At the start of the passage from Acts, the disciples were all together in one place on the feast of
Pentecost. It was a public holiday, to commemorate the giving of the Law by Moses.

Come, Holy Spirit; fill us with your peace. Come, Holy Spirit; unite us in our worship. Come, Holy Spirit; raise us
by your power. Come now, Holy Spirit.

Church’s Birthday. On this day, we celebrate the day when the Spirit came to the early  church and
people from different countries were able to understand the message about Christ in their own languages.
(passage from Acts) In the passage from John, at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus spoke to 
the people about the coming gift of the Spirit, which would flow out from those who believed in him.

Prayer: Loving God, we gather in the name of Jesus & in the power of the Spirit to worship you,
to bring you our love & to share the gifts you have given to us, of speaking, listening, knowledge,
wisdom & grace. Thank you that you poured out your Holy Spirit on all people at Pentecost, lighting the life
of your church with wind & fire. We come with our joys &; our sorrows, our hopes &; our fears, & with those
things which cling to us ; prevent us from being close to you, forgive us for our wrong thoughts & for those
times when we fail to live as Spirit-filled children of God. In Jesus, we have someone who has shared our
human nature & died on the cross for our sake, assuring us that our sins are forgiven. May we be filled a
fresh with your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reading: Acts: 2: 1 – 8, then 12 – 16. Pentecost.The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”Peter Addresses the Crowd14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

Reading: John: 7: 37 – 40 Jesus at Feast of Tabernacles
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty
come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from
within them.”[a] 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that
time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. 40 On hearing his words, some
​of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”

Message.
At the start of the passage from Acts, the disciples were all together in one place on the feast of Pentecost.
It was a public holiday, to commemorate the giving of the Law by Moses. Every male Jew living within
20 miles of Jerusalem was legally bound to come. Luke, author of Acts, used different ways to describe how the Spirit of God took possession of this small, insignificant group of people, who were all gathered indoors.
There’s a lot of mystery & ambiguity in the account, sounds like a blowing wind, something like tongues of flame &; somehow, the Spirit of God used those ordinary people to communicate with lots of different nationalities – in a way which each person could understand. Everyone was amazed, but some people thought they were drunk,
​&; others asked: ‘What does this mean?’
In v14 – Peter stood up & preached, quoting the prophet Joel. He went on to explain that God would pour
​ out his Spirit on all flesh. At the end of Peter’s speech, (beyond our passage) people were ‘cut to the heart’ and asked what they should do. Peter said: ‘Repent & be baptised, in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of
your sins’. Result? ‘You will receive the Holy Spirit’. 3.000 accepted his message &; became part of the young church.
The Holy Spirit still works through individual Christians &; in our prayers ,maybe sometimes in unexpected places.
John Sentamu, in his book: ‘Faith Stories’, tells the story of Mary Butterwick, who tragically lost her husband
suddenly in 1979, when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour & died 3 weeks later. In her frustration & grief,
she questioned God. She didn’t necessarily get all the answers, but she opened up a conversation with God,
became involved with a community group for people with disabilities &; continued to pray &; read her Bible.
Looking back, she could see that she was inviting the Holy Spirit to guide her. She also started writing about a
house where cancer patients &; their families could come &; talk through their anxieties &; fears. Initially, she only shared this idea with a couple of other people & asked them to pray. However, she also realised that she
would have to take some kind of action. She sold her house & found an ideal property for a day care centre.
It wasn’t easy to get her offer accepted, & when the sale was secured, there were lots of renovations
needed. It finally began to come together, &; Butterwick House was opened in 1984, the first day care centre in the North East for people with terminal illness & their families. After a few years, it became obvious that there was a need for a hospice for the people of Teesside. Today, Butterwick hospice helps many
patients &; their families every day. Money is raised through sponsorship & the support of local people.
Mary’s example is an inspiration & also a reminder that the Holy Spirit can use our small beginnings in ways which we would never have imagined possible. God’s love is revealed in the caring & volunteering of so many people.
In the passage from John’s gospel, Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, which was another big festival, when adult males were expected to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Originally a harvest celebration
, by the time of Jesus it had taken on the significance of remembering God’s provision for the people of Israel
during the wilderness wanderings. Water ceremonies were an important part of the celebration. So, on the last day of this festival, Jesus spoke & invited anyone who was thirsty to come to him & drink, if they accepted the invitation, the result would be that the living water would flow out of them as a river or fountain.
At this point, before Jesus’ death, The Spirit had not yet been received in this way because he had not yet been glorified. The outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost brings to life the prophetic words of Joel: ‘I will pour out my spirit on all people.’ Disciples, past & present have shared their faith &; trust in Jesus, in life & also facing death. Until
Covid, I volunteered as a hospital chaplain at London Rd. Community hospital in Derby. I remember a Nurse on one of the wards, who was a Christian. She was a lovely person, who became ill &; was diagnosed with cancer. She carried on working for as long as she possibly could &; when she died, members of staff asked if there could be a memorial service for her at the hospital. The chapel was quite small, so we used the ward Day room & held a
simple service. Members of staff on the ward were there, some who were off duty, but had made the effort to
come in, others popped in, including doctors & volunteers, people of many different faiths or none. We allowed
time for staff members to speak & many gave tributes to her quiet, Christian faith. The Holy Spirit worked in that time, ministering to those who were grieving & working through what was said about Fiona &; her loving
& caring nature.
Just as Fiona was empowered by the Holy Spirit in her life, she knew the peace of God as she entered new life & proved the truth of Jesus’ words from John 7: 38: Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of
living water will flow from within him or her.’ That promise is offered to all who come to him.

A prayer for our world
As the renewal of Spring returns, we pray that
the nations of the world wil remember their stewardship of the planet,
and work to a more sustainable environment.

For nations suffering from natural disasters:   Turkey/Syria, Pakistan,
Bangladesh

For nations facing political decisions:  Turkey, with the Presidential
election;  USA, wher the parties are selecting candidates for the next
Presidential election.

For our own nation:  for a way to be found to prevent violence on our
streets, and remember thr loved ones of the victims, as at Cardiff
recently;  for the government to find a way to deal in a prompt but
dignified manner with those coming to our shores illegally, and to
commend the aid given by Coastguards and RNLI volunteer crews to those
in distress on the Channel crossing.

For the churches here in Wollaton:  we pray for continuing friendly
relationships between the congregations, as at the United Service this
evening at St. Leonard's, and with the return of a United Choir.

For our own church here:  pray for an awareness of the needs of a
changing congregation, and for our new minister, Rev. Tony Andrew and
his family, who come in September.

For those we know who need our prayers:  the lonely, the bereaved, those
who are ill, or depressed. In SILENCE we name them in our hearts.

For ourselves:  help us to commit ouselves to our future journey, 
through strength and resolution given by the Holy Spirit.               
     Holy Sprit of God, hear our prayers.     Amen.

The Lords Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen

Blessing:
The Spirit of truth lead us into all truth, give us grace to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord &; to proclaim the
word &; works of God; & the Blessing of God, Spirit, Son & Father, remain with us always. Amen.
We go into the world in the power of the Spirit to fulfil our high calling as
servants of Christ. Thanks be to God. Amen

A prayer for our world. John Toon
Message by Melanie Stoodley

​Today we hear Luke’s version of the last words Jesus says as part of his earthly
ministry. His final ‘motivational speech’ if you will...

​Opening prayers

Your love has lifted me, and lifted each one of us,
Help me to know something of that love today,
In my worship, my thanksgiving, and my praise.
Help me to love you, as you first loved me,
[Pause]
Use the following words to help centre yourself in the moment. Say them out loud, or
speak them in your mind:
Jesus, open my heart.
Prepare yourself to hear God’s word in a new way:
Jesus, open my heart.
Listen for God’s voice, calling you to serve others and love radically:
Jesus, open my heart.
Hold the joys, regrets and frustrations from the week, and look ahead to the
opportunities next week will bring:
Jesus, open my heart.
Hold the people you share your life with, and the challenges that come with
relationships and friendships:
Jesus, open my heart
Rest a moment in the quiet:
Jesus, open my heart.
Amen.

The Lords Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen

Readings: Luke 24:44-53

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
The Ascension of Jesus50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

​Response to the reading
Today we hear Luke’s version of the last words Jesus says as part of his earthly
ministry. His final ‘motivational speech’ if you will...
As Jesus blesses his disciples and ascends into heaven, he sets in motion the
continuation of his work, the work we are still taking with us today. The fact that this
story is repeated to the early church in the first chapter of Acts, just seeks to
emphasise that the baton has been passed on. The Holy Spirt is coming, not just for
those first disciples but for everyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus. If we are
willing to take part in that work we are not simply left to do so in our strength, but will
be gifted the helper in order that we are never alone.
Questions for reflection on your own for a minute or two, and look for opportunities to
discuss these with a friend or group of friends this week.
- What’s the best piece of motivational advice I’ve ever heard?
- How did it feel when you first heard it?
- What’s the best motivational advice you think you can give to someone else?
- Where have you seen God’s Spirit at work in your life this week? This month?
This year?
- What new thing might you try and do ‘with God’s help’ in the coming weeks?
That knowledge of God’s help to us, through the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus at the
moment of his ascension to heaven can be a source of great confidence to us. As we
seek to be faithful people, living out a life of hope, we can cling to that promise in the
face of challenge and opposition. In a world that can sometimes seem hostile to the
message of the church it helps us to remember that while we have a mission to be
part of, it is God who is always in control. We join him in making known his Spirit in the
world.

Blessing
I go from this place, hearing words of encouragement from the Creator,
I go from this place, inspired to follow in the ways of the Christ,
I go from this place, transformed by the power of the Spirit,
Travel with me, triune God, that I may come to know you more each day.
Amen.

        Ascension        The Vine at Home is compiled and produced by twelvebaskets

​The disciples will be empowered by ‘another Advocate’, the Holy Spirit whom Jesus
promises will be sent by God after Jesus has left them.

Opening Prayers
​
Loving God,
This day, I give you thanks for the life you breath into me, the world you create with care and love,
the gifts you’ve bestowed on me, and the solid foundations you have laid for me to build my life upon.
Merciful Father, I confess that I get distracted and forget to rely on you when I face difficulties.
I confess that I sometimes forget to look for you in the strangers I meet,
I forget to use words to build up and spread love,
I sometimes struggle to reflect you when I am burdened by worries and fears.
Thank you that you do not keep a record of any of our wrongs and that I can start each new day in
the full assurance of your forgiveness and never-ending love.
Lord, our refuge and our strength, fill me afresh with your spirit,
replenish my low reserves, energise me to seek you,t o listen to you, to love you,
and to love my fellow human beings, this planet, and all creation, as you desire.
Amen.

The Lords Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen

Reading: John 14:15-21
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to
help you and be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees
him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18 I will not leave you
as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.
 Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and
I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me
will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Response to the reading
These verses in John 14 are a small part of the very lengthy discourse given by Jesus
which John records taking place on the eve of Jesus’ death, at the Last Supper. Here
Jesus is both reassuring and challenging his disciples – if they want to prove their love
for Jesus they must keep his commandments.
​The disciples will be empowered by ‘another Advocate’, the Holy Spirit whom Jesus
promises will be sent by God after Jesus has left them. In this final week of the Easter
season, before the celebration of Pentecost next Sunday, we too are reassured by
these words of Jesus; we too can receive once again the power of the Spirit who will
live within us and through whom we will know that we are closely bound up with God,
with Christ, in love, for ever.
- What do you think of when people talk about the ‘Holy Spirit’? How do you
picture this crucial, perhaps most mysterious part of the Trinity?
- Have you had an experience of encountering the Holy Spirit in your own life?
Or heard stories of other people’s encounters? How do they make you feel?
- There is much we don’t understand about faith – as the next suggested hymn
explores. As you listen to the recording of the hymn, you might like to write
down the ‘things you don’t know’. Keeping a ‘things I don’t know the answer to’
journal is a great way to stay humble and reflect on something of the mystery of
God.
Find someone you trust this week with whom you can talk about these questions.

Blessing
And so, I shall go out with joy, and be sent forth with peace,
May the God of joy and love and hope and peace go with me,
Lifting my hearts in times of pain, and dancing with me in times of laughter.
May I go in peace, and serve the Lord,
Amen.

​2 // Easter 6A - 14th May 2023
The Vine at Home is compiled and produced by twelvebaskets

Welcome –our Methodist way of life, May theme is ‘we will challenge injustice’ It’s also vocations Sunday and Coronation weekend– so we can bring all these together in a focus on our calling and the calling of King Charles, to
challenge injustice.

.A prayer from the Revd Graham Thompson, President of the Methodist
Conference
Heavenly King, Almighty God;
We thank you for the call that you place on the life of each disciple.
As we discern all that you desire of us, we pray for King Charles III and ask that the Coronation be a time for the nations to unite in recognising that he is called into your service and ordained to the task of leading and serving us
all.
We pray too for Queen Camilla and all members of the Royal Family, asking that each fulfil their roles such that all people might flourish.
We ask this in the Name of our Servant King, Jesus. Amen.

The call to challenge injustice is very wide – there are so many injustices – what should we challenge today? Someone, shared her passion for justice with me – “how ​ can a rich country such as ours allow little children to go to bed hungry and cold; we have more food banks now than ever before, what is our Government doing?” So I thought we could start by challenging the injustice of food poverty.

We can do nothing of course, without what God has given to us – so first we thank God for that provision which inspires us to be generous too – singing a song we often sing at harvest

Prayer of praise -
Praise be to the Lord, for he shows us the wonders of his love
Our God is the creator.

Our God is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Our God is merciful. We worship and adore Him.
Praise be to the Lord, for he shows us the wonders of his love
We praise you for your work demonstrated throughout creation.
We praise you for the life of the Son, Jesus Christ for showing your love in word and action.
We praise you that through Jesus’ death and resurrection we are forgiven and invited to new life
Praise be to the Lord, for he showed us the wonders of his love
We thank you for your Spirit living with us.
We thank you for the prompting of that still small voice in our lives, our churches and communities to challenge injustice
We thank you for continuing your work through us.
Praise be to the Lord, for he showed us the wonders of his love
Father, Son and Holy Spirit we praise your holy name Amen

 How do we know what is true and just…? (based on 1 Peter 2:2-10)
​How do we know what is fair and just? It helps if we can measure whether something is just or not by what Jesus would have done or said. The disciple Peter said that God made Jesus the cornerstone – that’s a reference point for the builder by which the walls are measured.

If Jesus is the cornerstone upon which we decide what is right, then we need to know in what ways did Jesus act, so that we can copy Him.

Question – how did Jesus live? What did he do?
(Examples might include healing the sick, sharing with the poor, eating with people, talking to God, sharing stories to help people understand something, loving people)

These all sound like great examples.​
If you are to build a house, it’s important that the walls can be built straight and so that the house will not topple over. We’ve discussed Jesus as the cornerstone, but the bricks used to build a house are important too.

Question- Think of people who have taught you how to be more like Jesus.
.(Examples could be parents, grandparents, youth workers, ministers, Christians in the media, saints, missionaries, friends.) they have all been called by God whether they knew it or not, to contribute to a more just and loving community.
The good news is that all of us here are also a part of this amazing building being built by God.
We aren’t Christians in isolation, but we are a community, building on the work of God that has gone before. That is not to say that we have to do the same tasks as those who built before us, we do have to be relevant to the world as it is now in 2023 and beyond, but the purpose is the same – that all may come to know the love of God.
​
1 Peter 2:2-10
New International Version
2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 
3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The Living Stone and a Chosen People4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by
humans but chosen by God and precious to him-- 5 you also, like living stones, are being built 
into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,  a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected  has become the cornerstone,
8 and ,A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you
may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 
10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.

​Hunger has always been a problem even in Old Testament times but God
challenges human greed and offers a way to supply human need…

Message
​We have explored in different ways how we can challenge injustice – particularly that injustice of some people going hungry when others are overeating or wasting food.

What is the answer?
What would Jesus do?

Well Jesus fed the hungry, and challenged those in authority who took money from the poor, and he and his
disciples would have known the advice given by God to his people - ‘leave around the edges of your fields some of the grain, or leave on the tree some of the grapes, or olives when they are harvested, so that those who don’t have
anyone else to provide for them can eat’. This advice might be okay if you live somewhere in the country, but it’s not so useful if you mostly get your food from a supermarket!

What could we do then? I’ve thought of three possibilities, you will think of more.

One is simply, when we go shopping and we come to the reduced price section do we go for a bargain?– but if you can afford to buy food full price then what happens if you don’t buy the reduced price stuff? – maybe it will be left for those who can’t afford full price. That’s one action that’s a bit like leaving the edges of the field unharvested, though it’s still expecting some people to survive on short-dated food.
So another idea might be to buy food for the food bank when we’ve got a little spare cash – great for the food banks to have enough to offer those who go along to them – but there is still the question - why are foodbanks needed in the first place? Are there bigger issues behind food poverty? Are you someone who is able to think through some of those issues and challenge those systems and policies at the root of them?

My third idea is that those who are able to, could give money to charities who are working with people who need help getting out of the poverty cycle. One charity of the Methodist church is called All We Can. Recently ‘All We Can’
decided to change the way they support people across the world – by putting the people who need help in the driving seat as it were – giving them the power to choose what they want help with and then resourcing their ideas. I think this is just what Jesus would do! And it gives far more value to each person and supports them in what they feel God is calling them to do in their communities.

We know that King Charles has taken opportunities to challenge injustice – including that of food poverty – and I believe that God gives everyone a vocation – calling them –calling you – to some task he has for you in each place
you are– at work, at home or in the community, in church or at school – Just keep asking Jesus and he will show you what it is – often through feeling a strong connection with some cause, or desire to help, or finding or seeing yourself in a certain role. And if it is to challenge some kind of injustice – know that Jesus went there before you and he will be with you all the way.
Amen

​Prayers for others
Lord Jesus, you say, ‘Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.’ So, Lord, we bring before you what is on our hearts today.
We ask for your hand on the situation in Sudan and on all those trying to flee - give them strength and courage. Travel alongside, speaking to their hearts as you lead them to safety.
We pray too for all those trapped in their homes unable to venture out safely, unable to even go out for provisions. Provide for their needs, Lord, physical and spiritual. Keep them safe.
We pray for an end to all conflict, in Sudan and in Ukraine. Have mercy on all living amid danger. Bring peace to your world.

Your kingdom come your will be done.

We bring before you, Lord our struggling health service. We ask that the strikes be resolved, enabling postponed appointments and procedures to go ahead before situations worsen and put an even greater strain on the NHS. Resolve issues Lord, so that all will find their needs met and lives saved. May your hand be on all who are ill. In a moment of silence, we bring those we know personally who are in need of your hand upon them.

Touch them with your healing hand.

Your kingdom come your will be done.

Lord God, the coronation of King Charles III brings in a new era. During the coronation we saw old symbolic traditions mingled with the new – such as the three ancient swords of Mercy, Temporal justice and Spiritual justice carried in the coronation procession and the newly commissioned Anointing Screen. May the king be aware of your anointing upon him from this day forward.

The king has taken his seat on the ancestral throne and the weight of the crown upon his head. We pray Lord that, from your heavenly throne, you will help our king carry the weight of all that is put upon him in his role as our monarch.
His mother, our late Queen Elizabeth, reigned with honour, wisdom and integrity. Her heart was yours. And we pray the king  will be yours too as he reigns over us. May he listen, draw strength and be guided by you always.
We pray for Queen Camilla, that you will strengthen and encourage her as she supports the king. We pray also that she be filled with your Holy Spirit as represented by the dove on the rod used in her coronation. We pray for all the
royal family, that each may look to you, Lord.

Your kingdom come your will be done.

 Many people from all walks of life had roles to play in the coronation celebrations. We pray for those who performed at Windsor Castle in the coronation choir. Fire-fighters, cab drivers, farmers and volunteer lifeboat crew
are among those who took part. We pray that they will be encouraged in their roles and have a memory to treasure.

As communities gather this weekend with celebratory picnics and lunches, Lord, we pray that you will be remembered throughout. We pray that you will unite communities as new friendships are forged and old ones rekindled over the sharing of food.

This week also sees the National Day of Volunteering taking place. We pray that this will bring forward a new generation of volunteers in our communities.
Lord, you give us all different skills. Help us to put those skills to good use for
others.
​
Your kingdom come your will be done. Amen.

The Lords Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen

Blessing
The God who called us here is sending us out – to turn words into deeds, worship into service and vision into reality.
Together we have celebrated the faith, now let us share it in the name of Christ Jesus. Amen