Welcome & Invitation to Worship
This morning’s service was put together by Laurence
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Let’s all begin this morning by Pausing. Think about the week that you’ve just had – What’s brought joy? What’s been difficult? How have you felt? You might like to imagine yourself placing all of these thoughts, experiences and emotions at God’s feet. Let’s use them to communicate with our Father today.
Worship is like a conversation – we talk and we listen, we give and we receive. We remember to Rejoice for all the good things that God has given each of us. We have peace and safety, food to eat and water to drink. Our God brings healing to the sick, guidance to the lost, and comfort in our loss. For blessings received and needs met, we thank you God.
Our Father knows what we need even before we Ask. Yet by asking, we are seeking Him; and when we seek, we find His goodness. So whatever we’re lacking physically, emotionally or spiritually at the moment, we can pray for God’s help. May He provide for us through this time of worship, and in this coming week.
And so we enter our first song of worship by Yielding everything we have to God. Whatever we bring to His feet this morning, offer it as a sacrifice. You have our love Lord, our time, our money, our thoughts, our lives. By your grace shape them into something beautiful, to the glory of your name.
Amen.
Song of Worship
Today’s music was chosen by Linda
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies announce what his hands have made. Day after day they tell the story; night after night they tell it again. Ps 19:1,2 . The call to worship is unending… We come to worship as we are, broken, in need of God. We bring our all knowing that God welcomes us into his presence, just as we are to worship him.
Below are some activity sheets and craft ideas for our children, to think about being thankful and how we can show God’s love to others.
This craft is a bit of a challenge…maybe for the young at heart??
Bible Readings
First Reading – Galatians 2:11-16 (NIVUK)
11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, ‘You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
15 ‘We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
Second Reading – Acts 15:1-21 (NIV)
Open your Bibles at home so you can follow along!
Sermon
Today’s sermon is brought by David Fulford, with Bible references taken from both the NIV and New Living Translation.
Song of Worship
Ps 56:3 says ‘When I am afraid, I will trust you’. Each day as we put our trust in God we can say it is well, it is well with my soul.
Prayers of Intercession
Our prayers were prepared by Sue Karsten
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the place we call home. We thank you for the provision of shelter and for our surrounding neighbourhood and community. Help us to show your love and compassion to those among whom we live.
Pause, reflect and give thanks for your home and neighbourhood
For the beauty and variety of all you have created Lord; and, for the wonder of experiencing creation from our homes and locality we have hearts full of thankfulness.
Pause, reflect and give thanks for an aspect of creation
‘In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of every human being.’ Job 12:10
We pray for our town and all who live and work here. We pray for those who are ill that they may soon recover, for those who are grieving the loss of loved ones that they may know your comfort Lord, for those facing financial hardship that they may receive the help they need, for those who feel lonely that their need may become known and they may be befriended.
We pray for all keyworkers living or working here, thanking you Lord for their dedication and compassion and pray for their physical and mental wellbeing. We thank you for all the volunteers in the community and from the churches helping people in so many ways.
Pause, reflect and take some time to pray for a person or situation close to your heart.
We pray for our Government in these difficult times and for those who have to make the decisions about the nation’s health and wellbeing. We ask for great wisdom for them.
Pause, reflect and pray for the leaders of the nation
‘I urge, then…prayers…for kings and all those in authority that we may lead peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.’ 1 Tim. 2:1-2
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Song of Worship
All through God’s story we see His hand at work – in creation, through the promises he made to Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David… building the temple, through the coming of Jesus, our rescuer, as the church was called to bring the Good news to all people… and to us ‘the children of the promise’ we fix our eyes on Jesus and until the work is done, we walk by faith and not by sight.
Final Blessing
The Lord is here - His Spirit is with us. We need not fear - His Spirit is with us. We are surrounded by love. We are immersed in peace. We rejoice in hope - His Spirit is with us. We travel in faith - because His Spirit is with us. May the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among us and remain with us; be with all those who we love, and those for whom we pray, this day and always. Amen.
Thank you for joining us for this week’s worship at home! Time for conversations and prayer will continue on our church’s Slack channel. Let us know what you’ve learned or what bits you enjoyed! If you’re not yet a part of Slack, you can request to join the group by clicking here.