Whitewater Benefice

Introduction

Welcome to our online worship - Jesus prepares his disciples to lead his church

You may like to light a candle as a reminder that the love of God is like a light in our darkness.

Welcome To Worship

Welcome to our worship as we are gathered in heart and spirit if not in physical proximity with one another.  It is a reminder that the church is not the building but rather it is the people of God who are the church.

The Greeting

Allelulia. Christ is risen
All: He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

We meet in the presence of God
who knows our needs,
hears our cries,
feels our pain,
and heals our wounds.
Amen

Hymn

All creatures of our God and King

Confession

God our Father,
we come to you in sorrow for our sins.
For turning away from you,
and ignoring your will for our lives;
Father, forgive us:
save us and help us.

For behaving just as we wish,
without thinking of you;
Father, forgive us:
save us and help us.

For failing you by what we do,
and think and say;
Father, forgive us:
save us and help us.

For letting ourselves be drawn away from you
by temptations in the world about us;
Father, forgive us:
save us and help us.

For living as if we were ashamed
to belong to your Son;
Father, forgive us:
save us and help us

Absolution

May the God of love and power
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by his Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen

Collect

Risen, ascended Lord,
as we rejoice at your triumph,
fill your Church on earth with power and compassion,
that all who are estranged by sin
may find forgiveness and know your peace,
to the glory of God the Father.
Amen

New Testament Reading (Acts 1:6-14)

6Then they gathered round him and asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’

7He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’

9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’

12Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Gospel Reading (John 17:1-11) and Talk

1After Jesus said this, he looked towards heaven and prayed:

‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

6‘I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.

Hymn

Great is thy faithfullness

Affirmation of Faith

We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family
in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us
with power from on high.
We believe in one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen

Prayers

Gathered in God’s presence let us pray:

Almighty God, we give thanks for the technology that allows us to meet to worship you in these days of isolation; that we may come together to magnify your holy name.  Today we think back to those early disciples who witnessed the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and were sent out to bear faith and continue his teachings.  As we think of our ministry, of what we are here to do, and how we can share our faith and trust in you, through prayer and thoughts and deeds, we ask your Holy Spirit to be with us, and ignite in us a flame so we can do your work in this place.

Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer
 

Gracious Father we are living in uncertain times, with the whole world fighting the same enemy.  We ask that country may work with country to find a vaccine and to help each other through this pandemic.  May we learn from one each other and unite to overcome this virus.  Grant wisdom to all our world leaders and give them knowledge to do what is right.

Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer
 

Loving Lord, we give you thanks for our ministry team and for everything they are doing to ensure people are supported during this time and help us to support them.  We ask that you may help us to treat with mercy and compassion those we meet this week in our day to day activities, we are all facing difficulties.  Help us always to remember to show others the love you show us.  Please show us how to use the skills and talents you have endowed us with to help people find you as we have done.

Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer

Gracious Father, we are all facing uncertainty and wondering what normal is and many are struggling with the fear of the unknown and what is going to happen.  There is one constant in all our lives, your love for us.  We know there are many who don’t know this and we pray that they may come to you and experience your unfailing love.  We hold in our thoughts all those who are suffering in mind, body or spirit, for those in debt, for those who may no longer have a job, for businesses that are struggling and ask that you may help us and them to find answers.

We pray today for Steve Burridge, Trevor Owen, Linda Mellors and any who we name to you now…

Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer
 

Loving Father, we all know someone who has been affected by Covid-19, whether it is someone who has had their treatment suspended, someone who cannot cope with lockdown, people unable to see family in so many different ways.  We ask for your love and blessings on them all.

Merciful Father
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

The Lord's Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray,

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen

The Peace

Jesus says: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
If you love me, rejoice because I am going to the Father’. Alleluia.

Reflecting on Holy Communion

At this time when we cannot gather to share Holy Communion with one another we take some time to reflect on what it means to each of us that Jesus gave his own life that we might live life in freedom.

1 Corinthians 11: 23 - 26

23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Eternal God, giver of love and power,
your Son Jesus Christ has sent us into all the world
to preach the gospel of his kingdom:
confirm us in this mission,
and help us to live the good news we proclaim;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Blessing

May the Spirit,
who set the Church on fire upon the day of Pentecost,
bring the world alive with the love of the risen Christ.
And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.  Amen

Waiting expectantly for the promised Holy Spirit,
go in the peace of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

Hymn

Crown him with many crowns
Crown him with many crowns (from YouTube, opens in a new tab)

Click for more details of Thy Kingdom Come  (which continues till next weekend, including a link to the prayer Journal)

Copyright details

This service has been prepared from ‘Common Worship, Services and Prayers for the Church of England’ © The Archbishops’ Council 2000 and also 2012 (Eucharistic prayers with children present). Church House Publishing. 
Bible readings are from the New International Version – UK (NIVUK) Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. 
Music:Organ music played by Stephen Davies:
1.  Pastorale in F (BWV 590) by J.S.Bach(1685-1750)
2. Angelus by Leon Boellmann (1862-1897)
CCLI - St Johns Hook, 827213