Sunday 24th May
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We come to you after another week in this season
of us being apart as a fellowship and we ask that you calm us,
Lord, as we share in this worship time.
You are always with us,
but we often leave you out of our thoughts and decision making,
becoming distracted by our own busyness,
agendas and desire to find our own solutions.
But you are a patient God who loves us completely as your own and you never leave us.
In times of fear and danger you are there and you hold us in every kind of trouble.
Help us to be still now as we give this time to you and be ready to claim our identity in you, during this worship time and the week, ahead.
Thank you, Lord.
In Jesus' name we pray,
Amen
Kids Corner
C O L O U R I N G P A G E
Activity Link:
Giving
Thank you for all your support of Wrington Chapel and its work in the past.
We realise that many people are hard-pressed at the moment, and church may be the last thing on your mind. However, we are looking to the future when we can reopen and support each other in our usual way. Unfortunately, being closed does not mean our expenses are substantially less. If you already have a standing order set up, then thank you. But if you haven't, please consider getting in touch with Steve Osman and setting one up. If that is impossible, please continue to save up your collection money, and we will collect it all together when we reopen. Please note that the rules do not allow us to claim any Gift Aid on collections that are not taken up in church. So do NOT drop collection money off at Steve's house. Simply take out a standing order, or save it up for that great and glorious reopening day.
Galatians 5 : 1 to 18
Freedom in Christ
5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
Life by the Spirit
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
'Christian Freedom'
Today we continue with our look at the book of Galatians. And we consider freedom.
Are Christians truly free? If so, can we do whatever we want?
And what are we freed from? Big questions.
Click the microphone above to go to this weeks recording.
'Pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances'
1 Thessalonians 5 : 17
We pray for teachers and school support staff
as they prepare for a possible re-opening of schools.
We ask that teachers will feel safe and supported by local councils
in the decisions they make.
We give thanks for all the hard work of school staff over the last ten weeks
in providing on line teaching, keeping in touch with children and their families
and for those who have kept working in schools
to enable key workers children to attend.
We pray for the children who will be returning to a far from normal situation
which may be unsettling for some.
Help everyone to be able to give whatever support the children need
as they learn to distance themselves from friends and adjust to learning again.
Pray for families wondering if it is safe for their children to return,
for those who might have problems with one child returning and others in the family not.
Help them to handle the tensions that could arise.
Pray for our church even though we can't meet physically.
Pray for other churches in our community and
around the world that they may be the hands and feet of Jesus during this pandemic.
Continue to pray for our minister Duncan
and the elders who are continuing to work hard bringing us a
weekly service and keeping in touch with everyone.
Do get in touch with any of them if you have anything you want to talk over or pray about.
Your loving care
Lord Jesus,
When you walked with us on earth
you spread your healing power.
We place in your loving care
all who are affected by Coronavirus.
Keep us strong in faith, hope and love.
Bring relief to our sick,
console our bereaved,
protect those who care for us.
We lift our prayer to you Lord,
and trust in your infinite mercy,
as we wait for the daybreak.
Amen.
Closing Prayer
Our Father,
we have seen you, For we have heard your voice.
we have glimpsed your holy pathway, and have followed as we can.
Now we would declare your glory: With all we have - it's yours.
And offer in grateful thanksgiving.
Come: enliven our hearts with joy.
Amen.
