Virtual Worship - 30 January 2022

Welcome:

Come just as you are to worship God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the God whose love is unconditional for you

Intro:

Isaiah 62 v 3: “You will be a crown of splendour in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.” Let that just warm your heart!

‭‬‬Hymn

StF 83: Praise my soul: Through Jesus we are ransomed, healed, restored and forgiven

Prayers:

Father God, we praise you for being our Creator God. As we see you doing away with all that has turned to rubbish or needing a rest we see your season of winter but the signs of hope, the aconites and snowdrops already out. How we marvel Father at the fragility of a snowdrop yet it’s able to push through cold, hard ground!

We thank you for creating Jesus, your own beloved Son, our Saviour. Thank you Jesus as we see you both sitting on your throne, with angels, archangels and the whole company of heaven saying how worthy you are of our praise. How you stoically went to the cross, stretched your loving arms out and died so that your blood of forgiveness could wash us clean and we have a room prepared in heaven by you. How can we thank you for the wonder of the wonderful news

We say sorry to you for the things we have done that we are guilty and ashamed of……….

We say sorry for the unforgivingness that we’ve held in our hearts (You hold nothing against us) ……

We say sorry for those times we’ve not put you at the Centre, the times we failed to read our bibles or pray, the times we’ve failed to serve others……

Father we ask forgiveness in Jesus’ name, Amen

We welcome you Holy Spirit to keep on making us more like Jesus. Let’s join with Christians across the world in prayer: ……. Our Father

Reading 1:

John 3 v 11.12: ““I (John the Baptist) baptise you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Talk:

Symbols are a single picture that sums up many words. Guess what these stand for!

Did you get the pleading face emoji and the Methodist baptismal shell? Baptism is a symbol, a reminder to us at baptism all our sins were washed away. We are no longer guilty, Jesus has done it for us. And after baptism all our sins have been nailed to the cross!

Hymn:

553 StF: I am a new creation

Reading 2:

Acts 8 v 4-25: Philip goes to Samaria to share the good news of Jesus, the whole town comes to believe, but they’ve not been filled with the Holy Spirit so Peter snd John come up from Jerusalem and lay hands on the believers so that they are filled

Talk: It’s God that does!

How many Baptists are there in the NT? 2! John with water and Jesus with the Holy Spirit, so that we have two baptisms. How do we know that they are separate?

1. Can you imagine a preacher coming and your whole town believing in Jesus! Amazing! How the Holy Spirit was bearing fruit in Philip! But there were no signs of them being filled with the Spirit: no outward signs, no calling to work to build up the Kingdom, no fruits. There must have been signs after Peter and John laid hands? Maybe they spoke in a foreign language, changed, were given ministries. Not often in scripture do we see believing and being filled at the same time.

2. What’s your experience?

Did you ask for the Holy Spirit to come and live in you? Were you touched by the Holy Spirit at Baptism or after? Another sign of the Spirit at work in you is your desire to worship Him which you are certainly doing if you are reading this! Hear is voice or are prompted to do Something? Have you been given a job by God to build the Kingdom? Do you see, and do others, see how you have the Holy Spirit in you? Have you love, joy, peace….? Have you seen the changes in yourself over the years? We know He comes to live in us by Paul saying in 1 Corinthians 6 v 19, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own!” It’s through His Spirit God shares His plans, reassures us of His love, fills us for our work for Him, changes us to be more like Jesus, giving us His mercy and grace

3. What would you like the Holy Spirit to do for you?

Maybe you’ve never asked Him to come and live in you? Maybe you’d like a fresh touch for something in your life just now? Maybe you feel He is calling you to something new? To put something down? Maybe you need more of His fruit or more of His gifts? Maybe you’d like to make more space for reading His word and prayer. You are unique.

4. You might like to light a candle as a chance for the dove or the fire to touch you afresh. The water of baptism and lighting a candle are symbols, the Holy Spirit is not a symbol, He actually lives in your heart to treasure you as that crown of beauty for loving His Son. It’s only by His Spirit we can be or do

Quiet asking God……..

Hymn:

564 StF: O thou who camest from above: stir up the flame of sacred love on the mean altar of my heart

Prayers of Intercession:

Stop and add your own prayers after each section:

Father God, you ask us to firstly pray for:

1. World leaders, nations and the persecuted world church:

For Vladimir Putin (Russia) , Volodymyr Zelensky and Deniz Shmyhal (Ukraine) Biden (USA) Topou Vi (Tonga) Persecution: India, Pakistan, Nigeria

2. We pray for our nation:

For the Queen, grieving and family troubles, For the government after Partygate, for plans re Covid and other issues, decisions to be made with NHS

3. For West Yorkshire: For our MP’s Judith Cummings, Philip Davies, Imran Hussein and Naz Shah…. For all organizations, shops and charities that make the place better… For Susan Hinchcliffe leader of Bradford Council… For Bradford North Circuit and leadership: For Phil, Nick, Christine, Merry, stewards Clive, Jenny and Stuart, Roger (safeguarding) Ashley (property) John and Nicola (Finance) Laura (youth) Clair (admin) and for Ruth and our website… for your church….

4. For friends, family, neighbours and colleagues who are having a difficult time or you want to see them come to know Jesus….. see them being lifted up into Jesus’ arms

5. And lastly for ourselves…. What do you need Jesus to do for you? Health, test results, diary events this week, celebrations, birthdays, sadness, grieving, fears. The known things snd unexpected meetings we have a chance to care and share Jesus…..

We ask our prayers in Jesus’ name, who ALWAYS hears our prayers and gives us hope!

Hymn:

StF 424: God forgave

Blessing:

Know that you are a crown of beauty in God’s hands, who delights to fill you with His Spirit and reassure you you are His.

Now May the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest on you, give you power, keep you and fill you anew Amen!

Pastoral Letter - 9 December 2021

Dear friends We have been through a lot together over this last 18 months since the pandemic first started, as households, as communities and as the people of the church. At times we have struggled, but we have also recognised the support we can offer one another in times of adversity. When things have been far from normal, we have adapted in new ways to continue the life and mission of the church. In the face of great hurt and great need, we have found the value of faith and hope. Since the summer we have seen signs of hope in the re-opening of buildings and the re-starting of some of our church and community groups. However, recent news of a new variant of the virus has once again raised the level of concern. Clearly, the pandemic is not yet over. Consequently, as I am sure you are already aware, the government has decided that there is a need for greater restrictions to be in place once again - see detailed guidance dated 8th December. In the light of this, the Methodist Church...

Bradford North Circuit

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