Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, September 19, 2024)

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.

Christians have a long tradition of offering prayer and praise when night falls and lamps are lit. What may be the oldest Christian hymn outside those found in the New Testament is the Phos hilaron. We are blessed with many different translations of this hymn.

We praise God in many different ways. Among these ways is singing hymns, psalms, canticles, and worship songs; reading aloud the Holy Scriptures; living lives that honour God and serving Christ in others.

In this evening’s message we look at one of the ways that we can serve Christ in others—by offering them spiritual first aid in times of crisis.

GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME

Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
A light no darkness can extinguish.

One or more candles may be lit.

Open this link to hear Carl P. Daw Jr.’s paraphrase of the Phos hilaron, “O Light Whose Splendor Thrills and Gladdens.”

1 O Light whose splendor thrills and gladdens
with radiance brighter than the sun,
pure gleam of God's unending glory,
Jesus, blest Anointed One;

2 As twilight hovers near at sunset,
and lamps are lit, and children nod,
in evening hymns we lift our voices
to Father, Spirit, Son: one God.

3 In all life's brilliant, timeless moments,
let faithful voices sing your praise,
O Son of God, our Life-bestower,
whose glory lightens endless days.

Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4: 16

Let us now confess our sins to almighty God.

Silence

God of all mercy,
we humbly admit that we need your help.
We have wandered from your ways.
We have sinned in thought, word, and deed,
and have failed to do what is right.
You alone can save us.
Have mercy on us,
wipe out our sins and teach us to forgive others.
Bring forth in us the fruit of your Spirit that
we may live the new life to your glory.
This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—
not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
No power in the sky above or in the earth below—
indeed, nothing in all creation
will ever be able to separate us from the love of God
that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8: 38-39

Open this link in a new to hear Timothy Dudley-Smith’s “Come Quickly, Lord (Psalm 141).”

1 Come quickly, Lord, and hear the cries
my heart and hands uplifted raise;
and let my prayer as incense rise,
an evening sacrifice of praise.
Guard now the lips that speak your Name,
lest they, and I, be put to shame.

2 And if my steps should go astray
and from the path of truth I move,
restore me to your narrow way
and in your mercy, Lord, reprove;
from love of self my soul defend,
and wound me as a faithful friend.

*3 When at the last, O Lord our God,
we look to you alone to save,
the plough of judgment breaks the clod,
and bones are scattered from the grave:
our Rock, our Refuge and our Tower,
protect us in the final hour.

4 We fix our eyes upon you, Lord,
and tune our ears to hear your voice;
our hearts by faith receive your word
and in your promises rejoice.
Till morning breaks and night is gone,
in God we trust, and journey on.

*Omitted in the video.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley Smith’s “Christ Be My Leader.”

1 Christ be my leader by night as by day;
safe through the darkness, for he is the Way.
Gladly I follow, my future his care,
darkness is daylight when Jesus is there.

2 Christ be my teacher in age as in youth,
drifting or doubting, for he is the Truth.
Grant me to trust him; though shifting as sand,
doubt cannot daunt me; in Jesus I stand.

3 Christ be my Savior in calm as in strife;
death cannot hold me for he is the Life.
darkness nor doubting nor sin and its stain
can touch my salvation: with Jesus I reign.

The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.

Let us pray.

Silence

O God,
Without you we are not able to please you,
mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit
may in all things direct and rule our hearts;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

A reading from the New Testament: Acts 16:25-40

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.

The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.”

But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”

When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.

Silence

May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.

Spiritual First Aid

When my oldest grandnephew was a Boy Scout, I served as a member of his troop committee and as his troop chaplain. I had been interested in Scouting as a teenager, had a subscription to Boys Life, the Boy Scouting magazine, during my teen years, and spent many pleasurable hours, pouring over the two Boy Scout Manuals in my possession, learning about signaling, knot-tying, camp cooking, bivouacking, and all the kinds of things that Boy Scouts are encouraged to learn.

When my mother was the head teacher at a village school in Suffolk, England, she had accompanied the Scouts from her school on camping trips and had taken my older brother and I with her. As a family we often went camping during the summer holidays.

When I was a teenager, however, I lived in a rural district which had no Boy Scout troop.

For most of the time my grandnephew was in the Boy Scouts, from Cub Scouts on, I filled in for his grandfather and father.

One of the things that Boy Scouts learn is first aid, “basic medical treatment that is given to someone as soon as possible after they have been hurt in an accident or suddenly become ill.” It is one of the many ways that Scouts learn to live their motto, “Be prepared.” First aid training helps Scouts” recognize the signs that someone actually needs help” and prepares them to respond quickly—when minute can be a matter of life and death.

As well as learning to give the kind of first aid that Boy Scouts learn to give, Christians can also learn how to give spiritual first aid. Spiritual first aid is also something that anyone exploring the Christian faith and way of life will want to learn too. Spiritual first aid is one of the ways that the followers of Jesus show their love for others.

How then do we administer spiritual first aid? In our lifetime we can expect to encounter people in a crisis. It may be related to a natural disaster such as an earthquake, a flood, a hurricane, a tornado, or a wildfire; a sudden illness or accidental injury, the loss of a job; the breakup of a marriage; an eviction; or a human disaster such as a release of toxic gases, the failure of a dam or levee, an act of terrorism, or a prolonged power outage. Crises are a part of the human condition. We may experience them ourselves.

When we encounter someone in crisis, our first step is to make a quick assessment of the situation and determine what we can do to help. They may need practical assistance that addresses their immediate needs and concerns such food, water, and blankets. They may need emotional support and encouragement. They may need prayer. They may need spiritual counseling and guidance.

A critical skill is to actively listen to what the person in crisis is saying. We may occasionally ask a question for clarification and repeat what they are say so that they know that we are listening to them. By giving our full attention to what they are saying and not thinking about what we are going to say, we are more likely to learn what is their most pressing need or concern.

If we are not able to provide the practical assistance that they need, we should do what we can to help them get that assistance. We also should follow up with them to make sure that they have gotten it.

An important way of supporting and encouraging a person in crisis is to be there for them.

If we offer to pray for someone in crisis and they accept our offer, pray for them right there on the spot. It can be very reassuring for the person in crisis to hear someone else pray for them. Avoid, however, using prayer to give advice. Even if they do not accept our offer of prayer, we can pray for them silently—even if it is a brief “arrow prayer,” asking God to help that person.

Crises often create opportunities to share the gospel and to point people to Jesus as what happened in this evening’s reading from Luke’s Acts of the Apostles. People in crisis are generally receptive to hearing the good news. However, their other needs will need to be addressed first before their spiritual needs can be addressed. Paul and Silas addressed the jailer’s safety needs, telling him that they had not escaped when he was about to kill himself, believing that he would be blamed for their escape.

People also experience spiritual crises, crises in faith. Listening to them and praying for them is key. We might share with them a personal experience or a verse of Scripture relevant to what they are going through. Sharing our testimony may be helpful, Avoid, however, lecturing them.

What is most important whatever the kind of crisis a person is experiencing is to show that we genuinely care about them. We see them as a person, and not as a project.

If you invite a person in crisis to your church and they accept your invitation, arrange to accompany them to church, introduce them to the people you know at church, and sit with them during the service. Do what you can to help them find in the church the kind of supportive environment that they need during this particular time of their life. Do not wander off and leave them by themselves. If they do not accept your invitation, maintain contact with them, offering your friendship and support.

There are other ways of helping people in a crisis, but these are some of the ways that we can help them at a critical stage.

Like the Boy Scouts (Girl Scouts and Girl Guides too), Christians should always be prepared, always ready to serve Christ in others and to lend them a helping hand.

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to ear Marty Haugen’s “Healer of Our Every Ill.”

Healer of our ev’ry ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

1 You who know our fears and sadness,
grace us with your peace and gladness;
Spirit of all comfort, fill our hearts.

Healer of our ev’ry ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

2 In the pain and joy beholding
how your grace is still unfolding,
give us all your vision, God of love.

Healer of our ev’ry ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

3 Give us strength to love each other,
ev’ry sister, ev’ry brother;
Spirit of all kindness, be our guide.

Healer of our ev’ry ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

4 You who know each thought and feeling,
teach us all your way of healing;
Spirit of compassion, fill each heart.

Healer of our ev’ry ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

Let us affirm with Christians across the ages what we believe about God and his love for us.

We believe in one God,
who made us and loves all that is.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was born, lived, died and rose again,
and is coming to call all to account.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
who calls, equips and sends out God’s people,
and brings all things to their true end.

This is our faith, the faith of the Church:

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

THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER

During the course of the silence after each petition, those present may offer their own prayers silently or aloud.

Let us join in prayer with God’s faithful people throughout the
world, saying “God of Love: hear our prayer.”

We pray for the unity of your church, that our life may reflect the
love you have shown us.

Silence

God of love: Hear our prayer.

We ask your grace for N our pastor and for all who
minister in word and in action, that we may bear faithful witness
to your good news.

Silence

God of love: Hear our prayer.

We seek your peace and justice in our world, our country, and our
community, that the needy may never be forgotten.

Silence

God of love: Hear our prayer.

We ask your blessing on our homes, our friends and family, and
on those who live alone, that we may know your presence ever
near us.

Silence

God of love: Hear our prayer.

We name before you all whom you have given us to pray for
[especially….], knowing that you are doing for them better things
than we can ask or imagine.

Silence

God of love: Hear our prayer.

We commend to you all who have died [especially….], that our
trust in you may deepen as you keep them safe in your care.

Silence

God of love: Hear our prayer.

We offer our thanks and praise for all you have done for us,
rejoicing in the knowledge that you are with us always.

Silence

God of love: Hear our prayer.

We look for your purposes to be accomplished and ask you to fill
us with the strength and vision to further your reign.

Silence

God of love: Hear our prayer.

Accept our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray:

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.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Ruth Duck’s “As Fire Is Meant for Burning.”

1 As a fire is meant for burning
with a bright and warming flame,
so the church is meant for mission,
giving glory to God’s name.
Not to preach our creeds or customs,
but to build a bridge of care,
we join hands across the nations,
finding neighbours everywhere.

2 We are learners; we are teachers;
we are pilgrims on the way.
We are seekers; we are givers;
we are vessels made of clay.
By our gentle, loving actions,
we would show that Christ is light.
In a humble, listening Spirit,
we would live to God’s delight.

3 As a green bud in the springtime
is the sign of life renewed,
so may we be signs of oneness
’mid earth’s peoples, many hued.
As a rainbow lights the heavens
when a storm is past and gone,
may our lives reflect the radiance
of God’s new and glorious dawn.

THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE 

In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Those present may extend their palms toward each other in a gesture of blessing.

May God, Creator, bless us and keep us,
may Christ be ever light for our lives,
may the Spirit of Love be our guide and path,
for all our days. Amen.

The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
And also with you.

Those present may exchange a gesture of peace with these or similar words:
Peace be with you.