Theme “WORSHIP”
Following the last Zoom service I led people said they did not feel that they had sufficient opportunity to worship, so let me see if I can rectify that this time.
Let us prepare ourselves for worship
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WE close our eyes and put aside all our worries and concerns of the past and concentrate on all that is wonderful good and true.
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Silence!
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Let us open our eyes and bring us into the present
As a focus, we light this chalice to symbolise the enlightenment of the world of the inherent spirit of goodness that permeates the creation.
We close our eyes again and glory in the health-giving freedom of this awareness.
This is our world, a planet spinning in the cosmos, alone and yet integrally entwined and related to the infinite whole. What an amazing creation?
How can we not stand in awe and marvel at the wonder of it.
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Hymn No. 14 For the beauty of the earth
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Let us pray :
We are but specks in the great infinity whirling through space and time.
Our minds are too small to understand the greatness of the creation and can only focus on what we can personally comprehend.
We spend a few moments to focus now on our particular concepts and ideas of what is wonderful about our lives, we become aware of our neighbours and friends with whom we have a common bond also worshiping at this time.
What do we share?
We share love and compassion.
Joy and sorrow.
Concern, support and pity.
Most of all we share hope and promise.
We glory at the wonders of creation and allow that wonder to develop into a deep feeling of love and compassion for all that is wonderful
We fill out hearts with this feeling of love and let that love permeate the world. giving thanks for the freedom to express the spirit of love.
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HYMN 117 Joyful ,joyful we adore thee.
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We have just sung a hymn using the word God
We have all been thinking about our own personal idea of what constitutes the essence of spirit we wish to worship.
Although some do not like the word God, let us accept for now that that spirit is our God and that is what we are worshiping.
Why do many people want to attend a place of worship?
Why do you think we feel the need to worship?
Ecclesiastes 3.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven
A time to be born and a time to die
A time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted
A time to kill and a time to heal
A time to break down and a time to build up
A time to weep and a time to laugh
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing
A time to seek and a time to lose
A time to keep and a time to cast away.
A time to rend and a time to sew
A time to keep silence and a time to speak
A time to love and a time to hate
A time for war and a time for peace.
Why do we worship?
People feel that they are fortunate to be alive
I have heard some people say
“Well it beats the alternative”!
There are at least five aspects of life that make people feel the need to worship
So what are those needs?
A need to praise whatever it is that gives us these blessings
A need to say thank you to whatever has provided life.
A need for intellectual stimulation.
Like ‘OLIVER ‘ people have a need to ‘ask for more’ whilst accepting that resources are not always available or provision desirable.
A need to accept those gifts graciously.
!. In the introduction we participated in this exercise, identifying the focus of our personal god. And expounding the virtues and praising that god.
2.Somebody once said that Worship should be spelt Worth ship because worship adds to the value of whatever it is we are thinking and praying. Our response to that is to give thanks and to pay our VAT by giving whatever we can to the furtherance of the message of good news. We have had our lives enriched through the spirit of worship so we have to pay for it. Value Added Tax – That’s right the offertory! An integral part of the worship service that I often forget, cos I don’t really like paying taxes. But this is tax we pay joyfully in thanksgiving. God’s VAT.
3.Prayers of intercession, There are many things that happen in this world over which we have no control . During these prayers we ask the spirit to fill those needs that we cannot fill.
4. We need to be mentally stimulated by intellectual challenges -the Address.
5. Blessing or Plea for grace
Do you understand what it means to live by grace?
Living by grace means putting one’s trust in the Almighty to provide nurture and protection, leaning on the spirit and relaxing in the arms of God.
If we live in a state of grace we are forever giving thanks praising and glorifying our creator.
Knowing that come what may, you are safe and secure.
Max Erhman gave us a sort of practical instruction manual for living by grace.
He said :-
Desiderata
Go placidly amidst the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly: and listen to others – they too have their story.
If your compare yourself to others, you may become vain and bitter: for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your career, however humble - it is real possession in the changing fortunes of time . Exercise caution in your business affairs for the world is full of trickery: but let not this blind you to what virtue there is – many persons strive for high ideals – and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself – especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love-for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment- it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune – but do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness, beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe, no less than the stars and the trees- you have right to be here. And whether, or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God whatever you conceive God to be and whatever your labours and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life , keep peace with your soul, with all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world . Be careful Strive to be Happy.
Max Ehrman
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HYMN 191 “To Worship Rightly “
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Time to share our joys and concerns. You may wish to light a candle or request Mark to light one for you.
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Let us join, together in the fellowship of prayer
Let me do my work each day, and if the darkened hours of despair overcome me may I not forget the strength that comforted me in the desolation of other times.
May I still remember the bright hours that found me walking over the silent hills of my childhood, in dreams on the margin of a quiet river, when a light glowed within me, and I promised my early God to have courage amid the tempest of the changing years.
Spare me from the bitterness and fierce passions of unguarded moments, may I not forget that poverty and riches are of the spirit. Though the world knows me not , may my thoughts and actions be such as shall keep me friendly with myself.
Lift up my eyes from the earth and let me not forget the uses of the stars. Forbid that I should judge others lest I condemn myself. Let me not follow the clamour of the world, but walk calmly in my path.
Give me a few friends who will love me for what I am and keep burning before my vagrant steps the kindly light of hope.
And though age and infirmity overtake me and I come not within sight of the castle of my dreams , teach me still to be thankful for life and for time olden memories that are good and sweet and may the evening twilight find me gentle still.
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HYMN 19 Now thank we all our God
Even though we extinguish our candles we bear in mind that the spirit of love light peace and truth will never be extinguished. We now take that love, light, peace and truth out into the world in the name of all. Amen.
