Out of darkness...

Our text for this Mornings Sermon comes from 2Corinthians Chapter 4 verse 6 " The God who said " Out of darkness the light shall shine”, is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts to bring us  the  knowledge of God's glory shining in the face of Christ".

StF 20 Be still for the presence of the Lord.

​Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
​Gracious God, your glory fills the universe: we see it in the sun, moon and stars. Your glory is all around us: we see it in majestic trees, delicate flowers, tumbling streams and cascading waterfalls. Your glory is in us, created in your image. And so, we praise you.
Gracious God, your glory was seen in Jesus Christ, your Son, who lived among us and loved us to the end. Your glory is seen in those who follow Jesus, loving as he loved, caring as he cared. And so we praise you.
Gracious God, your glory was seen in the Holy Spirit, brooding over the waters of chaos, sweeping down in tongues of flame. Your glory is seen in those filled with the Spirit, inspiring us, challenging us, enabling us. And so, we praise you. Amen.
Our heavenly Father, thank you that you love us and care for us all the time. We know that this week we have not always lived the way you tell us. We have done wrong things and not done all the good things we should have done. You have told us that if we say sorry and really mean it you will forgive us and help us to live as your friends. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
We say together the prayer Jesus taught his disciples
Our Father…….

​Psalm 99

​Reading Exodus 34 v29-35

StF 335 Rejoice the Lord is King 

​Reading 2 Corinthians 3v12- 4v2

​Sermon

StF 59 Lord the Light of your love is shining 

​Prayers of intercession
God’s presence makes the face shine, the spirit soar, the heart beat.
God’s presence breaks the stony rules, the hard heart,
the silent grief.
Lord In your mercy, hear our prayer
God’s presence fills the mountain top, the earth below the waiting crowd. God’s presence changes the old ways, the trodden paths, the wasted lives. .
Lord In your mercy, hear our prayer
Make your presence felt where the darkness is too deep, the grief too sore, the divisions too wide, the sorrow too long, the pain too harsh, for mere mortal hands to make whole and well.
Lord In your mercy, hear our prayer
Make your presence felt where the thirst is so great, the hunger so rooted, the spirit so afflicted, the heart so weary, the mind so distracted, that earthly things cannot soothe or console. .
Lord In your mercy, hear our prayer
In a moment of silence we bring to you those on our hearts and minds that need your loving care.
In your mercy, hear our prayer
Make your presence felt in us and through us, that lives be transformed, faces be transfigured, by the glorious grace of the father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
A special prayer for Ukraine from the Methodist website
We pray for our governments and political leaders – for wise counsel and sound initiative to defuse tension -for diplomats – that they may have space to negotiate for the people of Ukraine – that their close ties with the people of Russia and other neighbours will remain strong even in the face of military threat. We pray that all governments commit time to dialogue and understanding, respect the will and freedom of all peoples, invest in welfare and alleviation of poverty and reject militarism and the threat of violence.
May Christ’s teaching and example be our inspiration, may hearts and minds be changed, and may your holy spirit be at work transforming each of us day by day, Through your everlasting grace and mercy
Amen

StF 548 Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine 

Blessing
As we leave this place, may the Living Lord go with us May he go behind us, to encourage us, beside us, to befriend us, above us, to watch over us, beneath us, to lift us from our sorrows, within us , to give us the gifts of faith, hope, and love, and always before us , to show us the way. Amen