Worshipping at Home 16th May 2021
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Sunday After Ascension                           16th May 2021

The Service

The above video is 15 minutes & 21 seconds long
The First Hymn
Welcome!

Last Thursday was Ascension Day when we recalled Jesus returning to heaven, forty days after the Resurrection. And now we wait for Pentecost – the arrival of the Holy Spirit. In this ‘in between’ time we enjoy the significance of both these great Days – the human and the divine together as one. The gap has been closed between heaven and earth.


Psalm 1

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Acclamation

O Lord our God, 
how majestic is your name;
the earth is filled with your glory.
O Lord our God, 
you are robed in majesty;
you’ve set your glory 
above the heavens.
O Lord our God, 
you have established your throne.
You reign in righteousness 
and splendour.

The Collect Prayer

O God the King of glory, 
you have exalted your only Son 
Jesus Christ 
with great triumph 
to your kingdom in heaven: 
we beseech you, 
leave us not comfortless, 
but send your Holy Spirit 
to strengthen us and exalt us 
to the place where our Saviour 
Christ is gone before, 
who is alive and reigns with you, 
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 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

John 17:6-19 (Jesus prays for his disciples.)

 

[Jesus, addressing his Father] "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. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Thought for the Day

Imagine being in a room with Jesus. He tells us that he wants to pray for us. He then closes his eyes, lifts the palms of his hands upwards and prays openly and earnestly for us. What an incredible experience that would be! We would treasure every word of his prayer. We would feel so built up and blessed. The great news is that Jesus is always praying for us (Hebrews 7: 25). It’s just that we don’t often stop to remember this amazing and reassuring fact. When we think of prayer, we almost always think of us praying to God. Sometimes we remember to listen to God as we pray. But we rarely remember to eavesdrop into the prayers that are being offered on our behalf. Not only does the writer of the Book of Hebrews tell us that Jesus is praying for us, Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that the Holy Spirit is also interceding for us. Incredible! Dare we imagine this? Can we hear the prayers? I wouldn’t be surprised if Jesus were repeating some of the things he prayed for when he was with his first disciples.

Jesus prays for his Father to protect the disciples and to keep them united. He also prays for something that needs explaining. He asks that the disciples might be ‘sanctified in the truth’. This is simply an extension of the prayer for protection. We are to be protected from falling into temptation – especially the temptation to go against God’s wisdom. Can we imagine Jesus praying these things for us? Are they still important? I certainly think so. There is, however, another element to Jesus’ prayer for his disciples which I would love to think applies to you and me as well. In this week’s Bible passage from John 17 I overhear Jesus just chatting away with the Father about the disciples. What an incredible thought that within the courts of heaven your life and mine are topics of conversation. We might not like the thought of other people talking about us, but I would be humbled and delighted to think that God has you and me in mind and that we come up in conversation. The amazing truth is that we do. Imagine that!

Let us Pray

Gracious God, in the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ, you have given us eternal life and glorified your name in all the world. Refresh our souls with the living streams of your truth, that in our unity, your joy may be complete. Amen.

Lord God, we indeed pray for our unity. We give thanks for the unity we enjoy as your family, especially amongst our congregation. Be close to those who for whatever reason are isolated from us, and guide us to know how to make everyone feel included and welcome. We also give thanks for our families and friends with whom we share the joys and sorrows of life. 
We pray also for unity amongst all people, that we may complete your joy by strengthening the bonds of care and compassion throughout the world. 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

Christ our King make you faithful and strong to do his will, that you may reign with him in glory; 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: Exodus 28:29-38; Philippians 1:3-11

Tuesday: Numbers 8:5-22; Titus 1:1-9

Wednesday: Ezra 9:5-15; John 16:16-24

Thursday: Genesis 2:4b-7; 1 Corinthians 15:42b-49

Friday: Job 37:1-13; 1 Corinthians 15:50-57

Saturday: Exodus 15:6-11; John 7:37-39

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
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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.
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