Mothering Sunday Service Sunday 22 March 2020

Welcome

Thank you for reading and praying through our service this morning.

Today is Mothering Sunday and also a National Day of Prayer.

Service

Opening Verse Psalm 91v1-2

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Hymn You might like to see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNlP8Sy23XE

Come, people of the Risen King, Who delight to bring Him praise; Come all and tune your hearts to sing To the Morning Star of grace. From the shifting shadows of the earth We will lift our eyes to Him, Where steady arms of mercy reach To gather children in. Rejoice, Rejoice! Let every tongue rejoice! One heart, one voice; O Church of Christ, rejoice!

2. Come, those whose joy is morning sun, And those weeping through the night; Come, those who tell of battles won, And those struggling in the fight. For His perfect love will never change, And His mercies never cease, But follow us through all our days With the certain hope of peace. Rejoice...

3. Come, young and old from every land - Men and women of the faith; Come, those with full or empty hands - Find the riches of His grace. Over all the world, His people sing - Shore to shore we hear them call The Truth that cries through every age: “Our God is all in all” Rejoice...

Confession Heavenly Father, we remember the things that we have done that we should not have

done. We are sorry. We remember the things that we haven’t done when we should have. We are sorry. We remember the times that we forgot you. We are sorry. Please forgive us. Amen.

Assurance of our forgiveness Psalm 91v3-4 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

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May the Father of all mercies cleanse you from your sins, and restore you in his image to the praise and glory of his name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bible Reading Ephesians 3v14-21 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fulness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Sermon

Hymn You might like to see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-qZs8G4L0E

Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing, "My God and King!" The heav'ns are not too high, God's praise may thither fly; the earth is not too low, God's praises there may grow. Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing, "My God and King!"

2. Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing, "My God and King!" The church with psalms must shout: no door can keep them out. But, more than all, the heart must bear the longest part. Let all the world in ev'ery corner sing, "My God and King!"

Prayers National Day of Prayer Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy. Sustain and support the anxious, be with those who care for the sick, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may find comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Father, we long for you to help us in the midst of all this chaos. Please help people who are facing financial concerns, worries about their family, having planned ripped away and people concerned for their mental health. Please help us as a planet to deal with this effectively. Please help a doctor or scientist find a cure, please help our experts as they face criticism and enormous stress. We are so sorry that we put so much dependence on this world to bring us happiness and deliver us peace when you are the only answer to that. Thank you that we have you and know you and you love us. Amen.

Mothering Sunday (Prayers from Home for God, an adoption charity) Dear God, thank you that you have comforted us as your children. You have led us with cords of kindness and bands of love. You have provided many good things for us and cared for us when we have had little. Thank you for being like a mother to us. Amen Lord, we thank you for the women you put in our lives who have cared for us. For mothers and carers of every type, aunties, grandmothers and the many women who helped raise us. Where we miss them, may you comfort us. As we pray for each other, we recognise that sometimes mothers are not perfect like you. Where we are hurt, may you restore us. Amen We pray for those who are part of caring for children in all sorts of different ways. For teachers and those in education; social workers and support workers; youth and children’s leaders; nurses, doctors, therapists and all those in healthcare. Fill them with the Fruit of your Spirit and equip them for the work you have set before them. Amen We pray for children who are currently not with the mother figure or parents they need or are facing uncertainty and instability. Would you pour out your love, comfort and peace. Amen.

Prayer for the Day (4th Sunday in Lent) Grant, Almighty God, that we, who deserve to be punished for our evil deeds, may by your grace and mercy be spared through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

Hymn You might like to see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI_q4uEJqS0

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord! Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice; tender to me the promise of his word; in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.

2. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name! Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done; his mercy sure, from age to age to same; his holy Name--the Lord, the Mighty One.

3. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might! Powers and dominions lay their glory by. Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight, the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

4. Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word! Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord to children's children and for evermore!

Blessing from Psalm 90 May the favour of the Lord our God, our dwelling-place throughout all generations, rest upon you and establish the work of your hands.