How much does it cost? We’re all affected by rising prices, interest rates & bills. We’ll look at words from
Matthew: 10, in which Jesus speaks to his disciples about the cost of following him.

Welcome &; Call to worship. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercy never comes to an end. We
​draw near to worship him now.

Theme: How much does it cost? We’re all affected by rising prices, interest rates &; bills. We’ll look at words
from Matthew: 10, in which Jesus speaks to his disciples about the cost of following him. In Romans 6 Paul
offers hope for life with Jesus beyond the cross.

Prayer. Gracious God, we come before you in wonder, awe &; praise, to offer you our love  to thank you for
those ways in which we see your Spirit at work in creation & in our world. We marvel at the amazing colours in
the sky at sunrise & sunset, thank you for those things which we have tasted, smelt, heard, seen & touched in this
day & for your endless love which surrounds us.
iForgive us for those times when we don’t put you first, we fail to trust you, or lose courage when we’re faced
with trouble or condemnation. Help us to follow the example of Jesus & to remember that we are known,
loved & valued by you, even when we let you down. May your Spirit of truth guide & empower us as we do our
best to be your disciples in the world. Amen.

Lord’s 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 Matthew 10:24-39 New International Version
24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like
their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much
more the members of his household!
26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not
be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim
from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of
the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of
them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[a] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are
all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But
whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
 35 For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law--
36     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son
or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not
worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

S.T.F. 424 God forgave my sin

Reading: Romans: 6: 8 -11. Dead to sin. New International Version
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised
from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin
​once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus

Message.
Our readings remind us of the potential cost of carrying God’s
message to others. Yet, they also offer hope for life with Christ, beyond
the cross. In the gospel passage, Jesus points out that the disciples
must expect some opposition, including possibly from their own families,
in the same way that Jesus himself was opposed & called names. He
also assures them that God loves & values them.
In Matthew 10, at the start of our passage, Jesus is continuing his
message to the disciples about mission. Initially, the focus is on the
identity of the disciples with their teacher. If he has been persecuted, or
maligned, then they must expect the same. Jesus’ reference to
Beelzebub, as the Lord of the house, is derived from the Philistine god
Baal &; by Jesus’ time, was used to refer to a demonic force, so the
slander was effectively saying that Jesus was in league with God’s
enemies.
Jesus went on to reassure & encourage his disciples that the gospel of
the kingdom is being revealed so they should not be afraid, even of
physical death. They should not be afraid of those who try to stop them
& they should: ‘Fear God, not those who kill the body.’ Jesus’ allusion to
sparrows highlights how little worth they had, but God knows when they
fall. The disciples are highly valued by God & he even knows how many
hairs on their head. Although Jesus describes himself as coming with a
sword, not bringing peace, we also know that his goal is peace on earth.
In v 34, which sounds harsh, Jesus points to the potential breakdown in
human relationships, even within families, if a believer puts anyone or
anything before God. The cost of following Jesus is spelled out as
following his example & taking up the cross.
Christian victims of floods in Chad & Cameroon in Oct 22, suffered
terribly when 2 rivers burst their banks following the heaviest rains in
more than 30 years. Tens of thousands of people were forced from their
homes, their crops were submerged in water &; livestock were lost. This
was yet another blow to Christians who had already suffered because of
repeated attacks on their communities by Islamist militants. The only
way to move between villages was by canoe. ‘Barnabas Aid’ provided
Emergency provisions to thousands of families. After the help they
received, A village chief said this: ‘God of love, God Provider. We had
lost everything &, lo &; behold, we have received a lot’. All the
persecuted Christians who were helped praised God & were happy that
Christians in other lands thought of them.
In the passage from Romans, Paul was urging the Christians in Rome to
believe that, just as Jesus was raised from the dead by the glory of the
Father, so they, too, might walk in newness of life. ‘But if we have died
with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. So you also must
consider yourselves dead to sin & alive to God in Jesus Christ.’
Paul stressed the close identification of each believer with Christ. Later
in the passage, (v14) he reminded the Roman Christians that they were
not under the Law, but under grace. As Christians today, we face many
challenges in life & Jesus promises to help us through the difficulties, but
we must also stay close to him & remember that, as our good shepherd,
he will be with us in everything that we face.
In our Circuit, this week, we have lost another minister, announced in our
pulpits last Sunday, as a suspension with immediate effect. It’s
bewildering for so many people when we’ve already had a tough time
since last September. I can’t imagine how upsetting it must be for the
minister & his family & anyone else involved. Whatever the rights &
wrongs of the situation, we need to remind ourselves continually that our
God is all-powerful, all-knowing & all-loving. Although we don’t always
understand his ways, we can always trust him. We’re called to seek his
face & follow his example.
In thinking & praying about this situation, I was reminded of a time in my
teaching career, when I was already in ministry, part-time as Minister in
Local appointment. I was based at a Pupil referral unit & also working in
schools with pupils with behaviour problems. Our Head & Deputy were
both suspended. It was not a Safeguarding matter, but it took a long time
for the whole matter to be resolved & initially, we were like sheep without
a shepherd. Arrangements were made for 2 managers from another
department to oversee our team & work carried on, but it felt very
different & many of us felt disorientated &; unsettled. I felt privileged to be
able to pray about the situation & also to be available to talk to those
who were struggling. Dealing with challenging children & young people
can be difficult & also rewarding in equal measure, but one of our
strengths had been that we worked together well as a team. One of the
things which I felt called to do was to write brief notes to our Head &
Deputy during the period when they were suspended. I simply let them
know that they were missed & we were thinking of them & that I was
praying for them. Nothing else.
In our Circuit situation, we know nothing about the current suspension,
but we do know that we’re individuals who are loved & valued by God &;
we should show that love to others. Rev Christine sent me an email
earlier this month, to let me know that the church Council had agreed to
take one of the commitments of the ‘Methodist Way of Life’ over the next
year &; that this month’s commitment would be ‘We will speak of the love
of God’. Each person leading worship this month has been able to
choose whether they want to preach on this subject. God’s love is so
much bigger than our human love, &; his compassion & forgiveness is
beyond our comprehension. We need to speak about that love & also
share that love with those around us. Each one of us here &; in our
different churches may have different priorities & different viewpoints, but
each of us has a mission in life. We were sent into the world by God, just
as Jesus was. He will use us as the people we are, to share his love &
hope with others. As modern disciples, we are to be like Jesus in his
teaching &; in his work & to share the same challenges sufferings &;
reward. To do that, we need to allow the Holy spirit to be at work in our
hopes, our fears & our uncertainties &; to work together as a team as we
share his love. Amen.​

Intercessions.
Loving God, we pray for our world, where so many areas are
affected by war, unrest, poverty & despair. In the long-running conflict
between Ukraine &; Russia, we pray for justice & mercy & think of the many
innocent people who are losing their lives, living in restricted circumstances &
grieving over lost loved ones. We pray for those affected by the loss of the
submersible craft in the Atlantic & give thanks for those who did their best to
help, asking that you will comfort those who mourn. Lord in your mercy. Hear
our prayer.
We pray for our nation, & those ways in which different nationalities have
influenced our culture & tastes, especially the Windrush generation, on the 75 th
Anniversary of the arrival of citizens for the Caribbean. We pray for the many
people who are struggling in many ways, with falling interest rates, families to
feed & for those running businesses who are finding it hard to make ends
meet.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
We pray for our Circuit, for our leadership team & the different churches, &
their leaders, for Rev Christine, Deacon Sian & Arnold. We pray, also for the
Rev. Tony & Rev Andrew, who will be joining us in September. May we be
united as we speak of Jesus & share his love with those in our communities.
We offer our prayers in the power of the name of Jesus. Amen.

StF 673 Will you come & follow me

Blessing.
May God, the Father fill us with hope, Jesus, the Son fill us with peace
& May the blessing of God, Father Son & Holy Spirit be with us & remain
among us. Amen.

Holy Friend, because we did not create ourselves, because we do not understand ourselves,
because we cannot reconcile ourselves, we come to you for Divine help.

Theme: Look after each other and love one another
Call to Worship
The Psalmist says: “I love the Lord because he heard my voice. He heard my cry for his help. Because he
paid attention to me, I will call out to him as long as I live”.

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy (StF 416ii Corvedale)

​Prayers
Can it be true, Lord?
That you, the creator of the whole universe, think of us as your very special friends,
and that you want us to think of you in that way too. 
Can it be, true, Lord, that you have chosen asked to be your friends
because you want to spend time with us and join in what we are doing?
Can it be, true, Lord, that you will stick with us even when other friends dump us,
that you will stand up for us even when others are nasty to us,
and that you will never leave us?
Thank you, Lord, for your friendship.
Thank you for Jesus, who has made this friendship possible for us.
Thank you for the Bible that helps our relationship to grow.
Thank you for your Holy Spirit who reminds us of your love for us.
We rejoice, that because of Jesus, we now have you as our special friend.
 
Holy Friend,
because we did not create ourselves,
because we do not understand ourselves,
because we cannot reconcile ourselves,
we come to you for Divine help.
 
Merciful God, Creator and Redeemer,
you know us completely and love us utterly.
There is not a thought or feeling,
word, action, memory or hope,
that you do not see and understand.
Please forgive our sins and remove our shame,
heal us and restore us,
strengthen our faith and enlarge our love.
Let all that is true, beautiful and compassionate
Be known in us, that we may look after each other and love one another.
For your name’s sake.
Amen

 It is written: Christ Jesus did not come to this world to condemn us,
but that the world through him might be rescued and healed.
His word gives us confidence to declare to we are forgiven and loved by God.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Our God is a great big God (StF 61

Reading Matthew 9:35-10:8
New International VersionThe Workers Are Few35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in
their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When
​he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without
a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of
the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out
impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James
son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James
son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town
of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom
of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.
Freely you have received; freely give

.Talk 1 ('We will speak of the love of God')
Father, may my spoken words, be faithful to your written word and lead us to the living Word, even our Lord
Jesus. Amen.
Vision
I was in the Market Square on Thursday evening at 5:30pm to stand with those who were grieving over the events
of this week. I saw young and old, men and women, all skin tones, some wearing uniforms, some work
clothes, others casual wear, gathering for a common purpose. Nottingham Together in the glare of National
Media supporting the families of Barnaby, Grace and Ian. Expressing shock, grief, fighting back tears,
confusion, devastation, the senselessness of lives cut short. I wake up to BBC Radio Nottingham in the
mornings, which too has been sombre and reflective, expressing the mood of the city at this time. The number
of people those 3 souls have had a direct and indirect impact on is staggering. Ian’s son in particular was moved
by the number of tributes from past school children who had been helped out of toilets and other things that only
​ a caring caretaker can do.
As Jesus went throughout the cities, towns and villages, Jesus saw the crowds. This is not a minor detail.
Many people go through life wondering if anyone sees, if anyone notices. A heart-breaking letter left with the
flowers at the University read, ‘I don’t know what to do, I have to write this because I have no friends, I have
no-one to talk to,’ Barnaby’s mother said: “It was an outpouring of love and support and confusion and anger
and grief” and she assured them that they do have friends, because they have friends in them.”
The crowds Jesus saw were “helpless and harassed” the verbs used in Greek could be translated more literally
as “whipped or flayed” and “thrown down”. Jesus describes them “like sheep without a shepherd”, no one
to protect them, no one to provide for them.  Sheep are not well equipped to care for themselves and those
who wander off from the flock becomes targets.
Jesus does not name the source of their harassment, but it is not hard to imagine. Simply look around today.
Some are tossed about by injustice, grief, and abuse of authority. Others are beaten by disease, economic
strain, and isolation. Everyone is harassed by a natural tendency to respond with anger, fear, and arrogance,
which is why visual displays of togetherness are so powerful and we need to say things like “Hold no hate in your hearts”.
Until something like this happens, the problem, in part, is many people do not see. Perhaps they cannot,
having never put themselves in the position to see. Perhaps they will not, refusing to look outside their own lives
and their own bubbles. Wherever and whenever, Jesus sees. He sees the crowds. He sees their helplessness. He
sees those who are harassing them, and He does not look away. This is not surprising, for He is the Son of the
​ One who sees all things—good, bad, and ugly.
The Psalmist prays to God in Psalm 139 “You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about
me. You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts. You
notice everything I do and everywhere I go.”
Compassion
Truly seeing others and their difficulties is the starting point. But if being seen is not accompanied by being helped,
it does not do much.  Having seen the crowds, Jesus has compassion. “he felt deep concern
for them” Compassion literally means “He suffers with them” from the Latin com·passio. In this sense, the
suffering of Jesus is not limited to the events of Holy Week at the end of his earthly life. It encompasses His
entire ministry. Jesus came among us to suffer with us before He suffered on the cross for us.
Standing in solidarity on Thursday, even though I didn’t personally know Ian, Barnaby, or Grace, or any of
their friends and families is a gesture of suffering with others. Generally, we are not as good at suffering with
others as we should be. But we must continue to work at it if we are to look after one another and love one
another. Jesus summarised the 10 commandments by saying “Love God” and “Love Others”. We love God by
loving our neighbours. Loving means supporting them, helping them, speaking well of them, and thinking the best
of them, even if they are noisy, inconsiderate, involved in things that we hate. We will fall short, of course we
​will - but that should not stop us trying, again and again. 
Even though we fail, Jesus does not fall short. Jesus sees us. He is not filled with disgust. His skin does not crawl.
His stomach does not turn. Jesus understands us. He looks on us with compassion. He protects and provides for
us as the Good Shepherd we have been missing and his words to us today are “I am the good
shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”.

Prayer of Confession
Holy Friend,
because we did not create ourselves,
because we do not understand ourselves,
because we cannot reconcile ourselves,
we come to you for Divine help.
 
Merciful God, Creator and Redeemer,
you know us completely and love us utterly.
There is not a thought or feeling,
word, action, memory or hope,
that you do not see and understand.
Please forgive our sins and remove our shame, heal us and restore us,
strengthen our faith and enlarge our love.
Let all that is true, beautiful and compassionate be known in us,
that we may look after each other and love one another.
 
It is written: Christ Jesus did not come to this world to condemn us,
but that the world through him might be rescued and healed.
His word gives us confidence to declare to we are forgiven and loved by God.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

I'm accepted, I’m forgiven (StF 427

Talk 2 ​Gathering
The compassion of Jesus, which arises from seeing the suffering of the crowds, leads Him to gather. He begins
by gathering the twelve disciples. He says to them “The harvest is huge. But there are only a few workers. So,
ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers out into his harvest field.” If you watch the news, your
response should be to see that the harvest is plentiful. If you look at your community, your response would be
to see that the harvest is plentiful. As Robert Kolb, a world-renowned authority on Martin Luther says: “we worship
a God of conversation and community”. That is, God continually speaks and continually gathers. Our Methodist
way of Life encourages us to “speak of the love of God” Our gatherings are an opportunity to speak of the love
of God.
One of the things highlighted by the COVID 19 pandemic is the importance of gathering. Being unable to gather for
a while has made the experience of being together even more valuable. Something we would have taken
for granted and maybe not appreciated in 2019 should be treasured and valued today in a new light. How
many “gatherings” or groups are we part of I wonder. Colleagues we work with, U3A groups, Parent &
Toddler groups, Book Clubs, Probus Clubs, Sports Clubs, Slimming Clubs. I expect just counting the number of
people we each meet during the week compared to the number of us here this morning would be quite
​substantial. Our harvest field is huge, even though we feel small gathered here today.
Our task is to ask “the Lord of the harvest” for the words of love and compassion we need at every opportunity.
To speak of the love of God, we need to understand the context of our gathering. Even if we are gathering for
a common purpose, there will be diverse and complex needs represented in that gathering We need to notice,
care and embrace them with the love of God by simply speaking to them, sharing how we ourselves have felt
seen by Jesus and how he cares for us.
Speaking of our experiences of being loved by God will shine his light into every darkness. There is no need for
need to convince or argue. Being present, seeing the need, and speaking of God’s love is all that is required.
God’s Holy Spirit does all the hard stuff for us. Then, when we gather as God’s people, we must be careful
to remember that Jesus does not gather the disciples for their own benefit; not primarily, at least. He gathers
them so He might send them.
Sending
Have you noticed in our reading today that Jesus gives his disciples another name? This is the only time
in Matthew’s Gospel where the twelve are called “apostles”. This literally means “one who is sent out.”. On
this occasion, Jesus sends the Apostles to cast out demons and heal diseases. Jesus sent the Apostles to do
what he had come to do: To see, to have compassion, to gather, and to send. During World War II, a French
village lost a beloved statue of Christ in a bombing raid. The villagers managed to rebuild the statue, all except for
its hands. Those pieces were never found in the rubble. Finally, the villagers placed a plaque on the statue with
​ the inscription, “I have no hands but yours.”
Jesus continues to send His people to see others, especially those that are often overlooked like the widow,
the orphan, and all who suffer injustice as human beings. He continues to send His people to have compassion
 on those who are helpless and harassed; to suffer with them and help them bear their burdens. He continues
to send His people to speak words of love, life and forgiveness that not only allows God to work in the hearts
of individuals, but also gather them together for life as His body, the Church, with Christ as the Head. God
continues to send His people to continue sending others until all have heard and believed and come together in
His name. Paul sent a young woman, Phoebe to explain to the church in Rome: “How can people have faith in
the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear
unless someone tells them? 15 And how can anyone tell them without being sent by the Lord? The
Scriptures say it is a beautiful sight to see even the feet of someone coming to preach the good news”.
We are familiar with the Great Commission or “Sending” in Matthew 28 “Go to the people of all nations and
make them my disciples.” In a sense, this week’s reading gives us the background. Before the sending is
the gathering. Before the gathering is the compassion. Before the compassion is the seeing. And it all starts with
a gracious God. Vision, Compassion, Gathering, Sending, that is the movement of Jesus’ response to those who
are harassed and helpless. It is the movement of God’s interaction with His fractured and fallen creation, and
the movement of our Christian life. Jesus sends us to do the same in our own little circles of influence. Let us no
t be afraid to see and hear the need, empathise and suffer alongside people, and speak of how we experience
God’s love as we look after each other and love one another in the name of Jesus. Amen.
​
O breath of life, come sweeping through us (StF 391

Prayers for others.
Let us seek God’s help for the church and the world, for individuals and communities, for the famous and
​ the obscure.
 Let us pray:
 For those who have power without the wisdom to use it well,
and for those who have wisdom without the power to apply it.
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
For people who want to learn but have no teacher,
and some who have much to teach but no one will listen to them.
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
For some people who are famous yet long for some privacy,
and some who are lonely and long for recognition and company.
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
For those who are too tender-hearted and need to be toughened
and for those who are tough and need to be made gentle.
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
For people who are dying with no one to mourn them,
and for those who mourn with no one to comfort them.
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
We pray for our city of Nottingham, that we may be united in our grief for the events of this week:
For the families and friends of Barnaby, Grace and Ian.
For those recovering in hospital
For all those that have witnessed, investigated and helped,
For the University students and school children grieving
For the teachers and chaplains that support them, for Jo and Deacon Sian.
For the person who committed these crimes and those who know and love him.
 
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
Holy Friend, you love all as one human family, yet deal with us individually,
as if we were the only child you have.
Please give to us your generous and practical spirit,
so that our prayers may be converted into deeds, day by day.
through Christ Jesus our Redeemer. Amen!

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

Love divine, all loves excelling (StF 503)

Blessing & Grace
Travel lightly, lest under the weight of status and possessions we come to a standstill.
Travel boldly, for we are apostles of a Christ who has overcome the worst the world can give.
Travel humbly, for as friends of Jesus no service is too menial and no person is unworthy of help.
Travel joyfully, for when the road is rough and the night dark we shall never travel on our own.
Live within the peace of God, that the love of Christ may nourish you and the strength of the Spirit be your
power and grace. Amen.
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all,
​ evermore. Amen

​We gather to worship in your holy name. Open our eyes to see you in our midst and
in the faces of others, open our ears to hear your voice through scripture

John 10:10 ‘I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly’.

Opening prayer
We gather to worship in your holy name. Open our eyes to see you in our midst and
in the faces of others, open our ears to hear your voice through scripture and music,
and open our hearts to the transforming power of your Holy Spirit.
Remove the barriers that would separate us from all that you have for us. Forgive
our negligence of all that you have created, in nature and each other. Forgive our
ignorance, soften our hearts and use us as catalysts for your healing.
God of all good gifts, we thank you and praise you. You bring wisdom, ability,
strength and courage to our lives, enable us to use our gifts in service to you and to
others. In all that we do, and in all that we are, may your name be glorified. We pray
this in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Reading 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 
Unity and Diversity in the Body12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts
​form one body, so it is with Christ. 
13 For we were all baptized by[ one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or
free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but
of many.15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would
not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye,
I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole
body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would
the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as
he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are
many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say
to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the
parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need
no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that
lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern
for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices
with it.27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Prayers of intercession
We give thanks for 80 years of MHA and the continuing work and love in support of
older people in homes and in the wider community.
We thank you for privileged moments: friendships being formed; generations learning
from one another; community being created; special moments of recognition through
worship and music for those living with dementia. Thank you that you remember.
We pray for carers, both employees and volunteers and those who care for loved
ones at home. For those who make sacrifices every day for others. In their caring
may they find hidden treasures of joy, connection and hope. Bless them with
strength and patience.
We pray for young and old and everyone in between. Particularly for those suffering
from physical or mental pain. Those waiting for hospital appointments and results.
Those who feel lonely and isolated and those who feel anxious. Bring your peace
and love to those people and situations, and we name those who are known
personally to us in need at this time…. Bring your healing.
Bless your church, and may we continue your work as we seek to follow you. Guide
us in your ways and to the people that you call us to serve. May we discern and use
the gifts that you have for us.
We offer our prayers, in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.
Amen
Lord’s PrayerOur 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
May we go from here into this new week, with the assurance of God’s presence with
us and all those we meet. May we discover our gifts and use them for His service.
And may the blessing of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, be
yours and with all those whom you love, this day and every day. Amen

​It is Trinity Sunday. However we are taking the theme from one of the set
readings – Psalm 8. Especially verse 6:

Prayer:
Gifting God,
We come into your loving presence.
 Indeed we know you are always with us, but we set aside this time to be
especially aware of you.
 Grace us with the knowledge of your presence here today.
 Help us to worship, to offer ourselves again to you, to each other and to
the world.
Amen.

 ​Prayer: Praise
Living God, three times holy, Lord of all that lives;
your glory fills the universe. We honour and adore you
and glorify your name. Holy as Parent, Mother & Father of all that is,
Creator, Eternal Love,i n whom we live and move and have our being.
Coming into our lives each day, creating faith and prompting praise.
Holy as Son, appearing in flesh,living among us, dying on the cross,
risen and reigning, exalted as Lord .
Holy as Spirit, God with us for ever,i n whom we meet love.
Source of our praise, power of our prayers, setting us free for the service of God and mankind.
Living God, three times holy, Lord of all that lives; your glory fills the universe.
We honour and adore you and glorify your name.
Amen.

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.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen.

​Be still.
Be still: Feel the presence of God
Filling us: here, now , in our daily lives.

Be still: Feel the glory of God:
His holy fire, His cleansing light.

Be still:Feel the wonderful love of God:
caring, healing, renewing.

Be still: Feel awesome power of God:
shown in creation, shown in the resurrection of Jesus.

Be still: Reflect on how insignificant we are:
yet how important to God.

Be still.

In the silence we reflect that we are not yet perfect and resolve to walk in
Jesus; footsteps

Announcement of Forgiveness – Worship in an Indian Context
The saviour of the world, the refuge of the repentant,
forgives and renews all who truly seek his grace.
He accepts you as his daughters and sons.
He sets you free from the bondage of your past.
You are a new creation.
For Jesus died and was raised to new life
so that we can share his wholeness and abundant life.
Amen.

Introduction to the theme

It is Trinity Sunday. However we are taking the theme from one of the setr eadings – Psalm 8. Especially verse 6:
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:
We will be considering our responsibilities for God;s good creation.

​Reading: Psalm 8
For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David.
1 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?
5 You have made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honour.
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
you put everything under their feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
8 the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

​Psalm 8 – Bible Project video

Short talk
What can we do to help humanity get it right?
Our ;Call to action is about fulfilling our responsibilities for God good
creation. We think about areas that we can improve how we take care of
creation:
 Climate change.
 Animals – endangered species.
 Environment: sewage spillage; pollution; wastage.
 Over use of scarce resources.

And the sort of action we might take:
 Challenge injustice that we see.
 Take action on unfair trade and distribution of resources across the
world e.g. by ethical shopping, pressing Government to meet the 0.7% target for aid.
 Save energy, use sustainable sources, reduce our environmentalf ootprint e.g. consider if all our
journeys are necessary and by the most energy efficient method.
 Improve our personal recycling.
 Support appropriate pressure groups, take part in party politics and
press for sustainable policies.

​Prayers for people and situations.

Holy Mother and Father of all that is,
you have created all things and made us in your own image.
 We rejoice in the beauty of your creation.
 We come before you in wonder and awe.
 We seek to be sensitive to your mysteries.
We pray for places where your earth is exploited or marred,
where your creatures are abused or misused.
We pray for all who lack freedom or are oppressed.
Holy and Strong One, hear our prayer.
Christ in glory, risen and ascended,
you have redeemed us by your love, you give us life which is eternal.
We pray to you for all who walk in darkness,
all who cry out in pain, all who feel beyond hope.
We remember all who are rejected and are outcasts in our world.
Holy and Strong One, hear our prayer.
Spirit of God, breathing life into all,
we give you thanks for our talents and abiliites,
for the powers of renewal and refreshment.
We pray that we and all your church may reach out in love.
We pray for all of your servants
for the ministry of all your faithful people:
We pray for the outreach and mission of your church,
Holy and Strong One, hear our prayer.
Holy, blessed and glorious God
Bind us together in unity.
Bind us together in love.
Bind us together with loved ones departed.
Bind us together with your saints in glory.
Amen.

​Prayer of Offering, Dedication & Thanks
Loving God, Father & Mother of all that is.
Thank you for the many good gifts you grant us,
especially your love shown in Jesus.
Thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit
to guide and strengthen us day by day.
Thank you that we are called to be your children -
to grow more like you every day.

We bring our offerings to you and ask that you bless them.
We bring our gifts and talents to you and ask that you bless them.
We bring our lives to you and ask that you bless them.
Amen.

Blessing
God gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
The goodness of the Creator, the grace of the Saviour,
and the guidance of the Holy Spirit be upon you and within you.
And the blessing of the Holy One be with you today and forever.
Amen.