View this service at https://youtu.be/CYeRqBQNb1QIntroduction: As we commemorate and recall all who died in wars - we give thanks for the sounds of war falling silent.Let us pray: Lord, as we remember, we call to mind our need of your God’s forgiveness – Lord have mercy. Cast out our sin of dominating others - Christ have mercy. Heal us from the desires that leads us into conflict with others and cause war between nations. Lord have mercy.Reading from Micah 4 v1-4 (NRSV): In days to come the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills. Peoples shall stream to it, and many nations shall come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plough shares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.Reflection: This reading tells us that God promises that one day there will be a time of enduring peace. A peace that lasts forever. I hope for that time on earth and believe that time will be in heaven.Today we Remember: We remember the men, women and children who gave their lives to restrain evil and oppose tyranny. Lord, we give you thanks for the sacrifices of people who give their lives that others may live and amongst them we remember those who serve in the army, navy and airforce. We remember all those hurt and maimed. Bless them dear Lord.Thanksgiving prayer: We give you thanks for times of peace. We give you thanks for all who help, encourage and comfort others. We give you thanks for all who work for the relief of the needy. We give you thanks for all who work for peace and the welfare of all nations.Offering of ourselves: Lord, we offer ourselves to you, to serve you: in the cause of peace, for the relief of suffering and for praise of your name. Teach us the ways of peace and the ways of hope. Guide us by your Spirit, lend us your wisdom, give to us courage and keep us faithful now and in the years to come. Amen.Lord’s prayer: 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 them that 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.Prayer of Blessing: God grant to the living, grace; to the departed, rest; to the Church, the King, the Commonwealth and all people, your gift of peace and concord; and to us and all your servants, life everlasting; and the blessing of God almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come down upon us and remain with us always.
All Saints Day – year BReadings: Wisdom 3v1-9; Psalm 24v1-6; Revelation 21v1-6b; John 11v32-44.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: In the gospel of John, we learn that Jesus’ friend Lazarus has died. We also hear that Jesus’ spirit was greatly disturbed, deeply moved and that Jesus cried. After this, Jesus went to the tomb, demanded that the tomb be opened and prayed to his Father before Jesus called Lazarus back to life and returned him to his sisters. Raising people back to life is an astounding miracle that occurs from time to time throughout the scriptures. However the raising of Lazarus is even more astounding because those of the Jewish faith believed that whilst the soul hovered by the body for a short while after death occurred that as Lazarus had been dead for 4 days his soul was gone.This raises a question - where had Lazarus' soul gone. For reply, in Jesus’ time, some Jewish people believed in an afterlife, whilst others who were just as devout believed that once we die we are gone. This is the place that we hear about in the Book of the Revelation of St John the Divine. It is a place described as a new heaven and earth where there is a Holy City sent by God to receive God’s people. A city where God lives alongside his people. A city where there is no more death, no more mourning, no more pain and no more crying. A city where all things are made new. But who will be accepted into the Holy City? For reply, we hear in the reading from the Wisdom of Solomon that the souls of those who have died and are considered righteous by God are now: at peace, in the hand of God, immortal and holy. Solomon describes this righteousness as: trusting in God, faithfully sticking close to God, letting God rule over us; a people who will receive God’s clemency and mercifulness. In an echo of this, Psalm 24 tells us that those who dedicate themselves to seeking the one true God are the people that God considers as holy. For these are a people blessed by the Lord. A people who shall ascend the holy hill of the Lord. A people who will receive salvation. As Christians we believe that this City is where the saints, the great cloud of witnesses are destined for in the afterlife. A people drawn from a multitude of backgrounds. A people made righteous by God because his son Jesus died for them. A people just like you and me, a people like those we meet day by day, a people of many nationalities and faiths. All of the people seeking to find and serve the one true God. For all these are God’s holy ones, God’s saints in the making. A people God counts as righteous for the sake of his Son.Today we give thanks for all of the Saints who have influenced us in our lives. Those who have pointed us to God, those who have walked with us on our journey to find the one true God, those who have helped us stick close to the creator of all things. For these are God’s holy people, his righteous ones, his chosen ones, his elect, the people who really are the saints.Let us pray: Almighty God, the source of all holiness, the one who gathers your elect into one fellowship, grant us the grace we need to follow in the footsteps of your saints. Teach us how to truly love you and lead our lives for you, so that when our lives end here in earth, we may be welcomed into your heavenly feast on the day your Kingdom comes. AmenThank you for joining us.
Bible Sunday Readings: Isaiah 55v1-11; Psalm 19v7-14; 2 Timothy 3v14 – 4v5; John 5v36b-47 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 21st Sunday after Trinity we also have the option to celebrate Bible Sunday. For the Bible is important, and as we read in Paul’s letter to Timothy, the Scriptures are sacred writings, writings inspired by God. For, as the psalm teaches, the commandments of God are precious because they give us the guidance we need to live in-accordance with God’s ways. All of the guidance we need to live as God’s people can be found in the Bible and the guidance we find in the Bible is important. For as Paul wrote in his letter to Timothy, through the Scriptures we learn about Salvation. And, through the Scriptures, we are guided in the ways of righteousness and trained for the good works that God has in mind for us. And, if we read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the Scriptures then, like Timothy, we can become persistent in our faith, kept safe from false or untrue beliefs and fulfil the ministry given to us by God. For, as the prophet Isaiah explains, God’s ways are so different to ours, and even though we do not deserve it, we are offered an invitation into a life and future that God has prepared for us. A life and future that, in the gospel we hear Jesus saying he was sent to open up for us by completing the mission He was sent to fulfil. A mission that pours out on us multiple blessings if we dare to believe what Jesus says and teaches about, for He is the one that Moses spoke about. Let us pray: Lord grant to each one of us: the ears of disciples; the eyes of apostles; the tongues of prophets; the feet of servants; the grace to see you at work in the world; and to hear your call to us; then help us to live our lives in accordance with your word and calling. Amen. (Saint Ignatius of Loyola)
21st Sunday after Trinity Readings: Isaiah 53v4-end; Psalm 91v9-end; Hebrews 5v1-10; Mark 10v35-45. 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: Paul teaches us that the message of the cross and what Jesus did for us on it is difficult to make sense of and understand. This is a mystery that many people struggle with, for why would a loving and good God allow such a terrible thing to happen? Some people find the message that Jesus died for us so difficult to accept that they turn away. Sadly, in turning away, they reject what God is offering to all who dare to accept all that God has done for us. For as we hear in the psalm appointed for today, we have a God who wants to deliver us, to help us in our troubles and to bring us to honour and salvation. This Salvation plan is something that God was working out from the beginning of time and has shared with us through the Bible. Just like the reading from the prophet Isaiah, which is a prophecy that foretells about the suffering servant of God. A servant who is wounded, crushed and punished for our sins, then led to the slaughter. A servant of the Lord who was righteous and had done nothing wrong. A servant who carried away all the sins of humanity, so each one of us could be made whole and perfect in the eyes of God. A servant who would be crushed by our pain in order to carry away all of our sins. In our time, as Christians, we believe that this servant was Jesus. Jesus, the one who in the last days of his life was betrayed, abandoned and denied by his friends. Jesus who was tried and found guilty and sentenced to die by a kangaroo court. Jesus who was abused and tortured before being hung up to suffer and die on a cross. Jesus who was guilty of nothing yet killed alongside two criminals. This is the same Jesus who in the gospel of Mark is telling the brothers James and John that the two people who will sit beside him when he comes into his glory - will be people who are drinking the same cup that he is to drink. Looking back at the crucifixion, it now looks as though Jesus knew that his time of glory would occur on the cross. This is something that Jesus’ disciples had not yet really understood - because if they had, maybe they would not have been so angry with James and John. For, on the cross, Jesus was the servant of all, including the two criminals who died at his side. And, on the cross, the glory of the Lord counteracted the poison of sin and death, as Jesus suffered and died in our place. And, through the cross, God’s glory came into the world to rescue the whole of humankind – those past, those present and those still yet to come. For, as we hear in the letter to the Hebrew, Jesus was appointed by God to be a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. A priest who offered up prayers and supplications as he suffered and died on the cross. Prayers that were heard by the Father and are the source of salvation for all who obey God the Father, follow Jesus the Son and are inspired by the Spirit of God. Prayers that continue forever for God’s beloved creation and sinful humanity. Prayers that call each of us to follow Jesus as his servants in the world. Servants with many different roles. Servants with varied purposes to fulfil. Servants called by God and appointed to fulfil God’s plans and purposes in the world. Let us pray: Dear Father of Light and Lord of all, the one in whom there is no change or shadow of turning, we thank you for all your good and perfect gifts, we ask you to pardon and cleanse us from all our sins, we thank you for your word of truth that gives us new life, we ask you to guide us so we can serve you with quiet minds, and in so doing to become living signs of your Kingdom where all creation will be made perfect in Jesus. Amen Thank you for joining us.
