Keeping in step with the Spirit
 
Readings:
Luke 9:51-62
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
 
The fruit of the Spirit     [Tune: The Ash Grove]
 
The fruit of the Spirit is love for our sharing,
It's joy in the gospel that we have from you.
It's peace that we live out with courage and daring;
It's patience, for we know that we have sinned, too.
It's kindness in all things and generous giving;
It's faithfulness seeking to follow your way.
It's gentleness, Lord, and it's self-controlled living;
Now make us more fruitful in these things, we pray.
                          (Copyright © 2006 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette)
      
The recorded sermon can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/zlHtxMtFx64

Refugee Sunday: The Healing Power of Christ in a Damaged and Divided World

​Readings:
Galatians 3.23-29
Luke 8.26-39
 
Responsive Psalm (22:19-28)
19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
    You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver me from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my people;
    in the assembly I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
    Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
    before those who fear you[a] I will fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek the Lord will praise him--
    may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord
    and he rules over the nations.
 
The recorded sermon for today can be accessed here: https://youtu.be/IlPWR8evTsU

Trinity Sunday
Readings: 
Proverbs 8:1-4 & 22-31: Proverbs personifies Wisdom as a woman who calls out to humanity to follow her, to listen to her and thereby be led to the way of life.
John 16:12-15: Jesus promises to send the “Spirit of truth” who will teach and guide his followers in the way of his truth.
 
In the sermon today, David looks at “Making sense of what we mean by the Trinity!”
You can watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/_DDbFy7yYpY

Pentecost
Acts 2:1-21: It is the day of Pentecost; Jews from every nation on the face of the earth are gathered. Then, with a mighty wind, the Holy Spirit shakes the foundations where the followers of Jesus were gathered, descending upon them, empowering them to speak and to hear. And thus the church is born.
John 14: 8-17 & 25-27: Jesus promises his disciples that God will send them the gift of the Holy Spirit.
 
The recording of today’s Sermon – The Breath of God  - can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/PU2pjdQ74D8

Gentle Spirit of God, breath of life which touches each face with love,
you are with us and within us.
You are the melody of joy in all creation, poured out in notes of hope and healing around us all,
you are with us and within us.
Passionate Spirit, warming our hearts with the bright flame of your caring
you are with us and within us.
Divine Dreamer, who casts a glimpse of beauty in the imaginations of all your children,
you are with us and within us.
On this day we name your coming, the Holy One who never leaves us, nor forsakes us.
you are with us and within us. Stay with us now, Spirit of God, Spirit of Christ

Readings:
Acts 16:9-15:  Paul has a vision in which he is instructed to go across to Macedonia and help the people there. The results of the visit are far more than Paul anticipated.
John 5:1-9: This is the “third sign” in John’s Gospel – the first being the wedding at Cana and the second, the healing of the official’s son. Secondary to the story is that the healing takes place on the Sabbath – this makes Jesus’ opponents more determined to get rid of him.
 
Today’s sermon - The Waiting List – can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/6mzgxd5sPuo

New Things
Readings: John 13:31-35 & Acts 11:1-18
 
Come all who are weary
of wealth, of poverty, of power, of struggle, of division
Come all who are heavy-laden
with too much, with too little, with anxiety, with fear, with anger
Come all who have hope
for liberation, for peace, for freedom, for the kingdom
Hear these words
“See, I am making all things new.”

​(from I Am Making All Things New, written by Rosie Venner. Posted on the WSCF Europe website. http://wscf-europe.org/mozaik-issues/mozaik-25-the-powers-that-be/worship-i-am-making-all-things-new/)
 
The recorded sermon can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/TbPagStJe34
 

John 21: 1-19: The Risen Christ appears to his disciples on the beach and speaks to them of his abiding love for them as well as their responsibility to follow him.
 
For over 65 years I have read or listened to the events of Easter and Post Easter as recorded in the New Testament. And as I read them again this year, it struck me that there is, somehow, always a freshness about them and a sense of the surprising and the unexpected.
 
Watch the recorded sermon - It was outside their own experience! - here: https://youtu.be/Jjqj1_Rpq1E

Good Shepherd Sunday
Ezekiel 34: 11-16
Isaiah 53: 1-9
John 10: 11-18
 
View the recorded Reflections for today’s service here: https://youtu.be/k3PsI1Qmc3A

To those who hear his voice, recognise it and follow Jesus he promises that they will be part of the heavenly choir mentioned in the Revelation of John. To them Jesus promises eternal life.
 
What a wonderful promise that is! Jesus is promising us that if we are genuinely His sheep, then nothing can change that fact. If we are His followers, we will inherit eternal life. To put it another way, God is holding on to us, and won’t let go. This is a tremendous promise that should encourage us when we fail. We cannot mess up so badly that we are lost to God, because we are not holding on to God – God is holding on to us. The Good Shepherd always has us in his care.
 
Thank You that in Your grace and through the Lord Jesus
You seek us out, You find us,
You help us, and give us new joy and hope.
We hear Your call to care for others as You care for us,
to love as You love,
to give and go on giving,
​to heal, to feed, to nurture and reconcile. 

Harvest Thanksgiving
 
From Psalm 65:
You show your care for the land by sending rain;
    you make it rich and fertile.
You fill the streams with water;
    you provide the earth with crops.
This is how you do it:
you send abundant rain on the plowed fields
    and soak them with water;
you soften the soil with showers
    and cause the young plants to grow.
What a rich harvest your goodness provides!
    Wherever you go there is plenty.
The pastures are filled with flocks;
    the hillsides are full of joy.
The fields are covered with sheep;
    the valleys are full of wheat.
Everything shouts and sings for joy!
 
Readings for today:
John 20:19-31
Acts 5:27-32
 
In today’s sermon, Anne explores Faith lessons from “Doubting Thomas” – you can watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/lg2PxgJkhVA

Christ is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Readings:
1 Corinthians 15:19-26: “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied,” says Paul as he recites our hope through the resurrection of Jesus.
John 20:1-18: John tells the story of Easter and the miracle that happened as Jesus’ astonished disciples see the empty tomb. But Mary Magdalene lingers at the tomb and there she is encountered by the Risen Christ.
 
View the recorded sermon for today here: ​https://youtu.be/RSZuLRbbxg4

​The message of Easter is clear – the story is not yet over. We haven’t heard the punch line. If one word of advice comes from the Easter story it is, don’t be premature in your judgement of what God is doing here.