God is here, with us – we know this because he came to earth in human form in Jesus, who lived our life and died our death and rose again from the dead and lives now, by his Spirit, God is here, with us – we know this because he came to earth in human form in Jesus, who lived our life and died our death and rose again from the dead and lives now, by his Spirit, within all who love him… we praise him singing Stf 363 My Jesus, Introduction to the theme… Today we are thinking about how we can gather more people to Jesus - sometimes Jesus talked about drawing people to God being like bringing in the harvest. But maybe it’s helpful for us, to think how we became aware of Jesus - What was it that connected you to Jesus? Reading – Matthew 10:40-42 The Message 40-42 “We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.” Maybe you were drawn to Jesus by accepting one of his friends, and what they offered to you. One of the main ways that people will meet Jesus is by receiving what you offer them out of your love for God. And then they may want to know who it is that inspires you to show that love. Jesus promised to us that he would always be with us -we sing in gratitude for that promise which he gives to us before we promise to serve him in return StF 563 O Jesus I have promised StF 687 One human family Talk That last verse sums up what we are doing here as church: As partners of the living Christ who risk the path he trod, with wondering love we find we share the timeless joy of God. For me it has been a joy to share with you in that timeless joy as we have walked together Christ’s path these last ten years. And it is when you have offered acceptance to all and anyone, and when what you have offered to all and anyone has been accepted, that Christ’s church has been built up in this place. For the church is made up of those who accept help and those who offer it, and Jesus says that both are equally important. As we have explored how we can live in a way that draws others to Jesus, some of us have looked at commands of Jesus in the Bible – which range from doing to being – giving to receiving. Others have worked together to build using Knex – working together and not against each other, supporting not getting in each other’s way; and as we accept what each different person offers in the building, we share the joy, as we step back and see what we have built together. Some of you looked at how plans that were made a few years ago for a new welcoming space at the Heart of the church building have been fulfilled and enabled us to receive more people and be received by them. And this inspires us, not to say ‘our work is done’ but to embrace new opportunities to live in a way that draws other to Jesus. And last but not least we have prayed for our world –placing hearts to symbolize the love of God for different countries whose people’s needs we bring to Jesus in prayer. It has been a joy and a privilege to work with you and God, here, for this time. I know that as you accept and are accepted by your new Minister and by many more people in this community, you and they will continue to be drawn to Jesus, building his church on earth. Amen StF 706 Longing for light we wait in darkness Prayers for others Holy God, we bring our prayers for others, feeling the pains and burdens of the world, with confused minds and uncertain steps but knowing that you are our God and you do hear our prayers. And so, for the world we pray: Holy, Holy, Holy God we pray. Hear our prayer. The world is full of uncertainty, people’s lives are full of uncertainty, many do not know where they are from and where they belong and where they are going and who they are, may they in their uncertainty find a grounding and an anchor and a welcome through the words and the deeds of people they encounter. loving God we pray; Hear our prayer. For ordinary citizens in Ukraine and Russia who struggle to comprehend what the war between the nations is all about, where it is going, what is the truth and what is false. For those fearful for their lives, for their families, for their well-being and their future. For those who simply want to live in peace and harmony, with food enough and a home secure with friends and neighbours. For those who have no choice but to fight and those who have to decide the next actions and work out their consequences. loving God we pray; Hear our prayer. We pray for those who are fleeing their homes, their countries, their cultures, due to poverty, persecution, greed, war and neglect. Those who see no future for their homeland, no peace, no comfort, no welcome, no hope, no joy, no love. For those who trek and sail with no belongings or support, crossing borders and cultures in uncertainty and desperation. We pray that those peaceful folk who travel and journey may find hospitality and welcome and space to build secure and safe lives and livelihoods. loving God we pray; Hear our prayer. We pray for those who cannot flee their homes, who continue to live in poverty and fear with war, treachery and starvation knocking at their doors. We pray for them, hope, kindness and love when so often they are alone and bereft. loving God we pray; Hear our prayer. We pray for those who seek to make money, wealth and fortune at the hands of others, dragging them into despair and pain. For those who sell addictive and illegal drugs with little or no thought of the damage and harm and devastation they will cause. We pray for those who are addicted, whose lives have been damaged, often beyond repair, who are on a perpetual cycle of need and dependence driving them into violence, poverty and violence. loving God we pray; Hear our prayer. We pray for governments and leaders worldwide who share the responsibility for the climate and its changes, its health and its future, its wellbeing and its survival. For areas where deforestation is happening at an alarming rate against all sensible advice. For those nations dealing with flood and drought and consequent poverty and need. loving God we pray; Hear our prayer. We pray for those we meet day by day, at home, at school, at work, when shopping, when walking, when talking, friends, family neighbours. May they all see and know in us the presence of a loving God, the welcome that as Christians we are called to give, a smile, a listening ear, a hand to guide, a touch of comfort, a word of prayer. loving God we pray; Hear our prayer. And all the prayers of our hearts, spoken and unspoken. 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 707 make me a channel of your peace Blessing
May the boldness of the Spirit transform you, may the gentleness of the Spirit lead you, may the gifts of the Spirit equip you to serve and worship God; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen
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How much does it cost? We’re all affected by rising prices, interest rates & bills. We’ll look at words from Matthew: 10, in which Jesus speaks to his disciples about the cost of following him. Welcome &; Call to worship. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercy never comes to an end. We draw near to worship him now. S.T.F. 76 Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising Theme: How much does it cost? We’re all affected by rising prices, interest rates &; bills. We’ll look at words from Matthew: 10, in which Jesus speaks to his disciples about the cost of following him. In Romans 6 Paul offers hope for life with Jesus beyond the cross. Prayer. Gracious God, we come before you in wonder, awe &; praise, to offer you our love to thank you for those ways in which we see your Spirit at work in creation & in our world. We marvel at the amazing colours in the sky at sunrise & sunset, thank you for those things which we have tasted, smelt, heard, seen & touched in this day & for your endless love which surrounds us. iForgive us for those times when we don’t put you first, we fail to trust you, or lose courage when we’re faced with trouble or condemnation. Help us to follow the example of Jesus & to remember that we are known, loved & valued by you, even when we let you down. May your Spirit of truth guide & empower us as we do our best to be your disciples in the world. 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. 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 Reading Matthew 10:24-39 New International Version 24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! 26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[a] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. S.T.F. 424 God forgave my sin Reading: Romans: 6: 8 -11. Dead to sin. New International Version 8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus Message. Our readings remind us of the potential cost of carrying God’s message to others. Yet, they also offer hope for life with Christ, beyond the cross. In the gospel passage, Jesus points out that the disciples must expect some opposition, including possibly from their own families, in the same way that Jesus himself was opposed & called names. He also assures them that God loves & values them. In Matthew 10, at the start of our passage, Jesus is continuing his message to the disciples about mission. Initially, the focus is on the identity of the disciples with their teacher. If he has been persecuted, or maligned, then they must expect the same. Jesus’ reference to Beelzebub, as the Lord of the house, is derived from the Philistine god Baal &; by Jesus’ time, was used to refer to a demonic force, so the slander was effectively saying that Jesus was in league with God’s enemies. Jesus went on to reassure & encourage his disciples that the gospel of the kingdom is being revealed so they should not be afraid, even of physical death. They should not be afraid of those who try to stop them & they should: ‘Fear God, not those who kill the body.’ Jesus’ allusion to sparrows highlights how little worth they had, but God knows when they fall. The disciples are highly valued by God & he even knows how many hairs on their head. Although Jesus describes himself as coming with a sword, not bringing peace, we also know that his goal is peace on earth. In v 34, which sounds harsh, Jesus points to the potential breakdown in human relationships, even within families, if a believer puts anyone or anything before God. The cost of following Jesus is spelled out as following his example & taking up the cross. Christian victims of floods in Chad & Cameroon in Oct 22, suffered terribly when 2 rivers burst their banks following the heaviest rains in more than 30 years. Tens of thousands of people were forced from their homes, their crops were submerged in water &; livestock were lost. This was yet another blow to Christians who had already suffered because of repeated attacks on their communities by Islamist militants. The only way to move between villages was by canoe. ‘Barnabas Aid’ provided Emergency provisions to thousands of families. After the help they received, A village chief said this: ‘God of love, God Provider. We had lost everything &, lo &; behold, we have received a lot’. All the persecuted Christians who were helped praised God & were happy that Christians in other lands thought of them. In the passage from Romans, Paul was urging the Christians in Rome to believe that, just as Jesus was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so they, too, might walk in newness of life. ‘But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin & alive to God in Jesus Christ.’ Paul stressed the close identification of each believer with Christ. Later in the passage, (v14) he reminded the Roman Christians that they were not under the Law, but under grace. As Christians today, we face many challenges in life & Jesus promises to help us through the difficulties, but we must also stay close to him & remember that, as our good shepherd, he will be with us in everything that we face. In our Circuit, this week, we have lost another minister, announced in our pulpits last Sunday, as a suspension with immediate effect. It’s bewildering for so many people when we’ve already had a tough time since last September. I can’t imagine how upsetting it must be for the minister & his family & anyone else involved. Whatever the rights & wrongs of the situation, we need to remind ourselves continually that our God is all-powerful, all-knowing & all-loving. Although we don’t always understand his ways, we can always trust him. We’re called to seek his face & follow his example. In thinking & praying about this situation, I was reminded of a time in my teaching career, when I was already in ministry, part-time as Minister in Local appointment. I was based at a Pupil referral unit & also working in schools with pupils with behaviour problems. Our Head & Deputy were both suspended. It was not a Safeguarding matter, but it took a long time for the whole matter to be resolved & initially, we were like sheep without a shepherd. Arrangements were made for 2 managers from another department to oversee our team & work carried on, but it felt very different & many of us felt disorientated &; unsettled. I felt privileged to be able to pray about the situation & also to be available to talk to those who were struggling. Dealing with challenging children & young people can be difficult & also rewarding in equal measure, but one of our strengths had been that we worked together well as a team. One of the things which I felt called to do was to write brief notes to our Head & Deputy during the period when they were suspended. I simply let them know that they were missed & we were thinking of them & that I was praying for them. Nothing else. In our Circuit situation, we know nothing about the current suspension, but we do know that we’re individuals who are loved & valued by God &; we should show that love to others. Rev Christine sent me an email earlier this month, to let me know that the church Council had agreed to take one of the commitments of the ‘Methodist Way of Life’ over the next year &; that this month’s commitment would be ‘We will speak of the love of God’. Each person leading worship this month has been able to choose whether they want to preach on this subject. God’s love is so much bigger than our human love, &; his compassion & forgiveness is beyond our comprehension. We need to speak about that love & also share that love with those around us. Each one of us here &; in our different churches may have different priorities & different viewpoints, but each of us has a mission in life. We were sent into the world by God, just as Jesus was. He will use us as the people we are, to share his love & hope with others. As modern disciples, we are to be like Jesus in his teaching &; in his work & to share the same challenges sufferings &; reward. To do that, we need to allow the Holy spirit to be at work in our hopes, our fears & our uncertainties &; to work together as a team as we share his love. Amen. StF 652 Lord, we come to ask your healing. Intercessions. Loving God, we pray for our world, where so many areas are affected by war, unrest, poverty & despair. In the long-running conflict between Ukraine &; Russia, we pray for justice & mercy & think of the many innocent people who are losing their lives, living in restricted circumstances & grieving over lost loved ones. We pray for those affected by the loss of the submersible craft in the Atlantic & give thanks for those who did their best to help, asking that you will comfort those who mourn. Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer. We pray for our nation, & those ways in which different nationalities have influenced our culture & tastes, especially the Windrush generation, on the 75 th Anniversary of the arrival of citizens for the Caribbean. We pray for the many people who are struggling in many ways, with falling interest rates, families to feed & for those running businesses who are finding it hard to make ends meet. Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer. We pray for our Circuit, for our leadership team & the different churches, & their leaders, for Rev Christine, Deacon Sian & Arnold. We pray, also for the Rev. Tony & Rev Andrew, who will be joining us in September. May we be united as we speak of Jesus & share his love with those in our communities. We offer our prayers in the power of the name of Jesus. Amen. StF 673 Will you come & follow me Blessing.
May God, the Father fill us with hope, Jesus, the Son fill us with peace & May the blessing of God, Father Son & Holy Spirit be with us & remain among us. Amen. Holy Friend, because we did not create ourselves, because we do not understand ourselves, because we cannot reconcile ourselves, we come to you for Divine help. Theme: Look after each other and love one another Call to Worship The Psalmist says: “I love the Lord because he heard my voice. He heard my cry for his help. Because he paid attention to me, I will call out to him as long as I live”. There’s a wideness in God’s mercy (StF 416ii Corvedale) Prayers Can it be true, Lord? That you, the creator of the whole universe, think of us as your very special friends, and that you want us to think of you in that way too. Can it be, true, Lord, that you have chosen asked to be your friends because you want to spend time with us and join in what we are doing? Can it be, true, Lord, that you will stick with us even when other friends dump us, that you will stand up for us even when others are nasty to us, and that you will never leave us? Thank you, Lord, for your friendship. Thank you for Jesus, who has made this friendship possible for us. Thank you for the Bible that helps our relationship to grow. Thank you for your Holy Spirit who reminds us of your love for us. We rejoice, that because of Jesus, we now have you as our special friend. Holy Friend, because we did not create ourselves, because we do not understand ourselves, because we cannot reconcile ourselves, we come to you for Divine help. Merciful God, Creator and Redeemer, you know us completely and love us utterly. There is not a thought or feeling, word, action, memory or hope, that you do not see and understand. Please forgive our sins and remove our shame, heal us and restore us, strengthen our faith and enlarge our love. Let all that is true, beautiful and compassionate Be known in us, that we may look after each other and love one another. For your name’s sake. Amen It is written: Christ Jesus did not come to this world to condemn us, but that the world through him might be rescued and healed. His word gives us confidence to declare to we are forgiven and loved by God. Thanks be to God. Amen. Our God is a great big God (StF 61 Reading Matthew 9:35-10:8 New International VersionThe Workers Are Few35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Jesus Sends Out the Twelve 10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give .Talk 1 ('We will speak of the love of God') Father, may my spoken words, be faithful to your written word and lead us to the living Word, even our Lord Jesus. Amen. Vision I was in the Market Square on Thursday evening at 5:30pm to stand with those who were grieving over the events of this week. I saw young and old, men and women, all skin tones, some wearing uniforms, some work clothes, others casual wear, gathering for a common purpose. Nottingham Together in the glare of National Media supporting the families of Barnaby, Grace and Ian. Expressing shock, grief, fighting back tears, confusion, devastation, the senselessness of lives cut short. I wake up to BBC Radio Nottingham in the mornings, which too has been sombre and reflective, expressing the mood of the city at this time. The number of people those 3 souls have had a direct and indirect impact on is staggering. Ian’s son in particular was moved by the number of tributes from past school children who had been helped out of toilets and other things that only a caring caretaker can do. As Jesus went throughout the cities, towns and villages, Jesus saw the crowds. This is not a minor detail. Many people go through life wondering if anyone sees, if anyone notices. A heart-breaking letter left with the flowers at the University read, ‘I don’t know what to do, I have to write this because I have no friends, I have no-one to talk to,’ Barnaby’s mother said: “It was an outpouring of love and support and confusion and anger and grief” and she assured them that they do have friends, because they have friends in them.” The crowds Jesus saw were “helpless and harassed” the verbs used in Greek could be translated more literally as “whipped or flayed” and “thrown down”. Jesus describes them “like sheep without a shepherd”, no one to protect them, no one to provide for them. Sheep are not well equipped to care for themselves and those who wander off from the flock becomes targets. Jesus does not name the source of their harassment, but it is not hard to imagine. Simply look around today. Some are tossed about by injustice, grief, and abuse of authority. Others are beaten by disease, economic strain, and isolation. Everyone is harassed by a natural tendency to respond with anger, fear, and arrogance, which is why visual displays of togetherness are so powerful and we need to say things like “Hold no hate in your hearts”. Until something like this happens, the problem, in part, is many people do not see. Perhaps they cannot, having never put themselves in the position to see. Perhaps they will not, refusing to look outside their own lives and their own bubbles. Wherever and whenever, Jesus sees. He sees the crowds. He sees their helplessness. He sees those who are harassing them, and He does not look away. This is not surprising, for He is the Son of the One who sees all things—good, bad, and ugly. The Psalmist prays to God in Psalm 139 “You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about me. You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts. You notice everything I do and everywhere I go.” Compassion Truly seeing others and their difficulties is the starting point. But if being seen is not accompanied by being helped, it does not do much. Having seen the crowds, Jesus has compassion. “he felt deep concern for them” Compassion literally means “He suffers with them” from the Latin com·passio. In this sense, the suffering of Jesus is not limited to the events of Holy Week at the end of his earthly life. It encompasses His entire ministry. Jesus came among us to suffer with us before He suffered on the cross for us. Standing in solidarity on Thursday, even though I didn’t personally know Ian, Barnaby, or Grace, or any of their friends and families is a gesture of suffering with others. Generally, we are not as good at suffering with others as we should be. But we must continue to work at it if we are to look after one another and love one another. Jesus summarised the 10 commandments by saying “Love God” and “Love Others”. We love God by loving our neighbours. Loving means supporting them, helping them, speaking well of them, and thinking the best of them, even if they are noisy, inconsiderate, involved in things that we hate. We will fall short, of course we will - but that should not stop us trying, again and again. Even though we fail, Jesus does not fall short. Jesus sees us. He is not filled with disgust. His skin does not crawl. His stomach does not turn. Jesus understands us. He looks on us with compassion. He protects and provides for us as the Good Shepherd we have been missing and his words to us today are “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”. Prayer of Confession Holy Friend, because we did not create ourselves, because we do not understand ourselves, because we cannot reconcile ourselves, we come to you for Divine help. Merciful God, Creator and Redeemer, you know us completely and love us utterly. There is not a thought or feeling, word, action, memory or hope, that you do not see and understand. Please forgive our sins and remove our shame, heal us and restore us, strengthen our faith and enlarge our love. Let all that is true, beautiful and compassionate be known in us, that we may look after each other and love one another. It is written: Christ Jesus did not come to this world to condemn us, but that the world through him might be rescued and healed. His word gives us confidence to declare to we are forgiven and loved by God. Thanks be to God. Amen. I'm accepted, I’m forgiven (StF 427 Talk 2 Gathering The compassion of Jesus, which arises from seeing the suffering of the crowds, leads Him to gather. He begins by gathering the twelve disciples. He says to them “The harvest is huge. But there are only a few workers. So, ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers out into his harvest field.” If you watch the news, your response should be to see that the harvest is plentiful. If you look at your community, your response would be to see that the harvest is plentiful. As Robert Kolb, a world-renowned authority on Martin Luther says: “we worship a God of conversation and community”. That is, God continually speaks and continually gathers. Our Methodist way of Life encourages us to “speak of the love of God” Our gatherings are an opportunity to speak of the love of God. One of the things highlighted by the COVID 19 pandemic is the importance of gathering. Being unable to gather for a while has made the experience of being together even more valuable. Something we would have taken for granted and maybe not appreciated in 2019 should be treasured and valued today in a new light. How many “gatherings” or groups are we part of I wonder. Colleagues we work with, U3A groups, Parent & Toddler groups, Book Clubs, Probus Clubs, Sports Clubs, Slimming Clubs. I expect just counting the number of people we each meet during the week compared to the number of us here this morning would be quite substantial. Our harvest field is huge, even though we feel small gathered here today. Our task is to ask “the Lord of the harvest” for the words of love and compassion we need at every opportunity. To speak of the love of God, we need to understand the context of our gathering. Even if we are gathering for a common purpose, there will be diverse and complex needs represented in that gathering We need to notice, care and embrace them with the love of God by simply speaking to them, sharing how we ourselves have felt seen by Jesus and how he cares for us. Speaking of our experiences of being loved by God will shine his light into every darkness. There is no need for need to convince or argue. Being present, seeing the need, and speaking of God’s love is all that is required. God’s Holy Spirit does all the hard stuff for us. Then, when we gather as God’s people, we must be careful to remember that Jesus does not gather the disciples for their own benefit; not primarily, at least. He gathers them so He might send them. Sending Have you noticed in our reading today that Jesus gives his disciples another name? This is the only time in Matthew’s Gospel where the twelve are called “apostles”. This literally means “one who is sent out.”. On this occasion, Jesus sends the Apostles to cast out demons and heal diseases. Jesus sent the Apostles to do what he had come to do: To see, to have compassion, to gather, and to send. During World War II, a French village lost a beloved statue of Christ in a bombing raid. The villagers managed to rebuild the statue, all except for its hands. Those pieces were never found in the rubble. Finally, the villagers placed a plaque on the statue with the inscription, “I have no hands but yours.” Jesus continues to send His people to see others, especially those that are often overlooked like the widow, the orphan, and all who suffer injustice as human beings. He continues to send His people to have compassion on those who are helpless and harassed; to suffer with them and help them bear their burdens. He continues to send His people to speak words of love, life and forgiveness that not only allows God to work in the hearts of individuals, but also gather them together for life as His body, the Church, with Christ as the Head. God continues to send His people to continue sending others until all have heard and believed and come together in His name. Paul sent a young woman, Phoebe to explain to the church in Rome: “How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear unless someone tells them? 15 And how can anyone tell them without being sent by the Lord? The Scriptures say it is a beautiful sight to see even the feet of someone coming to preach the good news”. We are familiar with the Great Commission or “Sending” in Matthew 28 “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples.” In a sense, this week’s reading gives us the background. Before the sending is the gathering. Before the gathering is the compassion. Before the compassion is the seeing. And it all starts with a gracious God. Vision, Compassion, Gathering, Sending, that is the movement of Jesus’ response to those who are harassed and helpless. It is the movement of God’s interaction with His fractured and fallen creation, and the movement of our Christian life. Jesus sends us to do the same in our own little circles of influence. Let us no t be afraid to see and hear the need, empathise and suffer alongside people, and speak of how we experience God’s love as we look after each other and love one another in the name of Jesus. Amen. O breath of life, come sweeping through us (StF 391 Prayers for others. Let us seek God’s help for the church and the world, for individuals and communities, for the famous and the obscure. Let us pray: For those who have power without the wisdom to use it well, and for those who have wisdom without the power to apply it. L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer, R: Loving God make us into a blessing. For people who want to learn but have no teacher, and some who have much to teach but no one will listen to them. L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer, R: Loving God make us into a blessing. For some people who are famous yet long for some privacy, and some who are lonely and long for recognition and company. L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer, R: Loving God make us into a blessing. For those who are too tender-hearted and need to be toughened and for those who are tough and need to be made gentle. L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer, R: Loving God make us into a blessing. For people who are dying with no one to mourn them, and for those who mourn with no one to comfort them. L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer, R: Loving God make us into a blessing. We pray for our city of Nottingham, that we may be united in our grief for the events of this week: For the families and friends of Barnaby, Grace and Ian. For those recovering in hospital For all those that have witnessed, investigated and helped, For the University students and school children grieving For the teachers and chaplains that support them, for Jo and Deacon Sian. For the person who committed these crimes and those who know and love him. L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer, R: Loving God make us into a blessing. Holy Friend, you love all as one human family, yet deal with us individually, as if we were the only child you have. Please give to us your generous and practical spirit, so that our prayers may be converted into deeds, day by day. through Christ Jesus our Redeemer. Amen! 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 Love divine, all loves excelling (StF 503) Blessing & Grace
Travel lightly, lest under the weight of status and possessions we come to a standstill. Travel boldly, for we are apostles of a Christ who has overcome the worst the world can give. Travel humbly, for as friends of Jesus no service is too menial and no person is unworthy of help. Travel joyfully, for when the road is rough and the night dark we shall never travel on our own. Live within the peace of God, that the love of Christ may nourish you and the strength of the Spirit be your power and grace. Amen. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, evermore. Amen We gather to worship in your holy name. Open our eyes to see you in our midst and in the faces of others, open our ears to hear your voice through scripture John 10:10 ‘I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly’. StF 28 Jesus calls us here to meet him Opening prayer We gather to worship in your holy name. Open our eyes to see you in our midst and in the faces of others, open our ears to hear your voice through scripture and music, and open our hearts to the transforming power of your Holy Spirit. Remove the barriers that would separate us from all that you have for us. Forgive our negligence of all that you have created, in nature and each other. Forgive our ignorance, soften our hearts and use us as catalysts for your healing. God of all good gifts, we thank you and praise you. You bring wisdom, ability, strength and courage to our lives, enable us to use our gifts in service to you and to others. In all that we do, and in all that we are, may your name be glorified. We pray this in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Reading 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 Unity and Diversity in the Body12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[ one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. StF 687 One human family God has made MHA Sunday video StF 256 When I needed a neighbour Sermon Video – StF 706 Longing for light, we wait in darkness Prayers of intercession We give thanks for 80 years of MHA and the continuing work and love in support of older people in homes and in the wider community. We thank you for privileged moments: friendships being formed; generations learning from one another; community being created; special moments of recognition through worship and music for those living with dementia. Thank you that you remember. We pray for carers, both employees and volunteers and those who care for loved ones at home. For those who make sacrifices every day for others. In their caring may they find hidden treasures of joy, connection and hope. Bless them with strength and patience. We pray for young and old and everyone in between. Particularly for those suffering from physical or mental pain. Those waiting for hospital appointments and results. Those who feel lonely and isolated and those who feel anxious. Bring your peace and love to those people and situations, and we name those who are known personally to us in need at this time…. Bring your healing. Bless your church, and may we continue your work as we seek to follow you. Guide us in your ways and to the people that you call us to serve. May we discern and use the gifts that you have for us. We offer our prayers, in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. Amen Lord’s PrayerOur 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 566 Take my life and let it be Blessing
May we go from here into this new week, with the assurance of God’s presence with us and all those we meet. May we discover our gifts and use them for His service. And may the blessing of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, be yours and with all those whom you love, this day and every day. Amen It is Trinity Sunday. However we are taking the theme from one of the set readings – Psalm 8. Especially verse 6: Prayer: Gifting God, We come into your loving presence. Indeed we know you are always with us, but we set aside this time to be especially aware of you. Grace us with the knowledge of your presence here today. Help us to worship, to offer ourselves again to you, to each other and to the world. Amen. StF 363 My Jesus, my saviour Prayer: Praise Living God, three times holy, Lord of all that lives; your glory fills the universe. We honour and adore you and glorify your name. Holy as Parent, Mother & Father of all that is, Creator, Eternal Love,i n whom we live and move and have our being. Coming into our lives each day, creating faith and prompting praise. Holy as Son, appearing in flesh,living among us, dying on the cross, risen and reigning, exalted as Lord . Holy as Spirit, God with us for ever,i n whom we meet love. Source of our praise, power of our prayers, setting us free for the service of God and mankind. Living God, three times holy, Lord of all that lives; your glory fills the universe. We honour and adore you and glorify your name. Amen. 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 20 Be still, for the presence of the Lord Be still. Be still: Feel the presence of God Filling us: here, now , in our daily 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 awesome power of God: shown in creation, shown in the resurrection of Jesus. Be still: Reflect on how insignificant we are: yet how important to God. Be still. In the silence we reflect that we are not yet perfect and resolve to walk in Jesus; footsteps Announcement of Forgiveness – Worship in an Indian Context 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. Introduction to the theme It is Trinity Sunday. However we are taking the theme from one of the setr eadings – Psalm 8. Especially verse 6: 6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: We will be considering our responsibilities for God;s good creation. Reading: Psalm 8 For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David. 1 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. 2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? 5 You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honour. 6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, 8 the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Psalm 8 – Bible Project video StF 124 For the fruits of all creation Short talk What can we do to help humanity get it right? Our ;Call to action is about fulfilling our responsibilities for God good creation. We think about areas that we can improve how we take care of creation: Climate change. Animals – endangered species. Environment: sewage spillage; pollution; wastage. Over use of scarce resources. And the sort of action we might take: Challenge injustice that we see. Take action on unfair trade and distribution of resources across the world e.g. by ethical shopping, pressing Government to meet the 0.7% target for aid. Save energy, use sustainable sources, reduce our environmentalf ootprint e.g. consider if all our journeys are necessary and by the most energy efficient method. Improve our personal recycling. Support appropriate pressure groups, take part in party politics and press for sustainable policies. StF 706 Longing for light [Christ be my light]. Prayers for people and situations. Holy Mother and Father of all that is, you have created all things and made us in your own image. We rejoice in the beauty of your creation. We come before you in wonder and awe. We seek to be sensitive to your mysteries. We pray for places where your earth is exploited or marred, where your creatures are abused or misused. We pray for all who lack freedom or are oppressed. Holy and Strong One, hear our prayer. Christ in glory, risen and ascended, you have redeemed us by your love, you give us life which is eternal. We pray to you for all who walk in darkness, all who cry out in pain, all who feel beyond hope. We remember all who are rejected and are outcasts in our world. Holy and Strong One, hear our prayer. Spirit of God, breathing life into all, we give you thanks for our talents and abiliites, for the powers of renewal and refreshment. We pray that we and all your church may reach out in love. We pray for all of your servants for the ministry of all your faithful people: We pray for the outreach and mission of your church, Holy and Strong One, hear our prayer. Holy, blessed and glorious God Bind us together in unity. Bind us together in love. Bind us together with loved ones departed. Bind us together with your saints in glory. Amen. StF 663 I, the Lord of sea and sky. Prayer of Offering, Dedication & Thanks
Loving God, Father & Mother of all that is. Thank you for the many good gifts you grant us, especially 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. Amen. Blessing God gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. The goodness of the Creator, the grace of the Saviour, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit be upon you and within you. And the blessing of the Holy One be with you today and forever. Amen. At the start of the passage from Acts, the disciples were all together in one place on the feast of Pentecost. It was a public holiday, to commemorate the giving of the Law by Moses. Come, Holy Spirit; fill us with your peace. Come, Holy Spirit; unite us in our worship. Come, Holy Spirit; raise us by your power. Come now, Holy Spirit. StF 8 God with us: creator, Father Church’s Birthday. On this day, we celebrate the day when the Spirit came to the early church and people from different countries were able to understand the message about Christ in their own languages. (passage from Acts) In the passage from John, at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus spoke to the people about the coming gift of the Spirit, which would flow out from those who believed in him. Prayer: Loving God, we gather in the name of Jesus & in the power of the Spirit to worship you, to bring you our love & to share the gifts you have given to us, of speaking, listening, knowledge, wisdom & grace. Thank you that you poured out your Holy Spirit on all people at Pentecost, lighting the life of your church with wind & fire. We come with our joys &; our sorrows, our hopes &; our fears, & with those things which cling to us ; prevent us from being close to you, forgive us for our wrong thoughts & for those times when we fail to live as Spirit-filled children of God. In Jesus, we have someone who has shared our human nature & died on the cross for our sake, assuring us that our sins are forgiven. May we be filled a fresh with your Holy Spirit. Amen. Reading: Acts: 2: 1 – 8, then 12 – 16. Pentecost.The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”Peter Addresses the Crowd14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: Hymn: S.tF 388 Let every Christian pray Reading: John: 7: 37 – 40 Jesus at Feast of Tabernacles 37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”[a] 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. 40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” Message. At the start of the passage from Acts, the disciples were all together in one place on the feast of Pentecost. It was a public holiday, to commemorate the giving of the Law by Moses. Every male Jew living within 20 miles of Jerusalem was legally bound to come. Luke, author of Acts, used different ways to describe how the Spirit of God took possession of this small, insignificant group of people, who were all gathered indoors. There’s a lot of mystery & ambiguity in the account, sounds like a blowing wind, something like tongues of flame &; somehow, the Spirit of God used those ordinary people to communicate with lots of different nationalities – in a way which each person could understand. Everyone was amazed, but some people thought they were drunk, &; others asked: ‘What does this mean?’ In v14 – Peter stood up & preached, quoting the prophet Joel. He went on to explain that God would pour out his Spirit on all flesh. At the end of Peter’s speech, (beyond our passage) people were ‘cut to the heart’ and asked what they should do. Peter said: ‘Repent & be baptised, in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins’. Result? ‘You will receive the Holy Spirit’. 3.000 accepted his message &; became part of the young church. The Holy Spirit still works through individual Christians &; in our prayers ,maybe sometimes in unexpected places. John Sentamu, in his book: ‘Faith Stories’, tells the story of Mary Butterwick, who tragically lost her husband suddenly in 1979, when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour & died 3 weeks later. In her frustration & grief, she questioned God. She didn’t necessarily get all the answers, but she opened up a conversation with God, became involved with a community group for people with disabilities &; continued to pray &; read her Bible. Looking back, she could see that she was inviting the Holy Spirit to guide her. She also started writing about a house where cancer patients &; their families could come &; talk through their anxieties &; fears. Initially, she only shared this idea with a couple of other people & asked them to pray. However, she also realised that she would have to take some kind of action. She sold her house & found an ideal property for a day care centre. It wasn’t easy to get her offer accepted, & when the sale was secured, there were lots of renovations needed. It finally began to come together, &; Butterwick House was opened in 1984, the first day care centre in the North East for people with terminal illness & their families. After a few years, it became obvious that there was a need for a hospice for the people of Teesside. Today, Butterwick hospice helps many patients &; their families every day. Money is raised through sponsorship & the support of local people. Mary’s example is an inspiration & also a reminder that the Holy Spirit can use our small beginnings in ways which we would never have imagined possible. God’s love is revealed in the caring & volunteering of so many people. In the passage from John’s gospel, Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, which was another big festival, when adult males were expected to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Originally a harvest celebration , by the time of Jesus it had taken on the significance of remembering God’s provision for the people of Israel during the wilderness wanderings. Water ceremonies were an important part of the celebration. So, on the last day of this festival, Jesus spoke & invited anyone who was thirsty to come to him & drink, if they accepted the invitation, the result would be that the living water would flow out of them as a river or fountain. At this point, before Jesus’ death, The Spirit had not yet been received in this way because he had not yet been glorified. The outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost brings to life the prophetic words of Joel: ‘I will pour out my spirit on all people.’ Disciples, past & present have shared their faith &; trust in Jesus, in life & also facing death. Until Covid, I volunteered as a hospital chaplain at London Rd. Community hospital in Derby. I remember a Nurse on one of the wards, who was a Christian. She was a lovely person, who became ill &; was diagnosed with cancer. She carried on working for as long as she possibly could &; when she died, members of staff asked if there could be a memorial service for her at the hospital. The chapel was quite small, so we used the ward Day room & held a simple service. Members of staff on the ward were there, some who were off duty, but had made the effort to come in, others popped in, including doctors & volunteers, people of many different faiths or none. We allowed time for staff members to speak & many gave tributes to her quiet, Christian faith. The Holy Spirit worked in that time, ministering to those who were grieving & working through what was said about Fiona &; her loving & caring nature. Just as Fiona was empowered by the Holy Spirit in her life, she knew the peace of God as she entered new life & proved the truth of Jesus’ words from John 7: 38: Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him or her.’ That promise is offered to all who come to him. A prayer for our world As the renewal of Spring returns, we pray that the nations of the world wil remember their stewardship of the planet, and work to a more sustainable environment. For nations suffering from natural disasters: Turkey/Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh For nations facing political decisions: Turkey, with the Presidential election; USA, wher the parties are selecting candidates for the next Presidential election. For our own nation: for a way to be found to prevent violence on our streets, and remember thr loved ones of the victims, as at Cardiff recently; for the government to find a way to deal in a prompt but dignified manner with those coming to our shores illegally, and to commend the aid given by Coastguards and RNLI volunteer crews to those in distress on the Channel crossing. For the churches here in Wollaton: we pray for continuing friendly relationships between the congregations, as at the United Service this evening at St. Leonard's, and with the return of a United Choir. For our own church here: pray for an awareness of the needs of a changing congregation, and for our new minister, Rev. Tony Andrew and his family, who come in September. For those we know who need our prayers: the lonely, the bereaved, those who are ill, or depressed. In SILENCE we name them in our hearts. For ourselves: help us to commit ouselves to our future journey, through strength and resolution given by the Holy Spirit. Holy Sprit of God, hear our prayers. Amen. S.tF 28 Jesus calls us here to meet him 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. 394 Spirit of God, unseen as the wind Blessing:
The Spirit of truth lead us into all truth, give us grace to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord &; to proclaim the word &; works of God; & the Blessing of God, Spirit, Son & Father, remain with us always. Amen. We go into the world in the power of the Spirit to fulfil our high calling as servants of Christ. Thanks be to God. Amen A prayer for our world. John Toon Message by Melanie Stoodley Today we hear Luke’s version of the last words Jesus says as part of his earthly ministry. His final ‘motivational speech’ if you will... Opening prayers Your love has lifted me, and lifted each one of us, Help me to know something of that love today, In my worship, my thanksgiving, and my praise. Help me to love you, as you first loved me, [Pause] Use the following words to help centre yourself in the moment. Say them out loud, or speak them in your mind: Jesus, open my heart. Prepare yourself to hear God’s word in a new way: Jesus, open my heart. Listen for God’s voice, calling you to serve others and love radically: Jesus, open my heart. Hold the joys, regrets and frustrations from the week, and look ahead to the opportunities next week will bring: Jesus, open my heart. Hold the people you share your life with, and the challenges that come with relationships and friendships: Jesus, open my heart Rest a moment in the quiet: Jesus, open my heart. Amen. 152 STF – This is the day that the Lord has made - 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 Readings: Luke 24:44-53 44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” The Ascension of Jesus50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. Response to the reading Today we hear Luke’s version of the last words Jesus says as part of his earthly ministry. His final ‘motivational speech’ if you will... As Jesus blesses his disciples and ascends into heaven, he sets in motion the continuation of his work, the work we are still taking with us today. The fact that this story is repeated to the early church in the first chapter of Acts, just seeks to emphasise that the baton has been passed on. The Holy Spirt is coming, not just for those first disciples but for everyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus. If we are willing to take part in that work we are not simply left to do so in our strength, but will be gifted the helper in order that we are never alone. Questions for reflection on your own for a minute or two, and look for opportunities to discuss these with a friend or group of friends this week. - What’s the best piece of motivational advice I’ve ever heard? - How did it feel when you first heard it? - What’s the best motivational advice you think you can give to someone else? - Where have you seen God’s Spirit at work in your life this week? This month? This year? - What new thing might you try and do ‘with God’s help’ in the coming weeks? That knowledge of God’s help to us, through the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus at the moment of his ascension to heaven can be a source of great confidence to us. As we seek to be faithful people, living out a life of hope, we can cling to that promise in the face of challenge and opposition. In a world that can sometimes seem hostile to the message of the church it helps us to remember that while we have a mission to be part of, it is God who is always in control. We join him in making known his Spirit in the world. Song: Everlasting Arms – Lou Fellingham and the National Methodist Choir of Great Britain Blessing I go from this place, hearing words of encouragement from the Creator, I go from this place, inspired to follow in the ways of the Christ, I go from this place, transformed by the power of the Spirit, Travel with me, triune God, that I may come to know you more each day. Amen. Ascension The Vine at Home is compiled and produced by twelvebaskets
The disciples will be empowered by ‘another Advocate’, the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promises will be sent by God after Jesus has left them. Opening Prayers Loving God, This day, I give you thanks for the life you breath into me, the world you create with care and love, the gifts you’ve bestowed on me, and the solid foundations you have laid for me to build my life upon. Merciful Father, I confess that I get distracted and forget to rely on you when I face difficulties. I confess that I sometimes forget to look for you in the strangers I meet, I forget to use words to build up and spread love, I sometimes struggle to reflect you when I am burdened by worries and fears. Thank you that you do not keep a record of any of our wrongs and that I can start each new day in the full assurance of your forgiveness and never-ending love. Lord, our refuge and our strength, fill me afresh with your spirit, replenish my low reserves, energise me to seek you,t o listen to you, to love you, and to love my fellow human beings, this planet, and all creation, as you desire. Amen. 94 STF – To God be the glory, great things he has done! 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 Reading: John 14:15-21 Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” Response to the reading These verses in John 14 are a small part of the very lengthy discourse given by Jesus which John records taking place on the eve of Jesus’ death, at the Last Supper. Here Jesus is both reassuring and challenging his disciples – if they want to prove their love for Jesus they must keep his commandments. The disciples will be empowered by ‘another Advocate’, the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promises will be sent by God after Jesus has left them. In this final week of the Easter season, before the celebration of Pentecost next Sunday, we too are reassured by these words of Jesus; we too can receive once again the power of the Spirit who will live within us and through whom we will know that we are closely bound up with God, with Christ, in love, for ever. - What do you think of when people talk about the ‘Holy Spirit’? How do you picture this crucial, perhaps most mysterious part of the Trinity? - Have you had an experience of encountering the Holy Spirit in your own life? Or heard stories of other people’s encounters? How do they make you feel? - There is much we don’t understand about faith – as the next suggested hymn explores. As you listen to the recording of the hymn, you might like to write down the ‘things you don’t know’. Keeping a ‘things I don’t know the answer to’ journal is a great way to stay humble and reflect on something of the mystery of God. Find someone you trust this week with whom you can talk about these questions. 350 STF – I cannot tell why he, whom angels worship Blessing And so, I shall go out with joy, and be sent forth with peace, May the God of joy and love and hope and peace go with me, Lifting my hearts in times of pain, and dancing with me in times of laughter. May I go in peace, and serve the Lord, Amen. 2 // Easter 6A - 14th May 2023
The Vine at Home is compiled and produced by twelvebaskets 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
I would describe myself as a beginner gardener. I started about 5 years ago All things bright and beautiful - StF 100 Touch the earth lightly - StF 729 Prayers of praise Let everything that has life, Let everything that has breath. Give all the glory and honour and praise. To the one that overcame death. Let every living thing. Sing of the mercies of our God. Let us exalt Him wherever we live with thanksgiving. and joy in our hearts. If we don’t praise Him, The mountains will. If we don’t exalt him the rocks will cry out in our stead, ‘God is not dead!’ Let every living thing. Sing of the mercies of our God. Let us exalt Him wherever we live. With thanksgiving and joy in our hearts. Amen (Lawrence Chewning - Celtic Daily Prayer) Prayers of confession Lord we come before you, knowing that we have not always been good stewards of your gifts. There have been times when we have forgotten all that you have given us and all that you do to sustain us. There have been periods when we have been careless in the ways we treat the world and everything in it. For the times we have fallen short - Lord forgive us. Lord forgive us. Lord, we confess that there are times we do not care for those around us. When we are short tempered or frustrated with the people in our lives. Times we would rather think about our own needs than those we love. For the times we have been careless - Lord forgive us. Lord forgive us. Lord, there are times when we forget that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We do not care for ourselves as we should. We eat and drink things that are not good for us, we ask too much of our bodies and our minds, we fail to rest as you have taught us. For the times we are neglectful of ourselves - Lord forgive us. Lord, forgive us. Loving and compassionate God, We know that when we come to you and confess our failings you are patient and forgiving. Walk with us in the days ahead and encourage us on the good paths you have laid out for us. 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. 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 For the beauty of the earth - StF 102 Readings: Genesis 1:28 - 2:3 and 2:15 Matthew 6: 25-30 Address. I would describe myself as a beginner gardener. I started about 5 years ago after a period of ill health. My brother, who has a low level obsession with growing ferns, recommended gardening to me and encouraged me to start small and not make too many changes at once. I began where a lot of people do - by planting some bulbs. When they successfully grew I felt quite pleased and started reading up on gardening and how to start taking care of our bit of green space which, up until then, had mainly been ignored save from an occasional mowing of the grass (and, erm, fertilising by the dog). Around the same time my son had a homework project where he needed to encourage nature in his garden. We read up on wildlife gardening and, somewhat ironically for a nature project, we really went to town. I helped him build a bug hotel out of some old wooden pallets. We collected sticks and sheep’s wool for birds to build nests with. We planted containers with bee-friendly flowers and put out a bird feeder with a range of tasty snacks. And then a wonderful thing happened. It worked! Somehow, the local wildlife realised what we’d done and they started turning up. Birds filled the trees, there were bees on every flower and squirrels bounded along the fences (much to the displeasure of our dog). After a couple of years we put in a small pond and the next year we had blackbirds nesting in the hedge and a small frog family. It’s not exactly the garden of Eden but it brings me joy every day. This is quite a significant change for me. Growing up I was not what you’d call an outdoorsy child. I remember watching ‘My family and other animals’ on the BBC when I was about 8 and thinking that I couldn’t imagine anything worse than running around on a baking hot island looking for bugs. I have the sort of skin that burns on a cloudy day… under a tree… in April. So at the first hint of sunshine I have to slather on suncream whilst listening to lots of well meaning people tell me that they had never used suncream and they’re fine. Winter isn’t much better. I am, as they like to say in Nottingham, nesh. So whilst on mild days my friends would run around in t shirts, I was huddled inside my school cardigan and usually a coat and gloves too. Nature was always too much for my liking. Given the choice, I would much prefer to be indoors with a book than outside. But as I’ve grown up, all that has shifted. My initial, tentative steps into gardening have grown into a deep appreciation of the natural world. Last week at the Local Preachers meeting I was asked the question: ‘Where do you see God?’ and I answered, as I always do these days, ‘In nature.’ I connect most readily to the divine when I’m in creation and my garden allows me to do that every day. Now, I could stand here and tell you that I’ve worked on transforming my garden and learning about the natural world because I believe we are called to care for creation. I could refer you to Genesis 2:15, ‘The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it’. I could remind you that at his lowest point, Jesus retreated to a garden and called out to God in desperate prayer. I could tell you that damage to the environment inevitably affects the poorest and most vulnerable in our communities and that the church should be opposed to any exploitation of the poor. And the fact is, these are all good reasons to care for creation, but they are not the only reasons We’ve known for a long time that time spent in nature is good for us. Fresh air and exercise has been a cure for generations. But more recently scientists have started to look at how good it is for us and why. There is still a lot to learn but there have been some interesting discoveries. In one experiment looking at recovery times from surgery, patients who could see the outdoors had shorter recovery times, fewer complications and needed less pain relief than those who could only look at a wall. It’s been reported that certain bacteria in the soil can trigger the release of serotonin in the brain in much the same way antidepressants do. So weeding the borders is actually helping your mind. And Japan has 48 officially designated ‘forest bathing trails’ where you can go to walk in nature. There are even medical points you can go to at the start and end of your visit which will record how much your heart rate and blood pressure have dropped during your trip. I believe that Genesis 2:15 is right and that God did indeed charge us with caring for creation but I also believe that God has enabled nature to take care of us. Matthew 6:25 tells us, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes?’ Jesus actively tells us not to worry. Our needs will be met. There is enough. And when we spend time in nature we see this. When we care for creation it cares for us. And the more we care for it the more we see God’s love for all living things in action. We see the cycles of the year and come to understand that despite what the world may tell us, being in a constant state of production is unnatural and unsustainable. We need times of rest and dormancy just as much as we need times of growth and expansion. We see that plants thrive in different conditions and at different times. Trying to grow tropical plants in the UK is always going to be an uphill struggle but when we find plants that are native to our region there is little work needed to see them blossom. We learn that tiny little seeds can produce enormous trees that can outlive a human by hundreds of years. And we see how God has created an ecosystem that is constantly readjusting to maintain its equilibrium. When the weather is too hot and dry, flowers draw up their petals and conserve their water. They put down deeper roots and restrict their growth. Do we do the same? When the hard times come and we are being scorched by life do we deepen our connections with the things that matter most? Do we conserve our energy to survive the drought or do we try to carry on as normal and hope no one sees that we’re wilting? My little wildlife garden is doing well. I’ve followed my brother’s advice and not made too many changes at once. There’s lots of trial and error. After several seasons I’ve accepted that I can't grow heathers unless I keep them in pots and any delicate plants will instantly be fertilised to death by a dog or obliterated by a football so it’s best to choose sturdy species. The little pond has been redug and expanded by my daughter and is proving very popular with the local birds who seem to think we’ve built them a private lido. We have miner bees digging burrows in the grass and mice living in the ivy on the back wall. Last year I tried my hand at growing some annuals from seed and found I quite like the rhythm of potting things on and seeing how they develop. You see? I can even use special gardening phrases like “potting things on” now. I have made a difference to my local environment and I have tried to care for the world in the way God commissioned Adam to do. But the impact on my spiritual life has been immeasurably larger than anything I have achieved in my garden. Nascent as my knowledge is, I now understand so much more about the world around me and the interconnectedness of all things. And I see in nature how God cares for all living things and how he wants us to care for ourselves and others. Humans and plants aren’t radically different. We need light and dark, warmth and food. We need a bit of care and attention and we grow best when we’re in the right place and have the right things around us. So after you leave here this morning I would encourage you to do one thing. Find something natural and take care of it. It can be a house plant, a seedling or a whole allotment if you have the resources. But look at what it needs and help it to thrive. And as you’re doing that remember that God wants all of these things for you. If we care for creation it will care for us and in doing so we will understand a little more of the fathomless love that our God has for us. Hymn: Be still - StF 20 Prayers of intercession for Gods creation Dear Lord, as we think of your wonderful creation – this planet on which we live and go about our daily tasks, we ask you to open our eyes to everything around us and help us to see what could be if only we would change our ways. Loving God, help us all to change our ways. We pray for a world that is just and fair to all God’s creatures. We think of all those living in poverty and deprivation wherever they are in the world. We think of so many parts of our world, your world - Lord God, affected by climate change and extremes of weather. So many places affected by flooding, or drought and wildfires. Homes, lands and lives lost as a result of human activity, selfishness, thoughtlessness and greed even when we are confronted by overwhelming evidence. Loving God, help us all to change our ways. We think of so many creatures and species that are being driven to the point of extinction by human behaviour. Dear Lord, help us to see the damage we are doing to the world and to work to conserve, protect and restore all that you have created so that all life may live together in harmony. Loving God, help us all to change our ways. Lord, we see the damage and destruction brought about by pollution, greed, negligence and carelessness causing great suffering and damage in many parts of the world to humanity, vegetation, many other species and the environment. Give us the courage to stand up to all of those responsible and to challenge them to change and start to put right the damage they have caused! Loving God, help us all to change our ways. Lord, we see so many places in your world affected by war, terrorism, and violence. We think of all those people in such situations and those living under oppression and cruel regimes and pray that they may know freedom, hope and your love. We pray too for the oppressors and the warmongers – that their eyes may be opened to the ways of peace and hope and justice. Loving God, help us all to change our ways. We think of Governments, Leaders and all those in places of power and authority. We pray that they will lead justly and with fairness in ways that embrace all people as equal, worthy, and without discrimination because of race, colour, creed, disability or gender. Loving God, help us all to change our ways. We pray for all who are sick or suffering in any way, whether it be from their physical or mental health. We think of those who have lost loved ones and those who are dying and pray that they may know your love and find peace and hope in you. Lastly, we pray for ourselves. In whatever situations we may find ourselves, give us courage to share your love, your hope, your peace. and your joy with those we meet on our daily journey. We ask all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our risen Lord and Saviour. Amen All creatures of our God and King - StF 99 Blessing and dismissal
Go with confidence into the days ahead Trusting in God’s unfailing love and faithfulness. God will not abandon you, for you are the work of His hands, His own creation, and His love endures forever. So go in joy, to love and serve the Lord! Celtic Daily Prayer) Message by Louise Lawrenson |
ServicesThese are the Worship at Home versions of the In Person Services, led by our Minister :- Each Service has the videos of the songs and a transcript of the Sermon or reflection.
The Song references (StF) are from the Singing the Faith song book.
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