Hi everyone! It’s great to be with you all again, for this week’s virtual service, available on our podcast page.
Our two ‘musical Deborahs’ – Deb Hubbard and Deborah Davies – kindly lead us in our worship this Sunday. Do join in with our worship at home – the words are below.
The Bible reading this week moves to the Acts of the Apostles, to the picture of the early church found in chapter 2, verses 42-47.
It’s a really radical image of how to live, especially when compared the society of that time.
How can this group of the very first Christians, as they followed Jesus together, inform the way in which we are the church today?
Our worship for today:
Brother, Sister, Let Me Serve You, Lord
Brother, sister, let me serve you;
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.
We are pilgrims on a journey,
and companions on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christlight for you
in the nighttime of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh I’ll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow,
till we’ve seen this journey through.
When we sing to God in heaven,
we shall find such harmony,
born of all we’ve known together
of Christ’s love and agony.
Brother, sister, let me serve you;
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that l may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.
(Richard A.M. Gillard © 1977 Scripture in Song)
We have a gospel to proclaim
We have a gospel to proclaim
Good news for men in all the earth;
The gospel of a Saviour’s name:
We sing His glory, tell His worth.
Tell of His birth at Bethlehem,
Not in a royal house or hall
But in a stable dark and dim:
The Word made flesh, a light for all.
Tell of His death at Calvary,
Hated by those He came to save;
In lonely suffering on the cross
For all He loved His life He gave.
Tell of that glorious Easter morn:
Empty the tomb, for He was free.
He broke the power of death and hell
That we might share His victory.
Tell of His reign at God’s right hand,
By all creation glorified;
He sends His Spirit on His Church
To live for Him, the Lamb who died.
Now we rejoice to name Him King:
Jesus is Lord of all the earth.
This gospel message we proclaim:
We sing His glory, tell His worth.
(© 1968 Edward Burns)
We’ve had more traditional worship in our services over the last three weeks. I’d gradually like to start introducing some more contemporary worship songs, so in our virtual service this week, I’m suggesting you also worship to ‘Hope and Glory’, by Tim Hughes, which is rather hymn-like. You can listen to it, with the lyrics in the film itself, here (you may have to skip the adverts).
I hope you enjoy it!
As usual, if you’d prefer to read rather than listen to the podcast, the sermon transcript, reading and prayers can be downloaded here:
And do please contact me (details below) if there is any way in which I or our church families can help you at this tough time.
Best wishes, stay safe, and God bless,
Rev. Tim Chambers
Vicar, the Cranmer Group
E-mail: curate@stgilesparish.com
Mobile: 07946 526569