Sunday 22nd August 2021

 BURTON JOYCE 

COMMUNITY CHURCH

Sunday 22 August 2021 

with Nottingham North East Circuit 

Prepared by Deacon Helen Snowball and adapted for Burton Joyce Community Church by Phil Colbourn. Hymns: Songs of Fellowship (SoF)

A Methodist Way of Life 3: Service

Psalm 25:1-10 

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul

Hymn SoF 470 

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Let’s pray 

Eternal God, you are the source of all life, the fount of all wisdom, the wellspring of all grace. Your days are without end and your loving mercies without number and I depend on you and remember your goodness to me and to those who have gone before. 

Your story has been told in every generation, the Lord Jesus Christ lived among us, full of grace and truth, revealing your tender mercy, he healed the sick, comforted the broken and lost, in humility he washed the feet of his disciples, calling us to follow his example as one who serves. 

You are my God, ahead of me, leading me, guiding me and calling me. You are the Lord God, the all-wise, the all- compassionate, and I lift my heart in worship, today and for ever. Amen

Methodist Diaconal Order Daily Prayer. 

Confession 

For the times when we have forgotten you, Lord, we are sorry.
For the times when we have not acted as you would wish; when we have neglected someone, when we have been selfish or greedy, or inconsiderate, we are sorry. Lord in your mercy, forgive us. Amen

We have two readings today, the first is from Isaiah 61:1-6

Our second Bible reading is John 13:1-18 

He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet 

Hymn SoF 120 

From heaven you came (Servant King)

Ghislaine Howard  The washing of the feet from the Methodist Modern Art Collection © TMCP used with permission   www.methodist.org.uk/artcollection

Reflection 

As a Deacon, these two passages are particularly important to me. They are both included in the ordination service, and are often used at Convocation and diaconal gatherings, especially the John 13 passage. These Isaiah 61 verses talk of a servant ministry, of Jesus coming to serve, not to be served, and that is what we try to do. Along with other passages in the book of Isaiah, the beginning of chapter 61 is often used to point to Jesus as Messiah, as the anointed one and as servant.

These verses point to themes of release, of the year of the Lord’s favour, of comfort being given to the oppressed, and it speaks of joyful tasks. These joyful tasks being bringing good news to the oppressed, binding up the broken-hearted, and releasing the prisoners. It is a little similar to the Beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-11, in that it points forward, it shows what will happen. 

In Matthew, Jesus says ‘blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted’. In this Isaiah reading, we read that God’s anointed one will comfort all who mourn, God’s anointed one will not stand far above all others and rule, he will be with those who need him the most, he will be doing the comforting, he will be binding up the broken-hearted, he will be alongside. It is about helping people, blessing those who need the blessing of God the most. 

In John 13, we see these promises acted out. This is sometimes called Towel and Bowl Christianity and refers to Jesus acting out for the disciples what servant ministry looks like, showing his humility and his vulnerability. There is an image just before this reflection, which shows Jesus washing Peter’s feet. Now, if you didn’t know that this was Jesus and Peter, the image takes on a different tone. 

The kneeling man is incredibly vulnerable to attack, and the seated person could be about to hit him. He could be the master, telling his servant the water is too cold, his raised hand points to violence, to a hard slap because of displeasure. It could be an image of power and servitude, of a master and victim. Instead, we know it is Peter, seated looking down at Jesus, saying ’no master, you shall not wash my feet’. Jesus, the kneeling servant, replies that he must do this, he must demonstrate to all the disciples what servant ministry means. 

It is not thrones, power, war horses and prestige. Instead, it is servant ministry, vulnerability, caring for the least of society, doing the work others would turn away from. I must admit, I am not a fan of feet. Even those with manicured and seemingly perfect feet – still have horrible feet. And, as a deacon, the image of towel and bowl is often used, and it always makes me slightly uncomfortable because I doubt that I could ever do that. 

Perhaps this is something I need to pray about and actually get on my knees and do it for someone next Easter. We’ll see. Jesus, of course, has no such squeamishness. He eats with lepers, prostitutes, the sick, the tax collector, the outcast. He meets them where they are, talks to them, prays and heals, and turns their lives around. 

It's incredibly significant that when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet – he washed all the disciples’ feet – including Judas. He knew Judas was about to betray him, and he knew what the consequences would be, but of course he couldn’t perform this act of humility and get to Judas and say, ‘not you’. He showed his vulnerability and his humility, and his love for all by still washing Judas’ feet. 

I wonder how Judas felt at that moment. I wonder if he understood the significance of Jesus’ actions – he wanted a warrior king, someone to overthrow the Roman oppressors, and he had pinned his hopes on this man who was now kneeling as a servant at his feet, doing this most menial of tasks. 

Jesus’ servant ministry was key to his message – he had not come to rule, to be a king and have servants of his own – he was to be the servant, he would be servant to all the people who were in desperate need, those who needed love and care, and the touch of someone who would not judge or condemn. Judas didn’t understand this, he expected a war and victory. Of course, there was victory over death, but Judas wouldn’t have understood that. He misunderstood Jesus’ whole ministry. What about you? Have you misunderstood Jesus’ ministry? Service is part of God’s calling, he calls us all to care for others, to preach, teach and seek out the lonely and the vulnerable. 

What is your servant ministry like? The world is full of people who need us, those who are desperate. Are you able to show what true belief in Christ looks like, even if it is uncomfortable? Are you able to show true vulnerability in Christ? Are you able to – even if metaphorically - kneel in humility and wash someone’s feet? Amen

Prayers of intercession 

·      Pray for the world, for the countries in war, the countries in drought desperate for what we take for granted - clean water

·      Pray for all affected by flood and by fire

·      Pray for South Africa, as it deals with political and civil unrest 

·      Pray for Afghanistan, especially for women and girls

·      Pray for freedom in speech and protest, that we can express ourselves graciously, without causing hurt to others

·      Pray for our government, for all the leaders who make decisions that affect all of us 

·      Pray for the NHS, as it continues to work so hard for all of us 

·      Pray for our families and friends, especially those who are struggling at the moment. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer 

Our final hymn is SoF 54 

Brother, sister, let me serve you

We are pilgrims on a journey, and companions on the road; 

we are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load. 

Blessing  

The peace of the earth be to you, 

The peace of the heavens too,
The peace of the rivers be with you, 

The peace of the oceans too. 

Deep peace fall over you, God’s peace, 

God’s peace growing in you.

Guatemalan Text. Translated by Christine Carson (b. 1965). 

Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord, In the name of Christ.
Amen

Sunday 15th August 2021

 BURTON JOYCE 

COMMUNITY CHURCH

Sunday 15 August 2021

with Nottingham North East Circuit 

Prepared by Rev John Wiseman for use at home and adapted for Burton Joyce Community Church by Phil Colbourn. 

Hymns from Songs of Fellowship (SoF)

Our first hymn SoF 112 

For the beauty of the earth

Opening Prayer: Psalm 150 

Praise the LORD

Bible reading Mark 6:30-32 

 “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and rest.” 

Let’s sing SoF 28 

As we are gathered, Jesus is here

Today’s Message Establishing a Rhythm of Life

So far in this series on the Methodist Way of Life we have looked at two aspects: what it means to worship and what it means to be a learning and caring community of faith. Today, I want to focus on how we develop a rhythm in our spiritual life to take in and give out. 

I wonder how many of you can remember a TV advert for Mars, the chocolate bar. And I wonder if you can remember the slogan: A Mars a day helps you work rest and play. A Christian confectionary firm might have had a slogan ending: ‘Work, Rest and Pray’! The idea behind the slogan was that here was something that would help you through the rhythm of a day, whether you were working, resting or enjoying some sort of leisure activity. 

Jesus was a great believer in this sort of rhythm, a balanced routine, not just in his life but also in that of his disciples. He knew that there was a time to work, a time to step back and dwell with God in stillness and prayer and, judging by the fact that he is often accused of feasting and drinking, we can guess he also knew how to relax. 

And in today’s passage, after the disciples have been hard at work out in the mission field, Jesus sees they need to restore some balance and so he encourages them to step back, escape to a quiet place to rest, to be still and simply to reengage with God again through prayer. This is something Jesus himself was in the habit of doing. All through his ministry Jesus sought, and encouraged his disciples to seek, this rhythm or being and doing, of working and resting, of motion and stillness, of existing in a relationship with God and with others. 

Some of you will know that I am a runner, well no perhaps that’s not the right description. I am someone who runs. One of the things that makes a good runner is the ability to control their breathing. We breathe in to take oxygen into the lungs which is then transported around our circulation via red blood cells to allow the cells in our bodies to produce energy efficiently. We breathe out in order to remove carbon dioxide, the potentially toxic waste product of metabolism from our bodies. Athletes often spend periods of time training at high altitude, stressing their bodies to produce more red blood cells so that when they return to compete at sea level, their breathing is more effective and efficient. 

During normal everyday activities, we hardly notice we are breathing at all, it is simply a natural process. If, however, we exert ourselves or are suffering from an illness, then quite often breathing in and out becomes the only thing we can focus on. 

Before becoming a minister, I was a physiotherapist and have spent hours helping people with breathing problems. People whose inability to breathe increased their anxiety which put further strain on their breathing. Trying to break that vicious cycle was not always easy, but once a rhythm had been restored, the patient’s health stabilised. 

In the film ‘Sweet Charity’, Sammy Davis Junior sings: 

“And the rhythm of life is a powerful beat, 

“Puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet”

And, indeed, when we get that rhythm right, whether it be the rhythm of work, rest and play, or the rhythm of managing and controlling our breathing - which is often one of the focus points of many meditation techniques, or the spiritual rhythm in which we offer and receive from God, or the give and take with our neighbours, then the tingle that we feel will not simply be contained within our fingers and feet but will run through out whole being. 

In worship we might think we come to receive, to be restored, to be recharged for the week ahead, and that is true. But its main focus is one of giving back to God in response for the love God has already given us. In learning and caring, simply by being part of a church that wants to grow and develop and flourish together, we have an opportunity to share our knowledge and compassion with others and to be on the receiving end of their experience and kindness. 

In another part of my life, I worked / served at a street clinic in Calcutta and also taught physiotherapy at a Spinal Injuries unit in Bangladesh and I can honestly share that I received back from those I treated / taught far more than I ever offered in service to them. And since becoming a minister, one of the great joys is not so much telling people what God has, is and will do in my life, but being invited in, to share the faith stories of others. 

In the Methodist Way of Life, as with any similar Christian rule of life, we live out our faith in discipleship and witness, we offer and we receive, we give & we take, we grant and we are given, we bequeath and we are blessed, we sow and we reap, we scatter and we gather, we include and we are invited in in return, all mixed together in this great dance of life. 

We will each move to a different soundtrack, a different beat, choose different steps, and find ourselves dancing with different people at different parts in our life. But once we have found out feet and found our natural rhythm, then the back and forth, the to-and-fro, the leading and being led, the giving and receiving, will seem as natural as breathing and, as any good dancer or runner will testify, we will be able to adapt to the stresses and strains of life. 

Breathing in and breathing out...through worship, through learning and caring, through service and through telling God’s story and sharing our own faith journey. Breathing in and out ... not through shallow, rapid gasps for air that increase our anxiety but through slow, deep, meaningful lung and life filling inhalations and exhalation that bring a sense of focus, peace and calm. So, in a final act of discipleship this morning, just sit still. Think about how you view worship, service, learning & caring, service and speaking about God...take a deep breath in, then out, in then out, in then out. Amen

Our next hymn SoF 40 

Be still for the presence of the Lord 

Prayers of intercession 

·      Pray for all who feel breathless due to illness, anxiety or fear 

·      Pray for those we know whose loved ones have taken their final breath. 

·      Pray for those struggling to pause for breath due to the hectic lives they lead 

·      Pray for all those athletes who have produced moments that have taken our breath away at the current Tokyo Olympics, whether in victory or defeat. 

·      Pray for those breathing new life into our churches and communities 

·      Pray for those who can’t breathe, suffocated by prejudice, injustice, violence or hate

·      Pray for the earth, that all may be free to breathe the unpolluted air

Let’s bring all our prayers together in the prayer Jesus taught his disciples: Our Father, who art in heaven …

Our final hymn SoF 238 

In heavenly love abiding

Blessing 

As we plan for the week ahead, may the breath of God animate our being and our doing, our giving and receiving, our taking and our offering, our sowing and our reaping. Amen

Breathe in deeply... Now, breathe out

Sunday 8th August 2021

 BURTON JOYCE 

COMMUNITY CHURCH

with  Nottingham North East Circuit

Sunday 8 August 2021

Prepared by Rev John Wiseman. Adapted for Burton Joyce Community Church by Phil Colbourn. Spend time with God, knowing that other people share this act of worship with you. Hymns: Songs of Fellowship (SoF) 

Opening Prayers 

Psalm 119:169-176 Let my cry come before you Lord

Bible reading Luke 10:38-42 

Mary & Martha

Hymn SoF 1448 

May the mind of Christ, my Saviour

Today’s Message 

Now it might seem from the bible passage that Jesus is placing the learning that Mary does above the caring that Martha provides, but there is a time and a place for both. But, today, I’m doing something a bit sdifferent. Rather than focus on the bible passage, I am going use this song, verse by verse, as we explore today’s theme.

1 Let us build a house where love can dwell, and all can safely live.
A place where saints and children tell, how hearts learn to forgive.
Built of hopes and dreams and visions. 

Rock of faith and vault of grace.
Here the love of Christ shall end divisions, 

All are welcome, all are welcome,
All are welcome in this place. 

Although it was written for a church dedication, the words of this hymn do not really refer to the physical construction of a church. It uses the metaphor of a building to focus on the church that meets to worship God, the people, the living body of Christ. A living body full of love and hope, life and faith, successes and failures, hospitality and nurture, peace, justice and equality, acceptance and welcome, that as it learns more about God’s love is able to act as a channel of that love in the way it cares for its members and its local community. A body of people where all can feel safe and secure in who they are, where people are able to live lives that not only receive forgiveness from God but also offer forgiveness to each other and even to themselves. It is about a people learning more about the God they believe in and able to care for others in the way God cares for us 

2 Let us build a house where prophets speak. and words are strong and true. 

Where all God's children dare to seek to dream God's reign anew
Here the cross shall stand as witness. And a symbol of God's grace.
Here as one we claim the faith of Jesus, 

All are welcome, all are welcome,
All are welcome in this place. 

As he toured the Mediterranean on his three missionary journeys, Paul was faced with many different issues that demanded his attention. As he attempted to console, calm, comfort, challenge and correct, Paul proclaimed to those early communities that it didn’t matter where they were, who they were, which level of society they came from, if they were Jew or Gentile, free or slave, man or woman. Despite their differences they held one thing in common which united them more than other things could ever divide them. And that was the cross. In 1 Corinthians 2:2 Paul declares:  "I determined that while I was with you, I would speak of nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified.” It is through the redeeming work of Jesus on the cross that ALL of God’s people can be active participants in bringing in the kingdom, declared in a united prophetic voice, that is Good News for all. 

3 Let us build a house where love is found, in water, wine and wheat.

A banquet hall on holy ground, where peace and justice meet
Here the love of God, through Jesus, is revealed in time and space.
As we share in Christ the feast that frees us 

All are welcome, all are welcome,
All are welcome in this place. 

During the last meal with his disciples, Jesus shared bread and wine with his closest friends. Taking the break and wine, blessing it and sharing it he declared that his body and blood were being given for them. Do this, he said, ‘in remembrance of me’. I wonder whether Jesus was simply asking them to share bread and wine or whether he was saying ‘whenever you find yourself having to put your body in the firing line, when your blood might get shed... do it in memory of me.’ Do it because you believe in the things I stood for, in the things I did, in the words I spoke, in the way I interacted with people and sought to bring God and humanity together. Putting yourself on the line because you believe in truth, peace, justice, equality, forgiveness, grace, reconciliation and love that overcomes all things. Remember me by how you live out your faith in worship, service and evangelism but also in leaning and caring, continuing to learn more about me and caring for others and for yourself. 

4 Let us build a house where hands will reach, beyond the wood and stone.

To heal and strengthen, serve and teach, and live the word they’ve known.

Here the outcast and the stranger, bear the image of God’s face,
let us bring an end to fear and danger.
All are welcome, all are welcome,
all are welcome in this place. 

As we explore our faith through scripture and the example of Jesus, we learn we are not called to be static in either our being or doing. Rather we are called to move forward towards the future God is calling us to. To move deeper in our discipleship and witness, taking the good news, taking love for the least, the lost and the lonely that Jesus demonstrated so visibly in his own ministry, out of the place where we meet to worship God and into the communities in which we live, in order to serve God through our care and compassion. In the words of Jesus in Matthew 25: ‘whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 

5 Let us build a house where all are named, their songs and visions heard.
And loved and treasured, taught and claimed, as words within the Word.
Built of tears and cries and laughter, prayers of faith and songs of grace,

let this house proclaim from floor to rafter. 

All are welcome, all are welcome,
all are welcome in this place.

Marty Haugen @ GIA Publications Ltd 1994 

I wonder if we, as individuals, as churches, as a circuit, can engage in activities that allow all people across the age spectrum to listen and learn from old and young alike. To create a fellowship where despite our sometimes-contradictory convictions, people’s understanding of faith and their own individual journeys are not just tolerated but accepted. A community where the highs and the lows, the tears and the laughter, can be moments when we share and care for each other and our local communities. Learning and caring is one strand of our Way of Life. Perhaps, as we emerge out of the darkness of the past 16 months into the light of the future God has laid out for us, we can learn to be the living body of Christ and proclaim that all are indeed welcome in this place. Amen

Let’s sing SoF 411 O for a heart to praise my God

Prayers of Intercession 

For all those who have given their best in the Tokyo Olympics

For all those preparing for the Paralympics starting on 24 August 

For those who provide learning opportunities of all kinds

For all those who work in the care sector 

For those who are away on holiday and for those who are not 

For Rev Moses and his family as they move to Winchester 

For Deacon Julie Morton as she prepares to come to the NNE circuit 

That all of our churches can be learning and caring communities 

We bring all our prayers together in Our Father …

Our final song (not in SoF)

Teach me, my God and King,  in all things thee to see,  and what I do in anything  to do it as for thee. A man that looks on glass,  on it may stay his eye;  or if he pleaseth, through it pass,  and then the heaven espy. All may of thee partake;  nothing can be so mean,  which with this tincture, "for thy sake,"  will not grow bright and clean.

A servant with this clause  makes drudgery divine:  who sweeps a room, as for thy laws,  makes that and the action fine. This is the famous stone  that turneth all to gold;  for that which God doth touch and own  cannot for less be told.

Blessing 

Into this week we go, our hearts and minds set on learning more about your endless love for us, and promising to offer your care and compassion to all that we meet, for it is in Jesus name that we go to serve and care. Amen

Sunday 1st August 202

 BURTON JOYCE 

COMMUNITY CHURCH

with Nottingham North East Circuit

Sunday 1 August 2021 

Welcome to today’s act of worship, prepared by Deacon Jenny Jones. It is part of a series based on a new resource A Methodist Way of Life which we hope you find helpful even if you are not a Methodist. Hymns: Songs of Fellowship (SoF)

Let us start with a moment of silence, stilling our minds and bodies, to listen for the small, quiet voice of God speaking into our hearts. 

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts 

The whole earth is full of God’s glory 

Let’s sing SoF 183 

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty

Today, I am using short pieces from the Psalms as our prayers. 

Let us pray

Loving Lord, teach me according to your constant love, and teach me your commands. I am your servant; give me understanding, so that I may know your teachings. Amen. [Psalm 119: 124-125] 

You have done many things for us, O Lord our God; there is no one like you! You have many wonderful plans for us. Amen. [40: 5] 

I pray to you, O Lord. You hear my voice in the morning. At sunrise I offer my prayer and wait for your answer. Amen [5: 3] 

To start this series on The Methodist Way of Life, we are going to explore the Worship section which involves three commitments: 

As far as we are able, with God’s help: 

1.   we will pray daily 

2.   we will worship with others regularly 

3.   we will look and listen for God in Scripture, and the world. 

The first one asks us to pray daily. We breathe in and out all day long. Without breathing we cannot live. Prayer similarly is an essential, involuntary, part of daily life. It is an unburdening. It is about being in God’s presence and being open to his calling. 

Read Proverbs 8:32-36 

These words tell us about the happiness we find listening, watching and waiting daily for God. Prayer is not about a formal set of words in a particular place. It is for the tough times as well as the good times. Jesus turned to God when times were hard. He tells us to pray ‘Give us each day’, to go back daily to ask for the things we need.

Prayer invites us to lay down our burdens and to ask for help. It is an opportunity to be in God’s presence and to receive his love and to show our love as we listen to God. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out; again and again. Imagine prayer being that instinctive.

I thank you, O Lord, among the nations. I will praise you among the peoples. Your constant love reaches the heavens; your faithfulness touches the skies. Show your greatness in the sky, O God and your glory over all the earth. Amen. Psalm 57:9 

Let us sing SoF 1067 

To be in your presence (This is my desire)

Our second commitment is to worship with others regularly. 

O Lord, I will always sing of your constant love; I will proclaim your faithfulness for ever. I know that your love will last for all time, that your faithfulness is as permanent as the sky.Amen [89: 1-2] 

Read Colossians 3:15-17 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts 

What is worship? There are so many different styles of worship in different churches around the world. Some are short acts of worship; others much longer. Some say worship of God is a private matter, but our commitment here is to worship God with others regularly. Each part of that commitment is important: 

·  to worship 

·  with others 

·  regularly 

Worship is about bringing God our adoration and praise for the truth revealed to us in Jesus Christ and made real for us by the Holy Spirit. It is about being transformed by the grace and power of God. Wherever we go to worship, God is there before us and whatever group of Christians we join is there by the grace of Jesus Christ who has called them to be his disciples. We follow the example of Christians who from the time of the early church have found fellowship and God’s blessing when they come together in praise. 

The pandemic has brought home to us how important worshipping with others is in sustaining our faith journey. We have missed the familiar routine but we have also recognised how many of those in our churches who because of health issues, work commitments or other reasons cannot attend church regularly. Let’s think creatively about how we might use new patterns of worship so that we can together fulfil this commitment to praise God with other regularly. 

Worship includes all of our devotions – prayer, scripture, interaction with others, our response and how we take our worship beyond our church buildings. Scripture reminds us that we are not alone: ‘All the earth worships you; they sing praises to you, sing praises to your name’ (Psalm 66: 4) and at college the back of the chapel door reminded us that ‘You are now entering a place of worship’ as you left the building! It is in our togetherness that we flourish.

Read Romans 12: 4-5 For, as in one body, we have many members

As a member of the Methodist Diaconal Order, I am expected to live by a Rule of Life, which is not that different from The Methodist Way of Life. At first, I was not drawn to what I thought of as a set of rules but, as I have lived with them now for 14 years, I have appreciated that they give me freedom and strong foundations on which to live my life and journey with God. I have learned to love them. The rhythms of prayer, worship, scripture, service, rest and learning allow for a re-balancing of the demands of our lives in the world.

This ties into the third commitment: 

We will look and listen for God in Scripture, and in the world.

Some of us find God more easily in the beauty of creation; others find God more easily through Scripture. When we read the Bible, we want to encounter God and be transformed as in Isaiah 55 (do look it up). Can we seek God in the Bible and the world in the way shown in Isaiah’s vision? Bible study can be a joy and each one of us will have wildly different experiences of encountering God. The Bible is a library of stories of people’s encounters with God. By reading them and understanding their context helps us look for God in the world. So often we forget to look for God in unexpected places. 

Reading the Scriptures helps us to understand how God works in the lives of people. God calls the most unexpected people to do his work. The Bible is the Living Word because, despite being ancient texts, the encounters show us the way to meet God in our lives today. Amen

Let’s sing this lovely hymn by Frances Ridley Havergal 

[Hymns & Psalms 553; Rejoice & Sing 613]

Lord, speak to me that I may speak
In living echoes of your tone.
As you have sought, so let me seek
Your erring children, lost and lone.

Oh, lead me, Lord, that I may lead
The wand'ring and the wav'ring feet.
Oh, feed me, Lord, that I may feed
Your hungry ones with manna sweet.

Oh, teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious truths which you impart.
And wing my words that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.

Oh, fill me with your fullness, Lord,
Until my very hearts o'erflows
In kindling thought and glowing word,
Your love to tell, your praise to show.

Oh, use me, Lord, use even me,
Just as you will, and when, and where
Until your blessed face I see,
Your rest, your joy, your glory share.

We pray

Teach me what you want me to do, and I will obey you faithfully. Teach me to serve you with complete devotion. Amen [86: 11] 

Your constant love is better than life itself, and so I will praise you.
I will give you thanks as long as I live; I will raise my hands to you in prayer. My soul will feast and be satisfied, and I will sing glad songs of praise to you. Amen [63: 3-5]

Blessing

May the Lord bless you this week and forevermore. Amen

An apology & welcome to the Lockdown Archive

(Sorry!)

Apologies if you have been looking for the Sunday service for the past few weeks. The Sunday service posting guy seems to have been on holiday or taking a break. I guess it is August. 

I hope, if you have been looking, you have found something to fill the gap from the *Lockdown Archive*, which is what this series of Sunday services seems to have become. Over a year now of services online.

This accumulation of worship outlines is potentially a major resource that you can dip into at any time. Ignore the date, just go for the content. 

Inspiration. Help. Hope. Contemplation. Encouragement. 

Whatever it is you need in times of stress and uncertainty, you will find something here.

Go well