Worshipping at Home 9th May 2021
Home Worshipping 

Easter Sunday 6                           9th May 2021

The Service

The above video is 18 minutes & 28 seconds long
The First Hymn
Welcome!

I wonder what the modern-day equivalent is for Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. Some act of humility that a servant would undertake for their master. 
This is what worship does: it inspires us to live humble lives of service. And it does this through example because as we approach Jesus we see him holding a towel and a bowl of water. 
Jesus commands us to love one another as he has loved us. 


Psalm 98

O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy
at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Acclamation

Praise to the Lord, 
the Almighty, 
the King of creation! 
O my soul, praise Him, 
for He is thy health 
and salvation! 

All ye who hear, 
Now to His temple draw near; 
Draw near in glad adoration!

The Collect Prayer

God our redeemer, you have delivered us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your Son: grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy; 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 15:9-17 (Love one another as I have loved you.)


As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.


I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.

You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

Thought for the Day

It seems disrespectful to ask someone to put their life’s work in a nutshell. Can you imagine asking Einstein to put his theory in a simple sentence, or asking Mozart to summarize his music in a short tune? I wonder what answer we would get in we were to ask Jesus to put his teaching in a nutshell. But let’s rephrase the request and put it this way, ‘What would you like to be remembered for?’. Now it would be acceptable to say that Einstein would be remembered for his Theory and Mozart would be remembered for his Requiem (possibly). But what about Jesus? If there was one saying, or one event, that Jesus would want us to remember him for…what would it be? What a challenge! Maybe we could come up with a top ten list of possibilities such as the following: 

1. Birth
2. Death
3. Resurrection
4. Walking on water
5. Raising Lazarus
6. Feeding the 5000
7. The Beatitudes
8. The Lord’s Prayer
9. The Parable of the Good Samaritan
10. Washing of the Disciples’ feet

It might sound controversial but I would choose “Washing the disciples’ feet”, and here is my reasoning: It can be argued that the most famous verse in the Bible is John 3:16 which starts, ‘God so loved the world’. Matthew’s Gospel ends with Jesus instructing his disciples to go into the world to make disciples, baptize and teach ‘everything I have commanded you’. And what did he command? ‘Love one another’. And what example did Jesus give of the kind of loving he expects us to show? He washed the disciples’ feet. 

Yes, of course the resurrection is pivotal to our faith, and the cross is the symbol by which we know Jesus. And yes, all ten items in our list are strong candidates, and we could add so many more. But my hunch is that if we asked Jesus, himself, by what action he wished to be remembered, he would come up with something that would challenge, inspire and transform us. Furthermore, he would give us an illustration rather than words. So, there it is, washing the disciples’ feet. Love in action. 

Let us Pray

Heavenly Father, we bring to you our faith, doubts and fears, our joys and concerns, our petitions and praise, and offer them for the earth and all its life. Strengthen us in faith and hope, and out of the abundance of our joy help us to serve one another in true compassion and humility. May we have eyes to see and hearts to understand not only what you do on our behalf, but what you call us to do for others. Amen.

Light of light, Lord of Lords, God of this world and the next, we give you thanks for the promise of this day, we give you thanks for the challenge of this day, and we give you thanks for the blessings of this day. 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

God the Father, by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead, strengthen you to walk with him in his risen life; 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: Deuteronomy 7:1-11; 1 Timothy 6:11-12

Tuesday: Deuteronomy 11:1-17; 1 Timothy 6:13-16

Wednesday: Deuteronomy 11:18-21; Mark 16:19-20

Thursday: Acts 1:1-11; Luke 24:44-53

Friday: Exodus 24:15-18; Revelation 1:9-18

Saturday: Deuteronomy 34:1-7; John 16:4-11

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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