Sunday Service - 14 June

Welcome to our Service - 14 June

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.

To the right is Alistair’s talk. It can be watched separately or as part of the rest of the service.

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.

OPENING

SAY:

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.

SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlBgTmiJCPI

Praise to the Holiest in the height,

and in the depth be praise;

in all His words most wonderful;

most sure in all His ways.

2. O loving wisdom of our God!

when all was sin and shame,

a second Adam to the fight,

and to the rescue came.

3. O wisest love! that flesh and blood

which did in Adam fail,

should strive afresh against the foe,

should strive and should prevail.

4. And that a higher gift than grace

should flesh and blood refine,

God's presence, and His very self

and essence all-divine.

5. O generous love! that He, who smote

in man for man the foe,

the double agony in man

for man should undergo.

6. And in the garden secretly,

and on the cross on high

should teach His brethren, and inspire

to suffer and to die.

7. Praise to the Holiest in the height

and in the depth be praise;

in all His words most wonderful;

most sure in all His ways.

John Henry Newman (1801-90)

CONFESSION

Our God, we come in humility, confessing who and what we are.

Lord, when we avoid the hard questions that you ask;

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, when we fail to trust you for our futures;

Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Lord, when we cling to tightly to our possessions;

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,

forgive us our sins,

and keep us in eternal life. Amen.

COLLECT

Father of all, you loved the world so much that you gave your only Son, and you pour out your Spirit in a continuing activity of grace. May we be so caught up in the richness of your grace that our own giving is renewed and our own selves refreshed by the living water of Jesus, in whose precious name we pray.

Amen.

SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlBgTmiJCPI

I will offer up my life in spirit and truth,

Pouring out the oil of love as my worship to You.

In surrender I must give my every part,

Lord receive the sacrifice of a broken heart.

Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring,

to so faithful a friend, to so loving a King?

Saviour, what can be said, what can be sung,

as a praise of Your name

for the things You have done?

O, my words could not tell, not even in part,

of the debt of love that is owed

by this thankful heart.

2. You deserve my every breath

for You've paid the great cost,

giving up Your life to death,

even death on a cross.

You took all my shame away,

there defeated my sin,

opened up the gates of heaven

and have beckoned me in.

Jesus, what can I give,

READINGS

Deuteronomy 8:10-19

10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

19 If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.

Luke 18:18-30 (NIV UK)

18 A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’

19 ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good – except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honour your father and mother.”[a]’

21 ‘All these I have kept since I was a boy,’ he said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’

23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’

26 Those who heard this asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’

27 Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with man is possible with God.’

28 Peter said to him, ‘We have left all we had to follow you!’

29 ‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus said to them, ‘no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.’

This the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

TALK written by Peter Smithers

See video above

Prayer of Declaration

We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.

We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love.

We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high.

We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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.

PRAYERS - written by Linda Chambers

This month the Diocese has launched it’s ‘Generous June’ initiative which seeks to develop our understanding of God’s generosity. Our prayers today reflect the general theme of ‘generosity’.

Generous God, whose love and compassion never fail, thank you that your mercies are new every morning. During these uncertain times help us to be generous with our love, compassion and available resources.

Thank you for the generosity of all those who are sharing their compassion, skills and time during this pandemic - those working in the health system, volunteers of all kinds, family and friends. During this ‘Carers’ Week’ we pray for children and adults who have become ‘new carers’ for family members due to lockdown, many feeling overwhelmed by the enormous physical and emotional challenges this brings.

We pray for generosity in the global sharing of wealth, technology skills, scientific and medical knowledge. May these be used for the benefit of all humankind without discrimination.

We remember the many vulnerable people across the world, already vulnerable because of poverty, drought, disease - and now COVID. We especially cry out to you for the country of Yemen, ravaged by civil war and on the verge of famine. Please strengthen and equip Tearfund’s partners there, providing food packages, safe water and hygiene kits.

Generous God, thank you that you meet all our needs out of your glorious riches – and yet we are reminded of the huge inequalities in our world. We pray for those don’t have the same life chances as many of us – those in our own city, nation and across the world.

We pray for those who suffer discrimination, oppression, deprivation … victims of modern slavery even more hidden during lockdown. Thank you for those around the world working peacefully towards change in our laws and institutions.

We pray for children gradually returning to school. Please provide for the needs of those already disadvantaged for whatever reason - and for staff coping in extremely challenging circumstances. We pray for Years 10 and 12 returning next week in a limited capacity, some of whom are currently doing exams online.

Please alleviate their fears about results, future courses and job prospects. Help the government to give clear guidelines to schools - and also give them wisdom in easing restrictions in many other areas of life and work.

Generous God, thank you that in your Son Jesus, you have given us forgiveness, new life, hope. Help us to live as forgiven and generous people bringing hope, encouragement and love into our local communities. We lift before you those who are sad or fearful, those confused by the loss of normal freedoms, those facing the loneliness of bereavement.

Bless those who faithfully prepare our online services each week and those who keep a watchful eye on our church premises and church business during lockdown.

Strengthen and equip churches across our Diocese as they serve you in different ways during these times - and give them wisdom in planning for the months ahead.

And, as we bring our prayers to a close, thank you, Generous God, that the things that are impossible for human beings are possible for you. 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=sKlQpjl_oqY

THY WORD is a lamp unto my feet

And a light unto my path.

(Repeat)

When I feel afraid,

Think I’ve lost my way,

Still You’re there right beside me.

And nothing will I fear

As long as You are near;

Please be near me to the end.

THY WORD is a lamp unto my feet...

I will not forget

Your love for me, and yet

My heart forever is wandering.

Jesus, be my guide

And hold me to Your side,

And I will love You to the end.

THY WORD is a lamp unto my feet...

Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith.

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.

Heavenly Father, give grace to us, the living stones who form your Church, to reflect prayerfully at this special time on our love for you and our neighbour. Make us mindful of the many gifts you bestow upon us. We ask that your Holy Spirit will inspire and direct us in our choice of giving, remembering that we are only giving back that which is truly yours. Strengthen us, Lord, to meet this challenge according to your will. Through Jesus Christ our Lord who has given all that we might live. Amen.

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=zk6IUalJ3sk

Will you come and follow me

If I but call your name?

Will you go where you don't know

And never be the same?

Will you let my love be shown,

Will you let my name be known,

Will you let my life be grown

In you and you in me?

2 Will you leave your self behind

If I but call your name?

Will you care for cruel and kind

And never be the same?

Will you risk the hostile stare

Should your life attract or scare

Will you let me answer prayer

In you and you in me?

3 Will you let the blinded see

If I but call your name?

Will you set the prisoners free

And never be the same?

Will you kiss the leper clean,

And do such as this unseen,

And admit to what I mean

In you and you in me?

4 Will you love the `you' you hide

If I but call your name?

Will you quell the fear inside

And never be the same?

Will you use the faith you've found

To reshape the world around

Through my sight and touch and sound

In you and you in me?

5 Lord, your summons echoes true

When you but call my name.

Let me turn and follow you

And never be the same.

In your company I'll go

Where your love and footsteps show,

Thus I'll move and live and grow

In you and you in me.

Graham Maule & John L. Bell.

BLESSING

May the Holy Spirit who gives gifts to all people, flood your hearts with thanksgiving to God. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ. Amen.

Peter Smithers preaches on Luke 18: 18 - 30: Jesus and the Rich Young Man

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