Circuit Service for Sunday 3rd May 2020. Prepared by the Rev Vindra Maraj-Ogden
St Albans and Welwyn Circuit Service – Sunday 3rd May 2020
From the Reverend Vindra Maraj-Ogden, Chaplain to Queenswood School and Methodist Presbyter
Call to Worship- Psalm 25
“To you, Lord, I lift up my soul, O my God, in you I trust. Make me to know your ways, O Lords; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; For you I wait all day long.”
Hymn- Stf 175- Light of the World
Prayers using hymns:-
Adoration
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, Bow down before him, his glory proclaim;
With gold of obedience and incense of lowliness, Kneel and adore him: the Lord is his name.
The Splendour of the King, clothed in majesty, let all the earth rejoice.
And age to age he stands, and time is in his hands; Beginning and the end, The Godhead, three in one, Father. Spirit. Son – Lord we adore you and your majesty and splendour bring hope.
Confession
Almighty God, we come to make confession, for we have sinned in thought, word and deed. (Time of Silence)
We now repent in honesty and sorrow, forgive us Lord and meet our need.
Forgiving God, I come to make confession, of all the harm and hurt that I have done; of bitter words and many selfish actions, forgive me Lord and make me like you Son
Help me Lord to be assured of that forgiveness so that I can move forward and become more Christ like in all that I do, say and think. Amen
Thanksgiving
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King, his love endures forever. For he is good, he is above all things, his love endures forever. Give thanks for God’s love, for the world and for you (silence).
Give thanks for Jesus, his life, death, resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Give thanks for all the people (known and unknown) who have helped you during this lockdown. Give thanks for life and its blessings (Silence)
End with the Lord’s Prayer. Amen
Hymn- Stf 481- The Lord’s my Shepherd
Readings: John 10:1-10 and Psalm 23
Sermon
What does it mean to trust God? Take a moment and think about it. What does it mean to trust God? In the two Bible readings chosen we have the image of sheep and shepherd and the relationship between the two. It is a relationship of trust. The shepherd cares for the sheep. He has the sheep best interests at heart. God the shepherd does not want to put us down or bear us down with guilt or demand more than we give. That is not the relationship of the shepherd to the sheep.
The relationship is one of trust. The sheep knows that the shepherd wants to give a life of wellbeing under his serene protection. It is a relationship of intimacy, trust, wellbeing and harmony. The sheep knows the voice of the shepherd and is aware that the shepherd truly cares for him. The psalmist says that he lacks nothing. God the shepherd provides.
I wonder how this feels for you, as we journey through this pandemic. Do you trust the shepherd? Do you firmly believe that he desires your well-being? Are you hearing his voice? On a scale of 1-10 with one being the lowest and ten being the highest- what number would you give your relationship with the Shepherd before Covid and now during Covid?
My numbers fluctuate as some days are better than others. For some people it depends on how closely they follow the news. And that can certainly have an impact. I think I might be one of the few people who has not watched the news for this entire period. Mainly because I do not have an aerial, I do not have a TV license and I only watch things that are streamed. I listen to the news three times a day and I read lots of articles. I have more choice. Many people say that watching the news have made them anxious, agitated and fearful. Remember you are in control of that remote! Suddenly they become focused on the waves of the storm and not the shepherd who can tame the storm. What challenges your relationship with the shepherd God and how do you get that peace and assurance back? How do you get back to that place of trusting God, the shepherd who has your best interests at heart when all else say that you should be frightened?
The shepherd would like us to be in green pastures with life giving water, but we live in a broken, suffering world and whether we choose to or not we have to tread dangerous paths. The shepherd God is still with us. He never leaves. The psalmist says that even in the valley of death he is with us and brings hope.
These are difficult times, especially for our emotional wellbeing. We cannot do the things that allow us to socialise, the coffee with friends, the meals. I have not had a hug since we went into lockdown. We are mostly people who need to be held, to be comforted, to be greeted with a hug and a kiss. Yet the shepherd is still with us. He still has our well-being at heart. The greatest gift you can give yourself for this time is to put together a list of things that allows you to sit in the shepherd God’s presence and be fed by him.
I have just finished reading the second book of Corinthians using Tom Wright’s commentary. I have just started the gospel of John. I am doing a six-week online course as an introduction to the New Testament. I have done a retreat online with material from a retreat house in Spain and I am keeping a journal. What works for you? Last Sunday was a day when I desperately missed my son. It was a hard day, but I continued my routine and found the Shepherd God and rested in his promises to me. These are emotionally difficult times for many as they face death, loss, illness and uncertainty. How much worse it is for those who are in abusive situations, or those whose businesses and livelihood are being destroyed as time goes by? How does one keep strong, focused and hopeful? Well, give yourself permission to have a bad day and then go to the God who says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” This promise is for you. Build your relationship with God, trust him, and let yourself be open to new possibilities. The hymn writer says, “God will make a way where there seems to be no way. He works in ways we cannot see; he will make for me. He will be my guide, hold me closely to his side with love and strength for each new day, he will make a way”. Go well, my friends. Amen
Stf 504- May the mind of Christ my Saviour
Prayers of intercession
Taken from “Making the Colours Sing”- Rev’d Michaela Youngson
For this world and its need, its need of peace, healing and love,
Holy God we pray.
For the nations in their need, their need for peace, healing and love.
Holy God we pray.
God of grace and power,
Grant me peace in this time of change;
Grant me the wisdom to get the best out of each day;
Grant me love beyond measure,
That I can return to others a portion of the love they have shown to me.
Protect those I love.
Remind me each day that I am precious in your sight.
Hold me and shield me,
Bring me wholeness and strength,
And grant me the knowledge that in you,
All will be well.
(Please add your own prayers)
Amen
Hymn 76- Give me joy in my heart
The Blessing– The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all forever more. Amen
