Lent 2 - Sunday 28th February 2021

 BURTON JOYCE 

COMMUNITY CHURCH

Sunday 28^th February 2021 

The Second Sunday in Lent

With Nottingham North East Circuit 

Adapted from the service prepared by the Revd John Wiseman. 

Spend a few moments with God, as others share with you. 

Songs of Fellowship (SoF) 

The hymns are chosen mostly from the church hymnbook Songs of Fellowship (SoF). 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)

Let’s begin by singing SoF 1120: 

Will you come and follow me

Opening prayers

Father God, you are faithful and kind. You are near to all who call. Your love draws us and your mercy & grace bring us to repentance. Forgive us for not loving you wholeheartedly and for failing to be salt & light in the world; for caring about our own pleasure while ignoring those in need.

Lord Jesus Christ, we come to your cross. By your blood, we are cleansed and by your stripes we are healed. In your love, we are forgiven. 

Holy Spirit, create in us a clean heart. Give us a hunger for your words. Convict and convince us as we come to worship. Strengthen us for the journey. 

Glory be with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Psalm 66:1-9 & 16-20: 

Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth

Bible reading Mark 2:13-17: 

The call of Levi, a tax-collector

Hymn SoF 593: What a friend we have in Jesus 

Today’s message with audio link 

https://app.box.com/s/fwrm1159lubegvs03gdnxo37ny ywsx3x 

It’s not a job for the easily offended or faint hearted: working as a tax collector in the border town of Capernaum on behalf of Herod Antipas, an unpopular ruler who was a puppet of the hated Roman Empire. Customs officer might be a better description and, as such, the job offered plenty of opportunities for shady dealing and exploitation. Tax collectors had a bad reputation. 

So how could the supposed Messiah, the one people expected to free them from the shackles of Rome, take one of Rome’s very own oppressors into his inner circle? Given his association with Rome, his occupation, his contact with Gentiles and doubts about his honesty, Levi was not the kind of man pious and devout Jews wanted anything to do with. But Jesus invites Levi to follow him, to come and be part of his inner circle, to be one of his disciples and despite having what one must assume was a steady job, that’s exactly what Levi does: making an immediate, spur of the moment, life changing decision. 

As Jesus cures, he also heals. He restores. He makes things straight, cleanses, and reintegrates people back into society. Here, right at the start of his public ministry, Jesus declares that this new Kingdom will be for the least, the lost and the lonely. What better way to demonstrate this than to sit down to a meal with Levi and a houseful of tax collectors and sinners. Having received the call and love of Jesus into his own life, Levi turns round and extends the invitation to others just like him. Rather than drop his friends and associates, like he did his job, Levi invites them to share the encounter with Jesus in their own lives. 

Jesus doesn’t attempt simply to avoid those classified as ‘unclean’, he actually seeks them out, actively engages with them, actively shares in God’s provisions with them. After all which one of us, to paraphrase Jesus response to the scribe, would want a doctor to be available to see us only when we were healthy? Jesus extends grace to us, acceptance and an open armed welcome, before we have even repented or changed anything in our lives. 

Who do you identify with in this story? 

• Do you find it difficult to believe that God would want to spend time with you? 
• Are you quick to judge, condemn and criticize? 
• Do you extend the invitation to family, friends, colleagues and strangers? 

What are we waiting for? 

The table is set, the food is ready and there are plenty of spaces available! 

Let’s sing SoF 738: 

Go forth and tell

Prayers of Intercession 

• Pray for the stories and situations foremost in our thoughts this week 
• Pray for all those who feel excluded from God’s great banquet 
• Pray for all fearful of offering or accepting the invitation for fear of rejection 

Pray for the for Women’s World Day of Prayer (5 March)

Pray for the people of Wales with St David’s Day tomorrow (1 March)

Pray for our local family of faith in these strange times

Let’s keep a time of silence before God 

We join together to say the words of the Lord’s prayer: 

Our Father

Let's sing S0F 1583: 

We have a gospel to proclaim

A blessing... 

Having received from around God’s table, let us offer that same invitation to come and dine to all we meet. And may the God of grace go with us, leading us in the way, walking beside us, and keeping us safe on the journey, in Jesus name. Amen

 Ash Wednesday

Midweek Worship from the Nottingham North East Methodist Circuit this week will be a special service for Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. 

The service begins at 10am.

Find the link to the service here

A Journey through Lent

Come with us over the next six weeks 

A Journey with Jesus through Lent

with Nottingham North East Circuit of the Methodist Church

Readings, reflection and prayers day by day

A journey in the company of Jesus and the disciples

• Readings from Mark's gospel
• Reflections from Circuit staff
• Prayers to prompt and inspire

Link to the journey here 

Delia Smith: A Feast for Lent. Friday week 3

Delia Smith: A Feast for Lent. Friday week 3 

I brought some Lent books home from the church library so that I could share some of the reflections here on the website. I'll put some up here on the blog and others on the Virtual Church page.

Living Word

The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like a two edged sword but more finely, it can slip through to the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or the joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts. No created thing can hide from him; everything is uncovered and open. This is the one to whom we must give an account of ourselves.  (Hebrews, 4, 12-13)

Delia comments: 

Jesus knows what it is like to be human. So we can approach him with confidence and be sure of finding help. So to sum up: we must not be afraid to let the word of God penetrate our lives because Jesus understands and gives grace and the help we need. There would, after all, be no point God sending a saviour if there was nothing to save us from!

A prayer:

Search me, O God, and know my heart.
Test me and know my thoughts.
See that I do not follow the wrong path
and lead me into the path of eternal life.
Amen

Daily Devotions from the URC

Daily Devotions from the URC

Tuesday 17th March A Hymn: Christ is our light! The bright and morning star (Highlands Cathedral) CH4 336 © Leith Fisher Christ is our light! The bright and morning star covering with radiance all from near and far. Christ be our light, shine on, shine on we pray into our hearts, into our world today. 2. Christ is our love! Baptised that we may know the love of God among us, swooping low. Christ be our love, bring us to turn our face and see in you the light of heaven’s embrace. 3. Christ is our joy! Transforming wedding guest! Through water turned to wine the feast was blessed. Christ be our joy; your glory let us see, as your disciples did in Galilee. St John 2: 1 - 11 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’  His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim.  He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’  Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. Reflection How often in life do we settle for second best or are we asked to accept something offered as a solution more in hope than expectation?  Maybe we’re happy with things that way as we’re able to appreciate the eventual solution all the more when it comes. Maybe, on the other hand, if you’re like me, you’d prefer an effective solution in the first place, one that is expected to work without the wasted resources and opportunities, not to mention the possible unnecessary suffering along the way. Jesus was aware there was a problem to solve.  People at a joyous occasion of a wedding were thirsty and the hosts will have been feeling embarrassed.  The previous wine offering had been perfectly acceptable as far as it went but what Jesus ‘brought to the party’ was in a different league. As Christians, why do we let those around us go about their lives in their own way in the hope that they’ll be OK, whilst keeping to ourselves the real light, love and joy that relationship with Jesus brings? Prayer Gracious God, help us to appreciate everything You have done for us, particularly Your gift of Light, Love and Joy that is Jesus Christ. Help us to share the Good News of Jesus at the earliest opportunity, rather than as a last resort. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Find the URC Daily Devotions webpage here

Lent Group: Churches Together

Burton Joyce Churches Together Lent Group 


Burton Joyce Churches Together Lent Group starts today, Monday 19th February 2018, meeting this evening at 7.15 pm in Dinah's home: 96 Church Road, Burton Joyce.

All welcome

Covenant & Valentines

Covenant and Valentines

The year is off to a good start.

We were very glad to welcome Rev Richard Byass to lead our Covenant service on Sunday 28th January. We were delighted too to welcome our friends from St Helens and from the other churches of the parish, St Luke Stoke Bardolph and Holy Trinity Bulcote.

Thanks to everyone who helped make the Valentine Day coffee pop-ins a success on Friday 16th February.

It seems Christmas is hardly over and we are plunged into prepartions for Easter. The shops are already full of Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns. Easter is early this year. Valentine's Day, February 14th, was also Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent and  Easter Sunday is on 1st April which raises interesting possibilities.

Whatever you are doing or not doing for Lent, why not join us on the journey? Here are just some of the things happening at BJCC between now and Easter Day itself:

Womens' World Day of Prayer: Friday 6th March 2018
Churches Together. Lowdham Methodist Church at 2.30 pm

Church Meeting: Tuesday 6th March 2017 at 2 pm

Mothering Sunday: Sunday 11th March 2018, 10.30 am
Sunday worship celebrating all who care for others

Palm Sunday: Sunday 25th March 2018, 10.30 am
Sunday worship at the start of Holy Week
Maundy Thursday: Thursday 29th March 2018

Good Friday: Friday 30th March 2018, tbc
A short service of prayer and meditation
Easter Day: Sunday 1st April 2018
Breakfast bacon and tomato at 9.30
Easter morning worship with communion at 10.30 am
Followed by coffee
He is risen!

Pancake Day!

It is Pancake Day next Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday, 28th February 2017)

There's still time to buy the ingredients you need for making and eating pancakes next Tuesday. Or, if you're like me, you can cheat and buy ready-made pancakes and a squeezy lemon. But what we should be doing is using up all the fat in the larder ready for the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday when (historically) people fasted for forty days leading up to Easter. Not so common these days I have to admit, not even in this household. We might think about giving up chocolate or biscuits but even that is a tough one. Well, you know what they say: It's the thought that counts.

Pancakes!

Here are two recipes:
Easy Pancakes from BBC Good Food - Pancakes
Basic Pancakes from Delia Smith - More pancakes

Pancakes!

Of course, Pancake Day is also known as Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). So if you want you can have a Carnival like they do in Rio. [Rio!]

If you would like something to read during Lent, I can recommend the book of Lent reflections by Delia Smith : A Feast for Lent   You may find a copy on the book shelves at the front of the church and there are other Lent books there too. So have a look next time you are in church.

Burton Joyce Community Church
On the corner of Meadow Lane