Love is the way to the Lord - Sermon preached at Southery Methodist Church 2nd May 2021

Sermon preached at Southery Methodist Church Sunday 2nd May 2021

5th Sunday of Easter

Some hymns on spotify, follow the links for others

Prayers used below the order of service

Order of Service

Call to worship: Psalm 22:28-31

Hymn: Where shall my wondering soul begin?

Prayer of Adoration

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Prayer of Confession

Lord’s Prayer

Hymn: Christ our King before creation

1st Reading: Acts 8:26-40

2nd Reading: 1 John 4:7-21

Sermon

Hymn: Let him to whom we now belong (Link to text, tune on spotify)

Prayers of Intercession

Hymn: Thou God of Truth and Love

The Grace

 

Prayers

Prayer of Adoration

Gracious God, as we come together this day to pray to You as our God, we praise You with all our hearts and minds. We praise You as the Lord enthroned on High, and the Holy Spirit alive in us. We praise You as the Christ who died for us, and rose again to triumph over death. We praise You as the Lord God, the blessed three in one. We praise You and revel as we think of the Glory and magnificence of You. Praise be unto You, Father Son and Holy Spirit, Amen

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Gracious God our Father we give our thanks to You for all the wonderful things You have given unto us. We give thanks for all the things we get from You every day, from the breath which comes to our lungs to the food and drink which sustain us. We thank You for all the things we have been brought safely through, and all the strength given to us in these difficult times. We thank You for all You have given unto us and all to come, Thanks be to You Our God, Amen

Prayer of Confession

Lord our God, we bring before You the sins we have committed. We confess all the things we have done wrong in thought, word and deed. We confess that we have done wrong by the things we have not done. We confess our sins, and ask Lord God that You Forgive Us. We ask for this forgiveness, trusting solely in Your love for our forgiveness, and we thank You Lord God that we are washed clean of our sins. Thanks be to You Father Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father

Who Art In Heaven

Hallowed Be Thy Name

Thy Kingdom Come

Thy Will Be Done

On Earth As It Is In Heaven

Give Us This Day

Our Daily Bread

And Forgive Us Our Trespasses

As We Forgive Those

Who Trespass Against Us

And Lead Us Not Into Temptation

But Deliver Us From Evil

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 “Risen Lord Hear us” the response is, “Risen Lord, Graciously Hear us”

Risen Lord Hear us

Risen Lord Graciously Hear us

Those in 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, asking for their comfort, and the relief of the many strains upon their nerves. We pray too for all those who are in peril and far from being vaccinated, Lord speak to them that they may keep themselves as safe as possible.

Risen Lord Hear us

Risen 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 all those who work in healthcare and social care 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 treatments, 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.

Risen Lord Hear us

Risen 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, however they may have been taken from us by.

Risen Lord Hear us

Risen Lord Graciously Hear us

Those who labour unto God

We pray Lord God for all those who work for the Church. We pray for our own Churches and Circuits, tending the flame of the Spirit amongst us in different ways in these times. 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 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 certainty in their faith. We ask God that we may be a help to those we can, to know You, as Father Son and Holy Spirit. For those we cannot reach, we pray for all 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.

Risen Lord Hear us

Risen 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 in these difficult times, 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 for our Queen and Royal Family in their time of Grief, asking that You give them the same spiritual comforts given unto us all.

Risen Lord Hear us

Risen Lord Graciously Hear us

Our close kin and neighbours

We pray for those folk who are around about us, for one another, our neighbours, varied in their 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 any you have an especial prayer for)

Risen Lord Hear us

Risen 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.

Risen Lord Hear us

Risen 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.

The Grace

May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, And the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, Be With Us All, Ever More, Amen