St Clement Church Community Trinity Service
Good morning
Trinity Sunday – the most difficult Sunday of the year. How does one really explain the Trinity? There are many pictorial suggestions, but, three separate beings that are one? Think about it – not so obvious, is it? It’s been a ‘difficult’ week!
With love Liz
Let us pray
Heavenly Father, we come before you today in humility and faith. We thank you for all you have given us and the many blessings in our lives. We ask for your guidance and strength. Show us the way and fill us with courage and wisdom. Help us to remember your love and grace and to be faithful in our service to you. Give us the patience and understanding to face life’s challenges with grace. We ask these things in your name.
Amen
Hymn: 333 All my hope on God is founded
A prayer of Penitence
The Gospel calls us to turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ. As we offer ourselves to him in penitence and faith, we renew our confidence and trust in his mercy.
Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen
The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, you have given us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity and in the power of the divine majesty to worship the Unity: keep us steadfast in this faith, that we may evermore be defended from all adversities; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. One God, now and for ever.
Amen
Readings
Isaiah 40. 12 – 17, 27 – 31 2 Corinthians 13. 11 - 13
Hymn: 239 Lord of all hopefulness
Gospel Reading: Matthew 28. 16 – 20 (Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew Response: Glory to you, O Lord)
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountains to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Response: Praise to you, O Christ
Reflection
It’s Trinity Sunday, so that means we hear the only verse in the Bible where Jesus refers to Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For five of the last six years – one year, Father David had the pleasure – it has, somehow fallen to me, to preach on Trinity Sunday - a challenge to anyone, because how do you explain the Trinity? Sometimes a shamrock leaf is used as an example – three parts but one leaf. But, that’s not it, is it? The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are three separate, individuals but one person; they are not three parts of one being.
If you had to draw the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as individuals but make them one, how would you do it?
So, instead of getting caught up in trying to explain the Trinity, I’m going to call this Great Commission Sunday! I mean, last week was Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit arrived with a ‘whoosh’ and with fire, and gave birth to the Church. It makes sense that a week later, the Church would get its ‘marching orders.’
I wonder, how good are you at doing what you are told? For me, it all depends on who is doing the telling.
One day, my elder son, then 8 years old, rushed in to tell me that his younger brother, 5 years old, had run away. ‘Where did he go?’ I asked. ‘He ran up the road, and turned right,’ he replied. My heart almost stopped. He was running down the hill towards a busy main road. ‘Oh, please God, don’t let him be hurt.’ I ran up the road and started running down the hill. Suddenly, I saw a little figure sitting on the pavement. Slowing down, to get back some breath, I walked up to him. ‘Hello, my love, your brother says you’re running away.’ ‘I am!’ he said. ‘Why have you stopped?’ ‘You told me that I mustn’t ever cross a road without you, and I’ve come to a road.’
Alleluia!
In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the very last words that Jesus said on earth. These words form the mission statement of the Church: ‘Go into all the world. Make disciples of all people. Baptize all of them, and teach all the things I’ve taught you.’ It’s a pretty inclusive statement, isn’t it? Just because the Church has struggled for centuries to actually fulfil the all-encompassing nature of this mission, doesn’t mean that we should ignore it.
Sometimes we focus on the ‘Go’ part of Christ’s words. Get up, get moving, get out there and introduce people to Jesus! But, ‘Go’ isn’t the main verb in the Great Commission. Make disciples is the imperative Jesus uses. The going, baptizing, and teaching are all elements of disciple-making, but making disciples is the primary task Christ gives the Church.
Making disciples doesn’t mean coercing people or forcing them into ‘right belief.’ It means engaging in God’s creative work. When Jesus says, ‘all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me,’ He is saying that God the Creator and Christ the Redeemer are one and the same being. He holds heavenly authority but He holds earthly authority too.
Surely, heavenly, and earthly authority is the key to the Great Commission’s power. It answers a question all of us ask, maybe every day: Whom can I trust? Who will tell me the truth without spinning it? Who will lead me in a way that is just and merciful at the same time? Who will have my best interests at heart? Who will stand up for me when no one else will? Who will keep me safe from harm, do me good, who will love me? Whom can I trust?
Matthew tells us, ‘When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.’
Why does Matthew put that in? Maybe he mentions the doubt as a way to encourage us, when our faith is too small to live out the Gospel. We aren’t alone when it comes to doubt, when it comes to wondering who we can trust. Even the closest followers of Jesus had their moments when they just weren’t sure. I Also, I think Matthew is reminding us that doubt is an integral part of faith. Someone once said that the opposite of faith isn’t doubt or fear; it’s certainty. You see, when we are certain of something, we don’t really need faith. When we are sure in our own minds, we don’t really need to trust anyone else.
Doubt opens us up to the possibilities that there is someone we can trust, and trusting in the face of our doubt is what faith really means. Trusting in the face of our doubt is what following Jesus really means. Helping others learn to trust Jesus in the face of their own doubt – that’s making disciples.
Having given the Commission, Jesus makes a promise, and it’s a promise reminding us how none of this is possible if we try to do it in our own strength. ‘Remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’
Jesus is with us. Making disciples of Jesus Christ is not something we can do under our own authority; we do it under His. He promises to be with us in every circumstance - even in our doubt. When we aren’t sure where to place our trust, we can trust in Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, will be with us.
Amen
Affirmation of faith
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
Hymn: 146 Holy, Holy, Holy
Intercessions
God in three persons, blessed Trinity, on this special day, we come before you to offer our praise and thanks. You are God, the creator, giving us richly all things to enjoy. You are Christ, the Saviour of the world, made flesh to set us free. You are the Spirit of truth and love, willing to dwell in us. You are holy and blessed. One God, eternal Trinity, be near to us the people formed in your own image, and close to the world, your love brings to life.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
God in three persons, blessed Trinity, we pray for your Church throughout the world, for those that are thriving and those who have lost their sense of direction. We give thanks for this church and its people, and gladly acknowledge all the gifts that you have given us through its life. We ask you to open wide our hearts that we may welcome the stranger and share our faith with others. You, Lord, have chosen men and women to serve you in the ministry of your Church and have given them a perfect example in the person of your Son.
Our Lord’s last words on earth were ‘make disciples.’ Triune God, give us the strength to follow our Lord’s command. May our lives encourage others to follow and trust in our Lord.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
God in three persons, blessed Trinity, we remember all who bear the responsibility of leadership, for heads of state, ambassadors, and political advisers, we think today particularly of all in authority that may be tempted to abuse or misuse their power; let your will for our world be accomplished through the decisions they make and give them a vision of peace and reconciliation for you Lord, find a way when men and women are lost.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
God in three persons, blessed Trinity, we pray for peace in the world, in our communities and our families: create in us a love for peace, not peace that is absent from struggle, nor peace that is blind to injustice but the peace that makes whole that which is broken.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
God in three persons, blessed Trinity, we remember this morning all those who are sick, who are sad or lonely, those who are struggling with things that are going wrong, those who find themselves in a darkness that seems to have no glimmer of light. We pray that they may be aware of your comforting presence and know that in your hands they are safe and loved.
We especially bring before you today: Ken and Diane, Terry and Dot, Margaret, Brian, Rupert and Linda, Sandra and Barrie, Alison and Rob, Hilary, Jan, Pam and David, Felicity, those known to each one of us, and those who have no one to pray for them.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
God in three persons, blessed Trinity, we remember before God, those who have died. We especially remember Brian. We pray for all those whose life has been saddened by the death of a loved one, be with them in their loneliness and let them know that Jesus Christ is the light of the world, a light which no darkness can quench, we especially remember Brian’s wife, Sarah. We bring before you all those who have died in war torn countries, in sudden violent attacks and in both man-made and natural disasters.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Father God, lead us into the coming week; Son of God, help us to believe that you are close to us; Spirit of God, keep us from making mistakes; Triune God, help us to never disappoint you, and when we face hard decisions or difficult work, when we enjoy ourselves and have fun with others, may we know that you share these times with us.
Merciful Father: Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray with confidence as Jesus taught us.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name: thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Trinity Sunday by Malcolm Guite
In the beginning, not in time or space, But in the quick before both space and time, In Life, in Love, in co-inherent Grace, In three in one and one in three, in rhyme, In music, in the whole creation story, In His own image, His imagination, The Triune Poet makes us for His glory, And makes us each the other’s inspiration. He calls us out of darkness, chaos, chance, To improvise a music of our own, To sing the chord that calls us to the dance, Three notes resounding from a single tone, To sing the End in whom we all begin; Our God beyond, beside us and within.
Notices
The Peace
Peace from Jesus Christ who is our peace. Peace from the Holy Spirit who gives us life. The peace of the triune God be always with us.
Hymn: 375 I danced in the morning
Blessing
Loving God, we thank you for hearing our prayers, feeding us with your Word, and encouraging us in our meeting together. Take us and use us to love and serve you and all people, in the power of your Spirit and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen