Call to worship
Loving and Almighty God,
Present with us throughout our lives
in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of fulfilment and in times of struggle
Make us aware of your presence now as we worship you.
Draw us together as one family as we worship in our separate places
for, although we worship in different places, we are gathered together as we worship.
Give us strength and inspiration
as we walk through this strange land and strange times
May we still sing you praises, voice our questions, cry our grief
and know that you hold us in our fear.
We ask this in your name
Amen
come bow before him now with reverence and fear:
in him no sin is found — we stand on holy ground.
Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here.
he burns with holy fire, with splendour he is crowned:
how awesome is the sight — our radiant King of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around.
he comes to cleanse and heal, to minister his grace:
no work too hard for him — in faith receive from him.
Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place.,
David J. Evans (b. 1957) Words and Music: © 1986, Thankyou Music. Administered by worshiptogether.com Songs, excluding UK & Europe, administered by Kingswaysongs, a division of David C Cook
Methodist Church. Singing the Faith (Kindle Locations 1657-1659). Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd. Kindle Edition.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil;
for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long
Prayer of Praise and adoration
Holy God, holy and true, faithful and loving, we praise and adore you.
Your presence is beyond our understanding,Your nature too great for us to grasp
And yet you are with us, yearning for our good, grieving our hurts.
Lord Jesus Christ, God made one of us, we praise and adore you.
You lived our life, knew its struggles and limitations, its possibilities and abundance.
You laughed and wept with those you loved
Through your life death and resurrection you bring healing, hope and life in all its fullness.
Breath of God, Holy Spirit, we praise and adore you.
Present before time began, brooding and midwifing life
your life flows within us and beyond us now, drawing us into worship, forming us into one people.
Holy God, faithful and true, three in one, we praise and adore you now and forever.
Amen
For the things we have done or said that would have been better not said or done
Lord have mercy
For those things left undone or unsaid that we should have said or done
Lord have mercy
Almighty God, for whom nothing is impossible
you continually work for the abundance of your creation.
Take all that we are and all that we have been
the times when we have walked in your steps and the times we have turned away
transform and recycle them in your love and for your kingdom.
Amen
In Christ God makes all things new. Our sins are forgiven
Thanks be to God
he makes me lie in pastures green,
he leads me by the still, still waters,
his goodness restores my soul.
And I will trust in you alone,
and I will trust in you alone,
for your endless mercy follows me,
your goodness will lead me home.
and he anoints my head with oil;
and my cup — it overflows with joy,
I feast on his pure delights.
And though I walk the darkest path —
I will not fear the evil one,
for you are with me, and your rod and staff
are the comfort I need to know.
Stuart Townend (b. 1963) Words and Music: © 1996, Thankyou Music. Administered by worshiptogether.com Songs, excluding UK & Europe, administered by Kingswaysongs, a division of David C Cook
Methodist Church. Singing the Faith (Kindle Locations 12941-12960). Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd. Kindle Edition.
Who sinned?
Why is this happening?
How can God let this happen?
The disciples’ question at the beginning of this story from John’s Gospel is one we often echo, at different times and in different words, when we are confronted with pain, suffering, illness or disaster.
Who sinned?
Why is this happening?
How can God let this happen?
We look for a cause, someone to blame. The disciples seek to blame the man or his parents. Later the pharisees echo their words and join them telling the man that he was ‘born entirely in sins’.
Who sinned?
Why is this happening?
How can God let this happen?
We do it too -
“It’s the government’s fault - they acted too slowly”
our need to blame, to find an enemy
echoes in our heads, calls from newspapers and news broadcasts, shouts from social media
growing to a cacophony that can stop us from seeing God’s presence and hearing God’s voice,
as it did for the pharisees:
a miracle had happened in front of them,
- a once blind man, was declaring the beauty of a world he could now see
and shouting of the glory of God within it.
all they were listening for was evidence of a crime and proof of whom to blame.
Who sinned?
Why is this happening?
How can God let this happen?
Into the questioning of the disciples, the accusations of the pharisees and the wondering worship of the healed man Jesus speaks.
He speaks of God’s presence, action and transformation
He tells of God’s intention that the world become a kingdom of abundance full of light and colour.
He changes the question from ‘who’s to blame’ to ‘where is God?’
and then answers with a declaration of God’s presence..
“he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.”
If we’re not careful we fall into the trap of thinking that God causes bad things to happen to people so that God can be seen to perform miracles. I don’t believe that.
I believe in a God whose life and love echoes in and through all that is,
who is constantly using everything that is for good,
constantly teaching us more of who we are and God is in each situation,
who takes our damage and hurt, our brokenness and pain
and transforms them and heals them,
and uses them and us as the building blocks of his kingdom
I believe in a God, who in Jesus, saw not just a man born blind, but a man condemned by others
and sought to bring healing
and to allow others to see him as God’s glorious creation, a true child of God.
listens to the indignation, the fear and the accusations
and he will do so all the way to death on the cross.
As he does so he seeks to transform them
to bring light into darkness
to show the possible where we see the impossible
to bring hope to the hopeless
to use the voices of those seen as sinners to teach those who see themselves as sinless
to allow the voiceless to teach new songs to those who think they know it all.
may we allow God to hear our fear, our grief our closed questions and our seeking blame
may we allow God to open our eyes to the suffering in this world and to grieve and lament
may we allow God to give us the generosity to look beyond our needs and grief to the needs of others
and may we allow God to open our souls, minds and bodies and all that we are to the wonders that still surround us and God’s love that still holds us fast
So that with the man who found his sight we can shout
‘Lord, I believe’
but that you died to set me free,
and at your bidding, ‘Come to me!’
O Lamb of God, I come!
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings within and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come!
will welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve:
because your promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come!
has broken every barrier down —
now to be yours, yes, yours alone,
O Lamb of God, I come!
the breadth, length, depth and height to prove,
here for a time and then above,
O Lamb of God, I come!
Charlotte Elliott (1789–1871) adapted by Jubilate Hymns (alt.) Adaptation: © Administered by The Jubilate Group, 4 Thorne Park Road, Torquay TQ2 6RX
Methodist Church. Singing the Faith (Kindle Locations 14651-14673). Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd. Kindle Edition.
God of love,
you blessed us with your servant son, Jesus, so that we might know how to serve your people with justice and with mercy. We gather the needs of others, and ourselves and offer them to you in faith and love, seeking to be strengthened to meet them.
as your son healed the sick and diseased bringing comfort to the communities he visited, come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the corona virus, so we may experience your healing love.
In our hour of need, Lord, hear our cries.
God of justice, we are troubled not only for our own families and friends. We worry about the vulnerable and unprotected throughout the world. We know there are many people who live in countries where health systems are poor, governments are corrupt, and many citizens have few resources to help themselves.
This is the time for world leaders to set aside their quarrels and self-aggrandizement. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Lord let their eyes see the desperation of their peoples and their ears hear the cries for help. Show them how to cooperate with other nations so that a world response to this frightening pandemic can bring relief to the neediest and the oppressed.
In our hour of need, Lord, hear our cries.
In our hour of need, Lord, hear our cries.
In our hour of need, Lord, hear our cries.
In our hour of need, Lord, hear our cries.
In our hour of need, Lord, hear our cries.
Lord God, we lift up ourselves to you, our church family and circuit. Give us your love and comfort as we support each other from day to day. We pray especially for …
May we be patient when change comes slowly. May we be kind when life seems harsh.
May we be gentle when others feel bruised. May we be humble when things go well.
May we be peaceful when anger rises within. May we forgive when wronged.
May we persevere when the way is hard.
Lord, we thank you for your love so strong,
May that love ever flow through us to others.
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore;
feed me now and evermore.
Open thou the crystal fountain
whence the healing stream shall flow;
let the fiery, cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through:
strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
be thou still my strength and shield;
be thou still my strength and shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan
bid my anxious fears subside;
death of death, and hell’s destruction,
land me safe on Canaan’s side:
songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to thee;
I will ever give to thee.
William Williams (1717–1791) translated by Peter Williams (1727–1796)
Methodist Church. Singing the Faith (Kindle Locations 12575-12596). Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd. Kindle Edition.