Sunday 3rd May
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We are thankful that you have brought us safely through another week
so that we can be in your presence in the comfort and safety of our own homes.
We will have experienced times during the past week when we've
longed for this situation of lockdown restrictions to be lifted
and for the freedoms that we knew and mostly took for granted,
to be available to us once more.
Give us patience Lord and prepare us for changes
that lie ahead that we will find challenging and frustrating.
Help us to count every blessing that you give us
and see you in the community that you have called us to be part of.
We give this time of worship, prayer and teaching to you.
In Jesus name we pray,
Amen
You are a gracious and faithful God whose love for us is immeasurable.
Kids Corner
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.
Pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances
1 Thessalonians 5.17
Thank you Father that it appears the virus is coming under control.
We continue to pray for our government that they would have wisdom
as they consider how to ease the lock down
We continue to pray for the people on our pastoral list:-
Some have health needs requiring hospital treatment.
We pray that appointments will be met, people will feel safe and treatments will be successful.
Some have needs for care and support.
We pray that all who need it will find support in You and in support agencies and friends and neighbours.
For all who are struggling to cope with changes in circumstances,
loss of routine, lack of work, feelings of isolation we pray that they will be able to turn to you, the God who never changes
Some are grieving, may they find comfort in You at this difficult time
Continue to remember each other in your prayers this week. However well we appear to be handling the current situation we will all have moments or hours or days when we can experience doubt, despair, anxiety.To know there are people praying for us can be a great encouragement
You are the peace of all things calm
You are the place to hide from harm
You are the light that shines in dark
You are the heart's eternal spark
You are the door that's open wide
You are the guest who waits inside
You are the stranger at the door
You are the calling of the poor
You are my Lord and with me still
You are my love, keep me from ill
You are the light, the truth, the way
You are my Saviour this very day.
(Celtic oral tradition - 1st millennium)
Our prayer focus this week is MAF.
Pray for people living in countries where MAF is at work and where poverty,
dirty water,over crowding and malnutrition are as much of a risk to health as covid -19
Galatians 1 : 1 to 12
1 Paul, an apostle - sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead - 2 and all the brothers and sisters with me,
To the churches in Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel - 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: if anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse!
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1 - Compromise?
Today we begin a series looking at the biblical book of Galatians. And we note St Paul's emphasis that the gospel should never be compromised. He worked hard to show people God's love and grace, through Jesus, and realised that we can do nothing to earn that love and grace. All we can do is trust Jesus and follow him. It's a core truth that we should never supersede.Next week we will share together in Communion - so be ready.
https://wringtonchapel.com/recordings <Click this link to go to this weeks recording
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Closing Prayer.
Lord, your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
Thank you that we can live in Your light and walk in Your truth.
May the things that you have revealed
and thoughts that we have shared dwell in our hearts and stir us to action.
We ask all this in the precious name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.