Services

Services at St Giles’

Sunday 28 November Advent 1 

10.00 Parish Eucharist 

Music and Readings 

Organ Prelude JS. Bach Jesu, meine Freude BWV 713

Hymn 24 Come, thou long-expected Jesus

The Blessing and lighting of the Advent Wreath

People of God: awake!

The day is coming soon

when you shall see God face to face.

Remember the ways and the works of God.

God calls you out of darkness

to walk in the light of his coming.

You are God’s children.

All: Lord, make us one as we walk with Christ today and for ever

Amen

First reading: Jeremiah 33. 14-16

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

Psalm 25

1  To you O Lord I lift up my soul;

     O my God in /you I /trust; *

     let me not be put to shame;

     let not my /enemies /triumph /over me.

2   Let none who look to you be /put to /shame, *

     but let the treacherous be /shamed /and frus/trated.

3   Make me to know your /ways O /Lord, *

     and /teach /me your /paths.

4   Lead me in your /truth and /teach me, *

     for you are the God of my salvation;

     for you have I /hoped /all the day /long.

5    Remember Lord your com/passion and /love, *

      for /they are from /ever/lasting.

6    Remember not the sins of my youth

      or /my trans/gressions, *

      but think on me in your goodness O Lord,

      a/ccording .to your /steadfast /love.

7    Gracious and upright /is the /Lord; *

      therefore shall he teach /sinners /in the /way.

8    He will guide the humble in /doing /right *

      and /teach his /way .to the /lowly.

2nd part

9    All the paths of the Lord are /mercy and /truth *                             to those who keep his /covenant /and his /testimonies.

Glory to the Father and /to the /Son

And /to the /Holy /Spirit:

As it was in the be/ginning, is /now

And shall be for /ever.  /A-/men.

Second reading: 1 Thessalonians 3. 9-end

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Choir Handel And the glory of the Lord

The Gospel: Luke 21. 25-36

‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’

Then he told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’

Sermon

The Peace

Hymn 484 Jesu, priceless treasure, source of purest pleasure

Eucharistic Prayer

Choir JS Bach Sleepers wake!

Post Communion Prayer

West Malling Antiphon

Hymn 31 Lo, he comes with clouds descending

Blessing and Dismissal

Organ Postlude Vivian Postlude on Helmsley

Notices

Advent Fair today 11.30 – 3.30pm

followed by the Christingle Service 4pm

The Book Fair has raised over £3,000.

Thank you to those who helped with and donated to the Book and Advent Fairs.

Private Prayer Thursday 2 December 1pm

Cleaning Angels the following day, Friday 3 December from 1.30pm followed by tea and cake. All welcome. 

Please click here if you would like to make a donation

Readings for Sunday 5 December Advent 2 

Malachi 3 1-4; Philippians 1 3-11; Luke 3 1-6

Weekday Services 

There will be no Morning Prayer on weekdays during the Interregnum.

Thursday 4 November 2021 - Private Prayer and Reflection from 13.00-13.30

You are invited to join others in church on 4 November for our monthly private prayer. You may find this prayer sheet 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.

November Prayer Sheet

Our text for November, ‘God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him’                                                         John 3 v 17  

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.

We pray for all those working to appoint a new Rector for St Giles’ now that the parish and person profiles have been agreed, published and the advert appeared in the Church Times.

We pray for all who will be confirmed in St Paul’s Cathedral this month by Bishop Sarah and give thanks for the support of their families and parishes as this service has not been possible for 2 years because of the pandemic.

As the Cop26 Conference starts in Glasgow we pray that real progress can be made with targets and finance commitments agreed, and with those who are or have been major polluters committed to help developing and poorer nations to survive this global emergency.

We pray for comfort to those who suffer in body, mind and spirit remembering those who have mental health problems or are suffering from long Covid.

As we come to the start of colder weather, we pray for all who are homeless or living on the streets, for families who face hardship in terms of hunger and heating their homes and for all who work in the NHS as they face a hard winter with rises in Covid, ‘Fu and other respiratory conditions.

We pray for all who were injured in the train crash in Salisbury, for the emergency services who have been working at the site and those who will be looking at the cause of the crash.

We pray to our Heavenly Father, to give grace to us, our families, friends, and neighbours that we may serve Christ in one another and love as he loves us.

Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.                 

We finish by saying the Lord’s Prayer. 

Lectionary for Sundays in November and December

28 November Advent 1

Jeremiah 33 14-16: 1 Thessalonians 3 9-end: Luke 21 25-36

5 December Advent 2

Malachi 3 1-4; Philippians 1 3-11; Luke 3 1-6

12 December Advent 3

Zephaniah 3 14-end; Philippians 4 4-7; Luke 3 7-18

19 December Advent 4

Micah 5 2-5a; Hebrews 10 5-10; Luke 1 39-55                      

24 December Christmas Eve  

Isaiah 52 7-10; Hebrews 1 12, John 1 1-14

25 December Christmas Day

Isaiah 9 2-7; Titus 2 11-14; Luke 2 1-20

26 December Christmas 1

1 Samuel 2 18-20, 26; Colossians 3 12-17; Luke 2 41-52

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