Worship at Home
Worship for the week beginning 12th June 2022
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Sunday 12th June
Rev Francis M’Itiiri 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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Gathering of God’s people.
Call to worship;
We come from scattered lives to meet with God.
Send your Holy Spirit upon this place.
Though we are separated by many miles,
We are joined together by his love.
Let us be still in his presence,
Let us worship God in spirit and in truth.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people,
kindle in us the fire of your love. Amen
Let us pray together:
Merciful and loving God, we thank you that you have brought us safely to this day.
Keep us from falling into dangers of sin. Guide us to always do your will, through the help of the risen Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Hymn: STF 15: The splendour of the King
The splendour of the King,
clothed in majesty;
let all the earth rejoice,
let all the earth rejoice,
He wraps himself in light
and darkness tries to hide,
and trembles at his voice,
and trembles at his voice.
How great is our God, sing with me
how great is our God, and all will see
how great, how great is our God.
And age to age he stands,
and time is in his hands;
beginning and the end,
beginning and the end.
The Godhead, Three in One,
Father, Spirit, Son,
the Lion and the Lamb,
the Lion and the Lamb.
Name above all names,
worthy of our praise;
My heart will sing,
How great is our God,
Name above all names,
Worthy of all praise,
My heart will sing,
How great is our God.
Bible Reading
John 16:12-15
12 ‘I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.’
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Time to Reflect
What is life like if one can’t live it with all its qualities?
The two years of pandemic, and now conflict, violence, civil wars and gunning cases around the world stand in the way for the quality of life that everyone yearns for.
Since that doesn’t happen quite often, humanity is filled with a sense of helplessness and as, a sheep without a shepherd.
As it happened to the Disciples of Christ under different circumstances of their ministry, especially when Jesus predicted his departure.
In this passage of the Scripture, it is quite evident that they did not have a clue what the departure of Jesus meant, as he says to them in John16:12
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you.’’
Jesus told them in 16:1;
“All this I have told you so that you will not fall away’’… in the five chapters of John that follow later, the situation seemed to change.
Jesus clarified to them what he meant in John 16: 5.
’’ but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
These instructions were in the first place intended to encourage the disciples to remain steadfast in faith.
In the poetic words of William Blake, the disciples were still ‘’engrossed in the blankets of innocence’’ and completely forgot what Jesus had promised them.
Perhaps they hoped Jesus would become a King, uniting the people and driving out the despised Romans who had occupied their country. His death, however, brought an end to all those hopes. To them they saw this as the end of their journey following Jesus, instead of seeing it as a new beginning to reimagine their ministry. The gospel message for today is for courage and hope, warning, and blessings.
But there is a question to answer. Will we listen to the Holy Spirit, and welcome him to guide us into deeper and newer understandings of our faith? The temptation is to want to rush into criticising the disciples for failing to believe Jesus’ words. But how often do we ourselves forget and fail to believe the promises God has given to us in his Word? Let us with faith in God pray for the coming of God’s Holy Spirit, to be our help and dependable companion. Amen
Take a quiet moment to pray;
Prayer of Solidarity with others:
God of love, peace, and justice. We pray for those living under oppression and fear. We seek your intervention in bringing an end of conflict, violence, and war around the world. We pray for peace and the laying down of arms, and an end to human suffering.
Come Holy Spirit, be our help and dependable companion.
God of peace, your prophet Isaiah promised that swords would be turned into ploughshares. Loving God, restore, order and justice among nations. Bring de-escalation of these crisis and rebuild peace around the world.
Come Holy Spirit, be our help and dependable companion.
Compassionate God, strengthen the hand of all volunteers risking their life in war on the frontline. Protect them and comfort their families.
Come Holy Spirit, be our help and dependable companion.
Prince of peace thwart evil and nurture goodness, kindness and love in all people. Make this moment of peril an occasion for your holy spirit to show us our dependence on you and to one another.
In solidarity with others feel free to bring other prayers here.
Come Holy Spirit, be our help and dependable companion
And as our Lord taught his disciples, we join together in saying the Lord’s Prayer.
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.
Hymn: STF 30: Jesus stand among us
- Jesus, stands among us
at the meeting of our lives,
be our sweet agreement
at the meeting of our eyes.
O Jesus, we love you, so we gather here.
Join our hearts in unity and take away our fear. - So, to you we’re gathering
out of each and ev’ry land,
Christ the love between us
at the joining of our hands.
O Jesus, we love you, so we gather here.
Join our hearts in unity and take away our fear.
A prayer of blessing
The Lord blesses us and watches over us.
The Lord makes his face shine upon us, and the Lord be gracious to us; the Lord look kindly on us and give us peace.
Amen
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The love of God the father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, remain with us now, and for ever.
Amen.
Service prepared by Rev Francis M’Itiiri
Webpage: Paul Deakin