Worship at Home
Worship for the week beginning 20th June 2021
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01604 266000.
Sunday 20th June
Rev Romeo Pedro has prepared this week’s message
This short act of worship is for use from home. Please use this service whenever you like during the week.
Pause to settle yourself in God’s presence, knowing that other people are sharing in worship with you.
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© ROOTS for Churches Ltd www.rootsontheweb.com. Reproduced with permission.
Happy Fathers’ Day.
I pray God’s blessing over you today.
We gather to worship Christ:
It is good that we are here. It is good to praise you, Jesus, our Saviour. It is good that we are here. It is good to be your people in this space, even though we are not physically together. It is good that we are here. Amen.
StF 59 - Lord, the light of your love is shining
Lord, the light of your love is shining,
in the midst of the darkness, shining:
Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us;
set us free by the truth you now bring us
shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine,
fill this land with the Father’s glory;
blaze, Spirit, blaze,
set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow,
flood the nations with grace and mercy;
send forth your word,
Lord, and let there be light!
Lord, I come to your awesome presence,
from the shadows into your radiance;
by your blood I may enter your brightness:
search me, try me, consume all my darkness, shine on me, shine on me.
As we gaze on your kingly brightness
so our faces display your likeness,
ever changing from glory to glory:
mirrored here, may our lives tell your story —shine on me, shine on me.
Opening Prayers
From the rising of the sun until its setting (use your hands to ‘follow’ the motion of the sun), thanks be to God.
For the heavens above (raise hands high), and all the earth (lower hands to the ground), thanks be to God.
In every day (turn in a circle clockwise) and through the night (turn in a circle anticlockwise), thanks be to God.
(Voice your own thanks, with suitable actions where possible).
For all these things, thanks be to God.
Amen.
As we come into your presence, we come with the regret of knowing that we distance ourselves from our neighbours.
As we come to experience your love, we come with the regret of knowing that our lives are not filled with as much love towards our neighbours as they should be.
As we receive your forgiveness, we come acknowledging that we hold grudges against others.
In your love, forgive us our sinfulness and draw us closer to you once again.
We thank you for your forgiveness.
Amen.
Bible Reading
The transfiguration
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what ‘rising from the dead’ meant.
11 And they asked him, ‘Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?’
12 Jesus replied, ‘To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.’
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Time to Reflect
In one of Morris West’s earliest books, The Shoes of the Fisherman, the Cardinals ask the newly elected Pope, “What do you want?” He replies, “Find me, men, with fire in their hearts and wings on their feet.” Apart from the sexist language here – what a powerful insight!
Let’s look at the readings for today as we reflect upon that thought in relation to the Transfiguration of Jesus:
The vision of God’s glory was a gift to Jesus and the disciples to sustain them through the tough trials ahead. We all face times of struggle, suffering and sacrifice, and it is tempting in those times to feel that God has either abandoned us or is punishing us. But, God’s promise to us is the same as God’s promise to Jesus – in our suffering, God’s glory can be revealed, and we can experience a deeper sense of God’s presence and affirmation. We only need to recognise that God is with us and that in our suffering, God still seeks to reveal God’s glory through us.
In the Transfiguration, God communicates in an awesome way, because the message is an awesome message – Jesus is God’s beloved child, and we are to listen to him. The transfiguration is a revelatory moment that Jesus is the one in whom the law and prophets is fulfilled, the beloved son of God. The appearance of Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets, reveals that Jesus was the fulfilment of the Old Testament plan of salvation. In all the voices of our world and the voices crying out in our souls, his is the one to listen to. And what Jesus shows us in this moment of glory is that the life of love and justice that he was committed to would bring suffering and death. It takes courage to live as a follower of Jesus,
and nothing releases courage in our hearts like a vision of God’s glory.
Jesus’ refusal of allowing Peter to proceed with building a dwelling is not so much an objection against a construction, but what it represents. It would build a monument for a religious experience, turning a God-moment into idolatry. We must guard against being imprisoned by past experiences of God’s glory. Also – it points to the building of power bases and the way in which the world’s political and economic powers are structured. These can cause civil unhappiness, not so much because they are there, but because it represents so much of what we struggle with in our world: the disparity between rich and poor (opulence in the midst of extreme poverty) and the wielding of power.
The question is: Where to now? Transfiguration is about transformation. Love that calls us beyond ourselves is transforming. In the transforming love of Christ the Messiah-Servant, we can “transfigure” despair into hope, sadness into joy, anguish into healing, estrangement into community. Transformation needs Law (Moses), which serves as a guide; Prophetic voice (Elijah), which helps us to be accountable and Grace (Jesus), who shows us how to live and love.
Accepting the God of blessing is easy, but when that God becomes the God of suffering who asks us to give readily and humbly to others and to forgive one another without limit or condition, then we begin to insulate ourselves from the relationship God invites us to embrace. Not only did Jesus transfigure, but the disciples came down the mountain different to when they ascended.
“Find me, people, with fire in their hearts and wings on their feet.” What a powerful insight! Is it not true that God is always looking for men and women who have the fire of the Spirit in their hearts and the wings of obedience on their feet?
Amen.
Time to Pray…
We pray for the Church, the body of Christ, that the many denominations might be as one, that we might respect and learn from one another.
We pray for those who have served the Church faithfully through the centuries, and those who serve the Church faithfully today.
We pray for those who witness to their faith in places where it is difficult to be a Christian, in places where they are persecuted for their faith.
We pray for those whose faith stirs them to action, to make the world a better place, and those who have the courage to speak out for others.
We pray for the needs of our circuit, and especially for those among us who need our prayers at this time.
Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Please use the version that you prefer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
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.
Save us from the time of trial
And deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours
Now and for ever.
Amen.
SoF 1118 - Who paints the skies
Who paints the skies into glorious day?
Only the splendour of Jesus.
Who breathes His life into fists of clay?
Only the splendour of Jesus.
Who shapes the valleys and brings the rain?
Only the splendour of Jesus.
Who makes the desert to live again?
Only the splendour of Jesus.
Teach every nation His marvellous ways;
Each generation shall sing His praise.
He is wonderful, He is glorious,
Clothed in righteousness,
Full of tenderness.
Come and worship Him,
He’s the Prince of life,
He will cleanse our hearts
In His river of fire.
Who hears the cry of the barren one?
Only the mercy of Jesus.
Who breaks the curse of the heart of stone?
Only the mercy of Jesus.
Who storms the prison and sets men free?
Only the mercy of Jesus.
Purchasing souls for eternity?
Only the mercy of Jesus.
Final Prayer of Blessing
God be with us, wherever we go and whatever we do. God be with us, whoever we meet and whatever we say. God bless us and keep us safe, today and always.
Amen.
Join us for Bible Month groups via ZOOM
Every week on Mon, 1pm until Jun 28,
Every week on Thu, 7:30pm until Jul 1.
OR follow along from home with the booklet.
Further details from the Circuit Office.
Service prepared by Rev Romeo Pedro
Webpage: Paul Deakin