Bradford North Circuit

  Education Sunday   Service sheet (pdf) Hello and welcome to worship. Prepared today by Peter Jackson, Lay pastor at Baildon. Today is Education Sunday and from our Bible readings we will discover that Peter learned something very significant and the writer of the letter headed “James” also learned a thing or two. – but that’s for later. Song Hymn StF 28 Jesus calls us here to meet Him.  The words of the hymn TELL us that Jesus calls us to meet Him, to talk about Him to join with others from different cultures or backgrounds. This is a learning process from which we all can gain a wider understanding of Gods love shown in Jesus. A Collect for today Spirit of God open our minds to be receptive to your teaching. Help us to think through those concepts that challenge us. Encourage us to be open to your word which may come to us in many ways, styles, and forms so that we may learn more of your love and your will for us, AMEN Reflection Education is more that just being taught. “It’s a goo

Service sheet (pdf) Welcome and a very happy New Methodist Year to you. Come and sit on this bench, it’s in Robert’s Park at Saltaire. It reminds us, looking at the wrought iron ends of the iron ore and pig iron heritage works at Bowling Iron. Look closely, the wooden planks are new. This bench has the old and new combined! It’s not the most comfortable but plenty of room for you and God together! Come and have a natter with Him, think of all His good qualities, feel the warmth of His hand stretching out to you, wordlessly saying to you how precious you are to Him. Let’s sing praises to Him. Song Hymn 5 StF: Father in whom we live Opening Prayers:  Father God, we sit beside you. You made heaven and earth and the seasons in their glory. As summer with its dahlias, montbretias and Japanese anemones herald the start of autumn, we stand at the threshold of a new church year. We look back over our shoulders and see closed churches, well-spaced chairs, masks and gentle humming, almost as if

This year, next year, sometime... My first job was good, but after a few years I became impatient for a move onwards, though I couldn’t see to what or where. But while I was praying (complaining) about it one day on a walk, I sensed quite clearly God saying, ‘Wait’. So I did, and two years later came an invitation to apply for a job that suited me down to the ground: it was wonderfully stimulating and I could really get my teeth into it. Of course I didn’t know (how could I), that during those two years this brand new opening was being designed and set up. So God couldn’t ‘answer’ until it was ready, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t heard my prayers. I haven’t applied for many jobs in my career, but I used to have to bid for contracts – and they taught me big lessons. Of course it was great to get the job or contract and I could thank God for it, but much to my surprise I found that the refusals were blessings too. How? Well, as I reflected afterwards on the rejections I saw that thos

  Service Sheet (pdf) Hello and welcome to this recorded service, presented by Bradford North Methodist Circuit. I am Martin Bashforth and I am a local preacher in the circuit. For several weeks, we have been looking at the parables told by Jesus, to discover truths about God and the Kingdom of Heaven. Today we are to consider two (related) parables which teach us about prayer. We know how important prayer was to Jesus himself. We are told by Luke (6:12) that before he chose his 12 disciples “Jesus went up a hill to pray and spent the whole night there praying to God.” As we pray, we come into the very presence of God who is, at the same time, sovereign Lord of the whole universe and also our heavenly Father.  Song Let’s keep this in mind, as we share our first hymn STF 530 To be in your presence  Prayer And so, let us come to God in prayer. Let us all pray: Gracious God, creator of the universe and father of every living thing, thank you for making us in your own image. Thank you for

Service sheet (pdf) Today is the tenth Sunday of our series exploring Parables for Bradford, listening to some of the stories told by Jesus with an ear to what they might say to us in the places we live, work, worship. Today’s story is about three bags of gold, or more particularly the actions of those to whom these bags were entrusted. As we begin to engage with this story, we might find ourselves thinking about our bags of gold, or their equivalents, and what we do (or don’t do) with them. Call to worship Psalm 84 (NIVUK) How lovely is your dwelling-place, LORD Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. 3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near your altar, LORD Almighty, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on

Service Sheet (pdf) Introduction Good morning, welcome to worship in Bradford North Circuit of the Methodist Church. I am Mervyn Flecknoe, one of the Lay Pastors at Baildon Methodist Church, which is a member of the Circuit. We are nearing the end of a worship series about Parables. On the circuit website, you will find, and be able to print out, a booklet that describes the whole series. You are welcome this week, whether you feel elated or a bit down, whether, like the wise bridesmaids in today’s parable, you feel that you have spare oil to make your lamp burn brightly, or whether you are running a bit low on oil these days. Whatever your situation, the church and the world have need of you, you are an important child of God, worthy of love and respect. Last week, Deacon Merry Evans took the parable of the corrupt business manager, next week Rev Phil Drake will take the Parable of the Talents. My subject this week is the parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids. The title,