Welcome to our service today. We continue our series on finding peace as we walk through the roadmap out of lockdown and today Claire reflects on 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
Join us for coffee and cake on zoom after the service at 12.30pm (note later time). The link is here.
We also meet in person at 11am in the church building. This will be similar to this online service. All are welcome - normal social distancing rules apply. Please wear a mask.
Coming up:
Sunday 6th June - Online service with sermon/in person family service at 11am
Sunday 13th June - In person service at 11am replicated online.
Sunday 20th June - In person service at 11am replicated online
Sunday 27th June - In person family service - how this works depends on the roadmap! An online offering will continue to be available.
Bible Study:
Our Monday Bible Study series on zoom is not on this week as it is bank holiday.
Re-opening mid week:
We are now reopen mid week. For more details of activities see the website here . You would be very welcome to drop in to the cafe on Tuesdays between 10am and 3pm.
Worship
Call to worship
Revelation 21:1-4
"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Let us worship God, who makes all things new.
Songs for Today
Here are the songs for today. You might want to save the last two for before and after the sermon and prayers
A New Creation!
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
What do you think it means to be a new creation? Watch this video as you reflect on this question.....
Christ changes our lives completely and helps to live a new life in His way. How do you think Jesus wants you to live? How might you need to change?
Take a walk outside and see what you can see. What new things are growing? Thank God for the way he lives and works in you and in the whole of creation. Ask him to help you live a good life.
Prayers
Prayer
God of all new things, God of
Spring, and fragrant flowers, and
unexpected snow. God of hope
and new life,
Bless us, we pray,
this day.
Creator God from whom
all life springs forth
We give You thanks
Come, one and all,
Celebrate and rejoice!
Celebrate and rejoice -
The old has passed away
Everything has become new!
God of all things passing away, God
of old and yesterday,
the One
who is with us
in our despair and fear.
God who sighs and weeps, with us,
God who wipes away our tears.
Loving God, we offer up these prayers of concern this day -
for those struggling to rebuild lives
from natural disasters, especially those
recovering from the recent tornado's -
and for those recovering from human disasters
from failed economies -
also for those struggling with illness
and, from_______________ .
Hear us when we pray. Incline
your ear to our words,
silent
shouting
cries,
mournful
whispers
stunned
wordless.
Be gentle with our suffering
with our sorrows and losses,
and especially when our hard
hearts close us off to you.
Be gentle.
Be gentle.
O God, be God!
Anoint us with your touch
so that the softness of your love
can break into our hardness
and open us anew.
Anoint us, Holy One and fill
us with you loving touch.
Fill us that we can touch
in your love and fill
others. Fill us gently.
Fill us.
Living God, father, son,
mother, daughter
Family, friend, one, all
With, through, and by
Your love becomes
Reconciled.
Celebrate and rejoice -
The old has passed away
In you, in your resurrection,
In your life and love,
Everything becomes new!
Amen.
~ written by the Rev. Terri C. Pilarski and posted on WordsMatter. http://expansivelanguage.blogspot.ca/
Sermon
Our Sermon today is based on 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. You can read it here
Here is Claire with our sermon
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