Services

Services at St Giles’

As we are now in a national lockdown and with a NHS emergency in London there will be no services in church for the time being, but we will be broadcasting a service at 10am on Sundays via our YouTube page here 

Carol Services held in church on 2, 9 and 14 December, the Eucharist on Christmas Day and on Sundays the 3 and 10 January are available via our YouTube link

Sunday 17 January Epiphany 2

Music and readings   

Organ Prelude SS Wesley Andante in C

Hymn 278 (choir) Alleluia, sing to Jesus!

First reading: 1 Samuel 3: 1 – 10

The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’ and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’

Psalm 139

1  O Lord, you have searched me and known me.

2  You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

    you discern my thoughts from far away.

3  You search out my path and my lying down,

     and are acquainted with all my ways.

4  Even before a word is on my tongue,

    O Lord, you know it completely.

5  You hem me in, behind and before,

     and lay your hand upon me.

6  even the darkness is not dark to you;

    the night is as bright as the day,

    for darkness is as light to you.

7  If I climb up to heaven, you are there;

    if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.

8  If I take the wings of the morning

    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

9  Even there your hand shall lead me, 

    your right hand hold me fast.

10 If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me 

     and the light around me turn to night,’

11 Even darkness is no darkness with you;

     the night is as clear as the day; 

     darkness and light to you are both alike.

Glory to the Father and to the Son

And to the Holy Spirit:

As it was in the beginning, is now

And shall be for ever.  Amen.

Choir: Goss These are they which follow the Lamb

The Gospel: John 1: 43 – 51

Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

Sermon

Offertory Hymn 305 (choir) I come with joy, a child of God

Eucharistic Prayer

Choir: Wesley Lead me, Lord

Post Communion Prayer

Blessing

Organ Postlude: Mendelssohn Fugue from Sonata 2

Please click here if you would like to make a donation

The Sunday Club continues to meet at 10.00 via Zoom. Please contact Dave Archer for further details.   davidjarcher@hotmail.co.uk

Join the Virtual Coffee morning at 11am. Click here 

Sunday 24 January Readings

1 Samuel 3: 1 – 10    Revelation 5: 1 – 10     John 1: 43 – end

Weekday Services 

08.30 Morning Prayer (Monday-Thursday) in the Chancel.

18-25 January - Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 

Praying together 

13.00 -13.30 Private Prayer and Reflection on the first Thursday of the month 

    Thursday 7 January Private Prayer and Reflection         from 13.00-13.30

We continue our monthly private prayer, and you are invited to join others in church on 7 January. You may find the Janaury prayer sheet below helpful - please bring a copy with you to church. If you are not able to join us, we hope you will continue to pray with us wherever you are.

Our text for January, ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so everyone who believes in him wil not perish but have eternal life.’      John 3 v16

Let us pray for the church and the world and thank God for his goodness.

Heavenly Father, we give thanks for the fellowship of the church, that supports and helps us to put our faith into practice.

Strengthen us, Lord, in your service, that we, may be an encouragement to others and hold fast to all that is good.

Loving Father, we remember and pray for the children and young people in their daily learning with schools and colleges closed because of the new national lockdown and rapid spread of the new variant Covid 19 virus.  We pray for all teachers and lecturers now having to teach online that they may continue to inspire their pupils, remembering those from poorer families who are not able to participate and the effect on their futures. We pray for parents working from home and home teaching their children.

We pray for a world where humanity and love for others so often fails. We pray for those in government in every nation. We pray that those who lead and take on great responsibilities may genuinely serve their people, searching continually for policies and strategies which will be for the good of all, especially for the weakest and most vulnerable, including the unemployed, the homeless, refugees and the poor. We pray for the people of America at this time of difficult transition to a new President and for us in the UK as we face the world from outside the EU.

We pray for all who work in the NHS and other front-line services, for the success of the scientists who have developed the vaccines and for those who are part of the vaccination teams to administer them in a safe, swift, and ordered way. 

We pray for those who are sick, especially those suffering from the long-term effects of the Covid 19 virus.  We remember those who are lonely and depressed and pray that we may be good listeners to family members, friends, and neighbours to bring help and support to them.  We remember those known to us who are in special need of our prayers at this time.

We praise and thank you for giving us so much to enjoy in the world. Open our eyes to see the beauty around us in Winter and give thanks for the different seasons. Help us to safeguard your world so that our children and future generations will benefit from all you have created.

We remember before you those who have died and those whose anniversaries fall at this time, give strength to those who are left to grieve and help us to share in each other’s sorrow.  May the souls of the faithful departed, through your mercy, rest in peace and rise in glory.

Merciful Father accept our prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

We finish by saying the Lord’s Prayer. 

Lectionary for the Sundays after Epiphany including, the Presentation in the Temple (Candlemas)

17 January Epiphany 2

1 Samuel 3: 1 – 10, Revelation 5: 1 – 10, John 1: 43 – end

24 January Epiphany 3

Genesis 14: 17 – 20, Revelation 19: 6 – 10, John 2: 1 – 11  

31 January Epiphany 4 Candlemas

Malachi 3: 1 – 5, Hebrews 2: 14 – end, Luke 2: 22 – 40

Our Liturgy  

We use Common Worship for all services except on the first Sunday of the month when the 1662 Communion Service is used.

Baptisms

Christingle and Mothering Sunday Services

We especially welcome parents, Godparents and children to the Christingle service on Advent Sunday at 16.00 and to the Mothering Sunday service in the Spring as part of the Parish Eucharist at 10.00.

Weddings

"Welcome Back Sunday Service"

Each year we hold a "Welcome Back Service" on the second Sunday in May as part of the 10.00 Parish Eucharist, when we invite those who have been married or have worshipped here and moved away. We give thanks for faithful relationships and marriage, we sing many of the hymns chosen for weddings and the organ music at the end is one of the famous recessional pieces.This is a popular service and all are welcome. There is also an opportunity after the service to show your photos and enjoy a glass of wine or fruit juice.    

Funerals

All Souls' Service

A very popular service, the Commemoration of All Souls is held here on the Sunday nearest 2 November at 16.00.There is music and readings, prayers and the lighting of candles by members of the congregation; the names of the dead are read out and silence kept. People find it very moving and beautiful and make a point of coming back each year.

Memorial Services

Generally a memorial service takes place several weeks after the funeral. Sometimes a memorial service is referred to as a service of thanksgiving. Usually the deceased had a connection either with the church or this part of London.

The Rector and Director of Music are involved in the planning of the service.

The Columbarium

The Columbarium is known as 'one of London's secret gardens.' It lies to the east of the church down a flight of stairs. There are some niches on an outside wall and others are in a covered area enclosed by a gate. We have many requests for the placing of ashes here, but because of the limited space, only the ashes of those who were worshipping members of the congregation or who lived within the parish at time of death are placed there.

"I am the resurrection and the life," says the Lord."Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die." John 11.25,26