Online Worship from Kintore for use at home. Sixth Sunday of Easter.
Welcome to our online Sunday worship service from Kintore. You are invited to participate in this service at home. There are written prayers for you to read, say out loud or share with your family, there are hymns and prayers you can listen to or sing along with, and there is a brief Sunday message from Neil that you can watch. These are all laid out below in an order of service for you to follow.
CALL – God calls us to worship
Spirit of truth, come close to us.
Unite us into the body of Christ.
Enable us to worship God in Spirit and in truth.
Help us to support and encourage each other.
Help us to love as we are loved.
Spirit of truth, come and abide in us.
Amen.
APPROACH – We draw near to God
Opening Hymn: Immortal, Invisble, God only wise
Prayers of Approach and Confession
Gracious God, we come before you,
drawn by the power of your welcoming love.
We come with our sorrows and joys.
We come with our expectations and apprehensions.
We come with what we have done.
We come as who we are.
In your love we find peace and hope.
God of love, we are sorry
that at times our love for you falters;
that we have wrong priorities;
that we overlook your guidance.
O God, forgive us.
O God, renew us.
Loving Saviour, we are sorry
that we disobey your commandments;
that we fail to love;
that we walk by on the other side.
O God, forgive us.
O God, renew us.
Spirit of truth, we are sorry
that we disregard your presence;
that our thoughts and feelings are unrighteous;
that we follow the world’s way.
O God, forgive us.
O God, renew us.
May your presence abiding in us lead us in the right way,
in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Song: Oceans (Where feet may fail)
THE WORD – God speaks to us
For the Children
Junior Asparagus is heading to bed. But before he falls asleep he thanks God for loving him.
God Loves Me
From the Bible
Acts 17:22-34
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Message: Making the Unknown Known
COMMUNION – We respond to God’s Word
Song: Be still, for the presence of the Lord
Prayers of Intercession
Dear Lord, we bring into your love
those who do not know you and your love;
those who have turned away from you;
those who struggle to accept you;
those who refuse to listen.
May your love touch them,
and transform their lives.
Dear Lord, we bring into your love
those who need parental love;
those who are alone;
those who are abused;
those who are neglected.
May your love touch them,
and transform their lives.
Dear Lord, we bring into your love
those who seek the truth;
those who work in the justice system;
those who campaign and advocate on behalf of the voiceless.
May your love touch them,
and transform their lives.
May we show the power and presence of your love in our church,
our community and our world – for Jesus’ sake.
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. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen.
COMMISSION – God sends us into the world
Closing Hymn – Come down, O Love Divine
Benediction
May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
the Love of God the Father
and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with us and those whom we love
now and evermore.
Amen.
Thank you Neil, lots to consider and think about.
How does my faith in Jesus Christ influence or guide me in my everyday decisions? Beautiful hymns this morning though and I always feel a sense of reassurance and take comfort from ‘Be still, for the Glory of the Lord is shining all around’