Sunday 3rd May 2020

Thisshortactofworshiphasbeenpreparedforyoutouseasyouareunabletoattendchurch.IfyouarewellenoughwhynotspendafewmomentswithGod,knowingthatotherpeoplearesharingthisactofworshipwithyou.

OpeningPrayer

Jesussaid:‘IamtheGoodShepherd’.Lord,helpmetolistenforhisvoiceofferingcomfortandsafety.

Hymn:IheardthevoiceofJesussay(SingingtheFaith248Sing/Read/pray/proclaimthewordsorlistentoithere:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqF4N7rdV-wIheardthevoiceofJesussay:'Comeuntomeandrest;laydown,Owearyone,laydownyourheaduponmybreast.'IcametoJesusasIwas,wearyandwornandsad,Ifoundinhimaresting-place,andhehasmademeglad.IheardthevoiceofJesussay:

'Behold,Ifreelygivethelivingwater;thirstyone,stoopdownanddrinkandlive.'IcametoJesus,andIdrankofthatlife-givingstream;mythirstwasquenched,mysoulrevived,andnowIliveinhim.IheardthevoiceofJesussay:'Iamthisdarkworld'sLight;lookuntome,yourmornshallrise,andallyourdaybebright.'IlookedtoJesus,andIfoundinhimmystar,mysun;andinthatlightoflifeI'llwalk,tilltravellingdaysaredone.

HoratiusN.Bonar(1808-1889)

Letuspraytogether

GlorytoGod,creatorofheavenandearth,whohasmadeallthingsliving.GlorytoGod,Fatherofallmercies,whohasgivenhisonly-begottensontobeourRedeemer.GlorytoGod,fireofholylove,whoforoursanctificationhaspouredforthhislife-givingSpirit.JohnHamilton(1512-1571)fromPrayerHandbook2019-2020Day3

Today’sReadingfromtheOldTestament-

Psalm23

APsalmofDavid.TheLordismyshepherd,Ishallnotwant.Hemakesmeliedowningreenpastures;heleadsmebesidestillwaters;herestoresmysoul.Heleadsmeinrightpathsforhisname’ssake.

EventhoughIwalkthroughthedarkestvalley,Ifearnoevil;foryouarewithme;yourrodandyourstaff—theycomfortme.

Youprepareatablebeforemeinthepresenceofmyenemies;youanointmyheadwithoil;mycupoverflows.Surelygoodnessandmercyshallfollowmeallthedaysofmylife,andIshalldwellinthehouseoftheLordmywholelifelong.

Today’sGospelReading:John10:1-10

“Verytruly,Itellyou,anyonewhodoesnotenterthesheepfoldbythe

gatebutclimbsinbyanotherwayisathiefandabandit.Theonewhoentersbythegateistheshepherdofthesheep.Thegatekeeperopensthegateforhim,andthesheephearhisvoice.Hecallshisownsheepbynameandleadsthemout.Whenhehasbroughtoutallhisown,hegoesaheadofthem,andthesheepfollowhimbecausetheyknowhisvoice.Theywillnotfollowastranger,buttheywillrunfromhimbecausetheydonotknowthevoiceofstrangers.”Jesususedthisfigureofspeechwiththem,buttheydidnotunderstandwhathewassayingtothem.SoagainJesussaidtothem,“Verytruly,Itellyou,Iamthegateforthesheep.Allwhocamebeforemearethievesandbandits;butthesheepdidnotlistentothem.Iamthegate.Whoeverentersbymewillbesaved,andwillcomeinandgooutandfindpasture.Thethiefcomesonlytostealandkillanddestroy.Icamethattheymayhavelife,andhaveitabundantly.

TimetoReflect

ThosewhofirstlistenedtoJesuswouldhavehadtwodifferentpicturesofsheep-foldsintheirminds.Thefirstwouldhavebeenthecommunalsheepfoldinthevillage—asolidstructurewithastronggateandagatekeeper.

Severalflockswouldbekepttogetherovernight.Thegatekeeperwouldonlyallowentrancetoashepherdwhowasknowntohim,whosevoicewasfamiliartohimselfandatleastsomeofthesheep.Theotherpicturewouldbeofthesheepfoldusedwhentheflocksweretoofarfromthevillagetocomebackforthenight—anopenenclosurewithnogate,justanopening,oftenmadeofroughstoneswithalayerofthornbrushalongthetop.Atnight,afterthesheepwerein,theshepherdwouldliedowninthedoorway.Hebecamethegate.Therewasnolegitimateaccesstothesheepfoldexceptthroughhim.InourreadingfromJohn’sGospelJesusreferredtoboththeseimages.Hereferstothetrueshepherdenteringbythedoor,pastthegatekeeper;andhereferstohimselfasthegate,theonewholayshimselfdownthatthesheepmaybekeptsafelyuntilthedaycomesandtheycansafelygraze.Gatescomeinmanyshapesandkinds.Sometimestheyexcludetokeepthegroupsafe,andsometimestheyadmit,dependingonissuesofneedandtrust.Latelywe’vehadtoexcludepeoplefromourhomesforourownsafety.Allofushavehadtobecomeourown‘gatekeepers’,decidingwhatlevelofriskisacceptable,aftercheckingthe

advicebeinggivenandweighingupwhoandwhatwefeelwecantrust.Jesuslayshimselfdown,riskingall,thatwemaycomeandgofreely,enjoyingabundantlifeincompanywithHim.Takeatimetositquietly

Atimeofprayer

Letusprayforourworldincrisis,acrisisthathasbroughtoutthebestandtheworstinhumanity:Wegivethanksforthosewhoareofferinghelpinsomanywaystothoseinneed;andprayforthosewhointheirfearactedlessgenerously.Wegivethanksforallthe‘keyworkers’whohaveworkedtirelesslyinmedicalandcaresectors;LocalAuthorityandcommunityteams;productionanddistribution;andprayforthosenowidle,anxious,anddepressedduetotheclosures.Wegivethanksforpositivevoices,encouragingandnurturingothersinsomanyways;andprayforthosewhosevoicesbring‘fake’adviceandfalsetestimony.GoodShepherdofthesheep,bywhomthelostaresoughtandguidedintothefold:feedusandweshallbesatisfied;healusandweshallbemadewhole’andleadus,thatwemaybewithyou;

foryouarealiveandreign,withtheFatherandtheHolySpirit,oneGod,nowandforever.Amen;

CollectforFourthSundayofEasterfromMethodistWorshipbook.

TheLord’sPrayerOurFather……

Hymn:Listento‘Youaremykeeper’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FGQLbGiUpQ

orsingaverseofahymnthatcomestomind

Aprayerofblessing

Icomeintoyoursheep-foldthisday,tofindtherestIneed.Whenthenewdaycomes,Iwillfollowyouthroughgreenpasturesandbesidestillwaters.Mayyourgoodnessandmercyfollowmeallthedaysofmylife.Amen.

OriginalMaterialsbyPamelaCram

JustforFun!

Wordsearchclues&answers

ThismonththeChurchcelebratestheAscensionofJesus,thesendingoftheHolySpiritatPentecost,andthefactthatourGodisaTrinity:Father,SonandHolySpirit.AftertheResurrection,JesuswasseenontheroadtoEmmaus,bytheSeaofGalilee,inhouses,etc.Heencouragedhisdisciples,andsaidthatHewassendingthemtoallcornersoftheearth,ashiswitnesses.40daysafterEaster,Jesusascendedintoheaven;hisworkonearthwasdone.ThedisciplesreturnedtoJerusalem,andonthefatefulmorningofPentecost,therewassuddenlythesoundasofamightyrushingwind.Tonguesofflameflickeredontheirheads,andtheybegantopraiseGodinmanytongues–totheastonishmentofthosewhoheardthem.ThatmorningtheHolySpiritcametoindwellallthosewhobelievedinJesus:theChurchwasborn.AndsowehaveatriuneGod:Father,SonandHolySpirit.

AscensionBlessedTakenJerusalemWait

PrayerPowerOneRoomDisciples

TonguesFlameJoyPraise

ConfusionLanguagesEarthPeterHoly

SpiritTrinityFatherSontriune