Opening prayers
This Sunday of waiting, this Sunday of beginnings
I am waiting Lord,
Beginning again my journey with you.
I am seeking you Lord,
Wanting to know more of you.
Come here, today, by your Spirit
Pause.
The advent call is to wait, not rush.
To be prepared for what is coming rather than forget what all the celebrations are for.
Today, then, as you prepare for worship: pause.
Pause in the silence and let it settle on you.
Pause for longer than you think feels usual.
Pause with focus and ask God to reveal God-self in what you are to be a part of.
Pause.
Loving God, I pray that I will meet you this day and everyday.
Amen

Old Testament reading Isaiah 2:1-5  - Swords into ploughshares
Gospel reading Matthew 24:36-44 - Be ready

 REFLECTION
So here we are in Advent. Again.
In the darkness longing for light. Again.
The world can seem like a dark place can’t it?
Perhaps there have been dark times in our own lives or in the lives of our loved ones?
Both of the readings for today remind us that there is hope. Not the hope that buys a
lottery ticket and crosses its fingers but that deep Hebrew hope that holds onto and
lives in line with what it believes will one day be – even if surrounded by so many
signs to the contrary. That is the hope that comes at Advent, isn’t it?
The Christmas story reminds us that we are not alone when we experience darkness.
Jesus suffered. Jesus understands our suffering and the suffering of a world that is
often dark and still longing for light. That is what it means for God to be ‘with us’.
Immanuel.
Where do you see hope at work in today’s readings?
Our hope is bigger than a sort of vague thinking that ‘everything will work out’, it is
more a practice. Not the kind of hope that buys a lottery ticket and crosses its fingers
but that deep Hebrew-hope that holds onto and lives in line with what we believe will
one day be – even if surrounded by many signs to the contrary.
Are you feeling hopeful this Advent? Are you able to commit to hope again?​

Song Come all you vagabonds - Stuart Townend

Prayers of Intersession
On this Advent Sunday, we come to you Lord with many different emotions. We come with awareness that Christmas is approaching. For some that will be a time of great joy, for others a time of stress and busyness. We come to you knowing that the world is full of tinsel, glitter and mindless music played on a loop, but we yearn to see your face in the midst of all the preparations. We want to look to the future because you have gone ahead into it for us. We may not wish it could be Christmas every day, but we do recognise that the real truth of Christmas is with us every day: that God came into the world to redeem us. So, however we feel today, help us to find you, not in the razzmatazz, but in the quietness of the stable.

Be awake, be ready, be prepared:
Christ our light is coming near

Lord, we know how much preparation we need to do before Christmas. There will be cards to write, presents to buy, food to purchase, invitations to be made. We are so aware that all this ‘stuff’ sometimes gets in the way. We are also aware that, for so many this year, their normal Christmas will be affected by the cost of living. Help us all to see that the truth of Christmas is not related to things and wealth but the poverty of God in the manger.

Be awake, be ready, be prepared:
Christ our light is coming 

At this Advent time, in all that we do, help us to keep our eyes and ears open to see You among us. We pray that we will find you in the face of friend and stranger. That we will worship you in among all the fun and family time. We pray that we will be your compassionate hands and feet and lips to those around us who are hurting, afraid, homeless, lonely and overwhelmed. O come, O come Emmanuel and make us fit to serve you.

Be awake, be ready, be prepared:
Christ our light is coming near

Lord, we bring to you all those we know who are making preparations this week: those revising for exams, those preparing for operations or medical procedures, those arranging to travel to new or unfamiliar places, those preparing for a birth… or a death. Lord, please be present, be Emmanuel, to all these people… some known to us, but all known to you. Give diligence in the working, patience in the waiting, courage in the unfamiliar situations, your presence at the ends and the beginnings. Help everyone to be alert to your presence in every situation they face. And help us all to keep our eyes firmly fixed on you, whatever we are experiencing in the weeks to come.

Be awake, be ready, be prepared:
Christ our light is coming near

Lord, Emmanuel, we know we can only be fully prepared for life if we are fully focussed on you. Keep us from distractions, we pray. Help us to find creative ways to learn more about you and deepen our relationship with you even within the old, familiar stories. Help us also to be prepared to step away from the familiar into new things… following where you lead as you challenge us to become closer to you.

Be awake, be ready, be prepared:
Christ our light is coming near

Lord, prepare our hearts. Help our eyes to be open to see you. Teach us to be ready for everything you ask of us this week. Give us eyes and ears to see where your kingdom is coming around us and to join you as you work in our world.

Be awake, be ready, be prepared:
Christ our light is coming near

Lord, come to our hearts, our homes, our world
Amen

Blessing
God of Advent, in this waiting season,
Whatever comes to me this week,
May it draw me to your love, draw me to your light, draw me to yourself;
and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among
me, and remain with me always.
Amen

We are sorry that the YouTube live stream had technical issues so below is a video recording of the service.

This is the Lord’s Day, and on this day of remembrance, I come to you in worship, in
gratitude, and in prayers for peace.
As I remember wars past, grieve for wars current, and pray for future peace, show me
how to follow you as I pray, listen, sing, share and reflect today.
Come here, into this sacred space, this ordinary space, this space of love and healing
and peace, by your Spirit, Lord

​[Pause]

Opening Prayers
Compassionate and steadfast Lord of all,
As I come today to worship you,
To remember what has been,
and commemorate the lives lost in the pursuit of peace,
I bring all that I have and am into your presence.
I come to say sorry, knowing that you forgive and accept me, just as I am.
I come to praise you and give thanks.
I ask that the songs of praise may be like honey to your ears,
that my words of confession and forgiveness will be a balm to me, and to everyone
around me,
and, that I will grow closer to you and to those in my community, my family, my
neighbourhood,
as I remember, listen, learn, and pray.
Amen.
Opening prayers written by Sheila 1 Matthews and Tim Baker

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. 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

Readings: Isaiah 65:17-25 
Luke 21:5-19 

Response to the reading
Isaiah 65 is a promise. “See I will create a new heavens and a new earth!” - the broken world we live in is not the end; darkness will not have the final word. One way to read God’s promises throughout the Bible is that they are something we have no part in, something beyond us, that if we passively hang around we might get to see these promises completed. Or otherwise it might be something we are rewarded with when we die for a life faithfully lived - nothing to do with this life or this world.

Today, however, I’d like to suggest that we are called, as Christ-followers, to be active participants in bringing about God’s promise for a new heaven and a new earth in the here and now. We are called to get stuck in bringing them about.

Luke 21 is another kind of prophesy; Jesus speaking of the trials and tribulations to come for his followers. Some theologians think that these times that Jesus speak of are end times; the birthing pains for the new heavens and the new earth. Others believe that these times came not long after Jesus’s death, perhaps even in the disciples’ own life times - they did, after all, experience their fair share of persecution.  When do you think these times of war, betrayal, earthquakes, famines and pestilences refers to?

I look around at the world and I see signs of great hope. Hope that a new heaven and a new earth is being born into existence now. Walking through the countryside as the shadows grow long and the swallows swoop and dive, I think I see a glimpse of God’s creation that is full of joy and celebration. Meeting a friend’s brand-new baby recently, I
was caught with a lump in my throat at the reminder that God is constantly making new things.

But I also look around and see that the world is caught up in the crises that Jesus predicts in Luke 21. This winter we know that the cost of living crisis is exacerbating poverty and increasing inequality. 2022 has been a year in which we’ve been reminded that war in Europe is not a thing of the past, and that mindless violence at the hands of cruel dictators is still a reality of this world and for too many people’s lives.

What do we do with this? With daily struggle we see between joy and hope and rejoicing, and pain and suffering and strife?

In all of this, remember: God is God. God is creating a new heaven and a new earth. Even if sometimes it feels like the darkness is winning, God continues to whisper hope into being.

Some questions for reflection, perhaps you might like to think about one or more of these with a friend or neighbour this week:
- What signs of hope are you seeing?
- And what signs of end times?
- What do you think you might be called to do to bring God’s promises about?
Reflection written by Lucy Zwolinska

Blessing
On this day of remembrance, may you go out into the world and remember, be present to those around you, may you appreciate the big story that you are apart, And may the prince of peace rule in your heart.
Amen.
Additional prayers by Tim Baker

Monday 14th November
- You might like to use this prayer as a blessing or grace before one of your meals today.
- Gracious God, thank you for the many ways you have blessed me, and for the nutrition in the meals I am eating this day. Thank you for the strength that comes from my food to keep me going. Thank you for the tastes I can enjoy and the refreshment I can feel.
- Gracious God, today, as I eat, I remember that all I have is gift – and I look out
on the world around me, knowing that many people are not as blessed as I am,
and many will go hungry today.
- God, help me to seek justice in your world.
Amen.

Tuesday 15th November
- Take a moment to look at your hands. Reflect on the things you have used them for already this week: to do housework, to write emails, to make phone calls, perhaps some digging in the garden or some manual labour tasks.
- Thank you God, for these hands. Help me to use them as your hands in the world – to use my body, my mind, my whole life, for the building of your Kingdom here on earth.
​Amen

Wednesday 16th November
- When you have chance today, head outside and look at the sky (ideally not when it’s pouring with rain!). Take note of the clouds, of the speed they are moving, of the light the sun is casting, perhaps you can see the moon or some
stars if it is after sunset.
- Under the vastness of the open sky, reflect on how far away the clouds are, and how much further the sun and the stars are…
- As you look at the huge expanse of the horizon, think about how much bigger our Creator is, how the God we worship knows each one of us and yet is also holding the whole universe together.
- You may wish to give thanks for the amazing universe you get to be a part of.

Thursday 17th November
- On this day in 1558, the Elizabethan era began – with the ascension of Queen Elizabeth I to the throne. Our own recent times have seen much tumult and change in leadership here in the UK, between the death of our longest-standing monarch and the multiple changes in leadership of the ruling party, and therefore new Prime Ministers.
- Today you are invited to pray for all who find change difficult, and who are wrestling with the anxiety and uncertainty of these tumultuous times. If that’s you, take some time out today to pray for yourself, to ground yourself in God’s unchanging, infallible, unconditional love for you.

Friday 18th November
- As we head into the winter months, and the evenings get darker, and colder, and wetter, we pray for all who feel isolated by this time. All who are forced to withdraw indoors when they don’t find that comfortable or know it brings with it a loneliness and isolation.
- If that’s you, spend some time praying for yourself today, and reflecting on ways you can seek connection, maintain relationship, stay grounded in the natural world and God’s beautiful creation.

Saturday 19th November
- Holy God, you have called me here, in this moment, this day, this weekend.
Lord of life, I see you at work in the world around me.
Open my eyes, and open my heart,
That I may be ready to receive your Spirit into my life.
Amen.

Welcome to worship.
We come to worship.
We come - as we are - with all our concerns, our regrets, our joys
We come - as we are. to worship God who is here, who hears us, who loves us.
Come, now is the time to worship.

The Psalms are poems and songs that capture the range of our human experience.
Those times when we feel downcast, despairing or desolate.
Those times when we feel angry,
Those times when we are happy,
Those times of celebration.
This psalm is a psalm of thanksgiving.
It resonates with assurance and praise:
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good.
His steadfast love endures for ever.
And the psalmist recalls different situations to be thankful for.
Remember those desert times: remember how God was good
and brought us to a place of safety. Give thanks.
Remember those difficult distressing times, when our bad decisions landed us in
trouble, and God was good and brought us out of that dark place. Give thanks.
In other psalms the writer gives thanks for the beauty of nature,
for good things in our lives.
For so many things.
Give thanks.

So I invite you to to think about the things that you would like to give thanks for.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good:
His love endures for ever.

Prayer of confession.
If we are honest, we know that we have all done wrong - in our attitudes, in our words
and our actions. Maybe we have been too hasty, maybe we have not done something we
should have done.
In a moment of quiet we bring those things to God.
Loving Lord, forgive us.
In Psalm 32 we read “Blessed is the one whose sins are forgiven”.
Loving Lord. We thank you for your amazing grace, for forgiveness, and for your invitation
to follow you. Amen.​

StF 82: O Lord my God  150 voice Mass Choir sing the hymn " O Lord My God"  . Recorded live at the Outdoor set at St Andrew Kirk Chennai, India in 2008.

Reflection  on 'We will look and listen for God in Scripture and the world' with Morag Walder.

StF 481:     The Lord’s my shepherd  Recorded remotely by members of Victoria Methodist Church, Bristol, UK during Lockdown 2020/21.​

Prayer. 
Let us pray for all people everywhere according to their need.
Silence
We pray for your church; that we may work together to show our love of God and neighbour.
Silence
We pray for your world and all in power; that all may work together for peace and justice.
Silence
We pray for the communities in which we live;
that all people may find comfort in their need.
Silence
We pray for all those who suffer and bring before you those on our minds today; that they may find comfort and peace in their troubles.
Silence
We remember those who have died, giving special thanks for that great cloud of witnesses who have lived lives of faith. May we be reunited with them in your eternal kingdom. In the name of Christ we pray.
Amen.​

StF 469: I watch the sunrise. Performance by Joy and Ruth Everingham​

The dismissal.
May we know the presence and the peace of God today and in the days ahead,
And may our lives reflect His love and his values that others may know his presence and his
peace. Amen, thanks be to God.

​It’s great that we can celebrate God’s creation this morning; though I’d imagine that it might be difficult for us to declare like Isaiah that this is ‘the year of the Lord’s favour’. Unless of course, we’ve come here today hoping to forget about the real world for an hour or so.  

Prayers
God, I am here, in this space, on this day, to worship you, to seek your voice, and to
be inspired, encouraged and challenged to go out into the world full of your presence,
as your hands and feet.
Come Holy Spirit, and fill me afresh.
Pause.
Look at your feet.
Notice the scraps and marks on your shoes or slippers, or if your feet are bare notice
the lines and wrinkles. Wriggle your toes and notice how that feels.
Look at the ground your feet are on. Is it a carpet? Or wood? Laminate or something
else?
When you are ready, offer this time of worship to God
Creator God, thank you that my feet are on holy ground. As I sit here I choose to offer
the time to you. I long to meet with you on this holy, ordinary ground.
Amen.
Prayer by Abi Jarvis ( twelvebaskets)

Sermon - Martin Weir
‘He has sent me …. to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour’ (Is 61 v2)
Introduction
It’s great that on this Climate Sunday we can celebrate God’s creation; though today I’d imagine that it might be difficult for us to confidently declare like Isaiah that this is ‘the year of the Lord’s favour’. Unless of course, we’ve come here today hoping to forget about the real world for an hour or so.  

Yet, we’re all too aware of how the world looks to us just now. It’s sad for us and the people involved directly that there is so much upheaval in our NTV Circuit. Looking at the community around us, there’s a cost of living crisis which means that too many people are worried about how they, and their families, are going to keep warm and fed this winter. 

We see that the war continues in Ukraine continues. There is famine in Somalia. Many remain homeless in Pakistan following flooding. Climate change is an ever-present threat over the livelihoods of people especially those in poor countries. And so, all over the world people are forced to leave their homes to escape violence, injustice and poverty, suggesting that the goodness of God’s creation that we celebrate so readily is not being protected well enough or shared fairly. 

So perhaps we have come here today with heavy hearts. And here’s the preacher reminding us that Isaiah said he had been sent to ‘proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour’.        

The complexities of life present very real challenges to us and, much as we might wish it, there are no simple answers. But I hope that we know deep down that Isaiah is right; that despite the doom and gloom; all years are years of the Lord’s favour. So, for a few minutes let’s try to recognise what this means. 

Thankfully there is still much for us to be encouraged by as we remind ourselves of the goodness of God’s creation, so we can again give thanks to God for the wonderful way that his creation provides and enthrals us, despite the challenging circumstances that we face. 

And, as well as recognising the goodness of God’s creation, we know that all is not well with that creation. So, we are challenged to ensure that the benefits of creation are shared more justly and in a way that respects creation. So that we can indeed proclaim ‘the year of the Lord’s favour’. 

What is the year of the Lord’s favour?
The third & final part of Isaiah (chapters 55-66) contains prophecies that are set in the post exilic period; that is to say, the time when the people of Judah had been released from exile in Babylon (540-520 BC). They had returned to Jerusalem to find the city & the Temple in ruins. They themselves were impoverished, and economic hardship was severe.

Whereas earlier prophecies of Isaiah had reflected the pain and humiliation of exile, these prophecies are much more positive in tone, as they look forward to a time of prosperity and blessing when Jerusalem is rebuilt under God.

The prophet Isaiah claims that he is anointed by God (like a king or a priest). Anointing was a sign that God had chosen Isaiah and given him authority to speak in the power of God’s spirit; and to bring a message of good news to those who were newly returned to this wasteland.

Central to that message (in verse 2) is when he proclaims the year of the Lord’s favour. This refers to the year of Jubilee, which according to the Law of Moses should occur every 50 years, when a ram’s horn was sounded as a sign of Jubilee. This was the time for society to re-adjust; to return land to its original owners, when debts were forgiven, and slaves & prisoners freed. It’s a special year of grace which communicates something of God’s heart for his world. That he wants people to be free to overcome disadvantage by having grace for each other, rather than living in a society that perpetuates poverty and wealth inequality. 
In verse 8 the prophet says ‘For I the Lord love justice’; God wants his people to love justice too, and to advocate such a message. ‘Their descendants will be known among the nations and all who see them will acknowledge that they are a people that the Lord has blessed’. 
This is God’s vision for Judah’s future, which Isaiah describes as ‘a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour’, when the people will be ‘oaks of righteousness’ displaying God’s glory through their lives. As they rebuild Jerusalem, God will work with them so that they will know his justice and transform what was a broken place into one where life can flourish again. This would have been a really encouraging message for them to hear. 

It’s a familiar story in our world today, of too many people unjustly displaced from their homes because of conflict, persecution, or natural disasters that may have their roots in climate change; wondering where to begin when everything is lost? 
Recently, through Rotary, I met with some Ukrainian refugees at the Hope Centre in Beeston. Their stories are difficult to imagine, and as I heard from their hosts, the difficulties don’t end with coming to the UK. But they feel that here they have hope because people care, and they seem determined to make the best of what they have.    

In post exilic Jerusalem the prophet brings hope; that there will be a future for those people based on God’s justice. And then our gospel reading reminds us that in time God would raise up another, a new anointed one, filled with his spirit, to fulfil this vision.

Luke 4
Jesus had been baptised & had spent 40 days in the wilderness to explore his mission, and now he emerges as the Messiah, the anointed one, filled with the power of God’s spirit, and ready to begin his public ministry. 

Nine years ago, in Nazareth, I visited what purports to be the synagogue where Jesus read aloud those words from Isaiah to the congregation. And then, astonishingly, he declared to them that there, on that day, right in front of them, he was fulfilling that prophecy. What must that have felt like? Jesus declared that in the Kingdom:

Those who are poor both spiritually & materially will be enriched by God. Those who are captives to sin, to the law or to social stigma will be set free. Those who are blind to truth or to God’s love will see. 

This is no longer just a 1 in 50 year jubilee, but a once & for all event where Jesus had metaphorically blown the ram’s horn, and released God’s grace for all time.

This then determines Jesus ensuing ministry which involved healing the sick, casting out demons, forgiving sinners, and thereby removing the social-economic disadvantages that many faced. And by releasing them, he was enabling them to live fruitful lives, enjoying God’s creation. 

‘He has sent me …. to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour’

Today
So, how do we respond to Isaiah’ declaration? Especially in the context of a complicated world with competing interests, where justice and loyalty are compromised, consensus all too often considered a sign of weakness, and where climate change threatens the stability of peoples, economies and countries?  

Well of course, there is no simple answer; so I’m not going to try to give one. It’s something we all have to reflect on as disciples, followers of Jesus Christ, the anointed one. 

We have all been chosen, commissioned, blessed with his spirit and his grace to further his ministry. Jesus has challenged us to bring good news to the poor, release the captives, recover sight for the blind, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour, because we have a God who has done just that for each one of us, through his son, Jesus Christ.

And so, for example, we hold a Climate Sunday where we celebrate the goodness of God’s creation , and in so doing we show our desire for climate justice where we ensure that we declare that the goodness of God’s creation should be protected and available for all, so that people might rise above the challenges they face and have hope of fulfilling their God given potential. And we promise to act, as individuals and as a church community, in ways that promote the kind of justice that God expects.               

And I’m sure that there are all sorts of efforts that we all make (however unheralded) to involve ourselves in repairing what is broken; rebuilding places that are destroyed, creating environments where people can start to flourish. What that might look like is something that you can chew over together along with your Sunday lunch. There are few simple answers, but many questions.

Conclusion
‘He has sent me …. to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour’

Reminding ourselves, in our current circumstances, of the gift of creation reminds us that there is a bigger picture of the wonder and goodness of that creation. This wonder and goodness is something that we should seek to celebrate even in the hardest of times. These gifts remind us that God’s generosity is a constant, it never varies, even as times and people and places change. It is always there for us whatever our circumstances.  

And we are reminded that God loves justice, and he demands that those gifts so freely given should be shared fairly to enable all his people to fulfil their potential to his glory. 

Thanks be to God. Amen

Blessing
Lord Jesus Christ,
Thank you for being a God of justice, love and mercy. I ask that you help me to live
after your example, to be a model for those around me.
Holy Spirit, fill me anew, that I might have the words to speak of your love, and that I
would demonstrate that love through my actions.
Amen.
Blessing by Tim Baker  (twelvebaskets .)

Today we focus on the second commitment of our Methodist way of life – ‘we will worship together regularly’. By worship we mean the turning of our hearts and minds and souls to God our Creator in adoration and praise, in appreciation of God’s presence with us and in thanksgiving for what God has done.  Rev'd Christine Fox

​Prayer of approach 
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden;
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
so that we may truly love you
and worthily praise your holy name;
through our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
(From the Methodist Worship Book)

​Prayer of confession 
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy
forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly,
love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.
​
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Amen.  Thanks be to God

​(From the Methodist Worship Book)

​Hebrews 10:19-25 Let us not stop meeting together 

​Readings - 
John 4:19-24
Matthew 6:5-13

​Intercession prayers
As we offer our prayers for the world and for ourselves we will share in times of silence, allowing us to reflect on the needs of others and on our own experiences.
The wars and fighting across the world.
​The problems in our Government.
Those unable to support their families.
As we reflect, it may be that God will speak into that silence and help us to understand the world and our lives in new ways.​

Blessing/grace 
And the blessing of God almighty,. the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,. be among you and remain with you always.
Go in peace in the power of the Spirit
to live and work to God’s praise and glory.
Thanks be to God.  Amen​

​​Praising God in all circumstances? It’s easy to give praise and thanks to God when things are going well in our lives – not so easy when we’re going through tough times. Perhaps most of us are just too cushioned by our relatively safe and comfortable lives in the western world.

StF 156 From the breaking of the dawn (I will stand on every promise of your word)

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Confession
​Loving God, your family spans the whole world and embraces all humanity – each one of us just a tiny part of it – yet you know each one of us intimately, our hopes and our dreams, our doubts and our sorrows. May we all be joined together, one in spirit, giving you our praise and thanks. In that act of praise, help us to celebrate our differences and diversity so that discord and division can be healed because of your love for us. We thank and praise you for that love and the love you showed in giving us your dear son Jesus who gave his life for our sin so that we could come close to you and know you.
Forgive us for the times we ignore you and go our own way. Forgive us when we doubt you. Forgive us when our actions and behaviour cause damage to your world and suffering and disease to others in countries far away. Forgive us when we see injustice and fail to take action. Open our eyes to the actions we can take to bring about change in your name.
Loving God, God of mercy, compassion and justice, God of the New Covenant, draw each one of us into a right relationship with you. God of love, we thank and praise you today and always. Amen

​Reading. 2 Kings 5 v 1 – 3, 7 – 15b

Message Part 1
​Praising God in all circumstances? It’s easy to give praise and thanks to God when things are going well in our lives – not so easy when we’re going through tough times. Perhaps most of us are just too cushioned by our relatively safe and comfortable lives in the western world. The inconveniences we suffer occasionally are modest compared to the suffering of large numbers of people in many parts of the world. But have you noticed that it’s often the poorest people, those who have the least and often the least to be grateful for who seem to be the most joyful and contented. It’s in countries where there are troubles and poverty that people are turning to God and Christ in huge numbers. The Bible society informs us that persecuted people in China are crying out for Bibles. There is a huge demand for Bibles in the Ukraine as a result of the war there. It sometimes seems to be that in times of adversity we are offered 2 choices. We can turn to God for strength and love and support or we can try to blame God for all that’s wrong in our lives and turn away from him.
Our reading from Kings tells us about Naaman, a commander in the King’s Army, so a self-sufficient man of authority who had slaves taken from Israel working for him and his wife. Naaman had leprosy (perhaps in the early stages) but doesn’t seem to have been excluded from his community in the same way as those in Jewish society were – presumably because he was a gentile. His young Jewish female slave to his wife was obviously a young lady of considerable influence because he took her advice and found a way to get to Israel via his King and the King of Israel taking just about everything but the kitchen sink with him in the process and causing a certain amount of animosity from the King of Israel until the prophet Elisha intervened.
Naaman considered himself to be a man of importance and expected to be seen personally and healed immediately by Elisha. He was deeply offended and angry and reluctant to take advice from Elisha’s servants initially walking away in anger and refusing to take their instructions seriously. He doubted their authority and only finally gave in when they followed and encouraged him to do exactly what he had been asked to do. We know from our reading that he was healed and that he and his entourage went back to see Elisha giving thanks and praising the God of Israel.
I guess we can all be a bit like Naaman at times. We hear that still small voice of God. We doubt him and we think we know better so we go our own way and try to ignore it. Eventually something happens in our life that makes us realise that we should have listened, that still small voice keeps calling us louder and louder until we finally listen to it and come back to the safety and protection of God’s loving arms and to being obedient to his call. If you’re hearing the voice of God today and doubting it then I urge you to remember all that God and his son Jesus did for you and me – for all humankind. Jesus died that cruel death on the cross for each one of us in our place for our sin and our wrongdoings. He is alive with God today and just waiting to live in our hearts through the gift of his Holy Spirit given to his disciples and followers for all time at Pentecost. Our next hymn reminds us of Jesus’ love for us and all that he has done and will continue to do for us.​

Message Part 2
Praising God in all circumstances? It’s easy to give praise and thanks to God when things are going well in our lives – not so easy when we’re going through tough times. Perhaps most of us are just too cushioned by our relatively safe and comfortable lives in the western world. The inconveniences we suffer occasionally are modest compared to the suffering of large numbers of people in many parts of the world. But have you noticed that it’s often the poorest people, those who have the least and often the least to be grateful for who seem to be the most joyful and contented. It’s in countries where there are troubles and poverty that people are turning to God and Christ in huge numbers. The Bible society informs us that persecuted people in China are crying out for Bibles. There is a huge demand for Bibles in the Ukraine as a result of the war there. It sometimes seems to be that in times of adversity we are offered 2 choices. We can turn to God for strength and love and support or we can try to blame God for all that’s wrong in our lives and turn away from him.
Our reading from Kings tells us about Naaman, a commander in the King’s Army, so a self-sufficient man of authority who had slaves taken from Israel working for him and his wife. Naaman had leprosy (perhaps in the early stages) but doesn’t seem to have been excluded from his community in the same way as those in Jewish society were – presumably because he was a gentile. His young Jewish female slave to his wife was obviously a young lady of considerable influence because he took her advice and found a way to get to Israel via his King and the King of Israel taking just about everything but the kitchen sink with him in the process and causing a certain amount of animosity from the King of Israel until the prophet Elisha intervened.
Naaman considered himself to be a man of importance and expected to be seen personally and healed immediately by Elisha. He was deeply offended and angry and reluctant to take advice from Elisha’s servants initially walking away in anger and refusing to take their instructions seriously. He doubted their authority and only finally gave in when they followed and encouraged him to do exactly what he had been asked to do. We know from our reading that he was healed and that he and his entourage went back to see Elisha giving thanks and praising the God of Israel.
I guess we can all be a bit like Naaman at times. We hear that still small voice of God. We doubt him and we think we know better so we go our own way and try to ignore it. Eventually something happens in our life that makes us realise that we should have listened, that still small voice keeps calling us louder and louder until we finally listen to it and come back to the safety and protection of God’s loving arms and to being obedient to his call. If you’re hearing the voice of God today and doubting it then I urge you to remember all that God and his son Jesus did for you and me – for all humankind. Jesus died that cruel death on the cross for each one of us in our place for our sin and our wrongdoings. He is alive with God today and just waiting to live in our hearts through the gift of his Holy Spirit given to his disciples and followers for all time at Pentecost. Our next hymn reminds us of Jesus’ love for us and all that he has done and will continue to do for us.​

Prayers of IntercessionGod of truth and justice, bring peace to Your world.
We cannot live in isolation, all around us is evidence of a spoiled world, soured relationships, inhumanity. We pray for all countries affected by warmongering, especially the Ukraine, Yemen, Palestine and Israel and the people of all nationalities and races in those countries, that peace, justice and tolerance will prevail. We cannot close our eyes and ears and shut everything out.
God of truth and justice, bring peace to Your world.
When we look around us we see human need – homeless people on our streets, deprived children, women and men abused and driven from their homes, those who have ruined lives of both themselves and others due to addictions, those who become wealthy by distributing those substances causing addictions with no thought for the lives they destroy. We cannot close our hearts to such misery.
God of truth and justice, bring peace to Your world.
You see our twisted relationships between ourselves and nature – environmental pollution, destruction of animal life even to the point of extinction. Climate change and the suffering of the poorest and least destructive nations and people as a result of the greed of the most powerful and wealthiest nations. We can no longer ignore it and hope it will go away.
God of truth and justice, bring peace to Your world.
Even in the Churches there is discord – those of differing theological persuasions or social stance show intolerance to others, we ignore Jesus' moral precedent and scriptural teachings at our peril. Loving God, we cannot claim to be vehicles of your love if we cannot follow your teaching to “love one another as you have loved us”.
God of truth and justice, bring peace to Your world.
In our families, far and near, in our communities, in your church and throughout your world, loving God, there are people who are ill, lonely, bereaved, depressed, some knowing that they or their loved ones will never recover. We cannot close our hearts and minds to their deep pain.
God of truth and justice, bring peace to Your world.
In the name of Jesus we bring all our prayers to you, Loving God, both those spoken aloud and those unspoken prayers in the depths of our hearts and minds. As your hands and feet in this world we ask that in some small measure each one of us may be called and used by you to be part of the solution. Amen​

Lord’s 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.

Blessing
May we each continue our worship in our daily lives by doing justice, showing mercy and kindness and walking humbly with you, our God, who is always loving, always offering a new beginning. Gracious God, to you be honour and glory, praise and thanksgiving, today and for ever. Amen

The reading from Luke is where Jesus is talking about faith, saying if we have just the tiniest amount, we can do great things. verse 6 He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you.

Opening Prayers
God of all mercy, God, by your grace you have called me to this space, to this time,
to this day.
Guard me and protect me in all that you call me to,
that I may be strong in faith, in joy and love;
through Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and always.
Lord, in today’s gospel reading is the image of something small--the tiny mustard
seed, the grain of yeast, the small treasure--and these remind me that, though I think
of myself as small, I am not insignificant in your kingdom.
Open my heart, my ears and heart to you in thankful remembrance of the ways in
which I can serve you throughout my whole life.
Holy God, in a world that often teaches us bigger is better,
Take away my need for the big possessions.
Open my heart to receive your word of love and healing, and let my spirit be ready to
grow for you.
Forgive my stubborn resistance to your faithful presence.
[Pause]
Thank you Lord, that you forgive and accept me, just as I am, and set me free in
Jesus’ name.
Giving God, I thank you for the gifts you have given to me. In a time of silence, I
name those small gifts that you have blessed us with, and whisper my thanks…
[Pause]
Lord take my offerings of thanksgiving and help me to say thank you a little and often
so that I can renewed by your Spirit.
Amen.
Opening prayers written by Matthew Forsyth from The Vine at Home is compiled and produced by twelvebaskets

Message - Helen Newham
Psalm 37, the lectionary reading we didn’t have is written by King David and he urges us to trust in the Lord. verses 8 and 9 particularly seemed relevant to me at the moment. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. Anger and fretting are destructive emotions. They reveal a lack of faith that God is in control and loves us. I have been worrying about my Mum an awful lot and it is making me ill. When we dwell on our problems we become anxious and possibly angry at the very people we are worried about. That doesn’t help anyone. if we concentrate on God and his goodness we will find peace. We should not worry and trust in God. It struck a chord and I need to heed my own advice !

Paul in his second letter to Timothy appeals to him for loyalty to Paul and the Gospel. Even though he is in prison and knows he will soon die he writes to give Timothy (who was like a son to him) support and encouragement to continue to spread the Good news . He is not wailing “woe is me “which would be quite understandable, no - Paul is still full of hope fighting his cause, I have the utmost admiration for him. The key verse to me is verse 7 “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. “This message from Paul is just as relevant to us today as it was to the believers all those years ago. This same Holy Spirit which was given to Paul and Timothy is available to us now all we have to do is ask! Jesus is waiting with welcoming arms for us to ask him to enter our lives.

If we follow Jesus’ example, and try to be more Christlike in our words and deeds, we too will spread the Good news and ours and others lives will be enriched for the better because of It. How happy we will feel- it is a win win situation ' By caring for and helping others even just a smallest action we spread the Love and feel happier for doing it.

Our reading from Luke is where Jesus is talking about faith, saying if we have just the tiniest amount, we can do great things. verse 6 He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you.

When I read this I sung in my head “a grain of mustard seed is all that you need” which is a song in the musical “A grain of Mustard seed by Roger Jones. It was published in 1976. I searched on the internet about him, and it said this

ROGER JONES was born in Birmingham and trained at the Birmingham School of Music. He then spent 16 years at Aston Manor School in Birmingham teaching music, and eventually became Head of Lower School. In the early 1970s he began writing songs for his School Choir about Easter, which emerged as a Cantata entitled ´Jerusalem Joy´. Roger first began composing, so as to involve as many as possible in music-making and in telling bible stories and Christian truths in a fun and accessible way. Further Musicals followed with ´Stargazers´, ´Apostle´, ´David´, ´A Grain of Mustard Seed´, ´Saints Alive´ and ´Greater than Gold´. Just prior to the publication of ´From Pharaoh to Freedom´ in 1984, Roger gave up teaching to become involved in full-time Christian Music. In addition to writing and performing musicals, Roger also directs Christian Music Ministries

I know of the musical because I was transported back to when I was about 12 -14 when the church I went to then, Boundary Road URC , which is now  the charity HOPE 's headquarters decided to put on the production and I was amazed and delighted that the producer/director cast me as the narrator which was quite a large part. A flash back from the past. I hope I did him proud, I cannot remember much more but my Mum might remember, she presumably came to see me in it !

Basically, this passage from Luke is telling us -Stop focussing on what we lack and concentrate on the gifts we do have. Faith is complete and humble obedience to God's will, readiness to do whatever he calls us to do. The amount of faith isn’t as important as the kind of faith- faith in our all-powerful God. Even a tiny amount of faith is enough – In God it will take root and grow. We do not need more faith – a mustard seed is the smallest seed. A tiny seed is enough, it is alive and growing.

So remember “A grain of Mustard seed is all that you need” Amen.    

A reflective prayer -

Lord, how much faith do we need to be able to do extraordinary things for you? It sounds as though we don't need much, if it only has to be the size of a tiny mustard seed. But that's the point, isn't it. Faith isn't something that can be measured like a seed: it's not a bargaining chip we exchange for some of your power. Faith is an attitude of trusting in your strength to enable us to do what you want us to do. Faith isn't a measure of our strength, but of our willingness to let you work through us. Lord, open us up to be channels of your love. Amen.

The Lord's 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.

Blessing
May you go out from here, blessed by this time of worship.
May you join with communities of grace and people of healing, to share and love for
all.
May you be part of a people of hope and faith,
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Prayer by Tim Baker from The Vine at Home is compiled and produced by twelvebaskets

Let the peoples praise you Lord,
 Let all the peoples praise you.
 The Earth has yielded its harvest
 May God, our God bless us

Prayer Adoration & Confession
Gracious God, who provides for us abundantly, 
we praise you for the abundance of your creation, 
and we thank you that day by day you give us the things we need; food, water, air, shelter, clothing, the love of our families and friends.

Thank you that you have put in our hearts a hunger for you, and that when we reach out for you, you eagerly meet our searching. Thank you that you draw us into your own life and that you walk with us as we grow into the things of the Spirit. Thank you for what you have achieved in us of love and truth, courage and peace, joy and tolerance.

Yet, Lord God, so often we are slow to respond to you, and we ask forgiveness for the ways we refuse what you want to give us, for our greed of material comfort; for our unwillingness to trust you, for our deafness to truth, for our lack of love for each other, for our carelessness about your world, for our longing for vindication for ourselves.

In the certainty that you forgive us completely, those confessed shortcomings, the things that shut you out of our lives, we turn gratefully to the future you wish for us, trusting you to satisfy our hunger to live more deeply and richly as we walk beside you day by day and year by year. In Jesus’ name we prayer, Amen.

 Sermon - Growing Gratitude and Generosity - Revd John Rowe
I think I have previously mentioned that I was in my early forties when I first went to university. Liz and I were married with 3 young children when the company I’d helped set up went into liquidation. It was then we believed God was directing me in the direction of university to study theology. Not only was that a huge change of direction to our lives it was also a monumental decision as our finances at the time were nonexistent.  But after much prayer we committed ourselves to what and where we believed, was God’ leading us. 

Not many weeks after starting university however our car was declared to be unrepairable.  The car was essential for my four times a week, 80 mile round trip journey to and from university given that we lived in in a small rural Staffordshire village with virtual no public transport. Just when it looked like I would have to withdraw from the degree course and a major rethink as to where God was in all of this through the letter box came a cheque, sufficient to buy another second hand car.  There is of course a lot more background to this story and I will at some point in the future tell you our Christian testimony but today it is enough to say that Liz and I received that cheque as an amazingly generous act by the Christian giver; a gift in which we believed had God’s provision and generosity stamped all over it. 

Having told you that story I just want to pause a minute to ask you if you can call to mind an occasion when you have been provided for by other people or when God has provided for your need? (Pause) 

Harvest, I think, is a good time to stop and remember that everything we have is ultimately a gift from God. We might talk about “my food”, or “my money” or “my house”. But all the things we have received are reliant on a long chain of people, and when you trace that chain back it always begins with the gifts of God. Farmers know this - they put work in by sowing and reaping, but there are other processes which they have no control over. As Christians we believe these to be the provision of God. 

Paul uses this image of the farmer being provided for in our passage from 2 Corinthians 9. He writes: Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. (2 Cor. 9:10)

1) God of all of life
The first thing we can notice in this passage is how Paul is constantly mixing things we think of as “spiritual” with very ordinary, everyday things. In fact, at times, it is difficult to know if Paul is talking about physical seed and bread, or if he is using seeds and bread as metaphors for the work of God in us. That is probably because Paul didn’t think with the same attitude that we have towards so-called “secular” and “sacred” things. For Paul, every aspect of life was sacred, made by God. All of life speaks to us about God, all of life is an opportunity to be blessed by God, and is a chance for us to serve God.

We see this in our passage from Deuteronomy. Moses tells the people that when they obey God they will be blessed in every aspect of life:
You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country….
The calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks
your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. (Deut. 28:3-9)

“Blessing” is not just a feeling of inner peace, nor is it merely about financial gain. God is interested in the Israelites’ baskets and their kneading troughs. He is interested in your computer, your filing cabinet, your hammer, your whisk, and your paintbrush. He blesses us in rural and urban places, in our homes and our workplaces. He is involved in our conflicts and our struggles. He wants us to be holy and obedient to him in every aspect of our lives. So, Harvest is a good time to be reminded that our God is the God of the whole of our lives which means we have the daily opportunity to grow in the ways of God.

2) Grounded in gratitude
When we begin to realise this, the result ought to be gratitude towards God. Paul ends this section of 2 Corinthians 9 with a shout of praise: Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Cor. 9:15)

God’s giving to us is literally “indescribable”. When we consider how God not only provides for our physical needs, but even went as far as sending the gift of his only Son to save us by his grace - this is truly a reason for heartfelt thanks!  Of gratitude toward God for all his blessings upon our lives. It is however easy to forget to be grateful. Stopping to count our blessings and to express thanks to God is one of those heart-habits which we need to return to. Studies have shown that gratitude has benefits for our emotional and physical health, for our relationships and even helps people sleep better! But more importantly, being thankful puts God back in his rightful place as the source and the centre of all life. As we have seen in recent days our late Queen, Elizabeth II believed that to be very much the case.

3) Gratitude grows generosity
This also leads us to our third point - that gratitude grows generosity. The most obvious theme of this passage from 2 Corinthians is the financial gift that Paul was encouraging these Gentile Christians to give to the struggling Jewish believers in Jerusalem. But we can misunderstand what Paul is saying if we begin with the question of giving.
We can look at the subject of giving as if it was a business transaction. If I give this much, how much will I get back? What is in it for me? If I feed my money into God’s slot machine, how much will he pay out? It is possible to take Paul’s words about sowing and reaping out of context to make us think that Christian giving works in this way. But to do that would be to dangerously miss the point.

Christian giving has to be based on our two previous points: 1) God is the God over all of life, and 2) he has been abundantly generous towards us. When these two things move from our heads to our hearts, it can inspire free, abundant and grateful giving. It becomes the overflow of thankful hearts that simply want to get involved in the lavish generosity of God.  When we give from this motive, Paul describes three results. 

Firstly, as we open our hands to give, we create space for God to continue to provide for us. Paul writes:
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion (2 Cor. 9:11)

Notice that: enriched in every way. Not just receiving money but the abundant and enriching flow of God’s generosity, the blessings of contentment, kindness and - yes - continued provision. This passage does say that as we give we will receive; that is one result of entering into God’s generosity.  I heard a story about a woman who was standing at a bus stop. She had just received a cash bonus at work, so she was carrying more money than usual and was a little bit nervous about that.

She glanced around and noticed a shabbily dressed man standing nearby. And as she watched, she saw another man walk up to him, hand him some money and whisper something in his ear.
She was so touched by that act of kindness that she decided to do the same. In a burst of generosity, she reached into her purse, took out £10, handed it to the man, and whispered to him, "Never give up, never give up."
The next day when she came to the bus stop, there he was again. But this time he walked up to her and handed her £110. Utterly confused she asked, "What's this?" He said, "You won, lady. Never give up romped home at 10 to 1."  Now I can't promise that our every act of kindness & generosity will pay 10 to 1 - Indeed there will probably be occasions when the exercise of our love will be costly and require sacrifices on our part.  But the fruit of our giving has two other results – Paul in verse 12 says this:

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (2 Cor. 9:12)

The second result of giving, says Paul, is that other people’s needs are met. There is no doubt that right now, today, people across our community, country and our world have needs which may only be met when we join with our generous God in giving from what we’ve received. But thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, we discover that this giving is not just for our benefit or for meeting other’s needs: it is an act of worship to God. Giving to others is itself an expression of thanks and praise. Paul goes on to say:

Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ (2 Cor. 9:13)

Giving can communicate the very heart of the gospel. When you give motivated by gratitude for God’s generosity, other people will catch a glimpse of what the gospel means to you and it will lead them to praise God for themselves.

I began by telling you about an act of generosity toward myself and Liz. That act of generosity has enabled us collectively to offer over 40 years of ordained ministry. None of it would have happened without that act of kindness. It makes you wonder, at this Harvest time, just what our sharing of God’ provision can accomplish. Praise the Lord Amen.

Prayers of Intercession
Bidding: You give us each day our daily bread:  
Response: Make us thankful for your gifts, make us generous to share.

God, you have blessed us abundantly. We thank you for the provision of food, our daily bread. We bring to you the people across the world, and here in our community, who are hungry. May we, and all your people, share so that the gifts you give are distributed with justice and fairness.
You give us each day our daily bread:
make us thankful for your gifts,
make us generous to share.

We thank you for everyone who works in farming, food production, shops and restaurants. Bring prosperity and security to their businesses. Help us to work in partnership with your creation, in ways which benefit all you have made.
You give us each day our daily bread:
make us thankful for your gifts,
make us generous to share.

Jesus, you are the bread of life. We share the bread around your table, and you sustain us every day as we feed on you. Help us to share both our physical resources and the truth of who you are with the world around us.
You give us each day our daily bread:
make us thankful for your gifts,
make us generous to share. Amen.
Drawing on the Harvest worship resources produced Engage Worship

The Lord's 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.

Blessing
Be faithful stewards of Creation
Be grateful servants of God.
And the blessing of Almighty God
Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you and those for whom you pray this day and evermore. Amen

​Prayer is foundational to our faith. It's how we communicate with God, and it is the fuel that powers our evangelism, mission and discipleship. It's the sunshine that brings a smile to our face and brings light to hidden places. And yet, for many people, it is one of the hardest things about being a follower of Jesus. Just as clouds can cover the sun, all sorts of things get in the way of us and Jesus. But just as clouds bring refreshing rain that prevents the sun from drying everything up, these can also be opportunities for growth and refreshment.

Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
Accepting your open invitation, we come into your presence and lay down our baggage.
We don’t even have to unpack, for all of it is known to you:
The pain we have felt
The pain we have caused
The difficult conversations
Our regrets
Our fears
The hopes we daren’t speak aloud
We give you thanks, for you offer to share the load,
In the peace of this moment, may we hear your words of forgiveness, feel your comforting
arms around us, and simply know you are near
Accepting us as we are
Loving us as we are
Holding us
Giving us a place of safety, just to be,
Gently challenging us to keep moving forwards, strengthened by your spirit.
Lord Jesus Christ, we love you
Amen.
Opening prayers written by Emma Dobson

Blessing
Heal me, heavenly Father, 
And show me how to be a person of healing and wholeness and peace in your world.
Here I go, fill me, by your Spirit, Lord.
Amen.
Blessing by Tim Baker

Prayers and Prayer Pointers for the Week
Monday 19th September
Pray for the Royal Family and those close to them at this time.
(You could use the list you created as part of the response to the readings to help shape these prayers).
Loving God, I pray for those close to me 
– those in my own family or friendship circle
– who I know are in pain this day. Those suffering from grief, illness, loss, mental ill health or another source of pain and difficulty. You know their challenges, and are with them in their sufferings.
- Comforting God, who walks alongside those in pain, come, by your Spirit. Amen.

Tuesday 20th September
- God of all blessings,
Thank you for the gift of food to eat,
For the flavours and the smells,
The energy and enjoyment I can get from the food I eat.
- I’m sorry for all the times I’ve taken for granted the food on my plate, the ingredients in my fridge, the ready meals in my freezer.
And for all the other blessings I have received that I often overlook or forget to be thankful for. Amen.

Wednesday 21st September
(You could use the list you created as part of the response to the readings to help shape these prayers).
- God of all grace, I pray for those who are far afield – people I don’t know and situations I can’t pretend to fully understand. I pray for those affected by war and famine and drought, for those living in pain and disease.
Come, Prince of Peace, and bring hope in a broken world.
Amen.

Thursday 22nd September
- This day, your prayers could be for our planet and the world we live in.
This day, may you say sorry for all the ways you hurt and pollute the Earth.
- This day, you could use your times of prayer to reconnect with nature and to commit again to climate action, climate campaigning and climate justice.

Friday 23rd September
- (You could use the list you created as part of the response to the readings to help shape these prayers).
- Loving God, today I pray for relationships – for the people I know and their relationship to me, and the people I know whose relationships are strained and under pressure.
In the midst of division and doubt, come, God of love, God of healing, God of hope.
Amen.

Saturday 24th September
- (You could use the list you created as part of the response to the readings to help shape these prayers).
Living God, as we head into this weekend, I pray for all the people and situations that have been on my mind this week. The stories known to me personally and the ones I’ve picked up on the news and from elsewhere.
- I pray that I may know what it is that I am called to do as part of the response, and how I can enable and equip others to respond too.
- Show me what is mine to do, Lord God. Amen.