There was a Church Service on 23 February 2019
The Service was held in St. Peter’s as usual at 11am.
The Opening Prayer was given by Reg Newton
Announcements were given by Winston Bothwell and included:
*The update from Greg Williams is on the notice board
*Margaret Wallace died aged 88. Please pray for her family
*Debbie Thomas has been told her tumour is incurable. But she is undergoing
chemo and requests prayers
*Winston’s dauther-in-law, Debbie, has similar cancer to Debbie Thomas
considered incurable. She is very weak but has 2 operations scheduled-prayers
are requested
*Some health updates: Cedric is making steady progress but as he can’t drive
yet he wont be at church for a while
Phillip Halford is cheerful and hopefully on the road to recover—please
continue to pray for him
Hymns were
led by Nancy Silcox who began by commenting on a display of cups at the
front. There are many kinds of cups,
just as we have many cups in our lives to drink of from the cup of wrath, the
Lord’s cup of blessing, the cup of consolation and the cup of joy. The worship today is themed on the cup of
life the cup of salvation:
Hymn 1. I Stan Amazed
Hymn 2. I Am A New Creation
Hymn 3. Love Divine, All Love’s excelling
Linda Halford gave a Reading of a story, ‘Life is like a cup of coffee’
Hymn 4. You Are My All In All Sue Ann Henderson joined Nancy at the front and we sang this song as a round with Sue Ann leading one side of the room and Nancy the other.
Intercessory
Prayer was offered by Irene Wilson and included:
*Thank you, God, that you are in charge. Father, we thank you for the peace
you have given us and that we can trust in you—you will never, ever, let us
down. You are with us in our ups and downs of life and we look to you with
thanksgiving.
*For those who are sick at this time we give you thanks and ask for
intercession, for the two Debbies; Debbie Thomas and Winston’s daughter-in-law,
and we pray for healing. Yes, we know that we will all ultimately be healed,
but in your mercy hear our prayers for healings in their lives today
We miss Cedric, Phillip, Blossom, Janie and others, and we ask your blessing
and healing.
*thank you that David is with us today and we pray also for his complete
healing and recovery
*We think of the Wallace family in their bereavement. Thank you for the life of
Margaret and thy kingdom come that brings reunion with loved ones
*This week has been an unstable and difficult week in politics and we pray for
guidance as we look to you to lead the politicians into wisdom and unselfish
service
*There is so much fear and violence—people do not know and you and your way of
peace and joy—help us to spread and share that grace and joy
The Intercessory Prayer was followed by a quiet piece of music for private prayer and meditation.
Hymn 5. Here is Love, Vast as the Ocean
The Sermon was given by David Silcox
on A New Commandment—Love One Another. David told a humourous story of a love
letter begging forgiveness and promising eternal love before congratulating the
‘beloved’ one on their lottery win! Money cannot buy happiness or love. David
read Matthew 5:43-48 which says anyone can love those who love them, but as
children of the Father in heaven we must love even those who hate us. Luke
10:25-27 commands that we love our neighbour AS ourselves; how do we love
ourselves? John 13:34 takes this further when Jesus tells his disciples to love
others as I HAVE LOVED YOU! And verse 35 says that is how people will know we
are his disciples. If we say we are
Christians, we should walk as he did—1 John 2:6. and verse 7 says this new
commandment was indeed an OLD one! Commanded from the beginning and verse 8 is
always new!
Like the crew of the WW2 bomber who lost their lives crashing rather than risk
killing children playing in a field (this was celebrated and commemorated this
week by a flyover in Sheffield), we need sacrificial love 1 John 3:10-16 and if
we do not love we are not of God. Love shows we are of the trust. Love is as
distinct from hate as night is from day and light is from dark, therefore let
our light of love shine in a dark world.
The final Hymn was The Lord’s My Shephers (Townend version), which illustrated the final cup, which overflows with joy, after which the Closing Prayer was led by Sue Ann Henderson
Fellowship continued over refreshments in the church hall.
