Sunday Service 7th May

Welcome –our Methodist way of life, May theme is ‘we will challenge injustice’ It’s also vocations Sunday and Coronation weekend– so we can bring all these together in a focus on our calling and the calling of King Charles, to
challenge injustice.

.A prayer from the Revd Graham Thompson, President of the Methodist
Conference
Heavenly King, Almighty God;
We thank you for the call that you place on the life of each disciple.
As we discern all that you desire of us, we pray for King Charles III and ask that the Coronation be a time for the nations to unite in recognising that he is called into your service and ordained to the task of leading and serving us
all.
We pray too for Queen Camilla and all members of the Royal Family, asking that each fulfil their roles such that all people might flourish.
We ask this in the Name of our Servant King, Jesus. Amen.

The call to challenge injustice is very wide – there are so many injustices – what should we challenge today? Someone, shared her passion for justice with me – “how ​ can a rich country such as ours allow little children to go to bed hungry and cold; we have more food banks now than ever before, what is our Government doing?” So I thought we could start by challenging the injustice of food poverty.

We can do nothing of course, without what God has given to us – so first we thank God for that provision which inspires us to be generous too – singing a song we often sing at harvest

Stf 124 For the fruits of his creation

Prayer of praise -
Praise be to the Lord, for he shows us the wonders of his love
Our God is the creator.

Our God is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Our God is merciful. We worship and adore Him.
Praise be to the Lord, for he shows us the wonders of his love
We praise you for your work demonstrated throughout creation.
We praise you for the life of the Son, Jesus Christ for showing your love in word and action.
We praise you that through Jesus’ death and resurrection we are forgiven and invited to new life
Praise be to the Lord, for he showed us the wonders of his love
We thank you for your Spirit living with us.
We thank you for the prompting of that still small voice in our lives, our churches and communities to challenge injustice
We thank you for continuing your work through us.
Praise be to the Lord, for he showed us the wonders of his love
Father, Son and Holy Spirit we praise your holy name Amen

 How do we know what is true and just…? (based on 1 Peter 2:2-10)
​How do we know what is fair and just? It helps if we can measure whether something is just or not by what Jesus would have done or said. The disciple Peter said that God made Jesus the cornerstone – that’s a reference point for the builder by which the walls are measured.

If Jesus is the cornerstone upon which we decide what is right, then we need to know in what ways did Jesus act, so that we can copy Him.

Question – how did Jesus live? What did he do?
(Examples might include healing the sick, sharing with the poor, eating with people, talking to God, sharing stories to help people understand something, loving people)

These all sound like great examples.​
If you are to build a house, it’s important that the walls can be built straight and so that the house will not topple over. We’ve discussed Jesus as the cornerstone, but the bricks used to build a house are important too.

Question- Think of people who have taught you how to be more like Jesus.
.(Examples could be parents, grandparents, youth workers, ministers, Christians in the media, saints, missionaries, friends.) they have all been called by God whether they knew it or not, to contribute to a more just and loving community.
The good news is that all of us here are also a part of this amazing building being built by God.
We aren’t Christians in isolation, but we are a community, building on the work of God that has gone before. That is not to say that we have to do the same tasks as those who built before us, we do have to be relevant to the world as it is now in 2023 and beyond, but the purpose is the same – that all may come to know the love of God.
​
1 Peter 2:2-10
New International Version
2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 
3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The Living Stone and a Chosen People4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by
humans but chosen by God and precious to him-- 5 you also, like living stones, are being built 
into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,  a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected  has become the cornerstone,
8 and ,A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you
may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 
10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.

Stf 409 Let us build a house

​Hunger has always been a problem even in Old Testament times but God
challenges human greed and offers a way to supply human need…

Deuteronomy 24:17-22
17 Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.
 18 Remember that you were
slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.
19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave
it for the foreigner, the fatherless
and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat
the olives from your trees,
do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless
and the widow. 21 When you harvest the
grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless
​ and the widow. 22 Remembe
r that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.

Stf 713 Show me how to stand for justice

Message
​We have explored in different ways how we can challenge injustice – particularly that injustice of some people going hungry when others are overeating or wasting food.

What is the answer?
What would Jesus do?

Well Jesus fed the hungry, and challenged those in authority who took money from the poor, and he and his
disciples would have known the advice given by God to his people - ‘leave around the edges of your fields some of the grain, or leave on the tree some of the grapes, or olives when they are harvested, so that those who don’t have
anyone else to provide for them can eat’. This advice might be okay if you live somewhere in the country, but it’s not so useful if you mostly get your food from a supermarket!

What could we do then? I’ve thought of three possibilities, you will think of more.

One is simply, when we go shopping and we come to the reduced price section do we go for a bargain?– but if you can afford to buy food full price then what happens if you don’t buy the reduced price stuff? – maybe it will be left for those who can’t afford full price. That’s one action that’s a bit like leaving the edges of the field unharvested, though it’s still expecting some people to survive on short-dated food.
So another idea might be to buy food for the food bank when we’ve got a little spare cash – great for the food banks to have enough to offer those who go along to them – but there is still the question - why are foodbanks needed in the first place? Are there bigger issues behind food poverty? Are you someone who is able to think through some of those issues and challenge those systems and policies at the root of them?

My third idea is that those who are able to, could give money to charities who are working with people who need help getting out of the poverty cycle. One charity of the Methodist church is called All We Can. Recently ‘All We Can’
decided to change the way they support people across the world – by putting the people who need help in the driving seat as it were – giving them the power to choose what they want help with and then resourcing their ideas. I think this is just what Jesus would do! And it gives far more value to each person and supports them in what they feel God is calling them to do in their communities.

We know that King Charles has taken opportunities to challenge injustice – including that of food poverty – and I believe that God gives everyone a vocation – calling them –calling you – to some task he has for you in each place
you are– at work, at home or in the community, in church or at school – Just keep asking Jesus and he will show you what it is – often through feeling a strong connection with some cause, or desire to help, or finding or seeing yourself in a certain role. And if it is to challenge some kind of injustice – know that Jesus went there before you and he will be with you all the way.
Amen

​Prayers for others
Lord Jesus, you say, ‘Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.’ So, Lord, we bring before you what is on our hearts today.
We ask for your hand on the situation in Sudan and on all those trying to flee - give them strength and courage. Travel alongside, speaking to their hearts as you lead them to safety.
We pray too for all those trapped in their homes unable to venture out safely, unable to even go out for provisions. Provide for their needs, Lord, physical and spiritual. Keep them safe.
We pray for an end to all conflict, in Sudan and in Ukraine. Have mercy on all living amid danger. Bring peace to your world.

Your kingdom come your will be done.

We bring before you, Lord our struggling health service. We ask that the strikes be resolved, enabling postponed appointments and procedures to go ahead before situations worsen and put an even greater strain on the NHS. Resolve issues Lord, so that all will find their needs met and lives saved. May your hand be on all who are ill. In a moment of silence, we bring those we know personally who are in need of your hand upon them.

Touch them with your healing hand.

Your kingdom come your will be done.

Lord God, the coronation of King Charles III brings in a new era. During the coronation we saw old symbolic traditions mingled with the new – such as the three ancient swords of Mercy, Temporal justice and Spiritual justice carried in the coronation procession and the newly commissioned Anointing Screen. May the king be aware of your anointing upon him from this day forward.

The king has taken his seat on the ancestral throne and the weight of the crown upon his head. We pray Lord that, from your heavenly throne, you will help our king carry the weight of all that is put upon him in his role as our monarch.
His mother, our late Queen Elizabeth, reigned with honour, wisdom and integrity. Her heart was yours. And we pray the king  will be yours too as he reigns over us. May he listen, draw strength and be guided by you always.
We pray for Queen Camilla, that you will strengthen and encourage her as she supports the king. We pray also that she be filled with your Holy Spirit as represented by the dove on the rod used in her coronation. We pray for all the
royal family, that each may look to you, Lord.

Your kingdom come your will be done.

 Many people from all walks of life had roles to play in the coronation celebrations. We pray for those who performed at Windsor Castle in the coronation choir. Fire-fighters, cab drivers, farmers and volunteer lifeboat crew
are among those who took part. We pray that they will be encouraged in their roles and have a memory to treasure.

As communities gather this weekend with celebratory picnics and lunches, Lord, we pray that you will be remembered throughout. We pray that you will unite communities as new friendships are forged and old ones rekindled over the sharing of food.

This week also sees the National Day of Volunteering taking place. We pray that this will bring forward a new generation of volunteers in our communities.
Lord, you give us all different skills. Help us to put those skills to good use for
others.
​
Your kingdom come your will be done. Amen.

The 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

Stf  706 longing for light

Blessing
The God who called us here is sending us out – to turn words into deeds, worship into service and vision into reality.
Together we have celebrated the faith, now let us share it in the name of Christ Jesus. Amen 

message by Reverend Christine Fox