Bradford North Circuit

Growing trees or felled logs  The destiny for some trees is the production of timber, for making rafters or floorboards or furniture for our homes, or paper for our communication, or numerous other useful items (each storing carbon). That isn’t to say that trees aren’t useful while they’re still growing – good to look at or walk through, and providing habitats for wildlife and lots of other benefits we now call environmental. Indeed, that’s the role of many trees all their lives (building and holding their carbon). If you feel you have found your God- appointed role, pray for his strength to use all your gifts for the common good, in church and beyond, in all the opportunities he provides. If you are still growing and wondering, pray for guidance and patience, accepting his loving discipline and praising him for the potential he is yet to reveal in you. And at every stage, rejoice and give thanks to the Lord for his mercy and calling. Roy LS  A prayer for each week Forester Lo...

Take up your cross Service sheet (pdf) “Take up your cross” is a phrase that creates images for me of Jesus struggling through the streets of Jerusalem dragging the cross, stumbling, falling - a picture of dejection, of ridicule, mocked as a common criminal going towards His awful execution. Its dreadful its awful but Jesus says in Matthews Gospel “If any of you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow me. A few weeks ago I led worship on the theme “The overflowing grace of God” - that love which is freely available for all of us. And if we respond to Gods limitless love, and take our guidance from the life and example of Jesus, we might find real challenges that face us, challenges that are out of step with the way many people think and live out their lives. And in doing so we take up our cross Call to worship God calls us to worship in Spirit and in Truth, as we worship we reflect on all that Jesus went through for us – and we praise God who pou...

Dear friends, As we draw towards the end of our Methodist church year, I send you greetings (greetings too to our URC and Anglican members at Christchurch, Northcliffe and Wilsden Trinity). I want to highlight a few things coming up as we move into the new year. For the last few years we have had a prayer event on the first Saturday of September. This year this will be incorporated into our Welcome Service for Deacon Merry Evans , who joins our Circuit Team on a half-time basis. This Welcome Service will be on Zoom with a phone in option at 3.00pm on Saturday 5th September .  Our district Chair, Kerry Tankard, is preaching, and Phil Drake will be interviewing Merry by way of introduction.  Also on Zoom (with phone-in option) will be our Circuit Meeting on Tuesday 15th September at 7.30pm . This meeting will be receiving the recommendation from The Circuit Stewards regarding the Rev Phil Drake’s re-invitation (including his taking up Superintendency responsibility in 2021) and ...

Service Sheet (pdf) Call to worship Isaiah 51:1-3 “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn; look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many. The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. Prayer Lord God, we seek you, and would pursue your righteousness. In these days of uncertainty, help us to remember who we are, cut from the rock of your purposes, hewn from the quarry of your people’s faithfulness. As we look to Abraham and Sarah, we give thanks too for our forebears in faith, especially those whose love and witness shaped our lives and chiseled our character. As we dwell in covid...

Service Sheet (pdf) Call to worship: Come, with purpose, into the presence of the living God. Come to worship, and to be amazed, to discover and learn new things. Come, knowing that God welcomes us all with open arms. Amen . Opening prayer: Lord God, as we come before you now, we open our hearts to you. Help us to see that we can learn so much from others, even from those with whom we think we may not share much in common. Make us willing to stand out from the crowd, to hear your voice, and act upon it. Amen . Song:  We listen to or join in with the song, Let us build a house where God can dwell (Singing the Faith 409) or read or sing the well-known hymn In Christ there is no east or west (Singing the Faith 685, Hymns and Psalms 758). Prayer of confession Lord, sometimes we look as though we are listening to others. We may even make all the right noises! But we confess that our attention is often anywhere but where it is supposed to be. Forgive us, Lord, for missed opportunities. ...

Service sheet (pdf) Call to worship Bless the Lord, O my soul O Lord my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honour and majesty, wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent, you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind, you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers. (Psalm 104:1-4) Prayer Lord our God, we bring you our praise. You are Lord of all, and we see your glory in the world around us. Yet you are also the God who stoops to our level, who comes to live as one of us, who laughs at our jokes and endures our pain, and who has dealt with the barriers between us in your self-offering. Come in beside us and help us to be aware of your presence. When we expect earthquakes, wind and fire, help us to listen for you in the silence. Help us to worship you in Spirit and in truth today. Amen.  Hymn - Singing the Faith55 /Hymns & Psalms9Immortal, invis...

Over and over again the disciples of Jesus are urged, “Don’t be afraid.” Angels say so when they appear suddenly, even lighting up the night sky. And Jesus himself: when he seems like a ghost in the dark, walking on water; or in a storm when the boat is about to sink; and after he’d disappeared from the grave and then reappears mysteriously and unnaturally beside them. In the face of fear he reassures them, challenges their faith, and promises peace. (Lk 1:13,30; 8:25; Jn 6.20; 14:27) In our fears we can find help in these words still. Do not be afraid: God is still in charge. He has not changed. He loves you and his promises hold true, even while we sail in dangerous seas. Where is your faith? We all need to check this when we waver. What do we think of God, and of Jesus as our Lord? Do we really trust him in practice, in these times of uncertainty and discomfort? It is a challenge, but remember: nothing can separate us from his love – not sickness, nor death, nor bereavement; past, ...

Service sheet (pdf) Call to Worship Come to the Feast, there is room at the table; come let us meet in this place Prayer we pray together Father God, we meet together in mind, purpose and spirit, and even though we are separated in body we are one in your presence. In worship, we marvel at your creation, in worship we thank you for your gift to us of Jesus, His teaching, his healing and his example for living and relating to each other. In worship we welcome the power of your Holy Spirit. Help us to come alive with love and enthusiasm as we live and work for you. As we sometimes struggle in these times, help us to rejoice in knowing that whatever comes our way, nothing can separate us from you. For you are the giver of life, the giver of love and our source of power. Amen You might like to follow the worship song or if you prefer something more traditional. A prayer of confession With phrases such as” How great is our God” or “Great is thy faithfulness” ringing in our ears, we pause…a...