Notices 2021

Sunday morning & evening worship – The Church is closed during the current restrictions

Please note: Details of forthcoming worship services at foot of this service.

Sunday Worship – Revd. Robert Amos                                                                                              (for use at home on Sunday 18th April – 3rd Sunday in Easter)

A prayer of approach
Almighty God reveal yourself to us
as we share your word in scripture.
and respond to you in prayer and song
Make yourself known to us as we recall the stories of our faith
and witness to the faith we have in you.
Help us to recognise you in one another in the fellowship we share. Amen

Hymn StF 82
Oh Lord, my God When I, in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee..

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee..
(Stuart K. Hine, 1899-1989)

Prayer
To the God who is revealed in the stories of the Israelites and the writings of
the scriptures, who cleared the way for the coming of the Messiah in the
person of Jesus Christ: to you be all praise.
To the God who is revealed in the Manger upon the cross in the form of a
man, who spoke of your love and lived his life according to the precepts of
your Kingdom: to you be all praise
To the God who is revealed in people of faith through the ages, who
witnessed your glory and passed on what they believed to each and every
generation: to you be all praise.
Amen

Reading Luke 24:13-49

Sermon
At a Minister’s retreat at Ampleforth College on my way to our meeting room,
I opened the door for this bearded chap, and I said, “How are you?” he said,
“I’m well, how are you?” “Doing great” I replied. I went a few yards and then
realised that the chap was Dave, one of the ‘Hairy bikers.’ They were filming
an episode of their TV show.
Tony Blair in Brussels in a meeting introduced himself as an MP from Britain
and asked “What’s your name? The lady replied ‘Beatrix”
And what do you do? “I am Queen of The Netherlands”
The gospel reading is about recognition
Look what happens to these two brothers as they journey from Jerusalem to
their home in the city of Emmaus seven miles away. They might be thought of
basically rats fleeing a sinking ship.
A stranger joins them. “What are you taking about?” “You don’t know what’s
happened? You must be the only person in Jerusalem who doesn’t
Talk about “difficult.” Jesus had been arrested, convicted, condemned,
tortured, crucified, and entombed. Adding insult to injury was the disturbing
report they had received from some women in their group, a report that
Jesus’ body was no longer in its tomb.
This would be enough to unsettle anyone, but new and disturbing information
is being told. Reports about his tomb being empty and the crazy notions of
some who say he is alive. Listen to what happens next on that dusty road at the end of the day. This is the part that intrigues me. Jesus begins to interpret the Old Testament and
explains to them how all these things were spoken of by Moses and the
Prophets.
He opens the Scriptures to them. He transforms their thinking. They had no
idea these things were supposed to take place.
They had concluded that Jesus’ mission had failed. They now understand
that the last three days was the plan all along. Finally, these two invite Jesus
into their home. He has dinner with them. Again, Jesus transformed the
event. There at that ordinary dinner at the end of the day this stranger takes
bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them…and their eyes are opened.
In that moment they were transformed.
The resurrection changed everything and continues to do so. It was what we
would call a ‘light bulb’, all of a sudden it clicks. Those who are drivers will
remember that time when you understand what the clutch is all about.
Mary on the first Easter morning reached a point of recognition after first of all
thinking that Jesus was a gardener.
When Thomas finally meets up with Jesus after running away and even
though his friends assured him that Jesus was alive… He wasn’t going to be
convinced until he put his hands in his hands and side and said unless I will
NOT believe. When it did click, he uttered one of the greatest sentences in
the whole of scripture “My Lord and My God”
It moved his life from despair to new possibilities of life.
It takes two sad and lost brothers on the road to Emmaus who had lost the
only world that they knew, and Jesus gives it back to them. Jesus comes to
them and says see I am not dead. I am alive. He breaks bread and
encourages them to go and tell the world.”
At the end of this story the two brothers do what is only natural. They get up,
walk back to Jerusalem and tell the disciples whom they have seen. That is
being a witness. Telling your friends what you have seen. You do not have to
be Billy Graham. You simply tell what you have seen and heard and
experienced in your faith and experience. The resurrection is significant
enough to do the rest of the work for you.
It was the power behind the witness of the disciples, it was the power behind
these two brothers on the road home to Emmaus, it was the power of Paul
who brought the gospel to Rome. And it is the power behind your witness as well. In your daily lives don’t miss the power of the resurrection to convict, to transform, and to make you, his
witnesses.

Hymn StF 338                                                                                                                          There is a redeemer Jesus, God’s own Son.
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One
Thank you Oh my Father
For giving us your Son
and leaving your spirit till
The work on earth is done

Jesus my redeemer Name above all names
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, O for sinners slain.
Thank you Oh my Father…

When I stand in glory I will see His face
There I’ll serve my King forever in that Holy place.
Thank you Oh my Father…
(V 1-2 Melody Green b. 1946, V 3 Keith Green, 1953-1982)

Prayers of Intercession
Let us bring before God
those who have never known the transformative power of your love
We pray to you O Lord
Those who live in fear of what others may do to them
We pray to you O Lord
Those who have the strength to stand up to that which is wrong
We pray to you O Lord
Those who have the courage and the opportunity to speak out against
injustice
We pray to you O Lord
Those who give of themselves to help those in need
We pray to you O Lord
Those who work to make this world a better place
We pray to you O Lord
Those known to us who need our prayers at this time, Amen
We pray to you O Lord

The Lord’s Prayer

Hymn StF 313
Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son,
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won;
angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay.
Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son,
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
let the Church with gladness hymns of triumph sing,
for her Lord now liveth; death hath lost its sting.
Thine be the glory…

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;
life is nought without thee: aid us in our strife;
make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love:
bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.
Thine be the glory…
(Edmond Budry (1854 -1932)

A personal prayer
Through everything I experience this week, with all its ups and emotions,
help me to hold fast to the joy and hope your resurrection brings. Amen
A sending out prayer Just as the risen Christ appeared to his disciples,
bringing them his peace and sending them out as witnesses,
so you are sent out to witness to his life, death and resurrection. Amen

Val Emmersons Contact details

Church Notices to be in by Tuesday’s to Val Emmerson 01262 678242.                                       email valdalheim@talktalk.net

Further details of Church Activities and events are available on the SJB Website.

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