Easter 5: Sunday 10th May 2020

Easter 5

A short service for Sunday 10th May 2020
 

At home with God

Welcome
Be strong & take heart, all you who hope in the Lord 
[Psalm 31, verse 24]

A Song
[Songs of Fellowship 532]
The King is among us, His Spirit is here
Let's draw near and worship; let songs fill the air

A Prayer

Be still and know that I am God
I am the Lord that healeth thee
[verses 1 & 2; Be still and know; SoF 41]

Our Father ...

A Reading
John 14, 1-10
Do not let your hearts be troubled
 
Jesus says: 

There is plenty of room at my Father's place. I'll go and get things ready & then we can all be together again.

But we don't know the way

Yes, you do, Thomas. I am the way.

It will be great actually meeting the Father after all this time!

Philip! How long have I been with you?

Reflection
Yes. It is rather a strange conversation. What did Jesus mean? 

I think he was trying to tell his friends & disciples that God is here now, with us, always. Jesus himself is our Emmanuel. (Emmanuel means God with us.) 

During lockdown, we have had to stay confined largely in our own homes. It makes me think that what Jesus means when he speaks of his Father's house having 'many rooms' is that, now, our homes are his home, so all of our homes taken together make up 'my Father's house'. He is with us and we are with him. In this sense, we are still all together even though we are separated because of the coronavirus energency.

A Song
[Songs of Fellowship 1448] May the mind of Christ my Saviour dwell in me from day to day

We Pray for the World
Someone's crying, Lord. Kumbya, my Lord, Kumbya

A Blessing
Living God, 
let us so live with you, and you with us, 
in forgiveness & peace, in your Spirit, 
that the world is changed. Amen


A Hymn
[Hymns & Psalms 711; Tune: Binchester]

Happy are they, they that love God,
Whose hearts have Christ confessed,
Who by his cross have found their life
And 'neath his yoke their rest.

Glad is the praise, sweet are the songs
When they together sing;
And strng the prayers that bow the ear
Of heaven's eternal King.

Christ to their homes will give his peace
And make their loves his own;
But ah, what tares the evil one
Has in this garden sown!

Sad were our lot, evil this earth,
Did not its sorrows prove
The path whereby the sheep may find
The fold of Jesu's love.

Then shall thay know, they that love him,
A day when joys rise up;
For death itself cannot unbind
Such happy fellowship.

Robert Bridges (1844-1930) alt.