April 2015: Sense of Doubt

setup:
paschal candle unlit in centre
table of candles in front [unlit]
timeline on sanctuary step

slideshow for service is here

1. how long would you wait?

timeline on floor - line of tape, cards with one second, minutes, hours, days etc - 'how long would you wait?' cards on adjacent table.
see here for original version, although some of the cards were changed for this version.

as people arrive they are invited to take a handful of cards and place them on the timeline

music:
before a storm (gulls remix) - gulls - into the woods - the remixes
water - jon birch - landskapes
as time ticked by - roly miller - landskapes
tabor - mike jedlicka - tabor/NW passage EP

2. welcome and introduction:
[start when 'tabor' ends]
explanation about 'low sunday' over senseofdoubt slide

no music

thomas section:

3. volunteer reader - first passage:

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

4. meditation:

congregation watch slideshow

slides run at 30 seconds each with a 10 second dissolve between. this enables the slides to run to the full length of the music which is approx. 13.5 minutes.

music:
sense of doubt/moss garden/neukoln - david bowie - "heroes"

5. volunteer reader - second passage:

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

6. volunteer to light paschal candle .

slide on screen reads:

put down all your weapons
let me in to your open wounds

music:
'prologue' and 'weapons' - son lux - at war with walls and mazes

7. prayer section 1:

Pray for
those who struggle with doubts
those who have to engage with other people’s doubts
those who are called to demonstrate faith
when all around have doubts
light a candle

congregation light candles from the paschal candle

music:
lux - wraith vs wrath - kex/lux

8. prayer section 2:

words on slides

no music

We thank you Lord for the story of Thomas

showing us that faith was never easy
and that doubt never breaks your love for us

We lift up to you our demands
show me,
prove it,
give me a sign NOW
our doubts
may your peace be with us

We offer you
Our fumbling answers
when others tell us
you are not
proven
may your peace be with us

We offer you
Our pain
And reticence
When we hold back from rejoicing
Because others can’t
may your peace be with us

We ask you
To meet those
In need of peace
In need of blessing
In need of an end to their waiting
may your peace be with them

We do believe,
help us overcome our unbelief

8. volunteer reader - last part of passage:

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

9. closing prayer:

no music

said together:

In peace, we will lie down and sleep; For you alone, make us dwell in safety.
Abide with us Jesus, For the night is at hand and the day is now past.
As the night-watch looks for the morning So do we look for you, O Christ.
The Lord bless us and watch over us;
The Lord make his face shine upon us
And be gracious to us;
The Lord look kindly on us
And give us peace.
Amen

10. freshvitalworship slide

music:
epilogue - son lux - at war with walls and mazes
morse - nightmares on wax - carboot soul