Queensferry Parish Church

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Liturgy for 23rd April

QUEENSFERRY PARISH CHURCH

MIDWEEK SERVICES - APRIL

We are now in the Easter season and our themes today and next week will be about post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. This material is for 23rd April.

Week 4 – Jesus and Thomas

Leader:

Risen Lord, you love us, you call us, you change us.
Let us recognise you coming however gently or dramatically you approach us.
Let us recognise you coming whoever you use to make yourself known to us.
Let us recognise you coming whatever time or situation you use to approach us.
Let us recognise your compassion when you come into the dark places of our lives and your generous forgiveness.
Let us recognise your call on our lives to follow you and to serve you and one another.
Let us recognise your transforming touch upon the bleak situations of our world.
Lord of life, of hope, of resurrection, we make our prayer in your name.
AMEN.

Opening Responses

In the breaking of bread and in prayers
JESUS IS AMONG US
In the telling of stories and in signs
JESUS IS AMONG US
In the sharing of resources and in justice
JESUS IS AMONG US
In our homes and in our meeting together
JESUS IS AMONG US IN JOY

Read:​1 Peter 3 verses 3 - 9

Hymn or song: singing is a bit challenging by zoom! You might want to read together Hymn 432 “How often we like Thomas”

Read: Psalm 16

Prayer

Blessed be God, Father of mercy, giver of life and hope:
WE WILL REJOICE IN YOUR LOVE.
Blessed be God, Saviour and Christ, giver of freedom and peace:
WE WILL REJOICE IN YOUR LOVE.
Blessed be God, holy companion, spirit of glory and grace:
WE WILL REJOICE IN YOUR LOVE.

Thank you, Lord, for Thomas –
Not there, not sure, left out when the others saw the risen Lord.
Risen Lord, be with us we pray when we fail to see you:
​When we want to believe but can only see ​legend and myth, and are tempted to put you ​away with other childish things;
​When we long to be loved and accepted but feel ​forever outsiders, excluded from your embrace;
​When we envy those who take for granted your ​close presence in their lives;
​When in bereavement we crave the certainty of ​eternal life but are afraid it is simply wishful ​thinking;
Risen Lord, as you came to Thomas in his doubts, offering him your cross-torn body, come to us, we pray. Reveal yourself afresh, that we too may say with Thomas: “My Lord and my God.”

And now hear us as we pray further in the words Jesus taught his disciples saying:
OUR FATHER

Read:​John 19 verses 19 - 31

Reflection

Reflect for 5 – 7 minutes on Thomas’ story. You might reflect on the relationship between faith and doubt; is it always bad to doubt? If we have too much certainty can it make it difficult to tell the Gospel story to those who have no belief? You might reflect on times of doubt in your own life. When my grandson Matthew was at nursery school he was taught by an amazing woman called Mrs. Lavender. Her view of Thomas (related to me by Matthew) was that “Thomas should have known better!” Do you agree? These are only suggestions – lots of other ideas may come to mind.
This part of the service might involve music or a short drama; it might involve the use of “props” or something else visual; it might involve silence.

You might also like to reflect on this short meditation:

THOMAS’S STORY

It was different for me; maybe it had to be.
All of my life it had been the same, the same as my twin brother – the same clothes; the same first day at school – at the synagogue; the same birthday – often the same presents. Even the same name when people got us mixed up.
Jesus was the first person who really treated me as an individual. He knew what was important to me. He knew what made me, me.
So maybe, on reflection, Jesus had his reasons to meet with the disciples when I wasn’t there.
It was a strange week for me. Everyone was talking about angels and ghosts, about stolen bodies, about journeys and broken bread.
I didn’t know what to believe. I needed to see Jesus for myself – and a week later I did.
He stood in front of me naming me – Thomas – inviting me to touch him, to make sure for myself that he was flesh and blood.
It was different for me – but maybe it’s different for everyone.
Jesus names each one of us and invites us into his risen life.

Prayer

This is a time for prayers for the world, for the communities in which we live; for the Church and those who minister here in any capacity; for those who are sick at this time, whether with coronavirus or other illnesses; for all health workers and carers; for those whose income is uncertain; for those known to us to be in particular need of our prayers; for ourselves.

CLOSING RESPONSES

A great mercy and a sure hope
A new birth and a deep peace
A strong love and a rich blessing
GOD IS SENDING US OUT IN JOY

This material has been adapted from “Fire and Bread” by Ruth Burgess, a Wild Goose publication and “Let Justice Roll Down”, a Christian Aid anthology. It has been added to by me!