Worshipping at Home 20th March 2022

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Lent 3 - 20th March 2022 

The First Hymn
Welcome!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead took place on the first day of the week, and so the Church made Sunday its weekly Feast Day. Every Sunday, therefore, is a kind of Easter Sunday. The Resurrection good news is irrepressible and it keeps on breaking out to fill us with joy. So, happy little Easter as we head towards big Easter!


Psalm 19: 1-10

The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb. 

Acclamation

The love of God has been poured 
into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit 
who has been given to us.
We dwell in him and he in us.
Give thanks to the Lord 
and call upon his name.
Make known his deeds 
amongst the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him,
and speak of all his marvellous works.

The Collect Prayer

Almighty God, 
whose most dear Son 
went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, 
and entered not into glory 
before he was crucified: 
mercifully grant that we, 
walking in the way of the cross, 
may find it none other 
than the way of life 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

Luke 13: 1-9 (The dangers of complacency in our relationship with God.)

 

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.’



Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig-tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, “For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig-tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?” ‘“Sir,” the man replied, “leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig round it and fertilise it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.”’

Thought for the Day

The Nato Secretary General hammers out the message: ‘We cannot take peace and security for granted’. These words refer to the crisis in Europe, but they can equally summarise Jesus’ warning in today’s Gospel Reading. In Jesus’ eyes, the enemy is complacency. No doubt we have all heard many sermons reminding us that in the time of Jesus the religious view was that a person’s present circumstances were a direct indication of their standing with God. Health and wealth were a sign of God’s blessing whilst being the victim of tragedies was a sign of being Godforsaken. We take in this insight, and at a conscious level we recognise what nonsense it is. And yet subconsciously many live their lives as though that outdated religious view was spot on. 

No-one knows the origin of the phrase ‘There but for the grace of God go I’, but it is a well-known phrase. Not always used as a religious comment, it often is used to mean that it is pure luck who is brought down and who is elevated. And yet the phrase does talk of the grace of God as though that were the source of our so-called luck. What bad theology! And yet I wonder how many of us carry on as we are simply because the absence of calamity is interpreted as God approving of us. Jesus refers to two calamities – one manmade and the other an accident. He says that neither set of victims were to blame for their misfortune. 

But the people who are bringing about their own disaster are those who think they are flourishing (and hence blessed by God) but in reality they are producing no good fruit. Good and bad luck are purely a matter of…luck, and they are not signs of having been favoured or damned by God. Being guided by the winds of fate is the height of complacency. And so we are urged to get a grip of the rudder of our little boat. I hope I am not confusing the matter or mixing metaphors if I summarise Jesus’ warning as: Give a fig about you fate.

Let us Pray

God of infinite goodness, throughout the ages you have persevered in claiming and reclaiming your people. Renew for us your call to repentance, surround us with witnesses to aid us in our journey, and grant us the time to fashion our lives anew, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Loving God, We pray for the people of Ukraine, for all those suffering and afraid, that you will be close to them and protect them. We pray for world leaders, for compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices. We pray for the world that in this moment of crisis, we may reach out in solidarity to our brothers and sisters in need. May we walk in Your ways so that peace and justice become a reality for the people of Ukraine and for all the world. In Jesus’s holy Name we pray. Amen.

Faithful God of love, you blessed us with your servant Son so that we might know how to serve your people with justice and with mercy. We gather the needs of ourselves and others, and offer them to you in faith and love, seeking to be strengthened to meet them. 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 give you grace to grow in holiness, to deny yourselves, take up your cross, and follow him; 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: Jeremiah 11:1-17; Romans 2:1-11

Tuesday: Ezekiel 17:1-10; Romans 2:12-16

Wednesday: Numbers 13:17-27; Luke 13:18-21

Thursday: Joshua 4:1-13; 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:5

Friday: Joshua 4:14-24; 2 Corinthians 5:6-15

Saturday: Exodus 32:7-14; Luke 15:1-10

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

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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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