Worshipping at Home 1st August 2021

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Trinity 9                       1st August 2021

The Service

The above video is 21 minutes & 33 seconds long
The First Hymn
Welcome!

Have you ever encountered God? We often wish that we had been there when Jesus walked this earth. How amazing it must have been to meet Jesus face to face. Before we get too wistful about this, let’s remember that in times of worship, meditation and prayer – or even in a dream – many people have claimed to have experienced being in the presence of God. A hymn puts it this way: Come down, O Love Divine, seek thou this soul of mine.



Psalm 51: 6-12
 
You [Lord] desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Acclamation

Glory to the holy 
and undivided Trinity,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
three persons 
and yet one God.
Perfectly one 
from before time began;
one in being 
and one in glory;
Dwelling in love, 
three persons, one God.

The Collect Prayer

Almighty God,
who sent your Holy Spirit 
to be the life and light of your church: 
open our hearts 
to the riches of your grace, 
that we may bring forth 
the fruit of the Spirit 
in love and joy and peace; 
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

John 6: 24-35 (Jesus claims to be the Bread of life.)

 

Once the crowd realised that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, ‘Rabbi, when did you get here?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.’



Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’ So they asked him, ‘What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’ Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘always give us this bread.’ Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’

Thought for the Day

The world has gone messaging crazy! Auto-correct will sort out the spelling; the expression on little faces (emojis) will convey how we feel. Photos and videos are now so easy to take and send. We are all masters of communication. There is, however, no substitute for speaking face to face. I wish I could speak to you direct, but of necessity I have to send letters and record videos. 

Imagine receiving a letter from Jesus in which he claims to be the Bread of Life. Or imagine the message coming to you on a screen. Now compare that experience with what actually happened: Jesus had stirred people up with his miracles. The crowd had caught up with him. He was surrounded.
The scene is not that of a pleasant ‘teach-in’. The crowd had cornered Jesus. There was an urgency, a restlessness, in their behaviour. They wanted to know if he was going to be their Saviour. They didn’t want to be messed about. They needed to know if he was ‘The One’. It is in such a setting that Jesus addresses the people. Looking at them, face to face, at close range, he says, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’ Wow. 
Had Jesus sent this message via an email as he sat in his office, the recipients would have been able to think about it in their own time. But face to face, the words would have hit them with all their power, there and then. And the deliverer of the message would have to have fully believed in what he was saying. This was serious and life changing stuff. 

Something happened in a village called Capernaum around 2000 years ago. The account of it comes to us via words in a book. Maybe somewhere a film-maker has tried to capture the mood of that moment. Our best efforts of interpretation can only be an echo of the real event. But I will not forget that Jesus said his boldest of claims face to face. The words were vital, they were meant, and they were life-changing. 

I wasn’t there when Jesus said, ‘I am the Bread of Life’. Once I have finished studying these words and understanding them, I will do my best to let them hit me straight between the eyes.

Let us Pray

Creator God, help us to hear you in the dawn chorus and the melody in a blackbird’s song. Help us to feel your presence in the warmth of a summer breeze and the coolness of a shaded garden. Help us to sense your touch in the smile on a young child’s face and the friend’s shoulder we can lean upon. Speak to us in many ways, reveal yourself in many ways. Amen.

For each step that I might take, be my guide, O Lord of life. For each load that I might bear, be my strength, O Lord of life. For each mountain I might face, be my power, O Lord of life. For each river that might impede, be my safety, O Lord of life. For each place where I might rest, be my peace, O Lord of life. For each sunrise and sunset, be my joy, O Lord of life. Amen.

Lord, we pray for all who are in need. Today and all days embrace us in a love that knows no end. Today and all days fill us with a power that overcomes. Today and all days encourage us with a word that nourishes. Today and all days inspire us with a hope that sustains. Today and all days comfort us with a peace that endures. Today and all days bring wholeness of body, mind and spirit. 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: Numbers 11:16-23, 31-32; Ephesians 4:17-24

Tuesday: Deuteronomy 8:1-20; 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

Wednesday: Isaiah 55:1-9; Mark 8:1-10

Thursday: 1 Samuel 28:20-25; Romans 15:1-6

Friday: 2 Samuel 17:15-29; Galatians 6:1-10

Saturday: 1 Kings 2:1-9; Matthew 7:7-11

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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