Notices 2020
Sunday morning & evening worship – The Church is closed during the current restrictions
Sunday Worship – Rev Robert Amos (for use at home on Sunday 17th January)
Call to Worship
We are named and called by God.
We gather in God’s name and meet in God’s presence.
God with us. Father Son and Holy Spirit.
Hymn 20
Be still for the presence of the Lord,
The Holy One is here
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
Be still for the glory of the Lord,
Is shining all around
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
Be still, for the power of the Lord
Is moving in this place.
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
Be still for the power of the Lord
Is moving in this place (David J Evans)
Prayer….Lord our God, King of the universe.
In the beginning you made all things out of nothing,
with no help and no tricks, but with lots of love
you were there as the universe grew,
as light exploded and forces broke free;
As atoms emerged and stars flamed with brilliance.
Your love made the earth, the high mountains and the rolling Plains,
the churning rivers and the deep oceans.
And, Lord, in your genius and strength, you made us in your image; vulnerable and fragile; capable of great things and able to love all that you have made.
Mighty and powerful God, you care for all your creation, you are involved in our life and our growing.
Amen
Reading 1 Samuel 3: 1-10 The Lord calls Samuel
Gospel reading John 1 35-43 Jesus’ First Disciple
Sermon
I remember my pal at school Steve saying to me” Why don’t you come to our Youth club,
we’ve got snooker, darts and girls!” I was there like a shot? I was welcomed. The leader
invited me to attend church at least once a month, I stayed and here I am!
Our readings today prompt an important question for us all? How did you first come to Faith?
How did you come to be a member of this Church? What is your calling?
You may not think you have a call because you haven’t done great things, but I want to
remind and encourage you that each of us has a calling?
In the Bible, we look at people like Simon (Peter) who was a giant figure in the Christian
church. With James, John and Paul, he was one of the greatest leaders of the early church.
On the Day of Pentecost, he preached a sermon that resulted in the conversion of three
thousand people. But none of this would have happened if it had not been for the events in
today’s gospel reading.
We read about a quiet, unassuming person, who never grabbed the limelight or created
headlines but what he did do was to put in a simple word of witness and that person was
Andrew.
Were you ever compared to your brother or sister? I am a twin and even throughout my school
years. I sat next to my brother Steven and was compared to him! I feel for poor Andrew for
he is only mentioned by name in twelve verses. In eight of those he is referred to as Simon
Peter’s brother.
He is nearly always mentioned second. In lists of the apostles, he is in middle. Andrew wasn’t
included in Jesus’ inner circle. (It’s usually Peter James and John) Yet Andrew was one of the
first two humans to follow Jesus.
Think of the consequences for early Christianity if Andrew hadn’t spoken when he did! The
greatest service Andrew ever did for Jesus was this simple word of invitation to his brother on
the very first day of his own Christian journey! Andrew didn’t stop there. He’s mentioned 3
times in John’s Gospel, every time he appears; he’s bringing someone to Jesus. The first
time is today’s story with brother Simon
The second time is the feeding of the five thousand, In John 6 he was the one who brought
the little child to Jesus with his loaves and fish
The third time is in John 12:20-50, where some Greeks in Jerusalem want to meet with Jesus.
Once again, Andrew is the one who brings them to meet the Master.
Maybe Andrew wasn’t a great preacher or an outstanding leader but I believe that Andrew
could probably talk to anyone. A friendly chatty guy who made people feel loved and
welcomed but even more than that he had a true faith to share. Look at what he says to his
brother in verse 41: “We have found the Messiah!” you can hear the sense of excitement in
his voice. He was someone who responded to God’s call and followed Jesus and loved people
and wanted to bring them together.
It’s reassuring for me that we can’t all be Simon Peters – preaching sermons at which three
thousand people will be converted or in a position of church Leadership. However, we can all
be ‘Andrews’ – ordinary Christians who are sharing and caring where a word is called for. God
has a plan for you- God seeks to guide you. Andrew served in his humble way. He just did
what needed to be done without fanfare. No complaining, no griping, no bellyaching, no
jealousy. Andrew was too big for that kind of pettiness. All that mattered was to be with the
Lord, to serve him as well as he could… and to bring others to Him.
I came across this story recently. A minister was crossing the Atlantic by ship some years ago.
He noticed a man sitting in a deck chair reading a Bible. He sat down beside him and said, “I
hope you don’t mind if I sit beside you and he introduced himself. The man said, “I am
Filipino. I was born into a good Catholic home. I went to America as a young man to study in
one of your fine universities, intending to become a lawyer. On my first day on campus, a
student dropped by to visit. He welcomed me and offered to help in any way he could. Then
he asked me where I went to church. I told him I was Catholic. He explained that the Catholic
Church was quite a distance away, but he sat down and drew me a map. I thanked him and he
left.
“On the following Sunday morning it was raining. I decided to just skip church. But then there
was a knock on my door. There stood my new friend, and he was holding two umbrellas. He
said that he worried that I might not be able to read his map. So, he said he would escort me
to the Catholic Church. I got dressed, thinking all the while what an unusually thoughtful
person he was. I wondered what church he belonged to.
“As we walked along, I asked him about his church. He said that his church was just around
the corner. So, I suggested that we go to his church this Sunday, and then to mine the
following Sunday.
He agreed. But somehow, I felt so much at home in his church that I never got around to
finding mine. After four years I felt that God was leading me into the ordained ministry rather
than into law. I went to Drew University Seminary and was ordained a Methodist minister.
Then I returned to the Philippines to serve in a Methodist parish. The man was called
Valencius, who later in his ministry became Bishop Valencius, Bishop of the Methodist Church
in the Philippines.”
What a wonderful story and when you think about it the hero of this story is not the Bishop,
important though he is. The hero is that anonymous young man with two umbrellas.
Go all the way back to the beginning of Christian history and you’ll always find him. There’s
Andrew… He is behind almost every Christian convert…that unnamed man or woman with two
umbrellas…that person with a faith who builds a bridge of friendship with another person.
Like Steve who invited me to Laithes Crescent Methodist Church Barnsley, youth Club.
(STF673)Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
Will you love the “you” you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I’ll go where Your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
Prayers of Intercession
Let us pray for all people everywhere according to their need.
Let us pray for the Church of Christ throughout the world for its unity in Christ and for the fulfilment of its mission.
Let us pray for the nations and peoples of the world. For all who serve the common good. For our own country and government and for all in authority. We pray that you would give wisdom and discernment in all the decisions that they have to make.
For those in our NHS in the midst of the Covid pandemic. We thank you for the scientists who have
developed the vaccines that bring hope to our world.
We pray for the USA. As pro-Trump supporters attempted to stage a violent coup at the Capitol, five people were killed and many injured. We pray for stable democracy and an end to divisions as a new president Joe Biden is inaugurated this month.
Let us pray for all who suffer, for the sick, for those who mourn, for those who serve the needy.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind or spirit; Give them courage and hope in their
troubles; and bring them the joy of your salvation.
Merciful Father accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
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. for ever and ever. Amen
Hymn 663
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
my hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my words to them.
Whom shall I send? Here I am, Lord. ……
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will send the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide
till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send? Here I am, Lord.
Here I am Lord, speak,for your servant is listening.
Act, for your servant is waiting.
This week, I want to be attentive to you;
I am listening, watching, waiting for you. Come, Holy Spirit 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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