Worship at home Service sheet
Opening prayers
Almighty God, in a time of great need you raised up your servants John and Charles Wesley, and by your Spirit inspired them to kindle a flame of sacred love which leaped and ran, an inextinguishable blaze.
Grant that all those whose hearts have been warmed at these altar fires, being continually refreshed by your grace, may be so devoted to the increase of scriptural holiness throughout the land that in this our time of great need, your will may fully and effectively be done on earth as it is in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reading 1: John 17:1-11
After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.
‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.
Hymn 1
O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise, the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace!
My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim, to spread through all the earth abroad the honours of your name.
Jesus — the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease; 'tis music in the sinner's ears, 'tis life, and health, and peace.
He breaks the power of cancelled sin, he sets the prisoner free; his blood can make the foulest clean, his blood availed for me.
He speaks; and, listening to his voice, new life the dead receive; the mournful, broken hearts rejoice; the humble poor believe.
See all your sins on Jesus laid: The Lamb of God was slain; his soul was once an offering made that all may heaven gain.
In Christ, our Head, you then shall know, shall feel, your sins forgiven, anticipate your heaven below, and own that love is heaven.
Prayers of confession
Almighty God, we confess that we have our eyes set in the clouds instead of on the earth You have given us.
We desire heavenly treasure but we keep believing that worldly means will help us attain it.
Forgive us for our short sightedness. Draw us away from the temptations to seek worldly power and measures of success, and call us to the down-to-earth message of Your love, to care for the needs of those around us, especially the oppressed and marginalized.
You have called us through scripture to care for the widows and orphans among us; help us to see all those who are left out by society and are in need. Help us to break down the dividing walls that we have placed, so that we may truly be one, as You and Christ are one.
For it is in Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
Reading 2: Romans 5:1-11 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access[b] to this grace in which we stand; and we[c] boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we[d] also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.[e] 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Reflection
Today’s reflection and Prayers of Intercession are from the President of Conference the Revd. Dr Barbara Glasson. They can be found here:
The Lord’s Prayer
We say together the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples:
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in 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.
Hymn 2 Christ triumphant, ever reigning, Saviour, Master, King! Lord of heaven, our lives sustaining, hear us as we sing:
Yours the glory and the crown, the high renown, the eternal name!
Word incarnate, truth revealing, Son of Man on earth! Power and majesty concealing by your humble birth:
Suffering servant, scorned, ill-treated, victim crucified! Death is through the cross defeated, sinners justified:
Priestly king, enthroned for ever high in heaven above! Sin and death and hell shall never stifle hymns of love:
So, our hearts and voices raising through the ages long, ceaselessly upon you gazing, this shall be our song: .
Closing Prayers
Where did you go Jesus?
Where did you go?
We stand, necks craning back, looking heavenwards But we cannot see you Where did you go? Did you leave us?
Hush my child,
Listen, listen,
Listen for the breeze
Listen for the breath Listen for the Holy Wind's whispered promise
You are not alone
You are not alone
You are never alone
My love is yours
My strength is yours
My wisdom... all yours for the taking Listen, listen, listen....
It comes, a gentle breeze, caressing your spirit
It comes, building, energising, filling the spaces
Until you are full
O Holy Spirit! Come!
Breath of God
Spirit of God
Our wise counsellor
Our constant companion
Helps us to remember that you are always with us
In persecutions, and turmoil, and dread
In excitements, and joy and love In the mundane and everyday You are. Here.
O God
Our God
We praise you
We call on you
We rely on you
As we stand and stare As we wait again, for the reminder that Pentecost only needed to happen once as you promised, for now the Spirit is always with us
Creator, Brother, Breath
Amen and amen
Credits
CCLI number: 522551
Prayers
Opening Prayers https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resourc
Prayers of confession http://rev-olution.org/2020/05/15/worshipresources-for-may-24th-2020-seventhsunday-of-easter-ascension-sunday/
Prayers of intercession
Revd Dr Barbara Glasson – Methodist President https://www.facebook.com/MethodistPre
sidency/videos/3113957795310052/ Closing Prayers https://re-
Bible Readings
John 17:1-11
Romans 5:1-11
New Revised Standard Version Bible:
Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
http://nrsvbibles.org
Sermon
Revd, Dr Barbara Glasson – Methodist President
Hymns
Hymn 1 – O for a thousand tongues to
sing
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 364 .
Michael Saward (b. 1932)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith
Electronic Words Edition, number 319
Words: © Michael Saward / Jubilate
Hymns, Administered by The Jubilate
Group, Kitley House, St Katherines Road,
Torquay TQ1 4DE
<copyrightmanager@jubilate.co.uk>
Comments