Sunday 28th Feb

Whitewater Benefice

Introduction

Welcome to our online worship on Sunday 28th Feb, we are continuing to reflect on Being Disciples.

There will be a live worship service using zoom at 10am, which will be open 15 mins beforehand for technical sound checks & notices.  For any children we have weekly activities which follow the same theme and are used for junior church and for children joining the Zoom Meeting - click here for activity sheets for this week.

Welcome To Worship

Welcome to our online worship - as we now have most of the congregation joining our Zoom, we are going to provide a slightly different experience for those who follow our online services.  Every week we will continue to provide, readings, prayers and a recorded talk - this week we have a our sermon is brought by the Rev’d Helen O’Sullivan, here on placement at Whitewater. 

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

Music: “The Father's Song" by Matt Redman; played by Caroline Bushman

The Father's Song

A welcome prayer

Welcome in the name of Christ,
God’s grace, mercy and peace be with you.
And also with you.

Words of praise from today’s Psalm 22

You that fear the Lord, praise him!
Stand in awe of him, O followers of God!
For he has not despised or distained the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him;
but has listened to his cry for help.
From you comes my praise in the great congregation
before those who fear you will I fulfil my vows.
Amen.

Hymn

At the name of Jesus
Link to At the name of Jesus (from YouTube, opens in a new tab)

Words of faith and a prayer

‘But what about you?’ Jesus asked.
‘Who do you say I am?’
Peter answered,
‘You are the Messiah,
the Christ, the Anointed One.’
Mark 8:29

Holy God, as we continue in Lent,
our lives are laid open before you:
rescue us from the chaos of sin
and through the death of your Son
bring us healing and make us whole
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Confession

The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart God will not despise.
Let us come to the Lord, who is full of compassion,
and acknowledge our transgressions in penitence and faith.

Lord God, our maker and our redeemer,
this is your world and we are your people:
come among us and save us.

Lord Jesus, illuminate the darkness in our hearts:
Lord, have mercy.               Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, open our eyes to your saving love:
Christ, have mercy.             Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, unstop our ears to hear your living word:
Lord, have mercy.               Lord, have mercy.

A personal prayer for forgiveness

Forgive my sins, O Lord;
the sins of my present and the sins of my past,
the sins which I have done to please myself,
and the sins which I have done to please others.
Please forgive my casual sins and my deliberate sins,
and those which I have tried so hard to hide,
that I have hidden even from myself.
Forgive me, O Lord, for all of them
I ask in Jesus’ name.
Amen.                                                                        Thomas Wilson (1663-1755)

Absolution

May the God of love bring us back to himself,
forgive us all our sins,
and assure us of his eternal love
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Today’s Collect

Almighty God,
by the prayer and discipline of Lent
may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings,
and by following in his Way
may we come to share in his glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Readings

St Paul is exploring the meaning of faith lived before Jesus was born. Abraham is the example to follow

Roman 4:13-25

13It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.14For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring – not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’ He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed – the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead – since he was about a hundred years old – and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why ‘it was credited to him as righteousness.’ 23The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone,24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness – for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Mark 8:27-38

27Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, ‘Who do people say I am?’

28They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’

29‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’

30Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

31He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

33But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter.‘Get behind me, Satan!’ he said. ‘You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.’

34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.35For whoever wants to save their life, will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.36What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?37Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.’

Talk

We are learning from the journey of St Peter, and our sermon is brought by the Rev’d Helen O’Sullivan, here on placement at Whitewater, and is titled: “What a wonderful thing to follow Jesus”

What a wonderful thing to follow Jesus

Leading & Following

A Prayer of Declaration – who do you say that I am?

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

As we gather in God’s presence let us pray:

As children of God,
let us confide in our heavenly Father,
who knows us so well. Amen.

The response to Lord, we believe: we trust in you.

We pray for one another, and for all whose faith in God has been severely tested through this pandemic. We pray for a renewed sense of reality of you, our God, in our everyday lives. For a fresh understanding of who you are. Give us Lord, a renewed joy in knowing that you care for us, confidence in what we believe, and a determination to follow you in your Way. Lord, we believe: we trust in you.

We pray for Christians in Myanmar and nations where the name of Jesus is not honoured. We pray for courage and the gift of your Holy Spirit to lead and help them each and every day. We pray in particular for Archbishop Stephen, Canon Paul, for Bishop James min dean; for their families, their congregations, and for their nation. Lord, we believe: we trust in you.

For the leaders of this nation, seeking to provide vaccinations and the easing of lockdown; negotiating international trade agreements; working with others on climate protection policy; planning provision for schools and hospitals. Lord, there are so many exhausted by the pandemic, others feeling angry or disillusioned, and some who are combative about policy and management. We intercede for all people and teams with responsibility, praying that they will work diligently for justice with peace for all. Lord, we believe: we trust in you.

For the people we love and care for. Lord, we thank you that nothing is too big or too small to bring to you in prayer. Thank you that you know our hearts’ desires, and the longings for comfort, healing and help for others. We bring to you the people on our notices sheet this week, and those known in private to us.
A moment of quiet prayer. Sometimes we forget to say ‘thank you’, and we do that now, for the answers you have given, the healing and hope that you have provided. Lord, we believe: we trust in you.

We pray for ourselves. During Lent, each day has a new opportunity. With the #LiveLent readings, we pick up the words from St Paul, and we pray for one another. “Christ’s love compels us, for we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live may no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Cor 5:14-15) Lord, fill me with your love to such an extent that it overflows from me and touches other people, drawing them to you. Lord, we believe: we trust in you.

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

Since we are justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has given us access to his grace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you. Amen.

Offertory

Please let us consider our calling to be the ‘light on the hill’ in our various communities during this season of ongoing challenge and isolation for so many. If you are able to donate online as one off, or regularly, your gifts will be gratefully received. Please do ask if you would like further information about how your giving is being spent by the churches.

See our giving page for more information about how you can give to our churches

Reflecting on Holy Communion

We are not able to offer Communion in church at this renewed time of lockdown. However you may still like to take 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.

O God, whose beauty is beyond our imagining
and whose power we cannot comprehend:
show us your glory as far as we can grasp it,
and shield us from knowing more than we can bear
until we may look upon you without fear;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen

Final Prayer & Blessing

As we prepare to go into God’s world this week, we pray for one another:
To a troubled world, peace from Christ.
To a searching world, love from Christ.
To a waiting world, hope from Christ.

Christ give you grace to grow in holiness,
to deny yourselves,
take up your cross,
and follow him;

And the blessing of God almighty
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.

Copyright details

Liturgy and prayers from Common Worship. Services and Prayers for the Church of England. Times and Seasons © 2006. The Archbishops’ Council. Church House Publishing.
Readings taken from Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Images: from Unsplash.com which is a free, Creative Commons image library. From A Church Near You, Church of England
Music: The Father’s Song by Matt Redman, Played by Caroline Bushman, CCLI Song 2988177, © 2000 Thankyou Music (Admin by Integrity Music)
Hymn: from YouTube under under appropriate licensing
CCLI - St Johns Hook, 827213