Music before we worship: Because He Lives (Amen) West Coast Choir (The link opens up youtube in a separate window)
Junior Church resources: Resources from Sermons4kids Bible Story Colouring page Activity ideas (opens up the website Sermons4kids)
Call to Worship:
We gather in the presence of God the Father with some words from Psalm 118
I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit. Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name
Hymn: Come, Christians, Join To Sing (The link opens up youtube in a separate window)
Opening prayers:
Loving Father
Author of life, you have given us breath to praise you, eyes to behold your mercy, and words to proclaim your abiding love. You have set apart a people to worship you in thought, word, and deed, and through Christ you have numbered us in the midst of them. Breathe upon us the promised Holy Spirit, that our minds may be opened to your wisdom and our tongues boldly declare that you alone are God.
By your grace we have been made a part of your family. What a blessing you have lavished upon us, that we can be known as children of God. You call us your children, and so we are. You watch over our coming and going; you nurture our growth with sustaining wisdom. You send your Spirit as a guide for our wanderings, and give the promise of Christ’s redeeming love to rescue us from waywardness.
We thank you for curiosity that leads to learning, for the willingness to move beyond what is already known. Use the spirit of inquiry to prod us out of complacency, and make us impatient to know more of your truth. By the gift of your Spirit, give us an insatiable longing to see your will accomplished. What a treasure you have presented to us, with this pearl of great price, the word of God. Guide us to the scriptures in search of wisdom, and give us the discipline to pursue the quest.
You have called us your children and made us members of your household. . What a privilege you have bestowed upon us, made citizens of the kingdom of God. What a harvest you have prepared around us, and all who are seeking the mercy of God Help us to grow as faithful brothers and sisters in response to your trust.
For all these privileges and blessings we bring our thanksgiving and praise.
Whilst we give praise to God we recognise our own failings as we confess our sins.
God of love, in the wrong we have done and in the good we have not done, in choosing our way over yours and in trusting ourselves rather than you. We have sinned in ignorance; we have sinned in weakness; we have sinned through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry. We repent and turn to you. Forgive us and renew our lives through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen
We combine our prayers in saying the prayer that our Saviour taught us
Lord’s Prayer: Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Collect for the Day: Almighty Father, who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples with the sight of the risen Lord: give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life and serve you continually in righteousness and truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Methodist Worship Book
Scripture readings:
(Click the links above to go to Oremus NRSV online)
Hymn: God The Father Of Creation (The link opens up you tube in a separate window)
Reflection on Scripture:
What do parents do?
- Love: unconditionally
- Encourage
- Empower
- Provide physical comfort, food and shelter
- Individual relationship, not just with siblings
- Listens
- Has time for them
- There at the peaks and troughs
- Disciplinarian: corrects behaviour not the person?
- Consistent
- Teaches right and wrong
- Teaches independence
- Teaches to take responsibility
- Role model
- Encourages good living
- Allows children to make mistakes
- How does God act as parent.
- Continual loving presence in our lives
- Teaches us through scripture
- Listens to our prayers
- Forgives us
- Seeks us to be righteous, to live well
Responding as a child of God
- Handing over authority to God
- Accepting him as father
- Righteous
- Learning: listening reading scripture
- Accepting responsibility
- Living the way he intends
- Growing in discipleship
- Become mature disciples so we can help develop others
- Taking our role
Hymn: Father hear the prayer we offer (The link opens up you tube in a separate window)
Prayers for others:
Loving God you invite us to hold the needs of our sisters and brothers as dear to us as our own needs.
Loving our neighbours as ourselves, we offer our thanksgivings and our petitions on behalf of the church and the world.
Lord in Christ we know of your healing and we pray that those known to us who are ill at this time may know your presence and anointing.
We bring before you……
We pray for those in despair anguish and grief that they may be reassured by your steadfast love
Lord we pray for the people of the world, for those living in fear and persecution at home and abroad. Lord we are one people around the world, all made in your image we pray that all are treated with justice and fairness. We remember the homeless, those in poverty and the plight of the refugee. Lord may they see the light that is the hope we find in you.
Lord we pray that our world tainted by division, conflict and war might be washed clean by your justice and peace. That the leaders of the world might tread the path that leads to healing and peace.
Lord we pray for the life of your Church throughout the world, may every congregation be a community of love and every Christian a witness to your grace.
Lord we pray for all those that work to make our communities a better place, for teachers and those who provide care to those in need. We lift before you those working in healthcare, local government and community facilities.
Finally Lord we pray for ourselves
May we know your will for us, guide us to make the right choices so that we might work as one to build your kingdom.
In the name of our saviour Jesus Christ we pray
Amen
Hymn: How Great Thou Art (The link opens up you tube in a separate window)
Blessing: May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the love and knowledge of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ our Lord
And the blessing of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be among us now and forever more.
Amen.
Additional resources:
Junior Church resources: Resources from Sermons4kids Bible StoryColouring pageActivity ideas(opens up the website Sermons4kids)
Acknowledgements:
Birch, John. The Act of Prayer: Praying through the Lectionary. Bible Reading Fellowship. Kindle Edition.
Prayers for All Seasons: Based on the Revised Common Lectionary Year A . Wood Lake Publishing Inc.. Kindle Edition.
James G. Kirk. When We Gather, Revised Edition: A Book of Prayers for Worship Kindle Edition.
Methodist Worship Book
Resources for Faversham United Church, Whitstable URC and Herne Bay United Church 