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Dear Friends, An email ‘pinged’ into my inbox this morning reminding me that this week is Loneliness Awareness Week [15th – 20th June 2020].  As the authors of the email reminded me, amidst the continuing coronavirus lockdown this is more topical than ever.  But even before the lockdown, loneliness was a profoundly serious issue. When we think of the lonely our thoughts perhaps instinctively turn towards that older person, now living on their own.  But in truth, anyone can feel lonely and at any age; even when surrounded by people, and even when they have many friends or acqu...

Good morning and welcome to this Sunday’s ‘Worship at Home’.  Let’s begin with a moment of stillness and quiet as we prepare to meet with the Lord Jesus in our worship this morning.  Either be still and quiet and allow your mind to empty of any distractions or if you looking at this on-line take a moment to listen to this music from ‘SaltOfTheSound.   Turn your eyes upon Jesus:  https://youtu.be/-dFfLt2Bd3o   And now pray these words of praise and honour and thanksgiving to Jesus.  Let us pray.   Lord Jesus, we come to give you honour and...

Good morning and welcome to this Sunday’s ‘Worship at Home’.  As you begin just take a moment to set to one side any thoughts of those other things you might have to do today, any thoughts of what you might have to do in the week that is ahead, be still for a moment and bring all of your thoughts, your full attention to our compassionate, loving God.  In the stillness, be aware of his presence, his power and his might and be aware too that he looks with eyes of compassion at out helplessness and at our need.  From deep inside he looks at us with love.   And so, let’...

  Good morning and welcome!   The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.   Today as a church we celebrate Trinity Sunday. Let’s begin by reading from Isaiah chapter 40. Isaiah’s words give us a glimpse into the glory of God and remind us that He sees into the heart of every situation in a way that we never can and in ways that we are not equipped to appreciate.  Yes, He is unfathomable, Yes, He is mysterious.  And so, the more we learn to exalt the greatness of our God, the more we wi...

Worship at Home: “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” (Joel 2: 28 – 29) Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you.   Good morning and welcome to everyone on this Day of Pentecost.   Jesus Christ, whom we worship, is our crucified, risen, and ascended Lord and we have walked with him ...

Welcome to Worship at Home on the Sunday after Ascension. We are in the between times, when the disciples had returned to Jerusalem, in obedience to Jesus’ command to wait in the city until they were clothed with power from on high. We are in the between times, as we wait, gradually returning to what we used to call ‘normal’. As we wait, let us use this time especially to pray, and to praise:   Let’s begin with praise, and a great hymn celebrating Jesus, risen and glorified: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV9wUIZJFAA Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour, first-bego...

Dear Friends, This may sound strange, but when I listened to the prime minister’s recent address to the nation, I found myself thinking about Moses.  It’s not that I see Mr Johnson as some sort of prophet – although for some reason my abiding image of an Old testament prophet always seems to include an exuberant hairstyle!  Furthermore, I’m quite certain that Mr Johnson and Moses would have a hugely different understanding of what ‘the promised land’ might be like.  No, it was just that Boris was speaking of the gradual easing of the lockdown provisions and he cautioned that:...

‘One who loves Jesus lives by the word of Jesus’ The glory of the Lord has risen upon us.  Let us rejoice and sing God’s praise for ever! Good morning and welcome to everyone on this sixth Sunday of Easter.  In our passage from John’s Gospel this morning we will hear again Jesus’ promise to the disciples to ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth.  “He lives with you and will be in you...I will not leave you...I will come to you” says Jesus.  As we go through these difficult times, we need to remember that it is the work of the Holy Spi...

Now is the time to strengthen and renew faith in Jesus Christ This is the day that the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it.   Good morning and welcome to everyone on this fifth Sunday of Easter.  Hallelujah!  Christ is risen. He is risen indeed, hallelujah!   And as we begin, let’s take a moment to be still, a moment to put to one side any ‘busyness’ that’s ahead of us in the day, any thoughts of those other things that we may want to be doing.  Let’s be still and maybe just listen to the sounds around us, the birdsong, the breeze, wh...

The Fourth Sunday of Easter Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with us all.   Welcome again to ‘Worship at Home’, already the seventh in our Sunday series!  In a spirit of thanksgiving, and even in our current situation or amid anxiety, pain or grief, take a moment to think of all the blessings God has given you, all his spiritual and material gifts… So we cannot help but begin with praise and adoration, using George Herbert’s wonderful hymn.  If you want to sing it, here’s a link:   https://www.youtube.com/wat...

‘Walking with Jesus’  -  Luke 24:13-35   Welcome to worship at home!  As we begin, read through the first two verses of this well known hymn, celebrating Jesus’ triumph in rising from the dead.   Crown Him with many crowns, The Lamb upon His throne; Hark! how the heav’nly anthem drowns All music but its own! Awake, my soul, and sing Of Him who died for thee, And hail Him as thy matchless King Through all eternity.   Crown Him the Lord of Love: Behold His hands and side; Rich wounds yet visible above In beauty glorified: No angel in...

PRAISE TO GOD FOR A LIVING HOPE   Good morning!  As we begin, read slowly through this passage from 1 Peter 1: 3 – 9   3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, t...