Click here to edCreator God, the whole earth proclaims your glory. Field and forest, farm and garden all sing your praise! As we gaze at the world around us we see your handiwork; your fingerprint is everywhere. This is your world; help us to enjoy it gently. In Jesus’ name .
Amenit.

​Welcome and call to worship (Psalm 104:1-5, 10-15)

​Prayer of praise
Creator God, the whole earth proclaims your glory. Field and forest, farm and garden all sing your praise! As we gaze at the world around us we see your handiwork; your fingerprint is everywhere. This is your world; help us to enjoy it gently. In Jesus’ name.
Amen.

​Message

​Prayers of intercession
Lord of the harvest,
the time of sowing and the time of reaping are yours.
The time of weeping and the time of singing are yours, too.
We hold before you our concerns for all your creation.
Let there be harvest in your world.
We pray for those places in the world where the crops have failed
and for those where poverty is the result of human aggression and human greed
In gratitude we pray for all who work with you to keep your people supplied with food
We pray for a harvest of peace and plenty
Lord of abundant generosity, hear our prayer
Let there be harvest in the hearts of children, women and men.
We pray for those who are spiritually starved,
who long for meaning in their lives and who need to belong.
Give to your church patience and energy, boldness to speak out and the ability to listen…
We pray for a harvest of faith and of lives transformed by the Gospel
Lord of abundant generosity, hear our prayer
Let there be harvest in our own lives, and in the lives of those we know and love. We pray for those who are sick or troubled, for those who are lonely or who have suffered loss…
We pray for ourselves, that, whatever difficulties we face, our lives may be grateful and joyful.
We pray for a harvest of deepened love, more faithful discipleship,
Lord of abundant generosity, hear our prayer
Lord of the harvest,
the time of sowing and the time of reaping are yours.
The time of weeping and the time of singing are yours, too,
Lord of abundant generosity, hear our prayer
​Amen.

​The Arthur Rank Centre charity came up with the idea that we should ‘Thank the Farmers’ this harvest and they have some ideas to celebrate harvest at home
• Have a special meal, maybe include any fruit or veg. you have grown yourself. Give thanks to God for the food he has given, and for the farmers who have grown it;
• Take some time to look at your buying habits and consider buying local, British or Fairtrade where you can.
• Put up a ‘Thank you to our farmers!’ poster in your window – make your own or download and print out at arthurrankcentre.org.uk/harvest2020

Dismissal/blessing -
Go into the week in thankfulness, practicing God’s generosity towards others, sharing the good news with them; sharing in the harvest that will gather in all people one day to bow the knee before the creator and provider of all things. Amen

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ .....

Come at dawn!  Come at noon!  Come late in the day!
Come to the vineyard,  where the last and the first harvest God's good fruit together.
Come! ​

Prayers: Adoration, Confession and thanksgiving
Almighty and ever-living God,
we worship you who set the stars in space.
You inhabit glory unimaginable
and yet you desire to live in our hearts.
We respond with love and praise you alone.
You are worthy to be worshipped,
You are worthy to be honoured and adored,
we worshipped you.

​God of fruitful labour,
work sometimes brings out the worst in us.
At home, at school, in the workplace,
even in our relationship with you,
we too easily question what others do and get,
instead of taking care of our own business.
Take away our bitterness.
Teach us the art of the careful complaint.
Give us a grateful hearts, we pray.

Dear Loving Father,
We praise and worship you, for you are a great and loving God.
We thank you for sending us your son, Jesus Christ, to show us that love, and to help us to see how you want us to share that love with all around us. We thank you for your love, your protection, and your forgiveness. Through Christ’s name, we pray.
Amen!

​Reading: Matthew 20:1-16

​Intercession
God of grace and mercy,
whether we are lifelong labourers,
or new arrivals in your vineyard,
we know you value us just as we are.
Hear now the prayers of thanks and concern
that we now speak aloud
or raise silently from our hearts.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer


Loving God,
Help those we know and love to turn away from habits which are harmful to them. Help them to turn to you in times of crisis, rather than reaching for quick-fix solutions.
Eternal, ever-living, ever-present God,
in the struggles and joys of this day, we pray:
for those who are overburdened, weighed down, demoralised,
fearful or desolate because of what life has thrown at them…
For those engulfed in pain and anguish, facing illness and death…
For those troubled in mind and spirit, who find no peace or calm…
For those alone and lonely, without friend or comfort…
For those frightened and bewildered, who see no direction
or purpose in their lives…
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

God of the last, God of the first,
God of all those in between,
hear these concerns
as we seek your presence in our lives
and in a world in need.
​
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
​Amen!

​StF 465 Guide me thou great Jehovah

​Blessing
Now the blessing of God almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Be with us always.
​Amen!

​Come to the God who knows us, to the God who created our being, to the God who knows our frailty, 
to the God who loves and cherishes us beyond measure.
Come as you are and worship God.

​Prayer of adoration
God of love and grace beyond our telling, we bring our thankful hearts to you, 
acknowledging that without you we are nothing 
and with you we can be so much more…
thankful that you care for us, and love us beyond measure; 
that you have endless patience with us;
that you teach us time and time again 
what it is to be committed to you and your way…
thankful that you reveal yourself to us in myriad ways, 
to inspire us and evoke within us a heartfelt response…
thankful that while all this is for everyone who will come to you and accept you, 
it is for me – for me! – and may I know it deep within. 
With overflowing hearts, hear our prayer. Amen. 

Prayer of Confession 
Forgiving God, 
more willing to forgive than we are to confess, 
help us to see our failings, 
to see where we fall short, to see where we deceive ourselves, 
where we close our eyes and ears to the ripples of our wrongdoing. 
We come before you, seeking forgiveness. (Keep silence)
Now let us breathe in the power of your forgiveness,
and breathe out the need to live and love in the shadow of your forgiveness of us, 
that we may forgive as you have forgiven us. 
Amen.

​Contemporary dramatisation of The Unforgiving Servant - Matthew Chapter 18 verses 21-35

​The Message

​Prayers of intercession - knowing that to God relationship is so vital we pray today for the healing of relationship in different situations.
We pray for our world where breakdown of relationship between nations or factions has caused war and pain – Forgiving God, inspire your people to forgive and be restored
We pray for our own nation for our leaders and decision-makers to bear in mind the effect of their policies on relationships within industry, education, livelihoods and health care; and where those policies have caused harm - Forgiving God, inspire your people to forgive and be restored.
We pray for the communities that we are a part of – for the willingness to build good relationships between neighbours, churches, local police, schools and businesses, and where there have been past hurts - Forgiving God, inspire your people to forgive and be restored
And we pray for ourselves and those people who are a part of our lives. To us all, good relationship – both with each other and with you - is the source of life. Un-forgiveness is a source of dis-ease. - Forgiving God, inspire your people to forgive and be restored.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

The Lords Prayer

​Stf 495 Dear Lord and Father of mankind

​Today is the first Sunday in the new Methodist Connexional year and also this Sunday where we have an Interactive Worship time.  Our theme today is 'Love your neighbour' and below are several options for you to engage with and a mixture of YouTube hymns to sing or listen to.

Opening Prayer
Lord of all,
In reverence and humility, awe and wonder,
We come to worship you.
As we draw near to you – draw near to us
And meet with us now we pray.
In Jesus name
Amen

​Song   - Bless the Lord o my soul (10,000 reasons) - Words and Music Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin

​Let us pray
Loving and generous God, on this the first Sunday of a new Connexional year we are aware that so many people are still unable to gather in a church or chapel to worship you. We know you hear our prayers from wherever we are, but for many our desire is to gather together for mutual support and to praise your name.

Hear the prayers of our hearts as we long for a better world.
Hear the prayers of our minds as we try to find new ways to worship you.
Hear the prayer of our souls as we long to draw closer to you.
On this day, we thank you once again for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ. How he modelled a way for us to live, and how he showed us that there is nothing in earth or heaven that can separate us from your love.
Forgive us Lord in the times when we doubt you.
Give us strength when we feel weak.
Hold us close, until the day finally comes when we might all gather as one to praise your name.
​Amen

​Craft – paper figures

​Reflecting on the passage from Romans 13:8-12.
1. Read the passage of scripture aloud.
Pause and recall if some word or phrase stood out or something in the reading touched your heart. If so, pause and dwell for a moment on that insight or feeling.
​
2. Read the passage again.
Take a few moments to think about the words that have stood out to you and spend a moment in quiet prayer. 
Listen to the version below of the hymn StF 242 - A new Commandment I give unto you –
or read the words through slowly.
A new commandment
I give unto you
That you love one another
As I have loved you,
That you love one another
As I have loved you.
By this shall all men
Know you are My disciples
If you have love one to another.

​Discussion questions
In the passage from Romans 13: 8-12 we are reminded again to love our neighbours as we love ourselves.
For a few moments bring to mind your immediate neighbours, those living on the same street, next door or maybe opposite. How well do you know them? Did the recent lockdown provide an opportunity to get to know them better? Can you recall any acts of kindness received from them during this time? Were you able to show neighbourly love to any of them during lockdown?
​
Who is my neighbour? We are reminded in the gospels (Luke Ch10) that our neighbour includes all in need.

1. As Christians how can we, as a church and also as individuals, show the love of Jesus to people in the community surrounding Kingswood?
2. ​​Broadening this further, in a world full of need how can we as individuals, as a church, and as a relatively wealthy country, demonstrate the love of God and his concern for the world he created to those in need regardless of race, culture or religion?

​Stf 256 - When I needed a neighbour were you there.- Words: Sydney Carter Music: “Neighbour” by Sydney Carter

​StF 547 - Beyond these walls of worship - Words and Music: Ian Worsfold & Paul Wood
​ Arranged: Matt Beckingham