Lockdown Blues

Lockdown Blues

It's been a while. We've been away on a virtual cruise in the Baltic. To be honest, I needed a break and in the world-before-coronavius we would actually have been on a Baltic cruise in June (although that seems now like some species of insanity). So we sampled the cuisine of the various ports we would have visited, more or less, as far as we were able. 

In Helsinki, we asked our son & daughter-in-law what would be appropriate (they've been to Finland a couple of times). They said elk. So we ordered venison from our veggie-box people - Yes! That was our big lockdown discovery! The veggie-box people do other things too! Like bread and milk and meat and ready meals! After about a month without any we actually had a loaf of wholemeal bread. It put a whole new spin on "Give us this day our daily bread". - So, yes, well, the venison is still in the freezer. Maybe we will do Helsinki some other time. 

We did source some Danish pastries from Tesco but only after we had (theoretically) been to Denmark twice and arrived back at Tilbury. But that's the good thing about virtual cruising, you can be flexible. It doesn't matter. It's OK. You don't have to do it today. Next week will be fine.

So. I've been working on this poster for the last month (or more). It's almost done. 

It was supposed to be a simple paint on paper job. I don't know what happened. Somehow it took on a life of its own. Maybe another month and I'll be satisfied, but no guarantees. It may end up under the desk.

Jesus wept over the City. It's how I feel alot of the time, especially now, as lockdown is being lifted and the traffic on Church Road seems worse than ever it was before. 'Seems' is the operative word in that sentence. It was like living in Paradise to be able to cross the road almost at will and for the internal combustion powered vehicle to be an endangered species. 

It was like living in Paradise. Perhaps it was fool's paradise. Somehow, I still hope it was a foretaste of the way things are going to be. And soon. We've shown we can do it if we're scared enough.

That other poster is still up on the church noticeboard in Meadow Lane.

There really is an emergency. It hasn't gone away. So please leave your car at home. For me. 

Go on. You know you want to.

Easter 6 - Christian Aid Sunday

Easter 6 - Christian Aid Sunday

Easter 6 - Sunday 10^th May 2020 

Burton Joyce Community Church

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK

Welcome to worship. 

We’ll begin by singing:

Break thou the bread of life (SoF* 50)

Let us pray:

God of all the Earth, be with us now as we share in worship. Teach us to love one another. Open our hearts to encompass people everywhere, in their need, in their joy, in their hopes and aspirations. We are all one in you, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Forgive us, loving Lord, for our doubts. Forgive us that we are slow to follow. Forgive us for denying your life in us and in others by the way we live. Forgive us - as we forgive one another. Live in us as we live in your grace. In the name of the risen Christ. Amen

Our Father ...

Hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (SoF 470)

Reading: John 21, 1-14

Reflection:

Jesus meets them back where he first called them, in Galilee. It is a recommissioning. It is a new calling and a new sending.

Where did you first meet Jesus? What did he say to you then? What is he saying to you now? Let's go forward together in his name. Amen

Hymn: I heard the voice of Jesus say (SoF 215)

Prayer of lament and intercession:

God our refuge, we come with empty hands but wit hearts full of questions, bruised by loss, fearing the future, stunned by events. Draw near to us as we place our hopes in your hands.

God in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Hear the cry of our hearts for bereaved neighbours and those pained by absence; hold those who are hurting. Remind us that we all play our part and save lives by staing at home.

On Christian Aid Week Sunday, we pray with communities across the world, especially people with limited sanitation, unable to wash their hands and with little chance to self-isolate.

God in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for Christian Aid partners providing vital supplies, communicating clear information, raising the voices of the vulnerable and ensuring they are kept as safe as possible.

We pray for wisdom amd resources for key workers but, as we clap them and as we praise you for your creation, we long for the first shoots of your kingdom to appear and grow.

God in your mercy, hear all our prayers. Amen

Please pray for others, as you wish to pray today.

Hymn: Love divine all loves excelling (SoF 377)

A Blessing:

May the presence of the Creator refresh you, may the comfort of the Son renew you, may the inspiration of the Spirit restore you to love in action, from a distance, in our neighbourhoods, near and far, this day and for evermore. Amen.

------------------

*SoF = Songs of Fellowship

This service outline was developed using material provided by Rev Colin Bones [URC]. With thanks

Today's service is focused on Christian Aid Week. In normal times, this would have been a United service with all the churches in the village coming together as Churches Together in Burton Joyce, Bulcote and Stoke Bardolph. Donations will help respond to the Coronavirus emergency. 

Make a donation at: 

www.caweek.org/payin

or call 020 7523 2269 to donate by telephone.

Thank you

                            

Second Sunday of Easter

Second Sunday of Easter

EASTER 2
Sunday 19th April 2020

Lovingly he greets us

A Song (Songs of Fellowship 304)
Jesus, stand among us, in thy risen power

A Prayer

Lo Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb
Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom
Let the church with gladness hymns of triumph sing
For the Lord now lives & death has lost its sting.

[verse 2; Thine be the glory]

Our Father ...

A Reading (Luke 24: 13-35)
That day, two of them were going to a village called Emmaus

It's not a bad pattern to emulate:
Jesus meets them where they are (with appropriate distancing!)
Jesus listens to what is troubling them
Jesus offers them God's grace
Jesus channels God's peace to them, and also to us.

We can do the same, if we are in Christ.
We can draw alongside, listen, offer God's grace
and be channels of God's peace for other people. Amen

We pray for the world
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

A Blessing

May the God of love & grace
Meet with you in the way
And give you peace. Amen

Acknowledgement and Thanks
The following hymn was provided by Rev John Wiseman (Sherwood Methodist Church) for this Sunday's worship. The above service was developed from materials created by Rev John Wiseman.

Emmaus-bound on Easter Day

(Tune: We have a gospel to proclaim)

Emmaus-bound on Easter Day
Two travellers walked along the way.
The'd once had hope but hope had died
When you, O Lord, were crucified.

When you appeared beside those two,
They could not see that it was you;
But as they talked and shared their pain,
You gave them hope and joy again.

For as you spoke to them God's word,
Explaining all they'd seen and heard,
They understood what God had done
And that a new day had begun.

They shared their home; you broke the bread.
They saw you, risen from the dead!
That moment's grace helped them to see
The gift of God's eternity.

In scripture and at table too,
O Risen Lord, may we know you.
And may your presence give us grace
To share God's love in every place.

An Easter Sunday service

An Easter Sunday service

[Hymn numbers refer to Songs of Fellowship] 

Welcome to this short act of worship that we can celebrate in our own homes during this time of coronavirus lockdown. We share Easter worship with people all round the world who are in similar situations and equally difficult circumstances.

Christ is risen! Allelulia!

Hymn 61: Christ the Lord is risen today

Prayers of thanks, praise & confession

Do not let your hearts be troubled;
God forgives, welcomes & restores 
each one of us without distinction
when we come to him in Christ 

 The Lord's Prayer 
(see the Virtual Church page above)

Reading: John 20, verse 19

On the evening of the first day of the week ... 
Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"

• It has been a hard few days and weeks
• Sunday brings some unexpected news
• The stone has been moved!

Take a moment to reflect on this: Jesus is alive!
A time of silence

Prayers of intercession

• for our world
• our community
• family and friends
• all the people doing essential jobs during the corona virus lockdown

Hymn 6: Allelulia, Allelulia, Give thanks to the risen Lord!

We ask a blessing

Christ is risen! Allelulia!
He is risen indeed! Allelulia! 

Thank you for sharing in this short service with us