Michael and All Angels Readings: Genesis 28v10-17; Psalm 1031v19-end; Hebrews 1v5-end; John 1v47-end. Let us pray: May the words of my mouth, and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word: As we celebrate the feast of St Michael and all Angels, I thought we should take time to think about angels. Now, I am not sure what you already know about angels, but the word angel simply means God’s messenger. This messenger may be ordinary – a person just like you or me – sent with a message from God. Or it may be a messenger sent from the spiritual realm such as the God’s great and obedient arch-angels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. According to the psalm. these heavenly beings of the Lord are mighty creatures who exist to do God’s bidding, as well as to bless God whose throne is in heaven. And, as the writer declares in the letter to the Hebrews, the God of heaven and earth who sent his son into the world – has angels who work in the service of God, spirits who worship the Lord’s son and who are sent out into the natural world to serve each and every person who will inherit salvation. We see God’s angels at work in the reading from the Book of Genesis, an account sometimes referred to as “Jacob’s ladder”. For whilst Jacob slept, God drew close to him and communicated to him through a dream. In the dream, Jacob saw a staircase full of angels between heaven and earth. Then, God spoke to Jacob, promising to be with him and all the families of the earth wheresoever they may go – and promising never to leave them until all of God’s promises had been fulfilled. Later, when Jacob woke up, Jacob knew that he had been visited by God and that the place he was in was what we now call “a thin place”, places on earth where heaven can be felt. Then, in the gospel we hear an echo of Jacob’s ladder in the account of what happens between Jesus and Nathanael. For after Nathanael questions how Jesus knows him – Jesus describes something that Nathanael recognises as so profound – that he knows without doubt that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus then goes on to prophesy that Nathanael will see the heavens open and angels ascending and descending as they attend to him. Scripture tells us that here and now in our time, there are angels all around us in the heavenly realm. Some of them have duties that include looking out for us as our guardian angels and when we gather to worship God we join with the whole of heaven in worshipping God most high. Imagine that! Let us pray: Everlasting God, Lord of heaven, you created a wonderful order of your holy angels who serve you in heaven and your mortal beings who serve you here on earth. Help us to know that when we gather in worship that we join with the whole company of heaven, of innumerable angels and the spirits of the saints made perfect. Lord send your holy angels to help and defend us as we make our earthly pilgrimage until we come to share in your joy in heaven. Amen Thank you for joining us.
Opening Prayer Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord's Prayer Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be they 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 them that trespass against us. Deliver us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. AmenA Thought for Today: Today we remember that we are the Body of Christ, the people and servants of God, God’s workers in the world. Today we remember that through the Body of Christ we are saved and redeemed through the sacrifice of Jesus. Today we remember that by the Body of Christ we are nourished and equipped for our work within God’s mission.A Prayer on the Feast of Corpus Christi: Christ has no body but ours, no hands, nor feet on earth but ours. Ours are the eyes with which he looks with compassion on this world. Ours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Ours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world. Ours are the hands, ours are the feet, ours are the eyes, for we are his body. (Teresa of Avila, 1515–1582)Prayer of blessing May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and evermore. Amen.Closing Note This message is sent to you with love and prayers as: a word of encouragement and a sign of hope as we begin our journey from extraordinary times to a new normal.
Trinity SundayOpening Prayer Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord's Prayer Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be they 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 them that trespass against us. Deliver us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. AmenA Thought for Today: Today we reflect on the amazing nature of God, a community of love. One God, three persons. A unity beyond our everyday understanding. Our creator, our saviour, our life giver. A Trinity, a three in one, a unity of three. A God that the Creeds of the Church attempt to describe. A God that the Church calls us to worship as father, son and holy spirit. A God that invites us to come. Prayer for Trinity: Almighty and eternal God, revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons and yet one God, in the perfect unity of love; by the grace of the Divine Majesty keep us steadfast in faith to acknowledge the Trinity and worship the unity. Hold us firm so that we may come to know you in all your ways and always rejoice in your eternal glory. AmenPrayer of blessing May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and evermore. Amen.Closing Note This message is sent to you with love and prayers as: a word of encouragement and a sign of hope in these quite extraordinary times.
Opening Prayer Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord's Prayer Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be they 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 them that trespass against us. Deliver us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. AmenA Thought for Today: Today we reflect on the gift of the Holy Spirit to God’s new body, the disciples of Jesus. The Spirit came with power like a mighty wind and tongues of fire. The Spirit came with gifts that amazed, astonished and bewildered others. The Spirit came and fulfilled the words of the prophet Joel. (Acts 2v1-21) Today we can ask God for His Holy Spirit. The Spirit that will open our hearts, souls and minds to see that Jesus is Lord.Prayer for Pentecost: Eternal God, send us the Holy Spirit to enlighten us, to teach us and to guide us; so we may tell out your opening of the way of eternal life for people of all races and nations; so that everyone may join in telling others of your glory. AMENPrayer of blessing May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and evermore. Amen.Closing Note This message is sent to you with love and prayers as: a word of encouragement and a sign of hope in these quite extraordinary times.
