Worshipping at Home 26th September 2021
Home Worshipping 

Trinity 17                       26th September 2021

The Service

The above video is 18 minutes & 20 seconds long
The First Hymn
Welcome!

During the week we can be side-tracked by many distractions and demands. Often our best hopes for the day are lost as we deal with the immediate and the unexpected. How good it is to retreat for a while into the fellowship of believers and the presence of the Lord. It gives us the opportunity to refresh, refuel and to refocus on who we really are and what life is really about. 


Psalm 19: 7-14

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. Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. 
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Acclamation

Praise, O praise 
our God and King; 
Hymns of adoration sing; 
For His mercies still endure 
Ever faithful, ever sure!

The Collect Prayer

Almighty God, 
you have made us for yourself, 
and our hearts are restless 
till they find their rest in you: 
pour your love into our hearts 
and draw us to yourself, 
and so bring us at last to your heavenly city 
where we shall see you face to face; 
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

Mark 9: 38-50 (Staying focused on our Christian course.)

 

‘Teacher,’ said John, ‘we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.’ ‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus said. ‘For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.



‘If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung round their neck and they were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.  And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where ‘“the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.” 


Everyone will be salted with fire. ‘Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.’

Thought for the Day

With our Gospel reading today we have an elephant in the room. However much we might want to focus on Jesus’ comments about protecting children, or being the salt of the earth, we are distracted by some very uncharacteristic and harsh teaching. He says, ‘If your hand or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. Similar treatment is also suggested for an offending eye. What do we make of this teaching? Is it a call to extreme piety and holiness, or was Jesus just venting his anger and frustration? Personally, I believe Jesus was addressing his disciples and shocking them into learning a vital lesson about how to succeed in doing good. 

Our reading starts with the disciples objecting to an outsider using Jesus’ name to exorcise and perform miracles. Jesus’ response is almost tantamount to him saying, ‘Mind your own business’! In other words, Jesus directs his disciples to look to themselves rather than picking faults with others. His response, however, uses shocking imagery. On hearing it we might be reminded of the saying, ‘An eye for an eye’. 

There was a view that advocated the chopping off of limbs as a consequence of criminal activity. I believe Jesus plays on this unsavoury approach by suggesting, ‘Stop focusing on other people’s behaviour and faults. Rather, look to yourself. Before you get worked up about whose hand needs chopping off, make sure your own behaviour doesn’t merit a similar fate.’ It is so easy to pick faults in others and blame them for the world’s woes. If Jesus had adopted that attitude, his mission would have ground to a halt.  

On one occasion in the early 1900s ‘The Times’ posed a question, “What’s wrong with the world today’? G K Chesterton, who was a writer and philosopher, famously replied, ‘Dear Sir. I am’. When confronted with the problems of the world, there are two ways to respond: either we can search for who is to blame, or we can focus on how we might solve them. 

On this occasion Jesus was not calling his disciples to an extreme piety, nor was he advocating self-mutilation. Instead, Jesus was urging an unwavering focus on fulfilling what God has called us to be and to do. The world is full of distractions. There are also plenty of excuses for us to give up, not bother, and to blame others which leads to a life of powerless cynicism. On his way to being the Saviour of the World, Jesus endured being misunderstood, falsely accused and betrayed. In the face of blistering opposition, Jesus stayed focused on his mission, drawing upon inner reserves of moral and spiritual strength. Inspired by him, let’s be about our business!

Let us Pray

Bless the Lord, O my soul, be still and remember all the Lord has done; in our darkness when his word was our light, in our gladness when his joy was our song, in our weakness when his touch was our strength, in our coldness when his love was our warmth. Bless the Lord, O my soul, be still, be still and remember. Amen. 

Lord, bless the week ahead. May its challenges not overwhelm us, circumstances not discourage us, and in all things may we remember you are with us in our journeying, your love our fuel, your word our guide, today and always. 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: Zechariah 6:9-15; 1 Peter 1:3-9

Tuesday: Zechariah 8:18-23; 1 John 2:18-25

Wednesday: Zechariah 10:1-12; Matthew 18:6-9

Thursday: Genesis 20:1-18; Galatians 3:23-29

Friday: Genesis 21:22-34; Romans 8:1-11

Saturday: Genesis 23:1-20; Luke 16:14-18

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: