Worship

 

Call to Worship

We are called to be a part of Christ’s team the Church. God is glorified when we can depend on each other. 

Hymn: StF403 God is love

Sing/ Read /pray /proclaim the words or listen to it here
https://youtu.be/yz8ESRxoaOM

God is love:his the care,

tending each, everywhere.

God is love -- all is there!

Jesus came to show him,

that we all might know him:

      Sing aloud, loud, loud!

      Sing aloud, loud, loud!

      God is good!

      God is truth!

      God is beauty! Praise him!

 

None can see God above;

neighbours here we can love;

thus may we Godward move,

finding him in others,

sisters all, and brothers:

 

Jesus came, lived and died

for our sake, crucified,

rose again, glorified;

he was born to save us

by the truth he gave us:

 

To our Lord praise we sing --

light and life, friend and king,

coming down love to bring,

pattern for our duty,

showing God in beauty:

Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)

 

Let us pray together

We praise and adore you, Creator God.

Young and old,
women and men,

of all races, cultures and nations
we praise and adore you.

We praise and adore you Jesus, our Redeemer.

With those who have gone before us,
those who will come after us
and those around us today
we praise and adore you.

We praise and adore you Holy Spirit. 
For your guiding and inspiring,
for your warming and abiding
we praise and adore you. 

We praise and adore our God,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 
Amen.

 

We give thanks for the community of your Church, O God.  
For differences in gifting and serving,
for the marvellous variety at the heart of who we are. 
for the example and inspiration of your faithful people
and most of all for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus
we offer to you our deepest gratitude.
Amen.

 

We call to mind the ways in which we have fallen short of your expectations for us. 

For the times when we put our needs before others, forgive us. 
When we fail to listen to the wise words of others, forgive us. 
When we do not want to be a part of any group or team, forgive us. 
We rejoice that Jesus gives us his gracious word: ‘Your sins are forgiven’. Amen

 

Today’s Reading from the New Testament
1 Corinthians 12.12-31a

Today’s Gospel Reading:
Luke 4.14-21

Time to Reflect

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.

Once upon a time I had a hero. An all American boy who rode a bike. Who suffered a terrible cancer and yet was able to come back a winner. Who had the grace to say it’s not about the bike. Who even took a cameo role in a film as himself, an inspiration. 

This hero was embodied in his team. He was only as good as his trainer, physio, mechanic, dietician, manager and doctor. They had to act as one body and each play their part.

In the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. In the Church we all have our roles, our tasks to perform.

My hero was invited to talk not just to an audience, but to millions who would watch listen and hear. He admitted the truth, his whole career was based on dishonesty, clever cheating and innumerable lies,  like a lance through the heart of all that had appeared to be good and honest and was not.

In contrast Jesus went into the Synagogue in the place where he was known best and read from the Prophet Isaiah. By this reading from the past he proclaimed not what he had done, but what he was like, what was going on  and what he would do. His words proved to be good, honest and reliable. He was who claimed to be.

It’s kind of sad when you lose a hero. It’s  great though to be a part of God’s church and to share with others in Christ’s team.

Take a time to sit quietly

A time of prayer

In this week of prayer for Christian Unity we pray for the Church in every part of the world.  That the Church will be united in mission and service to the world. 

We pray also for the world, knowing that for resources to be equally shared the world has to be made up of equals. We pray for an equalization of the wealth and well being of our world. 

Having reflected on how good it is to feel part of a team, we pray for those who feel left out of the church or cast aside by society. We pray for those on the margins and for those who work for inclusion. 

We call to our minds those we know who are unwell, at home or in hospital. 

We remember with thanksgiving those who have been important to us on our own journeys of life and faith. We pray that in the fullness of time you will bring us with them into God’s house with many rooms, where all can live together in eternal peace and unity. 

Our prayers we offer in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father ……

Hymn: Listen to StF663 I, the Lord of sea and sky

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zr9SMm1glI

I, the Lord of sea and sky,

I have heard my people cry.

All who dwell in dark and sin

my hand will save.

I, who made the stars of night,

I will make their darkness bright.

Who will bear my light to them?

Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard you calling in the night.

I will go, Lord,

if you lead me.

I will hold your people in my heart.

 

I, the Lord of snow and rain,

I have borne my people's pain;

I have wept for love of them.

They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone,

give them hearts for love alone.

I will speak my word to them.

Whom shall I send?

 

I, the Lord of wind and flame,

I will tend the poor and lame.

I will set a feast for them.

My hand will save.

Finest bread I will provide

till their hearts are satisfied.

I will give my life to them.

Whom shall I send?

Daniel L. Schutte (b. 1947)

 

A prayer of blessing

May God the Father bless us.
May God the Son bless us.
May God the Holy Spirit bless us.
So may the blessing of God who is one in three and three in one bind us together in unity, now and forever.  Amen. 

 

Original Materials by Edwin Adam Wells

All

 Hymns reproduced under CCLi 1144191. 

Local Churches please insert CCCLi No here

 

We are grateful to all the Ministers and Local Preachers from around the Connexion who have contributed to Worship at Home. This resource is administrated by Ministries: Vocations and Worship in the Connexional Team.

For more worship resources see

The Bible (methodist.org.uk)

Singing the Faith Plus (methodist.org.uk)

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition

One Body with Many Members

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot were to say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear were to say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’, nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members of the body that we think less honourable we clothe with greater honour, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honour to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

Luke 4:14-21

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition

The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

 

The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth

16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

    because he has anointed me

        to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

    and recovery of sight to the blind,

        to let the oppressed go free,

19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’

20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’