An informal evening service on the theme of gifts and talents

I used this service for our monthly ‘Toolbox’ service (emphasis on less formality, different style of music (for us), ‘hands on’ activity).We have 1.5 hours for this service so it allows time for work in groups. On this occasion we had 48 people including 8 under 18.

I had linked Epiphany with gifts and emphasised that we weren’t just talking about spiritual gifts but all the gifts and talents God gives us. I had a Toolbox and from it took out a few things to signify hospitality, listening, art, home-making, work, sport, dance etc etc trying to make sure that all would realise they had a gift or talent.

I talked about 3 stages – recognising a gift, giving thanks to God for that gift and then offering it back to God (ie to use as God would like us to; to share it with others).I explained that we were going to work in groups to put together an act of worship celebrating gifts and talents.

I also asked people to write their gifts/talents on pieces of paper to be offered to God during our act of worship. I had planned 5 group activities:

Art – painting on circles (about 10cm diameter – mine were self adhesive) pictures that represented the variety of gifts and talents

Scripture – I had a list of suggested references but left it open to choose others

Prayer – I supplied a variety of prayer books with some pages marked but also suggested the group might write their own

Creative writing – a variety of poetry books with some marked; some psalms from ‘The word on the Street’ (Street Bible) by Rob Lacey and/or the option to write their own

Movement - a colleague had choreographed some simple movement to ‘I will offer up my life’ . This finished with the Toolbox containing the gifts and talents being taken to the altar/foot of the cross.

They had 40 mins to work in groups and they were free to choose their group.

My service outline and timings are attached as are the instructions for each group. The resulting act of worship was very moving. The art group stuck their circles on a large board as fruit on a tree. The scripture group chose several short passages to read – some I’d suggested and others I hadn’t. The creative writing group had a dialogue written by a teenager, a poem from one of the books and a verse of a hymn that they wrote to celebrate gifts and talents, which we all sang. The group doing the movement included men and women from age 12 to 70. The pray-ers used a mix of their own and a prayer from a book.

Pippa Mills

 

Songs played as people arrive  Blessed be your name; Jesus all for Jesus

Welcome and introduction.

Still in season of Epiphany – set me thinking about gifts – the gifts and talents God has given us – not just spiritual gifts.

Opening response

Loving God, we have come to worship you. Help us to pray to you in faith, To sing your praise with gratitude, And to listen to your word with eagerness; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Song: Come, now is the time to worship

Explanation:

Toolbox – containing the gifts God gives us – tonight we want to give thanks for those gifts.  Some might feel uncomfortable but this is in no way meant to be arrogant or boastful. We are simply acknowledging the things we do well, recognising that God has given us the ability to … – all of us have a gift for something.

There seem to be 3 stages:   Recognising a gift or talent, Giving thanks to God for that gift, offering it back to God – ie share with others, don’t keep them to ourselves, use in a way that Jesus would advocate

We’re going to put worship together – chance to choose scripture, prayer, movement, creative drawing painting or writing. Write down what we give thanks for – offer it in our Toolbox. Encourage people to say quietly to people at some point of the evening what they appreciate them for

In Groups:    scripture, creative writing, prayer, movement, art (40 mins)

Together:      Responses: There are varieties of gifts, But the same Spirit. There are varieties of service, But the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, But the same God is at work in all.

Songs:  May the words of my mouth; Jesus all for Jesus

Scripture Group (8 mins) ; Creative writing/poetry Group (8 mins) ; Movement Group (5 mins) ; Prayer Group (8 mins) ; Art Group display 

Close – coffee – give people a chance to go if they want while still worshipping.

 

Please paint or draw on the discs something to represent a gift or talent.    I suggest you start with something to represent one of your gifts but, if you have time to do more, then choose something that you know is someone else’s gift. If possible check what others are doing so that there aren’t too many duplicates!

Then stick the discs onto the board and we shall use it as part of our worship – could the circles become fruit on the vine or do you have other ideas?

It would be wonderful if we ended up with something that celebrated the breadth of gifts and talents that we have.

Examples to get you started:   Organising, home-making, listening, quietly serving others, loving, parenting, encouraging, supporting, peace-making, reading aloud, leading, teaching, praying, caring, being able to drive, painting, singing, dancing, acting, writing…  sense of humour, patience, friendship, dependability, daily work, hospitality… and many, many others.

 

 

Please choose or write some poetry or a Psalm (or other creative writing) for our act of worship. To start you off there are some suggested pages marked in the Lion book and extra copies of some pages and Street Bible Psalms but… the choice is yours.

Decide who and how you will read it. Be creative, if you want to, with voices, movement etc.  Please note that there are only a maximum of 8 minutes allocated for your part of our act of worship!

If you find more (or write more) than we have time to use then why not write them out or put the book out and people can look at and read them at the end of the evening.

 

Please choose or write some prayers for our act of worship. To start you off there are some suggested pages marked in the SPCK book and some extra copies of those pages but… the choice is yours.

Decide on who and how you would like to read/pray the prayers. Do you want to include the Lord’s Prayer? Do you want a response between the prayers or an action with them?

Please note that there are only a maximum of 8 minutes allocated for your part of our act of worship!  If you find more (or write more) than we have time to use then why not write them out or put the book out and people can look at and read them at the end of the evening.

 

Decide on a passage(s) of scripture to use for our worship together. Choose someone to read it/them. If you would like to say something about your choice of scripture please do but note that there are only a maximum of 8 minutes allocated for your part of our act of worship!

These are some suggestions of scripture references that you might choose. You may have others you wish to use.  If you long to use more than we have time for, note the extra references or leave Bibles opened at the places and people can look at and read them at the end of the evening

1 Peter 4:8-11 …serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received…

Romans 12:4-8 …For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function…

2 Corinthians 9:6-15 …You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity…

Matthew 7:7-12…how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

1 Corinthians 12 Spiritual Gifts

A small gift may be turned into something big – don’t be ashamed to offer whatever we have

Luke 9:12 –17 or Matthew 14:15-21 5 loaves and 2 fish feed 5000

1 Kings 17:10-16 Elijah and the widow of Zarephath

Using gifts and talents requires obedience. God can do all things without us but longs to work with us – even when we feel totally inadequate

Exodus 3 –4 Calling of Moses (Moses kept making excuses but gave in eventually)

John 2:1-11 Wedding feast at Cana (Servants filled the jars with water, Jesus turned the water into wine)