Opening Reflection
Greetings and a warm welcome to our service this morning. As we step into the presence of God, may we just pause, stop, as we come to worship and offer our praise to our awesome God.
Whatever your week has been, may you stop, may you come and spend time in worship with Christ for He wants to be involved with every area of our lives.
So as we come to offer our praise today, let us start with the following Psalm
Psalm 34:1-3
Lord! I’m bursting with joy over what you’ve done for me!
My lips are full of perpetual praise.
2 I’m boasting of you and all your works,
so let all who are discouraged take heart.
3 Join me, everyone! Let’s praise the Lord together.
Let’s make him famous!
Let’s make his name glorious to all.
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, as I draw close with you today Lord, I pray that I will listen to your still voice and give my time to spend with you. Lord speak deep into our lives, fill us afresh this new day and so all the joy of you will fill me inner soul in Jesus precious Name, Amen.
Hymn:
Prayers of Confession:
Let us pray.
Loving God, you are always ready to forgive our sins and all you ask is that we seek your face, draw to you and allow Christ to be at the centre of all we do.
Lord help us come before and seek your forgiveness:
Where we have failed to love, and have loved to hurt:
Forgive us, and heal us.
Where we have scorned difference and have been indifferent to those in need:
Forgive us, and heal us.
Where we have spoken harsh words to others, and have been quick to take offence ourselves:
Forgive us, and heal us.
Merciful God, unlike us, you are true to your word. When we cry to you in sorrow and repentance, you hear our cries and are swift to forgive.
For your faithful love we praise you.
Lord through your encouragement, your love, we know to walk with you is not about what we want but the support to serve you, to love you, to love our neighbours. May we each keep our eyes fixed on you, and looking outwardly rather than inwardly.
So today Lord we come before you and in this time of silence as we lift up our own prayers, Lord, speak deep into our heart.
Let us spend a few minutes as we offer up our own prayers of confession, seeking God's forgiveness before concluding with the prayer Jesus taught us,
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory
Are yours, now and forever.
Amen
Hymn:
Prayers of Intercession
Lord God, we give thanks that we are able to meet once more at St. Andrews, also to continue to hold our Zoom meetings so that we are able to keep in contact with our members.
Father God we pray for our Church, so that each of us might make use of our individual talents enabling us to flourish as a witness to the “One Body” of the church. Help us all to spread the warmth of Your love to everyone we meet and help us to welcome all who come here no matter what their background, outlook on life, or outward appearance. In St. Andrews help us all to appreciate the roles of each other.
Lord God we pray for all who work for peace and unity, and for all world leaders that they will continue to seek for an end to the suffering caused by war and violence, injustice and inequality, disease, prejudice, poverty and hopelessness and bring healing to the world. We pray especially for those fighting terrorism in Syria and for peace in the Holy Land. We continue to pray for those who are refugees and seek safety in another country, despite the dangers of the journey. We pray for the leaders in Europe especially that agreement can be reached on how to cope with so many in a way that it is fair and achievable, and that does not lead refugees and migrants into danger and exploitation. Lord Jesus – as a child you were a refugee and were kept safe in another country – help us to hold that example, as a solution to the current crisis is sought.
Gracious God we pray for the work and service of all care homes and day centres for elderly and sick people, and for those carers
who look after family and friends in their own home. Thank you for the many charity organisations who raise money and provide supportive services to help. We pray for all finding their life painful, lonely or uncertain, especially those who are ill or vulnerable. Help them to sense your comfort in times of need and bless their families and carers. We pray for all those who are struggling in their lives. Bring them hope of an end to their sufferings, and a resolution of their difficulties. Show us the best way to help those who suffer, without being intrusive but without simply turning away from their pain, either.
Everlasting God we pray for ourselves in the week ahead, we ask that in all we do, we may walk more closely with you at our side safe in the knowledge that your father love and care knows no bounds.
Merciful father: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hymn
Announcements
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Coffee morning via zoom: 11am see church email with details on how to join. To gather from the comfort of our homes, and share, Songs, word of encouragement, testimonies, prayer. We look forward to seeing you. If you would like further details on how to join contact office@standrewsbletchley.org.
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Offering
Whilst we appreciate this is a challenging time, we are grateful and give our thanks to God for all His provision, for your word says: 16 Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.
We are thankful Lord that you have blessed us with a church building, although whilst we are unable to meet there in person at the moment we know that we still have expenditure that we have to meet.
Lord place on our hearts what we are able to give, ensuring we do not give beyond our means.
Ways to Give - Please click on this link to see our Ways to Give.
Prayers of Thanksgiving
Thank you for your amazing power and work in our lives, thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over us. Thank you that you are able to bring hope through even the toughest of times, strengthening us for your purposes. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you that you are always with us and will never leave us. Thank you for your incredible sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life.
As you reflect on what Christ has done for you this last week, let us bring our own prayers of thanks and gratitude before God.
Pause
Lord help us when we don't thank you enough, for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you've given. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you in a real, relevant, radical and refreshing way. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy. We love you and we need you, this day and every day. We give you praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy!
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Hymn:
Reading: Proverbs 1-21
Moral Benefits of Wisdom
2 My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.
12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
to walk in dark ways,
14 who delight in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15 whose paths are crooked
and who are devious in their ways.
16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
and ignored the covenant she made before God.
18 Surely her house leads down to death
and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
19 None who go to her return
or attain the paths of life.
20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,
and the blameless will remain in it;
Sermon
Closing Reflection
As we draw to a close, may you continue to allow God's Word to dwell within your soul, within your heart and consider, as you seek God's wisdom, spend time each day, asking God what He wants you to do. May you be a blessing to someone this coming week, as you following in Jesus footsteps.
We give thanks to sister Sue for sharing God's Word for us today.
We are so thankful for all those who continue to pray and support us during our time of interregnum. for it is our faith, our unity, or diversity which makes church. What a wonderful blessing.
We give thanks to God for our families, our fellowship, our neighbours, our work colleagues. God people, the living body of our Lord Jesus Christ. God calls us into a deeper communion with Him. We are here to encourage, to serve our communities, seeking God's face, His wisdom as we walk together. Not our own wants but aligning our hearts desire to that of God. We look forward to the day the church doors are open wide, and we can celebrate, and we are thankful for all those in the preparation and participation for this to happen God will and purpose.
The Lord bless you and keep you,
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace
And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the son and Holy Spirit
Be among you and remain with you always Amen
Numbers 6:24-25
Closing Hymn:
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