Worshipping at Home 8th August 2021
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Trinity 10                       8th August 2021

The Service

The above video is 18 minutes & 45 seconds long
The First Hymn
Welcome!
A man once appealed to Jesus for help. He said, ‘Lord, I believe; help me overcome my unbelief’! (Mark 9:24) It is often the case that faith and doubt are both present in our lives, both struggling to win us over. In this wrestling match we need a coach to shout out instructions from the touchline! In our time of worship let us pray and hope that we will hear our Lord’s voice loudly and clearly as he gives us encouragement and inspiration.



Psalm 34: 1-8
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed. This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord, and was saved from every trouble. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.

Acclamation

Let us worship 
our Lord Jesus Christ
whose passion burns 
for our salvation,
who for our salvation 
endured the cross,
who died and rose again 
from the dead.
He lives among us 
as Saviour.
He embraces human life.
He has won for us 
the glory of heaven.

The Collect Prayer

Let your merciful ears, O Lord, 
be open to the prayers 
of your humble servants; 
and that they may obtain their petitions 
make them to ask such things 
as shall please you; 
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: 35, 41-51 (Jesus’ claims are challenged.)

 

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.

At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ They said, ‘Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I came down from heaven”?’



‘Stop grumbling among yourselves,’ Jesus answered. ‘No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: “They will all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’

Thought for the Day

I would love to have a word with the careers officer who worked at my school when I was a teenager. Why were the options they suggested so limited? Why didn’t they tell me about the quirky and crazy things that could have been possible! What would you advise young people today if you were a careers officer? As our imagination warms to the task, let me ask you which question would you ask: ‘What would you like to do?’ or, ‘What would you like to be?’ The two questions are related, but it is interesting to see which one comes first. 

We often criticize young people for wanting to ‘be’ without knowing what they first need to ‘do’. They might want to be successful, rich and famous without knowing the nature of the hard graft that will get them there. So, there we are, in the careers office, mulling over the complexities of life choices when a young man walks in, sits down and says that they want to be the Saviour of the World. If fact they already are that very person. Recovering from the initial shock, supposing we question them, only to find out that they have already claimed to be the Bread of Life and the Light of the World. What on earth would we do with them! Would we advise them that there are certain things they have to ‘do’ first before they can claim to ‘be’ a somebody? Or would we tell them that some job titles are just not attainable? Or would be dismiss them as mad or deluded? Strangely enough, these were the very thoughts going through the religious leaders as they confronted Jesus and his claims. 

Jesus claimed to be the Bread of Life. His opponents might have argued that Jesus had not done enough to merit that title. Ok, he had fed 5000, but that was not enough to win him the title of Bread of Life. If Jesus had asked them what he had to do in order to win the title, they may well have answered that no amount of work could ever be enough. The careers were just not on offer. And here is the heart of the problem Jesus posed for his generation. He claimed to be so many things – the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Resurrection and the Life, to name but a few – and yet to the skeptical that is all they were…claims. Granted they were claims of someone who was incredibly charismatic, thoroughly good, very popular, amazingly knowledgeable, wise, and with an extraordinary record of miracles, but still they were claims. 

Where do you stand? Do you believe that Jesus is the Bread of Life? If so, do you believe this because Jesus has proved himself to you by satisfying all your hunger? Or do you believe in the hope that Jesus will live up to his claim? Either way, Jesus engages us. Faith can be so tantalizing!

Let us Pray

We thank you, heavenly Father, that in our baptism you welcome us into your family. You constantly watch over us as we grow, live and learn. You guide us into a maturity where faith becomes ever more meaningful. In this moment of prayer, we rest a while in your company to refresh and renew our trust in you. Thank you for bringing us safely to this day, and strengthen us for the coming days. Amen. 

When the journey is long and we hunger and thirst, Bread of Life, sustain us. When the road is hard and our bodies weak, Bread of Life, heal us. When our spirits are low and we can’t carry on, Bread of Life, revive us. When we offer our hand in love and in service, Bread of life, bless us. When the challenge is great and you call us to action, Bread of Life, empower us. 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: 1 Kings 17:1-16; Ephesians 5:1-14

Tuesday: Ruth 2:1-23; 2 Peter 3:14-18

Wednesday: Jeremiah 31:1-6; John 6:35-40

Thursday: Job 11:1-20; Acts 6:8-15

Friday: Job 12:1-25; Romans 16:17-20

Saturday: Job 13:1-19; John 4:7-26

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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 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.
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