Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray. Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.‘O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.’ (Psalm 51:15)Hymn: There is a green hill far away...Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 5:5-10Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Let us us confess our sins remembering before God the times when we have fallen from temptation into sin:Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be: that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for the day: Most merciful God, who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ delivered and saved the world: grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross we may triumph in the power of his victory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.John 12:20-33Please see the Message from the Minister.Let us turn to the Lord in prayer:We pray for St Peter’s Church and the church throughout the world, that we will be known as your disciples by the love we show to one another;We pray for the world, that we will learn to live in peace and to take our stewardship duties seriously;We pray for our friends, families and neighbours - that relationships will thrive and community spirit will grow;We pray for people who are sick or suffering, and for those on our hearts and minds today, that they will know our Lord’s healing presence;We pray for the departed, remembering all who mourn.Let us pray for the coming of God’s kingdom in the prayer that Jesus taught Peter and all of us: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.Hymn: We sing the praise of him who died...May Christ give us grace to grow in holiness, to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him; and may the blessing of God Almighty who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and remain with us always.Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Good news - we’ve achieved a Silver EcoChurch award! Many thanks to all who have worked hard to achieve it!https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/news/
Today we give thanks for all who have mothered us in our lives. For our Mothers yes but also for those who have shown us love and compassion. Even on the cross Jesus still wanted to care for his own Mother. It was the final way in which he could thank her for all that she had done for him. Despite his own suffering he continued to think of the suffering that she was going through, for what worse suffering is there than for a mother to watch her son die in such an horrific way. In their suffering they became united.It also speaks volumes to me of the way rolls are reversed. When a child is born and grows up it is the parents who are responsible for the love and care of that child. But when the child becomes an adult there is a change in the relationship where they become good friends and then comes a third stage where the child or children begin to take responsibility for their parents and elderly relatives. I wonder how many of you are organised, in the nicest possible way, by the generation below you.My son, Jeremy, celebrated his 50th Birthday on Tuesday, which is also the 35th anniversary of his Mother’s death. How does he, how do I mark that? My daughter Helen is staying in Cawston with my daughter Becca during Easter week. I received a text telling me to cross out Easter Wednesday evening in my diary because I was being taken out for a meal with Jeremy, Helen and Rebecca. I was being organised by the generation below me. I may be the family patriarch, but no consultation, Dad will be organised. Why? Because I am loved. What greater gift is there than this.Our God in the person of Jesus is showing us the way of love, care and compassion.But let us finish by remembering all those who are not receiving love, care and compassion and indeed sadly in some cases are being badly abused; for where that is happening the cross of Christ will always be found, if we would only open our eyes.Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.Amen.Andrew SSL
Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray. Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.‘Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain.’ (Psalm 127:1)Hymn: Jesus good above all other...Exodus 2:1-10; Colossians 3:12-17Let us confess our sins:Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for the day: God of compassion, whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary, shared the life of a home in Nazareth, and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself: strengthen us in our daily living that in joy and in sorrow we may know the power of your presence to bind together and to heal; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.John 19:25b-27Please see the Message from the Minister.Let us turn to the Lord in prayer:We pray for St Peter’s Church, that our love for all will show us as your disciples;We pray for the world, that we will learn to live in peace and to take stewardship seriously;We pray for our friends, families and neighbours - that relationships will thrive;We pray for people who are sick or suffering and for those on our hearts and minds today;We pray for the departed, remembering all who mourn.Let us pray for the coming of God’s kingdom in the prayer that Jesus taught us: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.Hymn: Lord of all hopefulness...Thank you God for the love of those who have mothered us: thank you for their care and concern; thank you for the joys they have shared with us; thank you for the pains they have borne for us; thank you for all that they have given us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.May God give us his comfort and his peace, his light and his joy, in this world and the next; and may the blessing of God Almighty who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and and be with us always. Amen.Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
