Category Archives: Meditation

Journey Through Lent

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After 11 months of C-19 disruption, our hearts aren’t really into denial.  We want to sing and run and hug and kiss our friends and get back into the world.  Can it be that there is still more for us to learn in these difficult times?

Fear not, there are many opportunities to engage.  Here are a few:

  • Vision Refresh , Mondays at 19:00 via zoom.   These materials are being used through out the Carlisle Diocese over Lent.  The mantra of Follow Daily, Speak Boldly, Care Deeply, and Tread Softly is helping us to recharge and focus on Christ in a positive way. 
  • Woven :  Thursdays at 15:30 via zoom.  Woven is a course being delivered by the Methodist Church thoughout the UK over Lent.  It looks at the actions of Jesus leading to the cross and examines what they mean for us today.  We’re doing this in Coniston as Christians Together.
  • Morning Prayer : Wednesdays at 9:30 via zoom.  This initiaive is led by the Coniston Crake Valley churches.  It lasts about half an hour and uses materials for Daily Prayer available on the Church of England web-site.  It’s always better to do this together.

The Vision Refresh and Woven studies last only an hour.  If you can find the time, do join us.  Links for all the events can be found at the following web-site:

Calendar | Coniston and Crake Churches

 

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Christian Unity Week

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This week is Christian Unity Week and Kath Dodd has arranged daily half hour zoom prayer sessions from 10 a.m.  Come to as many as you are able.

Here is the info:

 UNITY WEEK (Jan 18 – 25)

Churches Together in Hawkshead, Churches Together in Ambleside, and Christians in Coniston are joining together to meet for half an hour (plus) each week day at 10am.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2021 has been prepared by the Monastic Community of Grandchamp in Switzerland. The theme that was chosen, “Abide in my love and you shall bear much fruit”, is based on John 15:1-17 and expresses Grandchamp Community’s vocation to prayer, reconciliation and unity in the Church and the human family

 DAILY MEETINGS FOR PRAYER – drawing on the Unity week material

We are grateful to our various leaders:

Monday, 18 Jan: Beverley Lock (Anglican)

Tuesday, 19 Jan: Nick Hallam (Anglican)

Wednesday, 20 Jan: Maggie Patchett (Methodist)

Thursday, 21 Jan: John Whitley (Friends) Half hour of prayer, followed by optional discussion

Friday, 22 Jan: Andrew & Kath Dodd (Baptist)

Join Zoom Meeting hosted by Kath Dodd
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89926833953?pwd=dkE2RFBHcG9sZHdZc0dOY3l4VXE2UT09

Meeting ID: 899 2683 3953
Passcode: 212596

 

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Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye my People

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Prayer Service, Wednesday, 9 December 2020

Comfort ye, Comfort Ye My People

Greeting & Call to Prayer

The blessing of the good news of Jesus Christ be with us all!

Lift up your voice with strength,
O herald of good tidings.

1The wilderness and the dry land shall rejoice, ♦
the desert shall blossom and burst into song.

2They shall see the glory of the Lord, ♦
the majesty of our God.

3Strengthen the weary hands, ♦
and make firm the feeble knees.

4Say to the anxious, ‘Be strong, fear not,
your God is coming with judgement, ♦
coming with judgement to save you.’

5Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, ♦
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

6Then shall the lame leap like a hart, ♦
and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.

7For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, ♦
and streams in the desert;

8The ransomed of the Lord shall return with singing, ♦
with everlasting joy upon their heads.

9Joy and gladness shall be theirs, ♦
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

 Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

 Lift up your voice with strength,
O herald of good tidings.

 Hymn Comfort ye, Every Valley, Gramophone Chorus w/ Ebenezer ANTWI

https://youtu.be/83jCTO8N0K4

Isaiah 40:25-31

25 “To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.

27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Matthew 11:28-end

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Hymn: Wait for the Lord

Wait for the Lord, whose day is near.  Wait for the Lord.  Be strong, take heart. Taizé

Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

Collect

O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power
and come among us,
and with great might succour us;
that whereas, through our sins and wickedness
we are grievously hindered
in running the race that is set before us,
your bountiful grace and mercy
may speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honour and glory, now and for ever.Amen.

Hymn 493 O Come O Come Emmanuel

Our Lord says, ‘I am coming soon.’

          Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

May the Lord, when he comes,

find us watching and waiting.

          Amen. May it be so.

Go in peace to love and serve The Lord

In the name of Christ Amen.

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Life’s most important questions

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This is a special message from Fran Sciacca in the US 

“Black Friday” Without a Credit Card!

I hope your Thanksgiving was safe and still meaningful. Finding the balance between safety, sanity, and tradition is going to be a delicate dance for a while, I’m afraid.

One of the recently established traditions in America is the battleground commonly known as “Black Friday.” It’s a time when Americans have internal battles about whether or not they want to fight the external battles of shopping in an arena where helmets and elbow pads may very likely become recommended shopping attire! Personally, I’m not a fan of full-contact shopping.

So, I wanted to let you know that I’ve added some more resources to the website, but unlike most Black Friday items, you won’t need a credit card to access or obtain them. And you won’t have to leave home, or generate more cardboard with “Prime” inked on it. Seamless, digital delivery to your laptop or device. How’s that for something to be thankful for? 🙂 And…no cost!

Just a week or so ago, I delivered three messages to students at Yale University (via Zoom) on the topic, “Life’s Three Most Important Questions.” Those three videos are now available, if you’d like something to watch over the holidays besides Netflix.

I am also continuing my commitment to make the individual character studies I wrote over the years available to you for personal or group study. I’ve added five more, bringing the total available to 20. More will be coming in 2021. The new ones are:

  • Barnabas – The powerful ministry of encouragement
  • Paul – Dealing with our past
  • The Nation of Israel – The myth of nostalgia
  • Jeremiah – Longing to be successful
  • Jesus – Handling rejection

The videos may be accessed here, and the Bible studies are here.

 

Warmly in the Lamb,

Fran Sciacca

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A prayer for peace

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18 November 2020

Commemoration for Elizabeth of Hungary, 1231

Psalm 150

1 Praise the Lord.[a]

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

 

Hymn: Praise to the Lord the Almighty

https://youtu.be/0JvCmvlm-Qg

Revelation 4, The Throne in Heaven

4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’[b]

who was, and is, and is to come.”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”

 

Holy Holy Holy

https://youtu.be/i6DBlqFbBhw

 

Romans 8:37b-39

37b  We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Meditation:  As our eyes turn heavenward, our perspective changes.  Reality is not just what is before us today.  Speak out loud Paul’s words in Romans 8:38-39.  Say them again.  Memorise them.  Hold them in your heart.  Carry them with you into the world.

 

Open Prayer

 

The Lord’s Prayer is said

Collect 

Lord God,
who taught Elizabeth of Hungary
to recognize and reverence Christ in the poor of this world:
by her example
strengthen us to love and serve the afflicted and the needy
and so to honour your Son, the servant king,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

Hymn, The Blessing

https://youtu.be/QnC7z03QkEM

 

Iona Blessing

Deep peace of running wave to you.

Deep peace of the flowing air to you.

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.

Deep peace of the shining stars to you.

Deep peace of the infinite peace to you.

 

 

 

 

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Be thou my vision

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St Andrew’s Church, Prayer & Praise, Wednesday, 21 October 2020

 Call to Worship

 All who are thirsty,

Come drink from the waters of life! 
 All who are weary,

Come bathe, be refreshed in God’s river! 
 All who long for peace,

Come rest in the clear, silent pools of God’s love! 

 Hymn 449 Love divine

 Isaiah 55:1-5a; 6-11

Come, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
 and you that have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
 Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price. 
 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labour for that which does not satisfy?
 Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food. 
 Incline your ear, and come to me;
    listen, so that you may live.
 
 Seek the Lord while he may be found,
    call upon him while he is near; 
 let the wicked forsake their way,
    and the unrighteous their thoughts;
 let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 
 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. 
 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
    and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
 making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 
 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
 but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Meditation from Jesus Calling (with music, All who are Thirsty, 1025):  My Thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways My ways.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My Ways and thoughts higher than yours. 

Summing up prayer:  Lord we marvel at the wonder of being able to commune with you any time, any place.  Let us never take this amazing privilege for granted.  

 Colossians 4:2

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Meditation from Jesus Calling:  Though I am vastly higher and greater than you, I am training you to think My thoughts.  As you spend time in My Presence, My thoughts gradually form in your mind.  These communications strengthen you and prepare you for whatever is before you on your journey. Take time to listen to My voice.  Through your sacrifice of precious time, I bless you far more than you dare to ask.

Silence

Hymn Sheet, Bless the Lord my Soul

John 4:10-13

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Hymn 90, Come, Holy Ghost

Prayer  Open up to God In prayer.  A chance to share our concerns.  A chance to thank God.

Collect                                                                 

O God, forasmuch as without you
we are not able to please you;
mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit
may in all things direct and rule our hearts;
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.

 The Lord’s Prayer is said

Hymn 51, Be Thou My Vision

Blessing

God’s peace: carry, keep and hold us. 

God’s love: nourish, bless and enfold us.

God’s spirit: inspire, lift and mold us.

Almighty God: Triune, holy and blessed

Be with us now and forever.

Amen! May it be so!

 Go in peace to love and serve the Lord

In the name of Christ, Amen

 

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Prayer 14 October 2020

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Prayer Service, Wednesday, 14 October 2020

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

 Image result for praise the lord all you nations

Call to worship (Psalm 117)

Praise the Lord, all you nations;
extol him, all you peoples.
 For great is his love toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord.

Hymn 316 I will sing unto the Lord

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

 

Luke 11:42-46

42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.

44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”

45 One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”

46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

Meditation

Release the song meditation from Kimberly and Alberto Rivera

Prayer

 

The Lord’s Prayer

 

Collect

Almighty and everlasting God,
increase in us your gift of faith
that, forsaking what lies behind
and reaching out to that which is before,
we may run the way of your commandments
and win the crown of everlasting 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.

 

Hymn God who made the Earth and Heaven

1 God, who made the earth and heaven,
Darkness and light:
You the day for work have given,
For rest the night.
May your angel guards defend us,
Slumber sweet your mercy send us,
Holy dreams and hopes attend us,
All through the night.

2 And when morn again shall call us
To run life’s way,
May we still, whate’er befall us,
Your will obey.
From the pow’r of evil hide us,
In the narrow pathway guide us,
Never be your smile denied us
All through the day.

 

 3 Guard us waking, guard us sleeping,
And, when we die,
May we in your mighty keeping
All peaceful lie.
When the last dread call shall wake us,
Then, O Lord, do not forsake us,
But to reign in glory take us
With you on high.

4 Holy Father, throned in heaven,
All-holy Son,
Holy Spirit, freely given,
Blest Three-in-One:
Grant us grace, we now implore you,
Till we lay our crowns before you,
And in worthier strains adore you
While ages run.

 

 

 

My Christ,my shield,my encircler,

each day, each night, each light, each dark,

be near me, uphold me,my treasure,my triumph.

 

Go in peace to love and serve The Lord

 

In the name of Christ Amen.

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Prayer 7 October 2020

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Prayer Service, Wednesday, 7 October 2020

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. Psalm 42:7

Image result for deep calls to deep

 

God of the past who has fathered and mothered us

WE ARE HERE TO THANK YOU

God of the future who is always ahead of us

WE ARE HERE TO TRUST YOU

God of the present here in the midst of us

WE ARE HERE TO PRAISE YOU

God of life beyond us within us

WE REJOICE IN YOUR GLORIOUS LOVE

 

Hymn 590 Seek ye First

 

Meditation

In order to hear My voice, you must release all your worries into My care.  Entrust to Me everything that concerns you.  This clears the way for you to seek My Face unhindered.  Let Me free you from fear that is hiding deep inside you.  Sit quietly in My Presence, allowing My Light to soak into you and drive out any darkness lodged within you.

Luke 10:38-end

At the Home of Martha and Mary

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Meditation

Hymn 396, Just as I am, verse 1

When the world tells us

we are what we do

with our activity, acumen or achievement

let us learn

WE ARE WHAT WE DO WITH OUR SILENCE

Hymn 396, Just as I am, verse 3

When the world tells us

we are what we do

with our spending power, selling power,

or our power of speech

let us learn

WE ARE WHAT WE DO WITH OUR SILENCE

Hymn 396, Just as I am, verse 4

When the world tells us

to drown the silent sufferings of others with

indifference or noise

or to forget the art of stillness even in the storm

let us learn

WE ARE WHAT WE DO WITH OUR SILENCE

Hymn 396, Just as I am, verse 5

Where the world tells us

to rush in where angels fear to tread

let us learn that angels listen first

before they take a step

for the voice of God in the silence

Silence

Hymn 396, Just as I am, verse 6

Prayer

 

The Lord’s Prayer

 

Collect

Almighty God,
you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you:
pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself,
and so bring us at last to your heavenly city
where we shall see you face to face;
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.

 

Hymn 498 O God our help in ages past

 

My Christ,my shield,my encircler,

each day, each night, each light, each dark,

be near me, uphold me,my treasure,my triumph.

 

Go in peace to love and serve The Lord

 

In the name of Christ Amen.

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Commemoration for 11 September 2020

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PRAYER & PRAISE, 9 SEPTEMBER 2020, St. Andrew’s Church

This week we remember the events of 11 September 2001

Come God

Come walk with your people

for you alone are our strength and glory

AND WE PUT OUR TRUST IN YOU

Come God

Come walk behind us, beside us, before us

for you alone are our shelter and direction

AND WE PUT OUR TRUST IN YOU

Come God

Come seek and find and put us right

for you alone are the light in our darkness

AND WE PUT OUR TRUST IN YOU

Come God

We know you are near

the sound of your footsteps sets us dancing

HELP US TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP YOU

 

Hymn 449, Love Divine

Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven to earth come down;
Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
All thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter every trembling heart.Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find that promised rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its Beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.

 

 Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all Thy life receive;
Suddenly return and never,
Never more Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
‘Til in heaven we take our place,
‘Til we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.

 

 

Acts 9:19b-31

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[a] but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

Matthew 4:3-48, Love for Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Hymn 380, Jesus, stand among us, verse 1

 

Jesus stand among us

In thy risen power

Let this time of prayer

Be a hallowed space

Heavenly Father,

We look back on the world as it was 19 years ago, a day before the tragedy of 911.  Families eating together, kissing one another hello, having conversations about the day and the people who were busy executing their plan for destruction.

We commit to you those things we cannot understand. 

MEDITATION;  Release the song, Kimberley and Alberto Rivera

https://youtu.be/foqtMc87w-k

 

A time for meditation to ponder that which we do not understand.  Open up to Jesus in prayer, your own personal space for weeping and wailing for justice and peace and love to prevail.

 

We pray for the transformation and redemption of those who would kill and maim and hate particularly in the name of religion.

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do

 

Prayer

 

Collect

Almighty God,
who called your Church to bear witness
that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself:
help us to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may be drawn to you;
through him who was lifted up on the cross,
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

 

The Lord’s prayer

 

Hymn  377, Jesus, Prince and Saviour, verses 1 & 2 (Tune Onward Christian Soldiers)

 

Jesus Prince and Saviour

Lord of life who died;

Christ the friend of sinners,

Mocked and crucified.

For a world’s salvation

He His body gave,

Lay at last death’s victim,

Lifeless in the grave

Refrain

Lord of life triumphant

Risen now to reign

King of endless ages

Jesus lives again!

In His power and Godhead

Every victory won

Pain and passion ended

All His purpose done

Christ the Lord is risen!

Sighs and sorrows past,

Death’s dark night is over,

Morning comes at last!

Refrain

Resurrection morning!

Sinners’ bondage freed;

Christ the Lord is risen –

He is risen indeed!

Jesus, Prince and Saviour,

Lord of life who died,

Christ the King of Glory,

Now is glorified!

Refrain

 

Blessing

 

My Christ, my shield, my encircler,

each day, each night, each light, each dark,

be near me, uphold me, my treasure, my triumph.

 

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord

 

In the name of Christ, Amen

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Commemoration for King Oswald

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Today is the commemoration for King Oswald, the namesake of St Oswald Church in Grasmere. 
Image result for king oswald
Lift High the Cross, is the hymn for the day which you will find at https://youtu.be/GbcBXYP4AlE

Readings include 1 Peter 4:12 to the end and John 16:29 to the end.

For Meditation consider this:

Oswald, had a vision of Columba the night before the battle, in which he was told

Be strong and act manfully. Behold, I will be with thee.[13] This coming night go out from your camp into battle, for the Lord has granted me that at this time your foes shall be put to flight and Cadwallon your enemy shall be delivered into your hands and you shall return victorious after battle and reign happily.

Oswald described his vision to his council and all agreed that they would be baptised and accept Christianity after the battle.[14] In the battle that followed, the British were routed despite their superior numbers; Cadwallon himself was killed.[8]

What words is Christ saying to you right now?  What is keeping you from listening and putting them into practice?

Today’s prayer

Lord God almighty,
who so kindled the faith of King Oswald with your Spirit
that he set up the sign of the cross in his kingdom
and turned his people to the light of Christ:
grant that we, being fired by the same Spirit,
may always bear our cross before the world
and be found faithful servants of the gospel;
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.

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