'Reconciliation and Equality/Partnership'

This Worship has been produced by Gary Long for you to join wherever you are . ​Today's service is about reconciliation and equality/partnership.

Prayer: Confident Approach

We come to worship our wonderful God,
through Christ Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Abba – Father, Amma – Mother,
    • We come to find your forgiveness and your love.
    • We come to share our joy and our faith.
    • We come together to experience your power in our lives.

Fill our worship with the power and love of your Spirit 
infilling our lives and over-spilling in exuberant joy.   

Send the gifts of your Spirit today  
so that we may build each other up 
to better grow your Community of Love 
within this congregation and in this place.

In the name of our Lord, Jesus the Christ 
Amen

Call to worship
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

StF 20 Be still, for the presence of the Lord.  Produced by the Northern Baptist Association

Prayer:  Be still. 

Be still: Feel the Presence of God:  Filling us,  here,  in our 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 the awesome power of God:  shown in creation, shown in the resurrection
Be still:  Reflect on how insignificant we are:  yet how important to God 
Be still.

Praise 
Eternal and loving God,   
Mother and Father of all that is:
you are the source of all life 
the origin of all wisdom
the well- spring of all grace,

Your days are without end
your creation is infinite
your loving mercies without number,
your boundless goodness reaches to the depths of our being.

We depend on you:
we remember your gracious care of us,
your unsparing love for us,
and to those who have gone before us.

We tell your story in every generation:
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
God of Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel,
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

You are our God,
ahead of us, leading us,
guiding us and calling us,
God of a pilgrim people, your Church.

You are the Lord God,
the all-wise, 
the all-compassionate,
the all-loving.

To you we lift up our hearts.
We worship you,
one God for ever and ever.  
Amen.

Prayer: confession 
We are called ‘to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us, for the Glory of God’ (Romans 15:7). 

We come before God to confess the times we have fallen short of this calling.         
​Short silence

For the times we have walked away from those in need
God, have mercy on us

For the times we have struggled with difference,  and rejected those who seem ‘other’
Lord, have mercy on us

For the times we have failed to challenge hatred and prejudice
God, have mercy on us

For the times we not been open to receive the hospitality of others
Lord, have mercy on us

For the times we have not welcomed one another as Christ has welcomed us
God, have mercy on us

For the times we have not welcomed the stranger, have not reached out.
Lord, have mercy on us

Merciful God, you hear all that is spoken and unspoken. 
Speak your words of forgiveness and renewal into our hearts. 

Thank you that because of your love shown to us in Jesus,  we can be forgiven and have a new start.

Renew and restore us, sustain and strengthen us 
so that we may love others as you love us. 

Announcement of Forgiveness – Worship in an Indian Context
Book of 1,000 prayers No 354 P 142  Angela Ashwin

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. 

​StF 103 God is love: let heaven adore him [Hyfrydol]. Sung by members of Christ Church Woodley.

Introduction to  reading & theme

Philemon is Paul's shortest letter & the only one addressed solely to an individual.

Philemon is a well off church leader in Colossae.  
    • The congregation meets in his home. 
    • He owns slaves, one of who is Onesimus.

Onesimus has wronged Philemon in some way and run away.
    • He meets Paul, becomes a follower of Jesus and Paul's beloved helper.
    • Onesimus means 'useful' in Greek.  In the letter there is a play on words about this so remember it.

Paul is in a difficult position as he writes this letter.
    • Onesimus is a run away slave and could be executed if caught.
    • Paul wants Philemon to forgive Onesimus and take him back.
    • BUT, much, much more than this he wants Philemon to embrace Onesimus as a brother.
    • An equal in God's sight.

Reading: Philemon 1:1-25
The YouTube video below has been produced by  BibleProject.com © Copyright 2022

Make time for you to consider the questions below and please, if you wish, share your thoughts in the 'Leave a reply' section at the end of this webpage below.

    • What groups are you aware of that might be excluded/not equal/disadvantaged in some way?

    • 2 Corinthians 5: 17-19 says “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation: the old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

What guidance does the letter of Philemon offer for making appeals for reconciliation?

    • What role does the church, local and/or universal, have in bringing about reconciliation with those who are  excluded/not equal/disadvantaged?

Summary.

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

I understand Kingswood Church Council agreed to look further into the implications of 'Inclusive Church'.  This is something we did at Lenton and in the process we all learned a great deal – and were challenged to consider how our church appeared to those from certain groups, what unintentional barriers there might be and how we could improve our welcome to many different people.

“We believe in inclusive church – a church which celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate.
We will continue to challenge the church where it continues to discriminate against people on grounds of disability, economic power, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity, or sexuality.
We believe in a Church which welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ; which is scripturally faithful; which seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for each generation; and which, in the power of the Holy Spirit, allows all people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ.”

So our call to action this week is to try to become more aware of those areas where people may feel excluded from the church and pray about what we can do about it.

​StF 409 Let us build a house [All are welcome]. Song written and performed here by Marty Haugan.

Prayers for Others 

Loving, sharing, co creator God we pray that your nation of love will grow in our hearts.
We remember the church in every part of the world:
Open our lives to your Spirit, that we may be inspired to become fully your children.
Nurture us  to grow in your love and service.


Loving, sharing, co creator God we pray that we will grow in your love, so our hearts will become as large as yours.  
    • We remember those peoples struggling for liberty and justice.  
    • We pray now, in silence, for all those who are  excluded/not equal/disadvantaged.

SILENCE

Help us to see the world as you do, to respond with your compassion and to welcome others as you do.  
Nurture us to grow in your love and service.
Loving, sharing, co creator God we pray that we will grow more and more in knowing how to share your riches with others.  

We ask that you will change us where we are dependant upon status, position, or money.  Develop in us your love and your power to restore.
Nurture us to grow in your love and service.

Out of the Father's glorious riches may he strengthen us with power through his Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. 
And I pray that, being rooted and established in love, we may have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. And to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! 
Amen.
Ephesians 3: 16-21.

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.

​StF 564 O thou who camest from above [Wilton].  By Charles Wesley. Performed by members of the Oxford Methodist Circuit with British Sign Language

Prayer of Offering, Dedication & Thanks 

Loving God, Father & Mother of all that is. 

Thank you for the many good gifts you grant us, esp. 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.
Thank you for your grace today and every day.
Amen.

Blessing
Loving and Gracious God
Father and Mother of all that is:
    • Be with us as we leave this place.
    • Be with us as we follow your Way in our lives.
    • Be with us in the very depths of our being.
Amen.