Welcome!
Call to Worship and Opening Prayer
King of my Heart
Mathew 10:40-42
Reflection of what Being Welcome Means
Story - Being in New Places is Hard
Communion
LORD I give you my Heart
Prayers of the People
I personally believe that what we colloquially call the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ is a useful example of a collective prayer for our people.
When we say: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name;
We acknowledge the God before whom we appear.
Reflect.
When we say: Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven;
Do we think about how God’s will can be achieved here on earth? The inescapable message from Jesus is that we are the mechanism of displaying God on this earth.
Reflect.
When all seems incomprehensible, we only have faith in God on which to rely.
We ask, humbly, for God to work in all the situations we bring before Him.
Reflect.
When we say: Give us this day our daily bread;
Do we acknowledge the blessings God has given to us? Do we acknowledge that, in a global sense, we are exceptionally blessed?
Reflect.
We are happy to ask God: Forgive us our trespasses. And we rightfully seek God’s forgiveness because we all, and I include myself, have failed to achieve God’s standard.
Reflect.
And we remember that Jesus asked us to: Forgive those who trespass against us, as a component of our own forgiveness.
Reflect.
And when we ask that we not be: Led into temptation, but delivered from evil;
Do we practice avoidance of temptation? Whilst God can deliver us from evil, we can make his job much easier by our choices.
Reflect.
Finally, we reiterate that God’s is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.
In this we recognise (again) the pre-eminence of our God, with whom we have a personal relationship.
Reflect.
Amen.
Romans 6:12-23
Sermon
Blessing
God of courage and peace, help us to follow your example and love courageously.
Help us to trust that your wisdom and care can carry us when the world threatens danger or harshness.
Help us to be people of brave love, generosity and kindness. Amen.