Worshipping at Home 13th February 2022
Home Worshipping 

3 Before Lent - 13th February 2022 

The Service

The above video is 20 minutes & 52 seconds long
The First Hymn
Welcome!

We expect to hear Bible Readings when we go to church, especially a Gospel reading about Jesus. When we hear Jesus’ teaching it is easy to be impressed, and find his words thought-provoking. It is also easy to leave church and forget everything we’ve heard! Our complacency might be due to the impression that there is no urgency to respond to Jesus – no life-changing matter to occupy us. Today, however, Jesus sets out blessings and woes. In other words he is saying that the path we take TODAY once we leave church can lead to happiness or misery, even joy or disaster. 

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Acclamation

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high has broken upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death, 
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The Collect Prayer

Almighty God, 
give your people grace 
so to love what you command 
and to desire what you promise, 
that, among the many changes of this world, 
our hearts may surely there be fixed 
where true joys are to be found; 
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.

Sharing the Peace

We are the Family of God;
In the one Spirit we were all baptised
into one body.

Let us then pursue all that makes for peace
and builds up our common life.

(At this point please think of others
and in your heart send them
the message: Peace be with you.)

Bible Reading

Luke 6: 17-26 (Jesus lists the blessed and the unblessed.)

 

Jesus went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. Looking at his disciples, he said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. ‘Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.


‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Thought for the Day

Do you know what you look like? We all think we do. Maybe we check ourselves in the mirror each morning and catch glimpses of our image as we pass shop windows. During the pandemic months many of us have had to get used to seeing ourselves on the computer screen via recorded Services and Meetings. I wonder how many of us have thought, ‘That doesn’t look or sound like me!’. And then there are times when in a more profound way we are made to take a good look at ourselves. Jesus’ preaching has that effect. Today we have Jesus giving us a series of blessings and woes – for example, blessed are the poor, and woe to the well fed. We could elaborate on each phrase, but instead of that let’s look at each one and ask ourselves. ‘Is that me?’.

To help us do this thoroughly, we can also look at a similar list in Matthew 5 – known as the Beatitudes as part of the Sermon on the Mount. We will find ourselves asking, for example, ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy. Is that me?’. In this way we will end up taking a good look at ourselves. This exercise will most probably bring us a lot of reassurance as well as a few challenges. But what the exercise will definitely do is make us realise that Jesus is addressing us. It is too easy to read Jesus’ teaching, rate it highly but assume it is only relevant to others. Again, to take an example from Matthew 5’s list, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.’ We could read this and simply be pleased for those who are pure in heart whilst we carry on as we were. Instead the invitation here is to ask ourselves ‘Is that me?’. If it is, how wonderful. If it’s not, why not!

Let us Pray

Lord God, for the joy of your presence renewing us day by day, we offer you our praise. For the blessing you bring us, the outpouring of your love day by day, we offer you our praise. For peace beyond understanding, day by day, we offer you our praise. Amen. 

God, you root those who trust in you by streams of healing water. Release us from the bonds that reduce the quality of our lives, free us from the power of evil, and turn us from falsehood and illusion, that we may find the blessing of new life in you through the power of Christ. Amen.
Almighty God, give us wisdom to perceive you, intellect to understand you, diligence to seek you, patience to wait for you, eyes to behold you, a heart to meditate upon you, and life to proclaim you, through the power of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

(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.)
The Blessing

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always.


Amen.

 The Second Hymn

Bible Readings for the Week

Monday: 2 Kings 24:18-25:21; 1 Corinthians 15:20-34

Tuesday: Ezra 1:1-11; 2 Corinthians 1:12-19

Wednesday: Jeremiah 22:11-17; Luke 11:37-52

Thursday: Genesis 43:16-34; Romans 8:1-11

Friday: Genesis 44:1-17; 1 John 2:12-17

Saturday: Genesis 44:18-34; Luke 12:57-59

If you have any thoughts, questions or concerns, please contact us

Henley in Arden The incumbent/priest in charge John Ganjavi
telephone 01564 792570 or email Incumbent / Priest in charge

For a full list of church contact details please click here
Contact Us

 We’re here to help!

I believe if you keep your faith, you keep your trust, you keep the right attitude, if you're grateful, you'll see God open up new doors.
Share by: