Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (September 24, 2026)

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.

The final hymn of this evening’s service is Percy Dearmer’s “God is love, his the care,” written in 1925 and published in Songs of Praise in 1926, a collection of hymns edited by Dearmer, and widely used in schools and with children. An expanded edition of Songs of Praise was published in 1931 and succeeding impressions have been published since that time. We sang hymns from Songs of Praise at Rumburgh Village School in the 1950s.

This evening’s service’s final hymn is the original version of “God is love, his the care.” Several alternative versions of the hymn have been produced, typically altering the language of the hymn and shortening it, but they fail to retain the sense of the original hymn. Dearmer wrote the hymn in the 1920s and his choice of language reflects the conventions of the time in which he wrote the hymn. The hymn should not be construed to exclude women. Where Dearmer uses “man,” he also means “woman.”

The tune is THEODERIC, also known as PERSONET HODIE. As well as an organ accompaniment, an optional simple piano accompaniment is provided for those who are more comfortable singing a hymn accompanied on the piano. No video of the complete original version of “God is love, his the care,” sung by a congregation, choir, or soloist, is available online.

This evening’s message is about loving God.

GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher J. Ha’s improvisation on Calvin Hampton’s hymn tune DE TAR for organ.

Silence

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth
stand in awe of him. Psalm 96:9

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and
just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9

Let us now confess our sins to almighty God.

Silence

Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much
the devices and the desires of our own hearts.
we have offended against your holy laws,
we have left undone what we ought to have done,
and we have done what we ought not to have done.
Yet, good Lord, have mercy on us;
restore those who are penitent,
according to your promises declared
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grant, most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may live a godly, righteous, and sober lives,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Merciful Lord,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Open our lips, O Lord;
And we shall declare your praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher Idle’s “Light of Gladness, Lord of Glory.”

1 Light of gladness, Lord of glory,
Jesus Christ our king most holy,
shine among us in your mercy:
earth and heaven join their hymn.

2 Let us sing at sun's descending
as we see the lights of evening,
Father, Son, and Spirit praising
with the holy seraphim.

3 Son of God, through all the ages
worthy of our holiest praises,
yours the life that never ceases,
light which never shall grow dim.

Open this link in a new tab to hear George Herbert’s “The God of Love My Shepherd Is” (Psalm 23)

1 The God of love my Shepherd is,
and he that doth me feed:
while he is mine and I am his,
what can I want or need,
what can I want or need?

2 He leads me to the tender grass,
where I both feed and rest;
then to the streams that gently pass:
in both I have the best,
in both I have the best.

3 Or if I stray, he doth convert
and bring my mind in frame:
and all this not for my desert,
but for his holy name,
but for his holy name.

[Instrumental interlude]

4 Yea, in death’s shady black abode
well may I walk, not fear:
for thou art with me; and thy rod
to guard, thy staff to bear,
to guard, thy staff to bear.

5 Nay, thou dost make me sit and dine,
e'en in my enemy's sight:
my head with oil, my cup with wine,
runs over day and night,
runs over day and night.

6 Surely thy sweet and wondrous love
shall measure all my days;
and as it never shall remove,
so neither shall my praise,
so neither shall my praise.

Silence

For your Name’s sake, O God,
lead us in the paths of righteousness
and let your mercy follow us
that we may dwell with you for ever. Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 15: 7-11

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards them. Rather, be open-handed and freely lend them whatever they need. Be careful not to harbour this wicked thought: ‘The seventh year, the year for cancelling debts, is near,’ so that you do not show ill will towards the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be open-handed towards your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

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

Silence

Opens this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley Smith’s “Tell Out, My Soul” (Magnificat).

1 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his Word;
in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.

2 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy name, the Lord, the Mighty One.

3 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

4 Tell out, my soul, the glories of his Word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children's children and forevermore!

A reading from the First Letter of John.
1 John 4:15-21

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: in this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

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

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley Smith’s "Faithful Vigil Ended" (Nunc dimittis).

1 Faithful vigil ended,
watching, waiting cease
Master, grant your servant
his discharge in peace.

2 All the Spirit promised,
all the Father willed
now these eyes behold it
perfectly fulfilled.

3 This your great deliverance
sets your people free
Christ their light uplifted
all the nations see.

4 Christ, your people's glory!
Watching, doubting cease
grant to us your servants
our discharge in peace.

A Lesson on Loving God from the First Letter of John

It is becoming all too common these days to hear or read about various groups who, while identifying themselves as Christian, regularly show no care or respect for the teachings of Jesus and the apostles regarding the treatment of others. They not only neglect and ignore these teachings but also dismiss them as no longer relevant for our times. They place limits upon those toward whom they should show love, restricting themselves to a small circle of people, people who have kinship to them in some way, such as belonging to the same family, looking like they do, thinking like they do, speaking like they do. They do not regard as a brother or sister anyone who does not fit into these categories, and even then it does not take much for them to exclude someone from this small circle of people, especially an individual who evidences an unwanted and unwelcome difference.

Hate does not have to be openly expressed. It can take the form of malicious gossip spread behind someone’s back, cruel jokes made at their expense, or deliberate sabotaging of their work, denial of credit for what they have done, and obstruction of their advancement. An individual may go as far as supporting what will harm them too in order to inflict harm on people whom they hate. Hate can also take the form of studied indifference, an intentional display of no interest or care.

What John writes about the connection between loving those whom we have seen and loving God, whom we have not seen, however, is to be interpreted in the light of what Jesus himself taught. Loving such a small circle of people does not qualify us as loving God, even though we may believe that we do. Human beings are prone to self-deception.

Jesus taught his disciples to be merciful as God is merciful, pointing to their attention that God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. He taught them this after telling them to love their enemies (Luke 6: 27-36). Among the criticisms that Jesus leveled at the teachers of the religious law and the Pharisees was that while they put on the appearance of being very pious, their hearts were far from God. They were lacking in justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matthew 23: 23-24).

Being merciful to other people regardless of who they are, being forgiving, generous, helpful, caring and considerate are the standard that Jesus set for his disciples. By living according to this standard, in obedience to his commands, we show not only our love for Jesus but also our love for God. We also show our faith in the one whom we call Savior and our Lord, our confidence and trust in his words.

If we genuinely love someone, we will desire what is good for them. This may not be what they themselves believe is good for them. We do not accept everything that they say or do nor do we deliberately ignore or pretend not to notice words and actions that may harm them or others. We do not confuse love with indulgence. If a small child goes to put their finger in an electrical socket or touch an uninsulated electrical wire, love stops them. Love does not think to themselves. “I’m not going to do or say anything. It’s what they want to do.” Love intervenes.

Through our expression of our love for others, we express our love for God who enables us to love him and others through his grace, grace which is God's expression of his love for us, and an inseparable part of the character of God who is love. God's love is the father of our love for others and our love for God. Our love for others is evidence of our union with God and God's presence in us. That is something worth celebrating not just on Sundays but every day and offering God our thanks and praise!

Silence

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Let us pray.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on 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,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Lord, show us your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Keep our nation under your care,
and guide us in justice and truth.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness,
and make your chosen people joyful.
Lord, save your people,
and bless your inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
for you are our help and strength.
Create in us dean hearts, O God,
and renew us by your Holy Spirit.

Lord, let your continual pity cleanse and defend your church, and
because it cannot continue in safety without your aid, keep it
evermore by your help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.

Eternal God, from whom all holy desires, all good purposes,
and all just works proceed: give to your servants that peace
which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to
obey your commandments, and that free from the fear of our
enemies we may pass our time in trust and quietness;
through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray: and in your great
mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night;
for the love of your only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear James Quinn’s “God Is Love,
and Where True Love Is.”

God is love, and where true love is, God himself is there.

1 Here in Christ we gather, love of Christ our calling;
Christ, our love, is with us, gladness be his greeting;
let us all revere and love him, God eternal;
loving him, let each love Christ in all his brothers.

God is love, and where true love is, God himself is there.

2 When we Christians gather, members of one Body,
let there be in us no discord, but one spirit;
banished now be anger, strife and every quarrel:
Christ our God be present always here among us.

God is love, and where true love is, God himself is there.

3 Grant us love's fulfilment, joy with all the blessèd,
when we see your face, O Saviour, in its glory;
shine on us, O purest Light of all creation,
be our bliss while endless ages sing your praises.

God is love, and where true love is, God himself is there.

Silence is kept.

Those present may offer their own prayers and thanksgivings, either 

silently or aloud.

Gracious God,
you have given us much today;
grant us also a thankful spirit.
Into your hands we commend ourselves
and those we love.
Be with us still, and when we take our rest
renew us for the service of your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.

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.

Open this link to hear an organ accompaniment of THEODERIC (PERSONET HODIE), the setting of Percy Dearmer’s “God Is Love, His the Care.”

Open this link to hear an optional simple piano accompaniment of THEODERIC (PERSONET HODIE).

No vocals.

1 God is love: his the care,
tending each, everywhere.
God is love--all is there!
Jesus came to show him,
that mankind might know him.

Sing aloud, loud, loud!
Sing aloud, loud, loud!
God is good! God is truth!
God is beauty! Praise him!

2 None can see God above;
all have here man to love;
thus may we Godward move,
finding him in others,
holding all men brothers.

Sing aloud, loud, loud!
Sing aloud, loud, loud!
God is good! God is truth!
God is beauty! Praise him!

3 Jesus lived here for men,
strove and died, rose again,
rules our hearts, now as then;
for he came to save us
by the truth he gave us.

Sing aloud, loud, loud!
Sing aloud, loud, loud!
God is good! God is truth!
God is beauty! Praise him!

4 To our Lord praise we sing--
light and life, friend and king,
coming down love to bring,
pattern for our duty,
showing God in beauty.

Sing aloud, loud, loud!
Sing aloud, loud, loud!
God is good! God is truth!
God is beauty! Praise him!

THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE

The Lord be with you.
And also with you
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Open this link in a new tab to hear John A. Behnke’s “Benediction.”

The Lord bless you
The Lord keep you
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
And be gracious
And be gracious
The Lord look upon you with favor
And give you peace.
The Lord bless you
The Lord keep you
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
And be gracious
And be gracious
The Lord look upon you with favor
And give you peace.
Amen. Amen.
Amen. Amen.
Amen. Amen.