17 July 'Priorities from the side-lines!'

This Worship at Home service has been produced by Tanya Cook and the Reflection by Tim Baker.

Call to Worship
We come together as one,
united in our common loyalty to Jesus Christ.
We come to worship and praise the God who calls us here.
Let’s open our hearts to one another,
just as Christ has opened his heart to us,
and God will be glorified.

​Hymn: StF 110 In the wonder of creation

Prayers of Adoration and Confession:
God who calls and equips, We seek you, not for what we can do for you, but in response to your incredible love in our lives. We celebrate your all-encompassing love and the people who have made you known to us. We recognise that your Spirit has worked through countless people to make your salvation known to us and we take a moment to recognise this. We praise you for God's love made known in Jesus, the One who calls so many different people, in so many diverse ways and in a variety of contexts. We open ourselves to your love and guidance that we may respond to your calling and help others recognise your love. Amen
God of immense love and mercy, forgive us when we try to avoid following you, forgive us when we ignore your calling in our lives, forgive us when our busyness drowns out your still small voice and we attempt to go our own way. Forgive us when our actions prevent others from responding to God's calling in their lives. Help us to make service to you our priority every day of our lives. Amen.
God's love for you is not dependent on what you do. God's love for you does not diminish when you lose focus and lose your way. God's love for you remains as it always has and always will. You are forgiven and held dearly by the loving arms of God. Thanks be to God. Amen

Hymn: StF 463 Deep in the shadows of the past

​Hymn: StF 489 All I once held dear

What are your priorities? Where does God fit in?

Reflection
​In today’s Gospel reading we heard Luke’s version of this familiar tale of Mary and Martha. In the context of climate change and the societal breakdown that Amos is warning us about, perhaps we can re-examine our typical interpretations of this passage. We often try to redeem Martha – perhaps out of our desire to defend the Protestant work ethic or even the important role of ‘housework’ which doesn’t always get a good reputation. And of course, there is much work to be done on recognising different calls to ministry, different impulses around caring or listening.

However, perhaps Jesus’ rebuke for Martha is born out of his understanding of timing, of waiting, of reflection – even of lament. In the face of so much social change, is Jesus inviting the two women who are hosting him to just sit with that for a moment? Perhaps what we can hear from this reading is the invitation to pause, to sit at the feet of Jesus, to learn something new, to enter into the pain of the world we live in…and to believe that sitting there long enough that might give us hope.
​
Perhaps, or perhaps he meant something else all together…
The great joy and challenge of the Christian faith, and of all our work to attempt to make sense of our place in it, is that we do not know. We believe, we hope, we pray, we reflect on and we learn – but we can never know. As we trust in God’s future for this planet, and our own lives, we embrace the uncertainty of Paul in Colossians:
“The glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
May that mystery be true for you, and for all of us. Christ is in us – the hope of glory.
Extract of a reflection written by Tim Baker from The Vine www.theworshipcloud.com

Hymn: StF 531 What a friend we have in Jesus

Prayers of Intercession
Loving God, you call us to be people of faith, but instead of making service to you our priority we are so often people with doubts. Our heads and hearts are full of questions.

We doubt that love can grow again in relationships where anger and bitterness prevail, but you know the strength of love and the power of prayer.

We doubt that peace can come in many countries in our world where there is fighting, war and abuse or where hatred and racism know no boundaries.

You know that peace is possible - help us to be faithful peacemakers.

We doubt that the hungry can be fed in countries that are experiencing drought, war and poverty and that children will continue to perish.

You know that there is enough food in the world; help us to be generous and faithful. We doubt that governments throughout the world can lead their people with justice and fairness. You specialize in impossibilities; you walked on water, you can heal the nations, you forgive sins, you set people free from all that limits them, you set each one of us free from our sin and shame by your death, your glorious resurrection and the gift of your Holy Spirit. Today we pray for all people who are filled with doubt and uncertainty, who wonder whether you exist and whether you are listening to our prayers, who wonder what the Christian community and faith are about.

We pray for people who doubt the meaning of life, who face feelings of hopelessness and despair particularly those who have lost jobs, income and homes as a result of the pandemic.

Even when we ourselves are struggling, give us the wisdom to turn to you.

When our faith is weak or in danger of deserting us, strengthen us and give us hope. Finally, we ask for good news for people in our community and throughout the world, people who are sick, or who are grieving, who need your help in practical ways-- empower us to be your hands and feet and to show that love, your love.
​
Give us faith, small as a mustard seed, so that we may move mountains, so that we may bring change. May we always share your hope, your love and your justice with this needy world. We ask all these things in his name. Amen.

Hymn: StF 689 Summoned by the God who made us

Blessing
Go now and make it your priority to tell others of God’s love. Seek to carry one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Work for the good of all, avoid temptation, and pray that God will send more labourers into his Kingdom on earth.
May God give you grace and peace;
May Christ Jesus give you power over all that would harm you;
And may the Holy Spirit produce within you a rich harvest of joy and love.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.