Theme of the service is Welcome, Hospitality and Reward with Martin Sykes

Stf 409 : Let us build a house - Sung by the choirs of Ave Maria and Cantate Domino (Singapore)  combine to sing Marty Haugen's All Are Welcome

​Stf 663 - I the Lord of sea and sky - Sung by the National Youth Choir of Scotland

​Blessing
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Amen

​We would normally have been having this service together with each other at Kingswood so I thought it would be good to have a “stay at home” version and join together in spirit if not in body. So I hope you will all sit down with a cuppa and your sandwiches and cake and some “food for thought”.

Be still and know that God is with us, where we are now!

​Prayer
Faithful and present God, you are not blind to the storms that rage in this world, the sickness, sins and sufferings that threaten. Some can be seen, but others are hidden in our heart. Lord, bring your refuge and healing strength. Make us still in your safety.
When what seems permanent begins to crumble, when devastation ravages the earth, when powers that be claim to act in your name – let us remember the joy you offer us. Lord, help us to let go of fear and doubt. Make us still in your waters of gladness.
God, Creator of time, we hurry from task to task, from crisis to crisis, carrying the weight of the world. Or in this new season of quarantine, we let time pass without meaning. But the world is yours, and everything in it. Let us lay down both what keeps us too busy to be still and stillness that is empty before you so that we may truly see you. Lord, as we come into your presence. Make us still in you. Amen.

Reading. Psalm 46. (New Living Translation)
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High.
God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it.
The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts!
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.
Come, see the glorious works of the Lord: See how he brings destruction upon the world.
He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honoured by every nation. I will be honoured throughout the world.”
 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.

​Message
“Be still and know that I am God” – verse 10 in Psalm 46. Perhaps that is something that is far easier to say than to actually do in these strange times. One of my friends asked me how I can still even believe that God cares about anything or anyone in these times of the pandemic and the unrest around the “Black lives matter” campaign going on at the moment. That’s not a question that is easy to answer to a non-Christian or someone of no faith at all. I can simply say that God is in control – we can never see the “Big Picture” as he does and there are times when we can do nothing but simply trust in him and “Be still” in his presence.
As I was preparing this “At home Tea Service” I didn’t want to do a repeat of this morning’s message and I looked at the readings for the second service in the lectionary and Psalm 46 was one of the readings. I read it slowly several times and it really struck me how appropriate the words are for these times. To me it gives a picture of chaos and order. The chaos caused by human greed and disobedience and the order that God can bring about when we turn to him and trust in him. God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to live with us and to die for our sins. After his resurrection and ascension he left us the gift of his Holy Spirit so that we can always reach out to him wherever we are and however we are feeling. We don’t need to be in a church building (as these last few weeks have proved) to spend time with him and draw close to him. I hope the words of the hymns I have chosen today have helped to draw you close to God and that you are “anchored” to him in these troubled times. So I invite you to “Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place (where you are now!) He comes to cleanse and heal, to minister his grace. No work too hard for him. In faith receive from him.” Be still, and know that HE is God.

​Meditation - Psalm 46:10. Be still and know that I am God.
Be Still and Know that I AM God. What does this mean to you?
Be Still and Know that I AM. What is your Image of God in your life?
Be Still and Know. What does God want you to know?
Be Still. Stop. Relax, take a deep breath. Empty your thoughts and focus on the presence of God. Be still.
Be. What does it mean to just be? Who are you? Strip away all your roles and identities... and just BE.

​Prayers for others.
​You will know the things dear to your heart that you most want to pray for at the moment so I invite you to bring your personal prayers to God at this moment.

Lord’s Prayer
​ 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.

​StF 636  O Love that wilt not let me go

​Blessing.
May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
May the Lord look upon you with kindness
and give you peace. 
​ Amen

​‘The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.’

​This is the day that the Lord has made
Let us rejoice and be glad in it

​Let us pray together
Living Lord, we gather together across time and space to worship you; united by the words we read; united by our love for you. We celebrate your awesome majesty, your holiness, and your amazing love. We acknowledge you as Lord of our lives. We sing your praise and we bless your name. Living Lord, we give thanks for all that you have done in our lives and pray that we will continue to be open to your work in us in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

​Hymn: STF 407 Hear the call of the kingdom

​A message from MHA to Nottingham and Derby Methodist District

​A prayer of blessing
May the One who makes all things new fill us with grace, hope, peace and joy that together we may live and work to God’s praise and glory in our world. Amen.

​StF 15 The Splendour of the King

Interactive Options
1) Questions to consider: - 
1. We often find the concept of the Trinity difficult to understand. Why might this be?
2. How did the disciples obey the command of Jesus?
3. How might we as a church and also as individuals follow in the footsteps of the disciples?

2) Creative activity:
Make a prayer Kite:
Equipment needed: A couple of sheets of A4 paper (brightly coloured if possible but white can always be coloured if that’s all you have). Pens, pencils, felt tips if you have them. Scissors, string, ruler.
Process.
Fold one sheet of paper into 3 approximately equal sections, unfold and then fold the corners of the top third inwards and likewise with the bottom two thirds to create the kite shape (you might need to jiggle the folds a bit to create the point at the bottom). You may want to cut the folded edges off but it won’t hurt to leave them folded at the back of your kite shape either!
Rule lines across the top to bottom points and the 2 sides – you have created a cross. At the highest point write the word “Father”, at the centre of the cross write the word “Jesus”, at the 2 sides write the words “Holy Spirit” and at the lowest point write your own name.
Decorate the Kite shape as much as you like and think about how all of those words you have written down are linked together by the cross on which Jesus died. Attach a sting to the lowest point of the kite under your name and then use either the bits of the kite that you have cut off or a separate sheet of paper cut into small strips to write short prayers on and tie them to the string to create a prayer streamer at the base of the kite. You could always put this on a notice board at home and update the prayers when you want to or need to.
​3) Meditation: -
Meditate on today’s Bible reading from Matthew’s Gospel (see below). What do these words mean in our lives today?
Matthew 28:16-20 New International Version
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
4) Musical meditation for our times.
Meditate on the words to hymn 399 in Singing the Faith which are printed below. If you want to sing it the tune is Repton to which we usually sing “Dear Lord and Father of mankind”.
1. When deep despair casts out all light
And hope is wearing thin;
Come Spirit, dance with gentle grace,
Shine through the dullness we embrace
And make the colours sing;
And make the colours sing.

2. When greed dictates that children die
And poverty holds sway;
Come Spirit, burn as living flame,
Prompt us to act to end this shame;
Cast apathy away;
Cast apathy away.

3. When colour, lifestyle, creed or name
Cause groundless hate and fear;
Come Spirit, weave a web of peace,
That prejudice and violence cease;
Reveal God’s purpose here;
Reveal God’s purpose here.

4. When guilt and fear tear us apart
And faith’s a bitter thing;
Come Spirit, dance with gentle grace,
Shine through the dullness we embrace
And make God’s colours sing;
And make God’s colours sing. (Michaela Youngson)

​StF 394 Spirit of God, unseen as the wind.

​StF 378 Father of everlasting grace.

​Thanks to the other members of the Interactive Worship team for their contributions of suggestions and ideas for this service.