Statutory Notice

                                                         The Ecclesiastical Exemption 

                         (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (England) Order 2010

 

Burton Joyce Methodist Church Nottingham (North East)

Meadow Lane, Burton Joyce 

 

 

 

 

The managing trustees of the above building wish to undertake the following work to the chapel, which is listed as being of special architectural or historic interest and/or is in a conservation area.

 

PROPOSED WORKS

Retrospective Listed Building Consent for Reducing Chimney Prior to Sale

 

If you wish to make any comment or objection to these proposals you should write within 28 days to:

 

              The Conservation office

              Central Buildings

              Oldham Street

              Manchester

              M1 1JQ

Closure

Burton Joyce Community Church has now closed

The final service was held on Sunday 12 June 2022

All correspondence should now be directed to: 

Nottingham North East Circuit of the Methodist Church

NNE Circuit Office 

c/o Bestwood Park Methodist Church, Beckhampton Rd, Nottingham, NG5 5NG

Email: office@nnemethodist.org.uk

Shalom

Sunday services

Find links to services for the week on the NNE (Nottingham North East Methodist Circuit) worship resources webpage

All the services: click here

Written services: click here

Phone services: click here. Phone number: 0115 671 3715

Video Sunday services: click here

Video Junior Church:  click here

Video Midweek Worship: click here

Video Sung Worship: click here

Sunday 30 January 2022

 

Written Service 

Sunday 30th January 2022 

Prepared by Rev Dr David Monkton 

Grant us. O Lord, to pass this day in gladness and peace, without stumbling and without stain, that reaching the days end victorious overall temptation, we may again praise you ,the eternal God, blessed over all things, now and forever, Amen (Mozarabic Sacramentary.10th century)

Hymn STF 57.
Let all the world in every corner sing, my God and King.

1 Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing, "My God and King!"
The heav'ns are not too high,
his praise may thither fly;

the earth is not too low,
his praises there may grow.
Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing, "My God and King!"

2 Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing, "My God and King!"
The church with psalms must shout: no door can keep them out.

But, more than all, the heart
must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in ev'ery corner sing, "My God and King!"

George Herbert

Opening Prayer

Almighty God, the One who created all that was and is and is to come. Thank you for this opportunity to worship you and give thanks for all the good things that we have received. We give you thanks for the things that are minutely small and infinitely overwhelming. Thank you for the created world and all the wonders within it.

We find ourselves pondering over the things that cause us distress, even loss and hardship, through flood, tsunami , famine, earthquake and war. But help us Lord never to lose a sense of wonder, a sense of mystery and a sense of fascination for all the good things we are able enjoy.

Above all may we have an awareness of your love for all that you have made possible in Jesus who gives up his life on the Cross. May we know the depth of your forgiveness for us all. Help us to live out our lives in the name of Jesus.

May we be forgiving too, that we might be aware of the life eternal that you give us.. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Hymn STF.495.
Dear Lord and Father of mankind forgive our foolish ways

1 Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways;
reclothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,

in deeper reverence, praise.

2 In simple trust like theirs who heard beside the Syrian sea
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word

rise up and follow thee.

3 O Sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love!

4 Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace.

5 Breathe through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, O still, small voice of calm!

John Greenleaf Whittier

Gospel Reading -

Our gospel reading for today is from Saint Luke chapter 4 vs 21-30.
Jesus was in the early days of his ministry and everyone was keen to hear what he had to say. They were very impressed.

He comes to Nazareth where he had been brought up, but he said to the people ‘a prophet is never recognised in his own country,’ and they turned against him.’ What angered the people was the apparent compliment that Jesus paid to the gentiles. The Jews in Nazareth were so sure that they were God’s people that they utterly despised all other nationalities, and here was this young man Jesus whose family they knew, preaching as if the gentiles were specially favoured by God. The crowd then turned against him- Fortunately he escaped unharmed

St. Luke chapter 4 vs. 21-24,28-30.

21Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ 23 He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.”’ 24 And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

Psalm 71 vs. 1-6 (as from the Revised English Bible reads)

In you Lord I have found refuge, let me never be put to shame.
by your saving power rescue and deliver me, hear me and save me!

Be to me a rock of refuge to which at all times I may come.
You have decreed my deliverance, for you are my rock and stronghold.
Keep me safe, my God, from the power of the wicked,
from the clutches of the pitiless and the unjust
You are my hope Lord God, my trust. since my childhood.
On you I have leaned from birth,
you brought me from my mother’s womb: to you I offer praise at all times.

The writer of these words, in contrast to Jesus who was just beginning his ministry, was an elderly man who has experienced God’s help throughout his whole life, but he now comes to God in prayer to share with God his troubles.

It is surprising how much the Psalmists are concerned about sharing their burdens with God. There are nearly 10% of all the Psalms are concerns about illness alone. The Psalmist has lived an eventful life and been involved in many kinds of difficulties, troubles and responsibilities and is now going through life at a time of life-threatening illness. There are people around him, who, to put it mildly are not helpful to him as he goes through difficult days. He is depressed . He feels that God's wrath rests on him, a way of looking at things which we think quite differently about today. Alongside this he also feels that his life is in the grip of godless enemies-ruthless and unjust people who are lying in wait for him and conspiring against him.

It is very easy as people get older to feel things are working against them. Those of us who are older slow up and find ourselves not able to do all that we may want to do. It is very easy to get frustrated, but more than that, circumstances and other people can be against the older person too.

The Psalm appointed for today is Psalm 71. The good news Bible calls it ‘an Old Man’s prayer,’ so does the Jerusalem Bible.

2

There are also other factors that are very common. Loneliness, less energy and stamina We easily forget things or can’t find things. These states of mind are not just belonging to a man who lived many years ago, but probably in part of our personal histories today. It is sometimes a temptation for all of us to think our glass is ‘half empty,’ instead of ‘half full.’

What is the answer to this state of things?
It comes in verse six of this Psalm:

You are my hope Lord God, my trust. Since my childhood on you I have leaned, from birth, you brought me from my mother’s womb: to you I offer praise at all times.

The writer of these words needs to remember again how he has been brought up to trust in God from the very earliest of his days, even from the moment the Lord bought him from his mother’s womb, from the day he was born.

A good Jewish family even today sees the importance of weaning up a child to have faith in God. What a great mistake it is to leave all the education of a child to our schools alone ! There is an important place for teaching them knowledge to live life well and informed in society- in other words with a good sense of being good citizens in society, considerate of other people: but there is an emptiness in the kind of secular education that many think is the be all and end all of what education is.

Some may think of education as something that exists in order to pass exams and hopefully get a good job as the results of good examination results.

True wisdom includes knowing about God. Seeing God as a living force, and through His Spirit enabling us to be what we ought to be - made in the image of God. We need to reach out towards God- so that we can reach out to the true essentials of what life should be all about.

We need to be able to pray to God, not always in words but in our attitudes and in our intentions so that we can reach out to be fully human in the way God wants us to be.

Psalm 23 is probably the favourite psalm of most of us. ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.’ What a great comfort there is in that Psalm, but I would like us to look at just one verse of that psalm. When we put our whole trust in God and see the dimensions of his love towards all human beings through what Jesus has done, as the good shepherd, we then throw themselves trustingly into being his trusting servants in every part of our lives

Then we can say not my cup is only ‘half full,’ but ‘my cup runneth over’, this is part of our ‘convalescence’ when we go through difficult times. ‘my cup brims with blessing’ (says The Message paraphrase of the Bible).When we look at the Good News Bible it says .’You welcome me as an honoured guest, and fill my cup to the brim...
As we get older we may think that we are being excluded from things simply because we are older. That is not always an easy thing to decide what we ought to be doing. Sometimes others may think it is time that we gave things up, but we have to come to a point where we feel this ourselves. In our Covenant Service we say to the Lord, ‘let me be laid aside for you’.. We may think of this as being simply an opting out of things that we have previously done .
Sometimes in fact it is a very positive thing to give up certain things, but not give up the way of following Jesus. ‘To be laid aside’ from a particular job may mean a younger person is able to express themselves in a way that is far more in keeping with the way in which society works today. That is good. Sometimes It is a very positive thing to stand back, simply to listen and just occasionally advise and encourage others.
Sometimes when we are older we may be needed to do something that nobody else can do.
At one time earlier in my ministry one of my small chapels regularly held a monthly service with the Anglicans. Our elderly lady organist was escorted to the organ on the one arm by a retired Major General, on the other by a retired Admiral. Admiral Sir Gilbert Stephenson had been called back in his late seventies into the naval reserve and oversaw the evacuation of Dunkirk. For this he was knighted.

Now into his nineties, in his earlier days he had been responsible for conducting worship on board ships, he took some services in our small churches. He became a popular speaker at our midweek meetings. Travelling home along narrow winding roads after such a meeting, he said: ’David, when I get to the point in life where I am useless, I hope I can take a tablet and end my life. What do you think?’

It was dodgy to have a discussion on such a profound subject on windingly dangerous roads, so I asked him a question. ‘Do you believe in the power of prayer.’

He responded very positively. ‘You need never be useless’ I replied. ’You can always pray for someone whose need is greater than your own.’
‘You’ve hit me below the belt’ He replied.
My hope is that as we get older we will pray far more for those whose needs are greater than our own. We never know what influence we can have in helping others. Even our hastily expressed and naive prayers might well be the means of helping them in their spiritual needs and progress.
As we get older, life is less about doing physical feats. Our limited physical stamina prevents this, but we should be more concentrating on what we are ‘called to be’ as human beings who have been given gifts by God to be used according to the best of our ability.
The changing scenes of life can deeply affect the way in which we interpret, understand and help what is happening to us and others around us. This will deeply affect the style of ministry we perform throughout our lives.
If we keep God at the centre of or lives and prayers, whatever our problems or troubles may we too be like the old man in the Psalm- able to ‘praise God at all times’ and find his blessings in continuing to live out our lives to the full in his service.

Hymn STF531
What a friend we have in Jesus.

1 What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!

2 Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer!

Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer!

3 Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Saviour, still our refuge-- take it to the Lord in prayer!

Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Joseph Medlicott Scriven

Intercessions.

May we likewise bring all our concerns before God, our relationships, our personal worries, the needs of others, their disappointments. Let us pray for all who have lost loved ones through covid, through illnesses of all kinds. All who feel unjustly treated.

All victims because of natural disasters
The people of Tonga Those enveloped by the tsunami there .
(any special needs of friends, loved one’s or any other serious plights of people in the world.)

Almighty God to whom our needs are known before we ask, help us to ask only what accords with your will, and those good things which we do not or in our blindness cannot ask, grant us for the sake of Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord’s prayer.

Hymn STF693 Beauty for holiness

Beauty for brokenness Hope for despair Lord, in your suffering This is our prayer  Bread for the children Justice, joy, peace  Sunrise to sunsetYour kingdom increase!  Shelter for fragile lives Cures for their ills  Work for the craftsman Trade for their skills  Land for the dispossessed

Rights for the weak  Voices to plead the cause Of those who can't speak God of the poor, Friend of the weak Give us compassion we pray Melt our cold hearts Let tears fall like rain Come, change our love From a spark to a flame Refuge from cruel wars Havens from fear Cities for sanctuary Freedoms to share  Peace to the killing-fields Scorched earth to green  Christ for the bitterness His cross for the pain God of the poor.... Rest for the ravaged earth Oceans and streams  Plundered and poisoned Our future, our dreams  Lord, end our madness Carelessness, greed  Make us content with

The things that we need God of the poor...

Lighten our darkness Breathe on this flame 

Until your justice Burns brightly again

Until the nations Learn of your ways

Seek your salvation And bring you their praise

God of the poor ...

Closing prayer.

God of all, praise and thanks be ours: through Jesus who at his birth received visits from shepherds and foreigners,
who invited fishermen and tax collectors to be his disciples,
who taught us not to judge others,
who healed a Roman’s servant and a Canaanite’s daughter,
who was happy to be counted as one who ate and drank with sinners,
who challenged religious leaders for neglecting justice mercy and faith,
and who sets before us an example of a message of God's love for all people.

Cleanse us by your Holy Spirit, to truly love and serve you and serve all. In Jesus name Amen.

Go in peace and may the peace of the Lord go with you. Amen.

Sunday 23 January 2022

 

Nottingham North East Circuit 

HOME SERVICE 

SUNDAY 23rd JANUARY 2022

Prepared by Rev Alan Boyd

Welcome to this act of worship which is for you to use at home on your own or with others. If you have internet access, there are links in blue to click on to take you to the songs, Bible reading and a spoken version of today’s message. I would recommend that you say the words of the service aloud, rather than read them silently to yourself – this really does help. 

A GATHERING HYMN AND CALL TO WORSHIP

Let’s be quiet for a while as we try to step aside from whatever we’ve just been doing, take a deep breath, collect our thoughts, bring our experiences of the past week here and come to Godasweare–notasweoughttobe.Godis here as we meet to offer praise and prayer. When you feel ready, sing/read/pray/proclaim the words of this hymn (Singing The Faith 678 “Come, all who look to Christ today” to the tune “Tallis’s Canon”) :

"Come all who look ...." (CLICK FOR MUSIC)

Come, all who look to Christ today,
Stretch out your hands, enlarge your mind, Together share his living way,
Where all who humbly seek will find.

(Richard G. Jones)

Grace to you and peace from our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as we worship together.

A PRAYER OF PRAISE AND CONFESSION

Now we continue in worship as we pray together – first of all our words of praise and then our honest confession. Knowing God’s grace and goodness, we end this time with words of forgiveness. Let’s pray now ...

God of the past, we offer our praise for your constant love and guidance throughout our lives. God of the here and now, we rejoice that you continue to be with us each moment of every day. God of tomorrow, we trust in your promises as we continue our journeys as individuals and as your church.

We thank and praise you that wherever we are, whatever we are doing, in joy and sorrow, in health and sickness, in hope and despair, you are with us. We have felt your presence as we have travelled to this day, you have marked out the way ahead and you call us to follow.

Forgive us when we are hesitant or choose to go our own way, when we find it easier to be selfish rather than loving. Forgive us when we set up our own markers on an easier pathway, ignoring the needs of others. Forgive us when our actions act as millstones round the necks of others, dragging them down rather than inspiring them with your love.

(Take time now for your private confession)

We ask that each day you will remake us in your image and give us the courage to walk in your footsteps.

WORDS OF FORGIVENESS

Jesus says: I will always love you, everything is forgiven. We pray in the name of Jesus who is the way, the truth and life. Amen.

A HYMN OF PRAISE

(Singing the Faith 5 ‘Father in whom we live’)

You will know the tune as ‘Crown him with many crowns’. Also, in the first verse, some people prefer to sing “Maker, in whom we live” instead of “Father, in whom we live”.

Sing/Read/Pray/Proclaim the words ....

1. 1  Father, in whom we live,
   In whom we are, and move,
   Glory and power and praise receive Of thy creating love.
   Let all the angel throng
   Give thanks to God on high;
   While earth repeats the joyful song, And echoes to the sky.

2. 2  Incarnate deity,
   Let all the ransomed race
   Render in thanks their lives to thee, For thy redeeming grace.
   The grace to sinners showed
   Ye heavenly choirs proclaim,
   And cry: 'Salvation to our God, Salvation to the Lamb!'

3. 3  Spirit of holiness,
   Let all thy saints adore
   Thy sacred energy, and bless Thy heart-renewing power. Not angel tongues can tell Thy love's ecstatic height, The glorious joy unspeakable, The beatific sight.

4. 4  Eternal, triune Lord!
   Let all the hosts above,
   Let all the sons of men, record
   And dwell upon thy love.
   When heaven and earth are fled Before thy glorious face,
   Sing all the saints thy love has made Thine everlasting praise.

INTRODUCING OUR 2 -PART BIBLE READING

Around abut 50 AD a battered and exhausted Paul arrived in Corinth, a great port in south- eastern Greece. He had great hope for the Christian Community there, but instead found them split into factions, with some there believing that they had superior gifts and dominating everything. Paul really pushed for some re-thinking. He highlights how the Holy Spirit unifies by inspiring a whole range of gifts – not just the gifts of the Spirit in the first part of our reading in verse 1-11, but also, in the second part in verses 12-31, a wide range of practical abilities that benefit the whole community. He thinks of it as a body, where all the parts depend on each other, all the parts are equally valued and all have a vital role to play for the good of everyone.

THE FIRST PART OF OUR BIBLE READING:

1 CORINTHIANS 12:1-11 (CLICK HERE TO LISTEN)

Spiritual Gifts

1Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. 3Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says ‘Let Jesus be cursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit. 4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good .8To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

WE PRAYERFULLY SING AS WE HEAR AND BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT OUR 2 -PART READING
(STF 678 “Come, all who look to Christ today)

we’re going to pause for a minute to give us a while to think it over. While we’re doing that, we’re going to return to our opening gathering hymn and sing two verses from it 

"Come all who look ...." (CLICK FOR MUSIC)

Come, all who look to Christ today,
Stretch out your hands, enlarge your mind, Together share his living way,
Where all who humbly seek will find.

Come, all who will from every place; find here new powers of unity, accept the Spirit’s strong embrace, which binds us in community.

(Richard G. Jones)

Whether it’s a sports team, a band, cubs, brownies, guides, scouts, a family or a Church – it’s always better when we all work together. Everybody has a different part to play, or different gifts to offer. All of them are important. All of them are needed. In today’s Bible readings, a leader called Paul is helping the very first Churches - and us - to think about it. 

THE SECOND PART OF OUR BIBLE READING

1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-31 (CLICK TO LISTEN)

One Body With Many Members

12For 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. 13For in the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15If 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. 16And 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. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21The 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.’ 22On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and 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; 24whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honour to the inferior member,

25that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it. 27Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28And 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. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

A REFLECTION ON THE READING

TODAY’S MESSAGE (CLICK TO WATCH/LISTEN)

There’s a photo of me, my sister and two brothers together taken many a year ago. It’s a good one but slightly scary. Although there’s a span of 18 years between us all, we look like 4 clones. Scarily like clones. So, there are 3 more like me! Yet, although we look alike, and there are some bits of our nature that are the same, we’re definitely NOT the same people, or have the same interests, life story or talents.

Take one of my brothers – for instance – I won’t tell you which one. There is NO way on God’s good earth that you would let him near any – and I mean ANY – D.I.Y. Step away from that saw, spanner, hammer, drill, filler, sandpaper, screw, pipe, knife, paint brush - for trust me it won’t turn out well, more like Armageddon. A well, at least he knows and accepts that.

What a contrast to the heartwarming, slow expertise of THE REPAIR SHOP. Do you watch it? If not, then you should. Broken, battered, neglected and tarnished items of great personal value to people are painstakingly inspected, taken apart, and restored by some simply amazing craftswomen and craftsmen. Whether it’s a clock, piece of furniture, painting, rocking- horse, radio or 1001 other things, they somehow dismantle it, restore it and get it all back together again.

Have you ever had to take something big apart - something-big with lots of bits in it - to try to fix it? Even though I often don't quite know how they work, I've had to take lots of things apart to try to get them to work again. We especially used to have a grey vacuum cleaner. I never seemed to be away from it - screwdriver in one hand. Undo the rubber lip. Take out the screws that hold the front plate. Undo the roller and belt. Undo the second base plate. Take out the thing that changes the height for carpets and linos. Take out the suction tube. Undo the foot pedal that ... and so on and so on. Hundreds 

Now one thing that struck me in all those times was that every part was needed to make it work. Without the belt - Without the tube - Without the tiniest screw - it just wouldn't work right, or maybe wouldn't even work at all. Every bit had a part to play. It was the whole thing that mattered.

That's what Paul's getting at. Paul is the person who wrote the letter we've just read. The letter shows how all parts of the Christian body are important in the same way as something as silly as all parts of a grey vacuum cleaner - or something as marvellous as our bodies with all its many, many parts - or anything else you care to think about. Each bit depends on every other bit. Each bit has a part to play.

He says (verse 3) "There are all sorts of different gifts, but the same Lord. There are all sorts of different things to do - but the same Lord” and later on (verse 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". So it is with Christ.

Each one of us is really special and each one of us depends on everyone else. Each one of us has a gift - something we can give - and we need everyone’s gifts to make things really happen. The life of this Church doesn't just happen by chance. It needs lots of people, lots of time, lots of gifts, lots of commitment - all working together.

At the most basic level, it doesn't open itself. It doesn't clean itself. It doesn't heat itself. It doesn't light itself. It doesn't paint or repair itself. It doesn't pay for itself, doesn't have music by itself. It doesn't have worship and prayer by itself ... you name it. And at another really important level, the good news of Christ, and the hope that he offers doesn't get passed on by itself. Many people offer many gifts to the whole body and then the body works.

Back to Paul. He is dealing with a situation in Corinth where “look at me ma - no hands” was the order of the day in the Church – my gift is bigger than your gift; my knowledge is truer than your knowledge; my faith is more faithful than your faith; my Church is bigger, better, more Biblical than yours; my ministry is real ministry and yours is – well I don’t know what. A sort of a New Testament version of George Orwell’s Animal farm “all animals are equal but some are more equal than others” becomes “all can be saved but some can be more saved than others”, like that song “Anything you can do I can do better, I can do anything better than you, yes I can, no you can’t, yes I can, no you can’t”.

And Paul says – no – look around you (1 Cor 12:12) “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”. Look at what each of you has to offer (1 Cor 12:27) “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” And throughout the reading we heard, Paul gives example after example of gifts – and these are just some examples. He paints a picture of each person - and so each gift that a person has - as being an important, integral, vital, honoured part of the whole body. The gifts of the whole body. The purpose of the whole body. The mission of the whole body. The ministry of the whole body.

Realising what your gifts actually are in the first place is the best place to start. Doing that is a priority for the whole Church. It’s a priority for our Circuit. It’s a priority for the fellowship that you belong to. What is God calling you to offer? Perhaps the past 2 years have been alright-ish for you, or just different, but if you’re anything like me, you’ve maybe pulled down the shutters and retreated to your cave over the past 2 years and gone into a sort of hibernation, or maybe things have been much more difficult for you and very painful – but whatever it’s been like, God is still calling me and you.

As Paul said - some are called to be apostles, and prophets - telling it like it is, and evangelists, and preachers, and listeners, and companions, and musicians, and welcomers, and wonderful cooks, and gracious servers, and wall painters, and door-fixers, and pray-ers, and supporters, and givers, and organisers, and do-ers, and much more. Is that you? Perhaps you’re not a dramaticperson. But you are able to work modestly and steadily in a way that could support a friend who can’t cope with sudden and dramatic change at work or at home. While others lose their heads, you keep yours. That steady hand of yours on the wheel – 

Maybe you’ve been through a hell of a time yourself. Nothing has worked out right. You feel battered into the ground. But then your experience, how you’ve somehow survived, your understanding way - can offer support and hope to a friend or work mate or neighbour who’s having to face the same. What a gift!

What are you being challenged not to leave to someone else? Again, if you’re anything like me, you’ve felt anxious or lost over the past couple of years, feel anxious or lost now and just don’t know what the future will be like or aren’t sure what to do next, but God is still calling me and you. What is God calling you and me to do?

Maybe your gift is in practical caring, clothing and feeding others. Is your gift speaking up - challenging bias, injustice or racism when you hear or see it? Or is it thankfulness, being a smiling presence, a welcoming person, or plain open heartedness? What about being a patient listener, being on the phone or on the doorstep when it matters, understanding, showing mercy, a generous giver – not just money but your time, gracious in your behaviour, someone who cooperates instead of competes, encourages instead of criticises, forgives instead of holding a grudge. Someone who doesn’t give up on people.

Is your gift being patient and content with simple things? A sense of peace or patience and contentment that could encourage someone who’s suffered great disappointment? Could your gift simply be the example of your life, being able to be different and make a difference to others? Only you can know what your gift is. Only you can tell what you will do with it. What gift you could offer as part of our life and mission in your Church or in the Circuit?

Now I don't think that Mission is about standing on doorsteps, knocking on doors and asking dead embarrassing questions about Jesus. No. Just being where you are in your fellowship - that's MISSION. We are people who think that the Christian way is important - that's MISSION. We try to live by it and share it as best we can - that's MISSION. Many folk are part of our lives here. Our lives rub up against each other, we treat each other as important and we have an effect – that’s MISSION

I know that you have many talents. I know that you have already given much to the Church's life. But then I also know that you have received much. I want to invite you to give and receive again during this year. Not someone else. You. Part of living MISSION. On your doorstep. Each one of us part of the whole body. Each one of us as important as the other.

Each one of us offering what we have and who we are - and we need everyone's gifts to make things really happen. We can all be sure of one thing – it just won’t be the same without you or me. As we often say together in communion "Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in the one bread". And I believe that Christ will bless us all. And I believe that Christ will offer more in return than we can imagine. Because Christ believes in us. AMEN

PERSONAL PRAYER & PRAYERS FOR THE WORLD

Almighty God, You have created a world, and your place is the whole universe. I have made small things and my place is a home, an office, a school, a shop, a town. How can my life be important? How can it be a part of your love at work round this whole earth? Spin the globe and I see the call to tell good news; To be with those in need; To work for justice; To care for the earth; To grow as disciples of Christ. All- encompassing, All-involving, Almighty God, include me. Thank you that every one of us - young, old and in-between - has part to play in your body, the Church and so with confidence and commitment, we pray for our world ....

(Pause for a time of silence to recall, or to pray out loud for, our world, people, places or situations, those around us, our own needs)

We gather all these prayers together - spoken and unspoken - in the prayer that Jesus gave us:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, 

your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. 

AMEN.

OUR FINAL HYMN,
(Singing the Faith 116 “Sing for God’s glory “)

“Sing for God's Glory” (CLICK FOR MUSIC)

Sing/Read/Pray/Proclaim the words ...

1. SingforGod'sglory
   that colours the dawn of creation,
   racing across the sky
   trailing bright clouds of elation,
   sun of delight succeeds the velvet of night, warming the earth's exaltation.

2. SingforGod'spower
   that shatters the chains that would bind us, searing the darkness of fear and despair that could blind us,
   touching our shame with love that will not lay blame, reaching out gently to find us.

3. SingforGod'sjustice
   disturbing each easy illusion,
   tearing down tyrants
   and putting our pride to confusion, lifeblood of right, resisting evil and slight, offering freedom's transfusion.

4. SingforGod'ssaints
   who have travelled faith's journey before us, who in our weariness
   give us their hope to restore us,
   in them we see, the new creation to be, spirit of love made flesh for us.

   (Kathy Galloway)

A PRAYER OF BLESSING

Please use our skills and abilities to bring love and joy and peace to our world so that your will may be done on earth as it is in heaven. So now, O Lord, extend our friendship, deepen our faith, widen our hope, pour out your Spirit, send out your grace, reach out your love so that we may grow in your name. AMEN

Some prayers and hymns are taken from, based on, or inspired by, those in, ‘Partners in Learning’ and ‘Roots’. Hymns are used by permission under CCL

Sunday 16 January 2022

 

A service of worship to be used at home Sunday 16 January 2022

Prepared by Phil Colbourn, local preacher at Burton Joyce.
Hymns in Singing the Faith (StF)

Call to worship Psalm 36: 1-6

I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: there is no fear of God before their eyes. 2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. 3 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good. 4 Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.

5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You preserve both people and animals.

Hymn StF 476 - One more step along the world I go

1.One more step along the world I go, One more step along the world I go, From the old things to the new,
Keep me travelling along with you:

Chorus:
And it's from the old I travel to the new;
Keep me travelling along with you.

2.Round the corners of the world I turn,
More and more about the world I learn;

All the new things that I see
You'll be looking at along with me: Chorus

3.As I travel through the bad and good,
Keep me travelling the way I should; Where I see no way to go

You'll be telling me the way, I know:

Chorus

4.Give me courage when the world is rough,
Keep me loving though the world is tough;

Leap and sing in all I do,
Keep me travelling along with you: Chorus

5.You are older than the world can be, You are younger than the life in me; Ever old and ever new,
Keep me travelling along with you: Chorus

Opening prayer

Lord, our God, we bless you with our full heart. You are joy beyond all joy, peace above all peace, love above and beyond all love. All good comes from you and we praise your name. We praise and adore you. Hear us. Speak to us. Be with us. In Jesus name. Amen

Let’s share the prayer Jesus taught us: Our Father ...

Readings

Isaiah 62: 1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. 2 The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. 3 You will be a crown of splendour in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4 No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. 5 As a young man marries a young woman, so will your builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

Luke 2: 17 - 40

17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of
Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on
him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

33 The child’s father and mother marvelled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[e] She never left the

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temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

Hymn StF 479 -The King of love my shepherd is

1.The King of love my shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine for ever.

2.Where streams of living water flow, my ransomed soul he leadeth,
and where the verdant pastures grow, with food celestial feedeth.

3.Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, but yet in love He sought me,
and on his shoulder gently laid, and home, rejoicing, brought me.

4.In death's dark vale I fear no ill with thee, dear Lord, beside me; thy rod and staff my comfort still, thy cross before to guide me.

5.Thou spread'st a table in my sight; thy unction grace bestoweth;
and O what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!

6.And so through all the length of days thy goodness faileth never:
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise within thy house for ever.

Reflection Speaking out

There are three things we know about Anna:
she is a prophet; she is very old and she has been waiting a very long time. 

We all need to hear God say: “My grace is sufficient for you” and Anna knew this truth. When she saw Mary with the baby and heard Simeon sing, she knew God had come good.

She was full of gratitude and started to tell everybody about the child.

That’s all she needs: grace, patience, gratitude; the complete set. She is a prophet and she’d found her voice, so she speaks God’s word. Presented with the living Word of God in person, what else can she do but speak?

Psalm 36 begins: I have a message from God in my heart Isaiah 62 begins: For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent

It is a characteristic of God’s people all down through the ages, that they speak. It is not surprising: God spoke the world into being and Jesus is the Word of God from the beginning and at least three of the gifts of the Spirit are specifically speaking; one is prophecy. The gifts are given by the Spirit for a place and time; they don’t have to be once-for-all-time endowments. If God needs a prophet to speak here and now, it might be any one of us.

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Are we ready to speak? Have we found our voice? Do we know what God wants to say? I believe God needs prophets now: to speak truth to power, to speak into existence a new world, to speak new creation. Are we ready?

I’m reminded of the vision of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 where, by the river of grace flowing from under the “throne” of God, are trees whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. Perhaps we can share something of that vision; something of God’s new & different Kin-dom.

Hymn StF 272 - From heaven you came

From heaven you came helpless babe enter'd our world Your Glory veil'd
Not to be served but to serve
And give Your life that we might live

This is our God, the Servant King - He calls us now to follow Him
To bring our lives as a daily offering Of worship to the Servant King

2.There in the garden of tears
My heavy load He chose to bear His heart with sorrow was torn
Yet "Not my will but Yours", He said

This is our God...

3.Come see His hand and His feet - The scars that speak of sacrifice Hands that flung stars into space To cruel nails surrendered

This is our God...

4.So let us learn how to serve And in our lives enthrone Him Each other's needs to prefer For Christ we're serving

This is our God...

Intercession

Father, we pray for those in need
For those on our minds and in our hearts
For our neighbourhood and local community
For those in positions of power and responsibility
For those who live out your grace in humble obedience
For ourselves, that we may take the next step along the way

Silence

Help us to find our voices and speak your creative word into the void, into the darkness, into the chaos of our world; to speak healing, to speak peace; to speak hope; to speak love; to speak joy. Help us to speak truth without fear or favour; to teach, to encourage, to comfort and to speak light.

Hear our prayers for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Hymn StF 355 - Jesus, lover of my soul

1.Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly, While the nearer waters roll, While the tempest still is high. Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, Till the storm of life is past; Safe into the haven guide; Oh, receive my soul at last.

2. Other refuge have I none, Hangs my helpless soul on Thee; Leave, ah! leave me not alone, Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee I bring; Cover my defenceless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.

3.Thou, O Christ, art all I want, More than all in Thee I find; Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, Heal the sick, and lead the blind. Just and holy is Thy Name, Source of all true righteousness; Thou art evermore the same, Thou art full of truth and grace.

4.Plenteous grace with Thee is found, Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound; Make and keep me pure within.

Thou of life the fountain art, Freely let me take of Thee; Spring Thou up within my heart; Rise to all eternity.

Closing prayers

Thank you, Father, for your love that, in Jesus, brings in your new way of doing things. Thank you for the grace which is sufficient and more than sufficient. May we catch and live in your vision. Amen. May we express your desires, pray your prayers, in all our communication, face to

face, on the phone or via social media. In Jesus name. Amen

Blessing

The blessing of God, who makes all things new and gives grace upon grace and love beyond love, be upon you and remain with you, and with all you love, this day and always. Amen.

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