Shipley Church Self-Service

Sunday 10th January 2021

Thought for the Week – A New Beginning

Many of your Christmas cards will have expressed the hope that times will be better and more enjoyable in the New Year. The difficulties and disappointments suffered by so many during the pandemic in 2020 will reverberate in modern history. And now, here we are in another “lockdown”! But, really, it’s a new beginning, because we read in Mark’s gospel, that John’s baptism offered a new beginning, the beginning of Jesus’ ministry on earth. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Isaiah); “In the beginning was the Word” (John). And now God is made Man; this is where the way of life that Jesus taught is established and begins! (Mark 1: 4-11)

We trust in the Lord, that – even through the hopes and fears of all the years - 2021 will be better for us all. With the wonderful support of the Shipley Volunteer Hub, and the reassurance of vaccination, we can expect to be able to meet again with our friends and loved-ones before too long. Gradually, day by day, the night-time hours will shorten, as the early morning light awakens folk, whose keen sense of belonging, knowledge of being valued, and a sense of mutual care and optimism about the future, characterises our precious Shipley community. “Let nothing you dismay, remember Christ our Saviour was born on Christmas Day”. Happy New Year!

Hymn for today

Joy to the world, the Lord has come!

Let Earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and heaven, and nature sing.

Prayer for Today

We pray: Make us thankful, Lord, for all the possibilities ahead in this new year. Give us wisdom, courage, and discernment in the face of despair and uncertainty. May we come to know your peace wherever there is doubt.

Note: The Gospel and Readings for today can be downloaded from the top right of this page.