A short service for Sunday 27th September 2020

 A short service for Sunday 27th September 2020

BURTON JOYCE COMMUNITY CHURCH

A short service for use at home 

Sunday 27th September 2020 

Prepared for Burton Joyce Community Church by Phil Colbourn  

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, just search for the specific chapter and verse (e.g. Exodus16, 1-15)

Spend a few moments with God knowing that others share in this time of worship with you. 

WELCOME

Our first hymn is a well-known hymn of praise

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 466 

Praise, my soul, the king of heaven

PRAYER AND PRAISE

Praise God for a love that hears and understands

Praise God for the dawn of light from the darkness

Praise God for a surrounding with glory and grace

Praise God for the provision of all that is good. Amen

CONFESSION

We confess, O Lord, our lack of confidence [Silence]

We confess, O Lord, our failure to understand [Silence]

Blessed be God Almighty, Creator & Lord of all!

You give us life and you give us love

You give us your self in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ 

And so, we thank you with our lives. Amen

As we continue reading in Exodus, we pray that we too can learn to walk with God day by day

Our next hymn puts it very well

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 261 

I want to walk with Jesus Christ

READING: EXODUS 17: 1-7

Water from the rock

REFLECTION

In this is our last look at Exodus this month, we have come to Meribah. 

It is not so much that they are grumbling but that their grumbling shows they do not understand. This incident is picked up in Psalm 95 among other places in the Old Testament and in Hebrews 3 & 4, with other reflections throughout the New Testament. It is key to our own walk with God, so let’s consider it carefully. (Why not check those two passages of scripture and take a few moments to think about what they say.)

The children of Israel are in the desert and have no water; they are worrying about their physical well-being, understandably. We would too, but this is the fourth time that an undercurrent of dissatisfaction has surfaced since Passover night and it shows that they still don’t get it. They don’t understand what is going on and they don’t know God well enough to feel safe. They lack confidence in God.

I am reminded of an old hymn but it is not in Songs of Fellowship so here are a few of the verses. Let’s spend a few moments reflecting on them:

Through the night of doubt and sorrow 

onward goes the pilgrim band

Singing songs of expectation, 

marching to the promised land

One the object of our journey, 

one the faith which never tires

One the earnest looking forward, 

one the hope our God inspires

One the light of God’s own presence 

o’er his ransomed people shed

Chasing far the gloom and terror, 

brightening all the path we tread

One the gladness of rejoicing 

on the far eternal shore

Where the one almighty Father 

reigns in love for evermore.

Perhaps the lesson of Meribah is that we need to see God’s bigger picture. In Ephesians 1 & 2, Paul tries to put it all into words although it is beyond words. He prays, as he writes, that his fellow Christians understand what God is doing which is nothing short of creating a whole new world order & us as part of it.

We may be hungry, thirsty, tired and fed up; we may not understand what God is doing but we can trust God all the way. This month we have learnt that God hears & answers prayer, rescues his people and protects and provides for them time after time. We can trust God. Be encouraged. God is doing a new thing. Amen

Our next hymn picks up the theme of walking with God

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 1229 

Father, hear the prayer we offer

INTERCESSORY PRAYERS 

We pray for... 

People in the news this week

Our local community and church family
Those dear to us and those known to us

Ourselves, that we keep going and keep singing songs of expectation

And, finally, let’s join in The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father 

In our final hymn, we affirm that, although we do not always understand, we do trust God for the future

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 205 

I cannot tell

CLOSING PRAYERS 

O Lord, we are a motley band of refugees trekking through unknown country, so lead us on, we pray, and open our eyes to see your glory. Amen

And may the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us on our journey and with all those whom we love, today and always. Amen. 

Church in a time of Covid-19

Church in a time of Covid-19 

While the church building on the corner of Meadow Lane is closed, and will remain closed for the foreseeable future, the life of the church (the people) goes on. 

Weekly worship no longer takes place in the building at 10.30 am but it does continue here online and in homes scattered around the village. The regular Sunday service is posted here on the blog every week (If I remember to do it) and a copy of the service on one A4 sheet of paper is delivered by hand to people who do not have access to the internet.

If you know of anyone who would like to have a copy of the service delivered to their home please get in touch via the email address you can find on this website. Thank you.

Similarly, if you would value prayer at any time, for any reason, email and we will pray.

Please join us in our weekly worship on Sunday morning, or at any other time convenient to you,  here, online, on the Burton Joyce Community Church website.

We pray that you know God close to you at all times during this "time of Covid-19"

Sunday 20th September 2020

Sunday 20th September 2020

BURTON JOYCE 

COMMUNITY CHURCH

A short service for use at home: 

Sunday 20th September 2020 

Prepared for Burton Joyce Community Church by Phil Colbourn. 

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)

Spend a few moments with God knowing that others share in this time of worship with you. 

WELCOME

We start with this well-known Graham Kendrick hymn

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 664. 

Beauty for brokenness

PRAYER AND PRAISE

Praise God for the daylight. Praise God for the sunlight

Praise God for the morning. Praise God for the noonday

Praise God for our sleeping and our uprising

Praise God for all that is good and full of grace. Amen

CONFESSION

We confess, O Lord, our brokenness [Silence]

We confess, O Lord, our need [Silence]

Blessed be our God the Almighty, Creator & Lord of all!

You give us your life and you give us your love

You have given your very self to us and so we love you 

And we long to thank you with our lives. Amen

In our service this week, we continue to think about Israel escaping from slavery and oppression - the Exodus - and to ask what it has to say to us, if anything, in our circumstances today. Our next hymn picks up on the theme of following or walking with God into an unknown future

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 599. 

When we walk with the Lord (Trust and obey)

READING: EXODUS 16: 1-15

Manna from heaven

REFLECTION

I have to admit that Trust & Obey (When we walk with the Lord) has never been my favourite hymn, perhaps because I am a bit of a rebel. Certainly, we cannot go around trusting everybody & anybody. The world does not work like that, unfortunately. We have to know who we are putting our trust in. It is about relationship. Do we know this person well enough to trust them? Do I know God well enough? 

We have been rescued from the darkness of despair and, in the story, we are following this month of the Exodus, we are about to leave Elim and travel to Sinai but there is a desert in between. We are a month or so into the journey and everyone is grumbling. “Are we there yet?” No. Not by a long way. The journey has to come before the destination. “Do we have to cross the desert?” Yes, because it’s the best way from A to B. “But, Mummy, Daddy, I’m hungry!” 

God, like a parent, is patiently building a relationship of trust with the children. “Yes. I know. I understand. Here, have some of these to keep you going.” And God gives glory in exchange for grumbling. God gives beauty for brokenness. 

But, wait a minute. Where’s this bread you promised? (Mr Kellogg must have copyrighted this moment.) Flakes for breakfast? God works silently and secretly through the darkest hours of the night to provide us with what we need but we do not recognise it. It is not what we are expecting. We are disappointed. But, luckily, Moses is alert to what God is doing. Moses does trust God so he looks around and says, “Look! It must be this. This is what God has provided.”

In his reflection for today in the Nottingham North East Circuit home service, Revd John Wiseman says: Despite our reservations, despite our doubts, despite our fears, we are called to have faith and to journey forwards. It may not be as ‘the church’ we knew & loved, indeed the ‘new normal’ suggests that very little will be as we knew and loved. Be open to God's new vision breaking in upon us. Amen

Jesus says, I am the bread of life and, whatever else today's reading tells us, it reminds us that God always provides for his people and this is something we celebrate in our next hymn

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 284. 

Jehovah Jireh, my provider

INTERCESSORY PRAYERS 

We pray for... 

The stories that have dominated our news headlines over the past week

Our local community 

Our church family
Those dear to us 

And, finally, we join our voices to say The Lord’s Prayer together 

The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father 

Let's continue in prayer as we turn to our final hymn. This is a favourite with many people and plumbs the depths of our relationship with God. Do we trust God enough to walk with Jesus into an unknown future?

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 79. 

Dear Lord and Father of mankind

CLOSING PRAYERS 

As fell the manna down

The bread we break, 

is it not the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, broken for us?

This cup we bless, 

it is a sharing in the blood of Christ, poured out for many.

The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be with us, and all we love and pray for, this day, everywhere and always. Amen. 

 

September 13th 2020, Sunday service

September 13th 2020, Sunday service

BURTON JOYCE COMMUNITY CHURCH

A short service for use at home: Sunday 13th September 2020 

Prepared for Burton Joyce Community Church by Phil Colbourn and Dinah Dudley. Spend a few moments with God knowing that others share in this time of worship with you. 

WELCOME

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 321 

Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us

PRAYER OF ADORATION AND THANKSGIVING 

Dear Lord, our Saviour, our guide, our Redeemer, we praise and bless your name.  You lead us through this troubled world, refreshing our hearts with beauty, calm and love.  Your Spirit surrounds and upholds us, filling us with your joy, your peace and your love.  We thank you Lord for all the blessings you have heaped upon us, and we ask that you will show us how best to share these with all we come across.     Amen

CONFESSION

We know Lord that we have failed you in so many ways this week.  The phone calls we have not made, the irritation we have shown, the lack of sympathy that we have shown as we concentrated on our own needs, all these and more, mean that we have not followed your will for us.  We are sorry, Lord, and we ask forgiveness for our weakness and our lack of concern for others.  Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.  Amen

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 41 

Be still and know that I am God

READING: EXODUS 14:19-31   

Crossing the Red Sea

REFLECTION

In this, the third in our series following the children of Israel as they escape from exploitation and abuse, we have a problem. We are stuck between the devil, in the form of Pharaoh and his armies, and the deep blue sea. Do we panic or do we trust the God who has led us out? In the circumstances, I think I would panic. There’s nowhere to go. They are caught like a rat in a trap and the people wonder, naturally, if they’ve done the right thing: setting off like this into the unknown. Some are understandably terrified. They know what Pharaoh can do.

But God has other ideas. Be still. It might be an idea to sing again - Be still and know that I am God - and let it soak into our soul.

God has other ideas. Taking the form, in this instance, of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, God surrounds and protects his people. This is the God who leads us out of slavery and oppression into new life. This is the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who, at the cross, endured the agony of eternal separation in death to free us from the tyranny of sin. But there is more.

That sea. There is a way across. Moses! Do what I tell you. Everything will be ok. The waters divide. We cross on dry land. We arrive safe on the farther shore. The terrors of the night are swept away. Praise God. Alleluia! The people were afraid, the people were terrified, but the Lord has saved his people.

There is such uncertainty at the moment. Let’s just take hold of this: The Lord who leads us out will bring us home. God will protect and guide and surround us in love and joy and peace. God’s goodness will prevail even though the way may be tough in the meantime. Or perhaps I should say: The way will be tough but let us learn to lean on God, our shield and our protector. Amen

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 587 

We rest on thee, our shield and our defender

INTERCESSORY PRAYERS 

Lord as we pray for all who are in need in this troubled world, we concentrate today on those who are mourning their loved ones.  We remember Sheila, following the sudden death of Colin, and we continue to pray for the Byass family as they mourn for Richard’s father who died recently.  There are others in our village in mourning Lord, and we hold them all up to you and ask that your Holy Spirit will surround and uphold them.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 466 

Praise, my soul, the king of heaven

CLOSING PRAYERS 

This I believe: God goes before to protect me and God comes behind to guard; God to my right hand gives me strength and God to my left hand is my power; God underneath me will carry me, God above will lift me on wings like eagles: God in love surrounds me and God within renews me, this and every day. Amen

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be with us and all we love and pray for, this day and for evermore. Amen. 

Sunday September 6th 2020

 Sunday September 6th 2020

BURTON JOYCE COMMUNITY CHURCH

A short service for use at home: Sunday 6th September 2020 

Prepared for Burton Joyce Community Church by Phil Colbourn and Dinah Dudley. Spend a few moments with God knowing that others share in this time of worship with you. 

WELCOME

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 466. Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven

PRAYER OF ADORATION AND THANKSGIVING 

Father Lord, we worship you as our Creator God.  We see you in the beauty around us; we see you in the wind and the storm; we see you in the love and care we receive from those around us.  We thank you for the love of your son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus, and we thank you for your Holy Spirit, who walks with us in the light of the day and the darkness of the night.  We are surrounded by your love and your goodness. 

CONFESSION

And yet, and yet we know that there are times when we choose not to work for you, when we ignore the needs of those around us, and those who suffer quietly on their own.  There are times when we do not speak out in your name against wrong, and not speaking out is acquiescence in that wrong.  There are times when we hug your love around ourselves, and do not spread it to others.  

Lord we pray for that forgiveness that we see in Jesus and for the strength to do your will.  Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.    Amen   

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 28. As we are gathered

READING: EXODUS 12:1-14

The Passover meal

REFLECTION

This is the second of a series of five services in which we follow the story of the Exodus from the call of Moses (last week) to the escape of the children of Israel.

The children of Israel are oppressed, exploited and persecuted but God has heard their cries and is coming to the rescue: “Let my people go!” Moses has been negotiating with the government but Pharaoh says: “No. No. No.” The situation in the country is dire and going from bad to worse. There are floods, swarms of frogs, insects and, now, infectious diseases. Perhaps, after the year we’ve had, we can sympathise a bit with the Israelites as they cower at home with their families on Passover night, wondering if it is going to be alright.

God says: “You’ll be leaving tomorrow no matter what Pharaoh says. Get ready. Have roast lamb and flat bread for supper and put the blood on the lintel and on the doorposts. Make sure you are packed and dressed before you go to bed. (Remember. Remember.) When you get up in the morning, just go, go, go.”

God is on the side of the underdog and God is with you - if you are oppressed, exploited, persecuted and powerless. Power is not love and love is not power. “Help someone” is the universal law of life. You have to go right down to the bottom of the pile if you want to come out at the top. Don’t stop. Go. Go. Go. 

As Christians, we should know. Christ leads us out on a new Exodus, dies on the cross as the lowest of the low and, on the night before he dies, he takes bread and wine and says: ‘Do this. Do this.” Don’t be like Pharaoh. Treat people with dignity and respect and “let my people go”. Sometimes we say we are a pilgrim people but it’s worse than that. We are a refugee people. We are an asylum-seeking people. We are a migrant people. Remember what God did (and why).

Help me, O Lord, not to hear your word only, but to do it. Amen

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 21. And can it be

INTERCESSORY PRAYERS 

We pray Lord for - all those suffering from conflict and in asylum camps                                                                - all those affected by the virus wherever they are                                             

- all those who have worked solidly over the last few months for us                        - all those we know who are suffering with physical or mental health problems

- our friends and our family.                           We commit them all to you.  Amen

The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 640. You shall go out with joy

CLOSING PRAYERS 

Redeemer God, you heard the cry of your people and sent Moses to lead them out of slavery. Free us and all people from the tyranny of sin and death and, by your Spirit, lead us together to your promised land. Amen

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be with us now and for evermore. Amen. 

August services: catchup

August services: catchup 

 Well, that's odd. I thought I had loaded these up. Where did they go?

Apologies if you were looking for them. Here they are now. First, the service for 23rd August then, following on below, the service for 30th August 2020.

BURTON JOYCE COMMUNITY CHURCH

Sunday worship for 23rd August 2020

In fellowship with Nottingham North East Circuit of the Methodist Church 

Prepared by Rev’d Moses Agyam adapted by Phil Colbourn. Spend a few moments with God, knowing that other people are sharing this act of worship with you. 

WELCOME 

This week, we continue in the theme of time, with Mary and Martha in Luke’s gospel. Let us draw near to God with open heart and mind

DRAWING NEAR 

Yesterday, today and tomorrow: God is present with us

Here and now, in this precious time: Let us meet with God.

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 108

Fill thou my life, O Lord my God, in every part with praise

PRAYERS OF APPROACH 

God of time and eternity, we praise you for the gift of your presence. In our activities we seek to serve you but sometimes we let you down. As we reflect on our failings, we ask forgiveness & for the chance to start again. 

Silence for personal confession. Thank you, Father, for your love. Amen. 

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 79 Dear Lord and Father of mankind

THE WORD: 

Luke 10, 38-42. Mary & Martha

REFLECTION: The Gift of Time

Entertaining people in your own home can be enjoyable, but it can also be stressful especially if you are the cook! If you are not the cook, you probably wonder what all the fuss is about. But which is better: to spend time with people or wow them with your cuisine? People appreciate the time we spend with them; the gift of our attention. We can understand why Martha is distracted and annoyed with her sister! But equally, we can understand why Mary made the choice she did. It was her last opportunity for time with her Lord. Martha remained the poorer for fussing over the preparations. ‘Only one thing is needed [and] Mary has chosen what is better,’ says Jesus. Every day is God’s gift. Let’s cherish the time we spend with our families, friends, neighbours & colleagues. Such moments are precious, unrepeatable and it is in such times as these that we know God’s presence with us. 

Time to reflect 

on how we use our time  ·  on quality time and memorable occasions  

on missed opportunities  ·  on whether we are like Mary or Martha. 

HYMN: Dark is the night (Tune: Abide with me.) 

Moses writes: I came across this beautiful hymn written for Easter Eve this year by Anglican priest hymn writer Rev’d Ally Barrett and I really liked it. The words capture so well these dark times.

Dark is the night, the passing hours are long, 

Lone voices whisper sorrow’s silent song, 

Each faltering prayer will fear it’s made in vain. 

When will we sing the world to life again? 

Dark is the night; not all are blessed with sleep. 

Some wake and work, and some must watch and weep:
Angels disguised, they tend a world in pain, 

Off’ring the hope that there’ll be life again. 

Dark is the night, the silent hours are slow, 

Heav’n’s tears anoint the suffering earth below, 

Blessing with dew the secret springing grain, 

A pledge that the world will soon know life again. 

Words: ©2020 Ally Barrett Reproduced with permission. 

PRAYING FOR OTHERS AND OURSELVES 

Eternal God, we bring you our concerns for the world and for ourselves:

We pray for all suffering violence or oppression or domestic abuse 

We pray for all who have suffered the loss of hopes & dreams 

We pray for all who grieve & all who are in pain

We pray for all who long for freedom & forgiveness

In a time of stillness, we bring our personal prayers to God: Silence

Lord of eternity, we trust in you – today, tomorrow and always. Amen

In confidence, we unite our prayers, saying: Our Father, who art in heaven 

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 415 O God, our help in ages past

CLOSING RESPONSES & BLESSING 

All time is in God’s hands. Lord, we have met with you this day

Into your hands we commit our lives. Bless us, O Lord God of life

Send us out in your name. Abide with us now and always, we pray.

May God bless, preserve and keep you, now and for evermore. Amen.

And now, the service for the last Sunday in August:

BURTON JOYCE COMMUNITY CHURCH

A short service for use at home: Sunday 30th August 2020 

Prepared for Nottingham North East Circuit of the Methodist Church by supernumerary minister Revd David Monkton and adapted for BJCC by Phil Colbourn. Spend a few moments with God knowing that others share in this time of worship with you. 

 

WELCOME

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 411. O for a heart to praise my God

PRAYER OF ADORATION AND THANKSGIVING 

We begin our worship, O God, with a yearning to serve you better. Free our hearts to give thanks for all the good things we receive and for all people of goodwill, through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

CONFESSION

For our thoughtless use of your creation:   Lord, have mercy.
For our failure to care for others:                  Christ have mercy. 

For our selfishness in prayer:                         Lord have mercy. 

Here is good news. Jesus says, ‘your sins are forgiven.’

Amen. Thanks be to God 

READING: EXODUS 3:1-15 [v.14 a key thought]

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

REFLECTION

How did Moses come to take on this tremendously difficult job of leading the nation of Israel out from Egypt to a land of their own? Like many people in the world today, the Children of Israel were used as cheap labour, slaves. Midwives were ordered to kill Hebrew boys as they were born but we have the lovely story of the baby Moses hidden in the bulrushes and found by Pharaoh’s daughter. 

As a young man, Moses kills an Egyptian he sees cruelly mistreating a Hebrew slave. When this becomes public knowledge, he fears for his life and flees the country. Looking after his father-in-law’s sheep, he sees a bush on fire that is notitself burnt. God calls to him and tells him to take off his shoes because he is standing on holy ground. 

These are vital moments. Moses has been chosen to lead his people out of slavery to ‘The Promised Land’. If people ask his authority, he is to say “I AM has sent me”: The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. ‘I am’ and ‘I will be’: God says, I will be with you now and in the future. It is going to be hard, but God is with you all the way. 

Today, Jewish people celebrate Passover to remind them of the beginning of their journey of freedom and the hymn ‘Guide me, O thou great Jehovah’ reminds us we that we too are a pilgrim people. Jesus leads his people out to freedom for the whole of humankind. 

In the 60th anniversary of my ordination, I believe more strongly than ever that Jesus is central to our lives and we need to progress to a mature understanding of what this relationship is all about. If there is one thing we do know about God, it is that God is love. 

“For the love of God is broader than the measures of man’s mind and … the heart of the eternal is most wonderfully kind.” (Faber)

Life is full of surprises, and many jolting experiences, but we will find that God is love. Jesus leads us through the uncertainties of life so that we may know at last God’s everlasting love. Amen. 

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 148. Guide me, O thou great Jehovah

INTERCESSORY PRAYERS 

For the church throughout the world, in these troubled times 

For those who care for others & supply our daily needs 

For the lonely, ill, bereaved and unemployed

For all who suffer cruelty, injustice and neglect 

Hear all our prayers, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father

HYMN: Songs of Fellowship 307. Jesus, the name high over all

CLOSING PRAYERS 

Redeemer God, you heard the cry of your people and sent Moses to lead them out of slavery. Free us from the tyranny of sin and death and, by your Spirit, lead us to your promised land.

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be with us now and for evermore. Amen.