Why we preach - Sermon for 7th February 2021

Service for the 7th February 2021

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Hymns in Most Hymnals and on Spotify

Prayers For Use To Make A Whole Service Provided Below The Order Of Service

Order of Service

 

Call to Worship: Psalm 147

Hymn: Behold the servant of the Lord

Prayers

Lord’s Prayer

Hymn Tell me the stories of Jesus

1st Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

2nd Reading: Mark 1:29-39

Hymn Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine

Sermon

Hymn We have a Gospel to Proclaim

Prayers of Intercession

Hymn Go Forth and Tell

The Grace

 

Prayer of Adoration

Great and Glorious God, to You we come this day, as spring begins to bloom reminding us of new life and all the prettinesses of the world, wondering at all the marvellous things Your hands have made. In all things we can see glimpses of Your wonderful generosity, in our lives we come to know of You, through great wonders and the smallest of life’s joys In this time, we appreciate every good thing so very much, for You have Blessed us.. So we come before You in Worship, singing Your prayers and declaring as one people, that You are our God. Amen

Prayer of Thanksgiving

To the font of all blessings, You our Father God, we pray to give thanks for the abundance of things poured out for us by You. We give thanks for all the gifts this day, of the rising of the sun and the fact that we have food and drink for ourselves. We give thanks for the gift of worship which even the pandemic cannot utterly rob us of. Most of all we give thanks for the blessings of Salvation and the life after death, which are the gifts of You, O Lord our God, the promise of which gives us eternal hope. Thank You Lord our God, for everything You have done for us, and will do for us. Amen

Prayer of Confession

Before You O Lord our God we bring our burden of sins, all those things we have done which we should not have done, and all those things left undone that we should have done. We declare them to You, and we say, Lord God we are sorry for our sinfulness. We ask You to grant unto us forgiveness, for we know that even with all our sins, when we are sorry, we can always ask Your forgiveness, and it is given out readily to us. For this we owe our thanks to the blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ, who endured the Cross for our sakes, that we might know that our sins are forgiven. Thanks be unto You Father Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

 

Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray:

Our Father Who art in Heaven,

Hallowed Be Thy Name

Thy Kingdom Come

Thy Will be done

On Earth as it is heaven

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those that trespass against us

For Thine is the Kingdom

The Power and the Glory

Forever and Ever

Amen

 

 

Prayers of Intercession

We bring our prayers of Intercession before God to ask his help in the world, as in the traditional way there is a response, after the words “Lord Hear us” the response is, “Lord, Graciously Hear us”

Lord Hear us

Lord Graciously Hear us

Those in Material Want

O Lord we bring before You those who are in want of material things, be it of food, of water, of shelter or anything else that is necessary to life. Lord, we know that their stories are many and varied, as are their needs. So we ask that where we can help their relief from want, we shall know how to do so, and shall set to it with a will. Where we cannot help them with our hands, we pray for the hands and hearts of others to be moved to help with all possible speed. We pray for all who are afraid in this difficult time, and all who are struggling mentally. Lord, help us, and them.

Lord Hear us

Lord Graciously Hear us

Those in Sickness

We pray for those who are ill. We pray for those whose sickness is but seasonal or of short duration. We pray for those whose ailments are long lasting or slow to heal. God grant them healing if it be possible, and comfort in all cases. We pray too for doctors, nurses, carers, porters and all those who work in healthcare to the aid of others, give them strength and keep them from tiredness and error. We pray too for those who labour to find new cures and treatment, please God, bless their hands and their efforts, that they may know much success and never want for ideas. We pray especially for the roll out of the vaccines, Lord, help the supplies to flow in abundance and for competence to guide the distribution throughout the world.

Lord Hear us

Lord Graciously Hear us

Those in mourning and despair

We bring before You those who mourn, Lord, we ask that they may know the comforts of Your Gospel and its truth, that they may be shielded from despair, sure in the knowledge of Heaven and of places prepared for Christian folk the world over there, praying for those who lose those they care for in this time of pandemic.

Lord Hear us

Lord Graciously Hear us

Those who labour unto God

We pray Lord God for all those who work for the Church. We pray for this Church and Circuit, tending the flame of the Spirit amidst our broad skies and comfortable homes. We pray for the Church throughout Britain, that it may grow and prosper as never before, for we see again and again in history how the Church can revive, and we ask for such again. We pray for the Church in lands abroad, for we know that we have brethren in every land. We ask that the Church may flourish in every corner of the world, and be safe from those who would work for the Evil One amongst the sheep. We pray for those who lack the knowledge of You our God, whether they be in total ignorance, know but little of the Gospel, or if they know all but the surety of faith. We ask God that we may be a help to those we can to know You, as Father Son and Holy Ghost. For those we cannot reach, we pray for the armies of preachers, ministers and clergy, missionaries, Sunday School Teachers and honest Christians who are abroad in the world and able to help spread the news of You, that their tongues might speak freely and that ears may be open to them.

Lord Hear us

Lord Graciously Hear us

Those who labour unto the World

We pray for those who endeavour to keep this world going. We pray for governments and administrations, especially remembering our own as we come through this difficult time, and begin to dare to hope, may those able to make decisions be guided to make the right ones, and may those who must labour to make things happen see the works of their hands prosper. Please God, bring better times to the world. May the desire to be a Godly people light the hearts of all, so that evil shall be stopped. We pray too for the Royal Family, Lord, guard and guide them just as You do us, and May they all know and faithfully serve you. We pray especially for our Queen, who has served us now for 69 years as Sovereign, and endured much in the service of Your people in many realms, and still worships You as we do.

Lord Hear us

Lord Graciously Hear us

Our close kin and neighbours

We pray for those folk who are around about us, for one another, may we be a useful brethren here amongst us. We pray for this town and district, varied in its needs and wants, that those who are in need may be helped, and that they may know always that they may come to come us for aid, no matter their need. We especially remember to You (here name those you are especially worried for)

Lord Hear us

Lord Graciously Hear us

Ourselves

We pray for our own needs Lord, for we are so often weak and weary. We ask that You help us all in our difficulties, whatever they may be. We ask to be strong for ourselves and others, that we may know much help and relief and be strong and sure in the faith. We ask that those things we long for may be known to us as fulfilments of Your promises.

Lord Hear us

Lord Graciously Hear us

Assurance of prayers being heeded

Lord we pray, knowing that when we pray, You hear us, and our prayers shall not want for answer. Thanks be unto You, Father Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.