Printable services for those unable to attend St C

St Clement Church Community Trinity 1 Service 11.6.23

Good morning to you as we celebrate our 1^st Sunday of Trinity Service.

We are holding a Eucharist in our church building at 10.15, this Service of the Word is for those who aren’t able to be with us in person, but will be worshipping with us in spirit.

This Sunday is also the feast day of Barnabas the Apostle who was one of the very earliest followers of Jesus and a leader of the early church. His story is told in the Acts of the Apostles and he is also mentioned in some of Paul's letters. Originally called Joseph, he was given his new name of Barnabas by those who knew him well, which means 'son of encouragement'.

He was joined the Jerusalem church soon after Christ's crucifixion, and generously sold his property, giving the proceeds to the community.

He was also one of the Cypriots who founded the church in Antioch, where he became a popular preacher. Sadly though, certain Jews became jealous of his popularity and after hearing him preach in a synagogue one day, dragged him out, tortured him, and then stoned the poor soul to death. Dear of him…..but it’s amazing that in this day and age such things still happen in some eastern countries, we have a lot to be thankful for that we can worship in safety here.

Much love and prayers and may Christ’s love sustain you always.

Rev Di and family xx

Let us pray;

O Lord, open our eyes to see what is beautiful, open our minds to know what is true, and our hearts to seek what is good, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hymn: ‘All people that on Earth do Dwell’

Our prayers of Penitence

Let us examine our lives in the light of St Paul’s teaching about the nature of love: ‘Love is patient, love is kind, is not envious, or boastful, or arrogant or rude. Does not insist on its own way, is not irritable, or resentful and does not rejoice in wrongdoing…..’

We confess to God that our attitudes and behaviour often fall short of these standards: Most merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart, nor have we loved our neighbours as ourselves. We ask that in you 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.

Let us pray our Collect for the Festival of St Barnabas

Bountiful God, giver of all gifts, who poured your Spirit upon your servant Barnabas and gave him grace to encourage others: help us, by his example, to be generous in our judgements and unselfish in our service; 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:

Acts 11. 19-30 Galatians 2. 1-10

Hymn: ‘Christ Triumphant, ever Reigning’

Gospel: John 15. 12-17

(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John)

Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)

Jesus said; ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

(This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.)

Reflection

A Secondary School English teacher asked her class to write their definition of a friend. One pupil said, “A friend is a pair of open arms in a society of armless people.” Others said: “A friend is a mug of hot chocolate on a cold day.” “A friend is a beautiful orchard in the middle of the desert.” “A friend is a stiff drink when you’ve just had a terrible shock.” (I’m not sure how a school pupil would know that one….)

Lovely descriptions. Mark Twain once said, “The holy passion of friendship is of so sweet and steady, loyal and enduring a nature, that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked to lend money!”

Friendship… Friendship is clearly a wonderful thing.

Our reading today is about friends and friendship.

Christians were called “friends” before they were called Christians.

Jesus said to the disciples; “I have called you friends.”

Before anything else; “I have called you friends.” It was in Antioch long after the death of Jesus, that the disciples were first called ‘Christians' in the early church.

Another theme of our reading today is love. “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. But the love of which Jesus speaks isn’t the romantic type we might think of when we hear the term.

More accurately, the love of which our Lord speaks is taken from the Greek word; ‘Agape’ which describes such love as a characteristic of true friendship, that of genuinely good friends.

But what are some of the characteristics of good friendship?

Friends care about each other’s welfare and look out for each other.

In fact, deep friendships are often forged in the midst of common suffering. Soldiers returning from the battlefield will speak of the ugliness of war and yet, in the same breath, they will talk about the friends that they made. Deep friendships are formed in times of natural disaster.

People, who were initially strangers, having been together through a terrible storm, or perhaps an earthquake, will often become the closest of friends and years later will sit and reminisce about their shared experiences.

Speaking of sharing, that’s something else friends do, they share the emotions of the ups and downs of life, as well as material things, even money. Despite Mark Twain’s humorous comment!

I once read the story of a very old African-American woman who’d spent over 75 years as a servant on a cotton plantation in Louisiana.

When her mistress died, a member of the family said to the servant; ‘’you will miss her greatly. I know you were dear friends.”

“Yes ma’am,” said the servant; “I’m sorry my mistress has died, but we weren’t friends.” “Not friends?” was the reply; “I’ve seen you laughing and talking together lots of times.” “Yes ma’am, that’s so,” said the servant, “We’ve laughed together, and we’ve talked together, but we were just acquaintances. You see, we didn’t shed any tears together. Folk have to cry together before they are friends.”

What else makes for friendship? According to Jesus, expectations are involved. Friendship often requires sacrifice of some sort, and, in some rare cases, even the supreme sacrifice. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Have we ever had a friend like that? There’s one that we know of.

On a hill called Calvary, outside the city wall and overlooking the town dump, our friend died that we might live. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

But how do we become a friend of Jesus?

He told us: “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

But a statement like that though could lead some to misunderstanding if we take it out of context. Remember what the command is: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” In other words, if you want to be my friend, be a friend to my other friends.

That sounds simple doesn’t it, but we know it isn’t. Jesus didn’t choose the Pharisees as friends; the pious people, who prayed at least three times a day, who knew their Bibles inside out, who worked hard at obeying all of God’s laws, and fasted once or twice a week to show their religious devotion.

Instead who did Jesus choose? Fishermen – known to be prone to swearing, impatient and hot-headed. A tax collector – and everyone knew those people were swindlers.

A zealot – a fanatical revolutionary, who wanted all the tax collectors dead. That must have made for some interesting dinner conversation…….God elected the rejected.

And as Jesus reminded the twelve in that Upper Room, “You did not choose me but I chose you.” Gosh, that strikes home doesn’t it, we are his disciples now in this day and age, so that means he chose us too!

Jesus chose us – known to be somewhat less than perfect, known to have all kinds of problems in our lives.

When I was a coach driver I’d see a vast array of car stickers on my journeys, I remember one that read; ‘’Friends don’t let friends die without Jesus.” But I now think it should be; “Friends don’t let friends live without Jesus.”

Share his friendship, that’s what we are called to do.

Recalling those definitions with which we began with, we can add Charlie Brown’s wonderful insight – standing all alone, Charlie says; “A friend is someone who sticks up for you when you are not there.”

That’s a bit like a eulogy. I would be more than content if, when the time comes, I, like St Barnabus, am remembered as; ‘A friend of Jesus’. How about you? Amen.

Hymn: ‘Love Divine, all Loves Excelling

Affirmation of our faith

Let us declare our faith in God: We believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist. We believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again. We believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God and makes Christ known in the world. This is the faith of the Church. This is our faith. We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our Intercessions are written by Helen Dunbar

In the power of the spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father. Almighty God, we ask you to hear our prayers for the Church, the world and people in particular need.