the two very different characters.
In James 2:4 he says “have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
James announced the verdict; the person is guilty of discrimination. He has, made distinctions, and become a judge with evil motives. Maybe he played favourites for personal gain, thinking it would win him favour with an influential person. Maybe he thought about great financial gain that could come to the church through such a wealthy man. Many a wealthy person wrongly believed they could buy their way to heaven throughout church history.
James said this type of prejudice is a sin.
In Acts 10:34 we read: Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism.” Peter himself had shown personal favouritism. He had treated Jewish believers better than gentile believers. He then realised that God wants everyone, regardless of nationality or ethnic orientation, to hear the gospel and believe. Whilst society makes distinctions amongst people, God’s love and grace are available to all, and can be received by anyone. In our gospel reading Jesus went even further when he said:
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
James continued to explain why prejudice and partiality are wrong for Christians. He gave two reasons: Logical and Biblical.
Firstly the logical: James 2:5-7 “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonoured the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?” James asked two rhetorical questions, which showed much about the situation in which the Jewish Christians found
themselves. Firstly, the rich and powerful were persecuting Christians, dragging them before the authorities. Secondly, the rich and powerful were blaspheming God’s name. Reading between the lines the poor were not involved in this kind of persecution as they could not afford to do so. Showing favouritism towards the rich and mistreating the poor, therefore, made no logical sense.
Then James’s Biblical reasoning: James 3:8-11 “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbour as yourself,” you are doing right. 9But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.”
James pointed his readers to Scripture, which excludes all partiality. His text comes from Leviticus 19:18: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. This is the basis for fulfilling the Royal Law. Treat people in the same way we want them to treat us. Christ called this the second of the two greatest commandments, after loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
To break this Royal Law is like breaking all of them, and vice versa, if we break any of the others, we have broken this one. For this reason, prejudice, which refuses to love equally, breaks the great commandment.
James 2:12-13 says: “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James says to let Scripture be our standard! Let love be our law! Let mercy be our message! James’ words should challenge our attitudes and change our actions.
We need to let Scripture be our standard. Prejudice and faith in Christ do not mix. Love needs to be our law.
When we meet people we can ask ourselves this question – how can I best love this person in word and action? How can I build this person up? How can I show this person grace and mercy? Yes, we do need spiritual discernment when we meet people, but we must not treat people unfairly based on prejudices.
As we think about this, as we heard earlier, we are preparing for Christian Aid week, which begins tomorrow and for which we are having our money raising quiz next Saturday evening. The world so often judges the poor and needy as being responsible for their own misfortunes and we know that this is not the case. We cannot and must not judge others, as hard as that is to do when someone may have caused us real hurt. In the video Florence was struggling until the dam was built and now seems to be prospering, thanks to the easily available water and her own massive efforts. A little help has set her and future generations up to be able to look after themselves and serve their local communities in the future. We need to help those in often dire need and no doubt we all give in different ways to different causes that we are particularly aware of, for all the World’s population are our neighbours and Jesus clearly instructed us to love them as we do ourselves- without prejudice or favouritism, but in Love. 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
We’re going to begin and end our prayers this morning with two prayers produced by Christian Aid. In between, our prayers will reflect the needs of the developing world and needs nearer to home …
Great God, Who makes the sun to rise and opens the heavens. Hear the cry of the people who sow in hope for rain, but reap only despair. Hear the cry of the people seeking shelter from the storm, their hopes and homes submerged. Hear the cry of the people, when creation is hitting back with rage and resistance. Give us hope, grant us salvation, give us a new relationship with creation, with reverence to tend this gift from You, and say once again of the earth and all you created - it is GOOD. (Christian Aid)
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Lord God, we pray for the Christian Aid staff and their many initiatives around the world. We especially ask your blessing on current projects to store and manage rainwater in Kenya, Guatemala and Bangladesh. We pray that their national leaders and governments will pursue justice and equality for all their citizens and not seek financial gain from controversial projects. Please guide and equip these governments in dealing with the climate crisis as it affects their particular nations.
We also cry out to you for the Indian sub-continent overwhelmed by the pandemic and struggling to cope on a daily basis. Please help and support the huge numbers of people faced with the dilemma of needing to isolate, but also the need to earn a daily living. May the wealthier nations be generous in addressing the needs of these nations and in sharing equipment and vaccines.
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Here in the UK we may have different needs from the developing world, but needs nevertheless.
Lord God, we lift before you and seek your help … for those who are isolated or lonely in need of friendship and support … those struggling with their physical or mental health in need of counsel or treatment … men, women and children living with domestic abuse in need of safety and protection … victims of modern slavery in need of freedom and a new beginning … those facing redundancy in need of new opportunities and financial security. We pray for our Prime Minister and his government. Help them to focus on these and other critical needs in our nation, rather than being distracted by more trivial matters. May they rethink their commitment to the Aid budget and take determined and exemplary action on climate change.
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Lord God, thank you for our church family at St. Gabriel’s and those who have recently joined us on zoom. Please help us to be patient and considerate with one another as we begin to gather back in the church building for worship and fellowship. Thank you for the technical and practical skills of those who will be facilitating and leading our services. Help us to be gracious with one another as we re-connect in person and open our eyes to any hidden needs which may now surface after lockdown.
We pray for the small groups studying James, the joint Ascension Day service in the grounds of All Saints and the opportunities afforded us by the Diocesan initiative ‘Thy Kingdom Come’. We lift to you those we know in need of your comfort or healing at this time. Show us how we can be a blessing to the community of Greystones and good stewards of your creation in this area.
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Let justice roll down like a river, may righteousness flow like a never-ending stream and may the joy of creation fill us anew as we pray, act and give for the restoration of creation and the flourishing of all people. In the name of the Creator, Son and Spirit. AMEN (Christian Aid)
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=LULK2nZ6sCc
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong a perfect plea:
a great high priest, whose name is ‘Love’,
who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is written on his hands,
my name is hidden in his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
no power can force me to depart,
no power can force me to depart.
2. When Satan tempts me to despair
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look and see him there
who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died,
my sinful soul is counted free;
for God, the Just, is satisfied
to look on him and pardon me,
to look on him and pardon me.
3. Behold Him there! The risen Lamb
my perfect, sinless Righteousness,
the great unchangeable I AM,
the King of glory and of grace!
One with my Lord I cannot die:
my soul is purchased by his blood,
my life is safe with Christ on high,
with Christ, my Saviour and my God,
with Christ my Saviour and my God.
Words: Charitie L.de Chenez (1841-92)
Music: Vikki Cook © 1993 PDI/Worship/Admin by Copy Care
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=r4ox4es1jo8
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS,
O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not,
Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning
new mercies I see;
All I have needed
Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter,
and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature
in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Great is Thy faithfulness...
Pardon for sin
and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today
and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is Thy faithfulness...
Thomas O. Chisholm (1866–1960)
Copyright © 1923, Renewal 1951 Hope Publishing Co./ Adm. by Song Solutions CopyCare
BLESSING
The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you always.
Amen