Welcome to worship with the Bradford North Methodist Circuit this morning. This service will be shared this morning by Rev Nick Blundell and the members and friends at Bolton Methodist Church.
Service Sheet (pdf)
Call to worship
We are blessed to be here today.We are blessed to be together today.
We are blessed to be a family.
We are blessed that God is with us.
Let us enjoy God’s blessing as we worship today.
Lord, thank you that we are blessed.
Help us to recognise all that you have given to us.
We pray that not only will we reflect on your blessings
we will also seek to be a blessing to others,
with your help and in your name. Amen.
Hymn
You might like to sing, or reflect on David J Evans’ hymn at Singing the Faith 20, Be still. for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here.Prayers
Father, we worship and adore you for the light you bring to this dreary time of year, when we long for spring. Thank you for the blessing of every shoot and bud, the reminders of your presence and your ever-circling, ever-giving love. AmenPrayer of Confession:
Lord, we confess that curses come to our lips more readily than blessings. Our thoughts are critical rather than looking for the good. We condemn others and turn away before we think what we might do to turn things around and draw blessings from a situation. So, Lord, we ask for your forgiveness, and we turn to you for a blessing of light upon the dark confines of our thinking. Bless us with your way of seeing, so that our lives might be a blessing to others. Amen.
Assurance of forgiveness:
Sometimes our mindset has been so misguided, and for so long, we fail to see how you can forgive us. Mired in dark thoughts that hastily curse and rarely bless, we are ashamed when a ray of holy light reveals the dust and ashes of our lives.
Yet with you, Lord, there is forgiveness and redemption, the chance to turn our thoughts around, and bless with the blessings that come from you. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
Yet with you, Lord, there is forgiveness and redemption, the chance to turn our thoughts around, and bless with the blessings that come from you. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
Reading
Jeremiah 17:5-10 (NIV)
5 This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands, they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in assalt land where no one lives.
7 ‘But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.’
9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
10 ‘I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.’
5 This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands, they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in assalt land where no one lives.
7 ‘But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.’
9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
10 ‘I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.’
Reflection - Like a tree planted by the water?
I love Jeremiah’s picture of the tree planted by the water, sending out its roots by the stream. I find myself by the River Wharfe above Bolton Abbey, by the Aire with Kirkstall Abbey in the background, by the Tweed in Melrose in the Borders. I wonder where the picture takes you? Perhaps a stream nearer home, or somewhere more exotic? Perhaps more exotic is appropriate, with the references to ‘when heat comes’ and ‘year of drought’? Whatever the circumstance, the picture shows ‘leaves…always green’ and fruit which ‘never fails’.
I love the picture even more when I read what it portrays. ‘Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water…’ Not only can we enjoy the picture, we can be in it! Trust and have confidence in the Lord, and you are like such a tree, says the prophet.
How do we maintain our trust, particularly in difficult times? How do we hold our confidence when life is hard? I think the clue is in the picture, and those roots the tree sends out by the stream. God invites us to draw from the stream of grace, to tap into those stores and stories of goodness provided through the Spirit for, as we say in the Covenant Service, the Spirit’s witness confirms us, wisdom teaches us, and power enables us. We are called to be rooted in God’s love. We access this by sharing in worship, engaging with God in prayer, looking to scripture, sharing in fellowship. We prove it by helping our neighbours, caring for creation, challenging injustice, and sharing with others. All these things root us in God’s love. Over the next twelve months the Circuit will be thinking about our Methodist Way of Life, which will help us to explore all these things. I hope you will join in, and find blessing.
I love the picture even more when I read what it portrays. ‘Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water…’ Not only can we enjoy the picture, we can be in it! Trust and have confidence in the Lord, and you are like such a tree, says the prophet.
How do we maintain our trust, particularly in difficult times? How do we hold our confidence when life is hard? I think the clue is in the picture, and those roots the tree sends out by the stream. God invites us to draw from the stream of grace, to tap into those stores and stories of goodness provided through the Spirit for, as we say in the Covenant Service, the Spirit’s witness confirms us, wisdom teaches us, and power enables us. We are called to be rooted in God’s love. We access this by sharing in worship, engaging with God in prayer, looking to scripture, sharing in fellowship. We prove it by helping our neighbours, caring for creation, challenging injustice, and sharing with others. All these things root us in God’s love. Over the next twelve months the Circuit will be thinking about our Methodist Way of Life, which will help us to explore all these things. I hope you will join in, and find blessing.
Hymn
We sing or listen to Robert Bridges’ hymn – StF 455/ HP 63 All my hope on God is founded; he doth still my trust renew.Reading
Luke 6:17-26
17 Jesus went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,
18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured,
19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
20 Looking at his disciples, he said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23 ‘Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
24 ‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
The interesting, and challenging, element of Jesus’ sermon here on the plain (as opposed to the mount) is the way in which he defines blessing. He turns our usual understanding on its head. Riches, plenty of food, easy laughter, popularity, things we might number among our blessings, he labels as woes – woe to you who have these he says. Instead, poverty, hunger, weeping, being excluded, these, he says, define those who are blessed. One reading of this might be to see the labels as snapshots, capturing a moment, and for those who currently are down the only way is up, and conversely those who are lifted up are ready for a fall. There might be appeal in such a reading – we like to see the underdog triumph and the champion fall – but there’s more to it than this.
Note that Jesus is talking to his disciples. This teaching is not for the crowds, this understanding of blessings and woes is not general but specific. He is not saying it is a good thing to be poor, hungry, excluded. He is saying that those who are excluded, hungry, poor, are significant, are in God’s sightline, are not forgotten. He notices them, recognises in them something of the God who will be seem most clearly in his own sacrifice. There is both comfort and challenge in this. The comfort of knowing that God can bring good from ill, can use our experiences of struggle and loss to help others, to make a difference, to be a blessing. The challenge is to grasp life’s difficulties, to be open to God’s presence in the midst of them, to be thankful in all circumstances.
For food and shelter, for family and friends, for the measure of health we have, and the many comforts we take for granted.
Thank you also for your plain speaking; these blessings are not merited by anyhing we have done, just as the problems of many – of those who hunger, and are homeless, and sick – are also undeserved.
So, Lord, in giving our heartfelt thanks, we ask that we might be a blessing to those whom the worldly-wise often curse. Amen.
20 Looking at his disciples, he said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23 ‘Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
24 ‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
Reflection – What counts as blessing?
We all know it’s good to count our blessings, to be reminded of so much for which we can be thankful. The action of deliberately paying attention and cultivating thankfulness is commendable.The interesting, and challenging, element of Jesus’ sermon here on the plain (as opposed to the mount) is the way in which he defines blessing. He turns our usual understanding on its head. Riches, plenty of food, easy laughter, popularity, things we might number among our blessings, he labels as woes – woe to you who have these he says. Instead, poverty, hunger, weeping, being excluded, these, he says, define those who are blessed. One reading of this might be to see the labels as snapshots, capturing a moment, and for those who currently are down the only way is up, and conversely those who are lifted up are ready for a fall. There might be appeal in such a reading – we like to see the underdog triumph and the champion fall – but there’s more to it than this.
Note that Jesus is talking to his disciples. This teaching is not for the crowds, this understanding of blessings and woes is not general but specific. He is not saying it is a good thing to be poor, hungry, excluded. He is saying that those who are excluded, hungry, poor, are significant, are in God’s sightline, are not forgotten. He notices them, recognises in them something of the God who will be seem most clearly in his own sacrifice. There is both comfort and challenge in this. The comfort of knowing that God can bring good from ill, can use our experiences of struggle and loss to help others, to make a difference, to be a blessing. The challenge is to grasp life’s difficulties, to be open to God’s presence in the midst of them, to be thankful in all circumstances.
Hymn
The hymn StF 638/HP 73 Through all the changing scenes of lifePraying for others, and ourselves.
Lord, we thank and praise you for all the many blessings in our lives.For food and shelter, for family and friends, for the measure of health we have, and the many comforts we take for granted.
Thank you also for your plain speaking; these blessings are not merited by anyhing we have done, just as the problems of many – of those who hunger, and are homeless, and sick – are also undeserved.
So, Lord, in giving our heartfelt thanks, we ask that we might be a blessing to those whom the worldly-wise often curse. Amen.
Lord, we pray for those whose hope is for this life only, especially those who are facing their own death, or that of a loved one. Enlighten them, we pray; pierce their darkness with rays from heaven that they might find faith and see beyond.
We pray also for those whose faith has taken a blow due to circumstances – those who have fallen sick, or become unemployed, or who suffer the pain of broken relationships. Amid all their loss, Lord, remind them of the promise of resurrection, and the reality of lesser resurrections that point the way to it – restoration of health, new opportunities, and the rekindling of love – all leading to rebirth of hope.
We bring before you a world of people with past regrets, bowed down by concerns in the present, and fears for the future. Help us all, we pray, to be uplifted by the reality of Christ’s resurrection, which leads to a bright tomorrow beyond all our tomorrows. Amen.
We bring our prayers together, as we pray, with all God’s people, the Lord’s Prayer.
Hymn
We sing or listen to Graham Kendrick’s hymn StF 489 – All I once held dear, built my life upon.Blessing
Lord, thank you for the many blessings we have recognised today.Forgive us for the times that we are too busy to notice all that you pour upon us.
We pray for blessing on our church, the community as a whole and every precious individual member – bless us with your wisdom and understanding.
We pray for blessing on our local community – help us to be a source of blessing; help us to recognise ways that we can show and share your love. We know there are often barriers. When we are the barrier – perhaps through our fears, our worries, even our greed – give us the strength to overcome, that your blessing may overflow to all around us. Amen.
We bless one another, and all those we have touched with our prayers today, as we share the Grace: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, now and always. Amen.
(CCLI 677164. Service prepared by Rev’d Nick Blundell. Prayers taken from Roots magazine – adults and all age, 13-19 February 2022)
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