MORNING WORSHIP APRIL 19TH 2020Welcome to our “All together at home” service this morning. Dennis will have sent out the Notice sheet separately for you to catch up with any news. Today we are thinking about how Jesus’ presence changes everything and gives us hope and peace. My prayer is that Jesus love will reach into you hearts as we worship together.

Let us begin:

It is good to praise you Lord, and make music to your name: to proclaim your constant love in the morning, and tell your faithfulness in the evening. For you O Lord, are exalted for ever. Amen

Hymn: For the joys and for the sorrows

https://youtu.be/1MOS6zb3ysg

For the joys and for the sorrowsThe best and worst of timesFor this moment, for tomorrowFor all that lies behindFears that crowd around meFor the failure of my plansFor the dreams of all I hope to beThe truth of what I amFor this I have JesusFor this I have JesusFor this I have Jesus, I have Jesus(Repeat)

For the tears that flow in secretIn the broken timesFor the moments of elation

St James Church, Brownhills

Or the troubled mindFor all the disappointmentsOr the sting of old regretsAll my prayers and longingsThat seem unanswered yetFor the weakness of my bodyThe burdens of each dayFor the nights of doubt and worryWhen sleep has fled awayNeeding reassuranceAnd the will to start againA steely-eyed enduranceThe strength to fight and win

Confession

Almighty God, we confess that too often we have taken the easy way of the world, rather than your way, and so have grieved your heart of love.

We have been slow to admit that we are not our own, but belong to you, In your mercy, forgive us and help us

We have been unwilling to see that we are bought with the price of Christ’s blood. In your mercy, forgive us and help us.

We have been unprepared to live out our lives as your servants. In your mercy, forgive us and help us.

Raise us by the power of your love, and fill us with the joy of your Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Readings:

John 20:19-23 

Jesus Appears to His Disciples19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the

Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Peter Addresses the Crowd Acts 2: 14, 22-3214 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[b] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him:“‘I saw the Lord always before me.    Because he is at my right hand,    I will not be shaken.26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;    my body also will rest in hope,27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead    you will not let your holy one see decay.28 You have made known to me the paths of life;    you will fill me with joy in your presence.’[c]

29 “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.

A few words from Liz“ On the evening of the first day, when the disciples were together –with the doors locked.” Well that sounds very familiar- the disciples were in lockdown. They were a group of confused, anxious people. Lots of rumours were going round- what was the truth? What did it all mean? Even without Facebook stories were out there. The disciples knew that

Jesus had risen but the truth had not really reached their hearts and their minds and they were afraid. They had seen the worst the Jews could do and they were fearful that the same might happen to them. And then, something amazing happens “Jesus came and stood among them and said –peace be with you.” Then he showed them his hands and feet and he breathed on them and said –receive the Holy Spirit.When bad things happen, when we are separated from our families and friends and life is up in the air, what we crave for is for things to be back to normal again. Jesus understands this and provides his friends with the reassuring presence they need. Then he breathes into them- new life, authority and responsibility. When we turn to the Acts reading, we see the changes in the disciples, reinforced by their Pentecost experience. They move out of lockdown into confident, fearless and joyous affirmation of the power of Jesus Christ to change lives and circumstances. When we do go out and about- to the shops or for a walk, we are all keeping safe distances because we know that other people’s breath can pass a dangerous virus. The wonderful thing is that Jesus’ breath is life giving and empowering. Join with me in the words of this hymnBreathe on me breath of God, fill me with life anew, that I may love what thou dost love, and do what thou wouldst do

Breathe on me breath of God, until my life is pure: until with thee I have one will, to do and to endure.

Breathe on me breath of God, till I am wholly thine, until this earthly part of me, glows with thy fire divine

Breath on me breath of God, so shall I never die, but live with thee the perfect life, of thine eternity.

Or of you prefer to sing:

https://youtu.be/M5keJHZdWYMAnd to encourage you, this is a story from the life of Corrie Ten Boom

During World War II Betsie ten Boom died in a Nazi prison camp. She and her sister, Corrie, had been sent there because they had been caught hiding Jews in their Dutch home. Years after the war, Corrie wrote about an answer to prayer regarding a seemingly insignificant item. Betsie's specific prayer and mustard-seed faith is still an inspiration.In her words:I will tell you something that happened when I was a prisoner in a concentration camp with my sister, Betsie. One morning I had a terrible cold, and I said to Betsie, "What can I do? I have no handkerchief.""Pray," she said. I smiled, but she prayed, "Father, Corrie has got a cold, and she has no handkerchief. Will you give her one in Jesus' name, Amen."I could not help laughing, but as she said "Amen," I heard my name called. I went to the

window, and there stood my friend who worked in the prison hospital."Quickly, quickly! Take this little package; it is a little present for you." I opened the package, and inside was a handkerchief."Why in the world did you bring me this? Did I ask you for it? Did you know that I have a cold?""No, but I was folding handkerchiefs in the hospital, and a voice in my heart said, `Take one to Corrie ten Boom."'What a miracle! Can you understand what that handkerchief told me at that moment? It told me that in heaven there is a loving Father who hears when one of his children on this very small planet asks for an impossible little thing--a handkerchief. And that heavenly Father tells one of his other children to take one to Corrie ten Boom.God answers prayers, and God's promises are a greater reality than our problems. Amen

PrayersThrough the risen Jesus we have a living hope which will never spoil or fadeAs we all gather “together at home” with God’s presence in the midst of us, let us prayWe bring to you Lord, the church in all its richness and all its need; all its diversity and all its division. Give us a fresh understanding of what it means to live in you even when we are apart. May all of us celebrate the reality of your presence among us, wherever we are, filling us with new life and a new hope. Lord in your presence, we lift our hearts to you.

We bring to you, Lord, our nation, our world, our universe; all the areas that are fastened shut to hold you out; all the bewildered confusion about who we are and why we are here; all the doubts and insecurity; all the searching for inner peace. Especially we pray for…………………….Lord in your presence, we lift our hearts to you.

We bring to you Lord, our homes and families, and all the joys and sorrows of our relationships. We bring our homes to you, the rooms in which we eat and work and relax, and invite you into them all. Especially we pray for…………… Lord in your presence: we lift our hearts to you.

We bring to you Lord, those who are suffering in any way, physically or mentally. We bring to you those who need refreshment and hope, comfort, healing and inner peace. Especially we pray for……………………..Lord in your presence, we lift our hearts to you.

We bring to you Lord those who weep and mourn that you may come to them as Jesus came to the disciples. Breathe your peace into them we pray. Especially we pray for………………………….Lord in your presence, we lift our hearts to you.

We bring to you Lord, the love of our hearts as we recall the extent of your love for us which understands our frailty and reaches out to us where we are.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Hymn: https://youtu.be/6CMclLT_Hjg

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;Naught be all else to me, save that thou art -Thou my best thought, by day or by night;Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord.Thou my great Father; thine own may I be,Thou in me dwelling and I one with thee.Be thou my battleshield, my sword for the fight,Be thou my armour and be thou my might,Thou my soul’s shelter and thou my high tow’rRaise thou my heav’nward, o power of my power

Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise;Thou mine inheritance, now and always;Thou and thou only first in my heart,High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.High King of heaven, my victory won,May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun!Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

Fellowship:

How are you all- it would be good to hear your stories and your thoughts- we really want to know how things are with you. Send us a message-you can press “reply all”

For the children-

https://www.tath.co.uk/sunday-packs

https://youtu.be/C6-9I5ZJ1Rc