Sunday 1st November 2020: All Saints

Sunday 1st November 2020

All Saints

BURTON JOYCE COMMUNITY CHURCH

A short service for use at home 

 The hymns are chosen mostly from the church hymnbook 

Songs of Fellowship 

If you don't have a copy of the hymnbook at home, you can often find a video of the hymn on Youtube with the words displayed on video. Also, you can find the Bible readings online at several websites. Search for the specific chapter and verse (e.g. Exodus16, 1-15)

Prepared for Burton Joyce Community Church by Phil Colbourn. Prayer* adapted from New Zealand Prayer Book. Spend time with God as we share together this time of worship.

WELCOME

Today we celebrate the festival of All Saints

*Eternal God, you take men & women of every nation, age & colour to be saints: transforming them by grace, baptising them in your Spirit & filling them with life overflowing; so now lead us in paths of inexpressible joy, in Jesus name. Amen

We begin with this very well-known hymn:

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 109.

For all the saints who from their labours rest

PRAYER AND PRAISE

Praise and glory to the Lord who is the Head of the Church

Praise and glory to the Lord who leads his people out of darkness

Praise and glory to the Lord who is the living Word 

We bless you, O Lord our God, for the glory of this your world

We bless you that your love is new every morning

We bless you that you are making all things new

Praise and glory to our God, Father Son & Holy Spirit. Amen

CONFESSION

We are sorry for the suffering in our society: people losing loved ones & livelihood; families struggling to make ends meet. Father, forgive us.

We are sorry for the injustices & inequalities with which communities & individuals have struggled for years. Father, forgive us.

We are sorry that we have failed to care for your wonderful world & for one another. Help us, O Lord.  Father, forgive us.

Jesus says:

"Come to me. 

"Live & work alongside me and you will find rest for your souls." 

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 127.

Glorious things of thee are spoken

READING: 

COLOSSIANS 1, 1-14 

All the saints

REFLECTION: 
I wonder if you can find a map of the world to look at? Or perhaps you can see it inside your head or, even better, draw it out on a piece of paper. Which are the countries or places that hold a special place in your life or in your heart?

We are thinking about all the saints, both those resting from their labours and those still engaged in doing God’s work here on earth. God has his people in every country, in every part of the world. This is something to lift our hearts.

As we celebrate, let us remember the people of God wherever they are, whatever they are doing and in whatever circumstances they are living. And, at the same time, let’s give thanks for all those who have gone ahead to be with the Lord, people we have known, those we know of and those we never knew. 

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 278.

I will sing the wondrous story

INTERCESSORY PRAYERS 

We pray for your people in every country of the world

We pray for your people wherever there is conflict and division

Be with them and comfort them so that they may comfort others. 

We pray for people in our communities who face unemployment, ill-health, isolation & money worries, especially who cannot afford food and heat

Be with them and help us to help them.

We pray for happy relationships, practical support and real hope

We pray for all who grieve

Be with us and help us to be good neighbours to everyone. 

We thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, the Spirit of life

God of truth: May your kingdom come. Amen

We say The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father …

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 70.

Come, let us join our cheerful songs

CLOSING PRAYERS 

May the blessing of God, Father, Son & Holy Spirit, be with us and with all the God’s people everywhere, today, tomorrow and for evermore. Amen