Here below we have an outline of our service for you to follow at home if you can’t be with us. Choose a quiet reflective space and to make it more meaningful have a cross, bible and candle to make your sacred space.
INTRODUCTION
Good Morning, everyone I hope you have had a good week I know some of you were able to join us for the Ascension Day service on Thursday and it was lovely to see you. We have our APCM on Tuesday and if you would like to join us on zoom it is still not too late, but please contact Jo, Chris or Carol so that they can send you the link.
Our reflection today is by myself and the intercessions are by Arthur Greaves, thank you Arthur. Hope you are all well and enjoying some of the restrictions being lifted, take care.
Jan B.
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
God is spirit – Let us worship him in spirit and truth
The Lord is with us – Let us praise his name together
PRAYER OF PENITENCE
Almighty God our heavenly Father we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us, forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen
GLORIA
Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father. We worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ only son of the Father Lord God Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy upon us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One , you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
THE COLLECT
O God the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: we beseech you, leave us not comfortless, but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us and exalt us to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone before, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
THE NEW TESTAMENT READING – ACTS 1:15-17, 21-26
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, “Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus — for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us–one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.” So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
This is the word of the Lord – Thanks be to God
THE GOSPEL – John 17:6-19
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. Glory to you, O Lord.
“I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me, I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.
This is the Gospel of the Lord- Praise to you O Christ.
REFLECTION
The Gospel reading is a prayer by Jesus to God and it reveals many things about his life on earth and its purpose. He talks to God showing us what the Holy Trinity is and about his mission here on earth, in particular he shows his love for his followers and especially his disciples. He is asking God to protect them and help them to go out into the world and follow his teachings.
He also reveals that they were chosen even Judas so that the Old Testament prophecy could be fulfilled and in our New Testament reading the replacement disciple Matthias. He may well have chosen you to do some special work for him. We live in a dangerous world and often our human instinct to danger is to fight or flight, but one leads to violence and the other to danger and people get hurt. Before his arrest and crucifixion Jesus knowing what was going to happen didn’t fight or run away he showed a different way , he loves and prays, he lays down his life for us and prays to God to keep us safe so that we can carry on his life’s work.
If someone was praying for you, what would you want them to ask God for? That’s a hard question and many of us might not want to be selfish in thinking about ourselves, but it is often a wonder how our lives meander and change for reasons we don’t know. The disciples were chosen to be witnesses to Jesus life and death, we might have been in a job or pastime that has meant we have touched other people’s lives, but beneath it, all love is at the heart of all prayers.
Jane Williams wrote this – “We cannot be one with Jesus while clearly at odds with each other. How can witnesses who squabble about the truth possibly bear witness to the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit? As Jesus ascends to the Father, the Christian community is given the particular responsibility of witnessing to what we have learned about the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”
So next time we are scared think about another way rather than fight or flight, think it through, pray, find out why the danger is there and remember you are loved.
Jan B.
CREED
I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
INTERCESSIONS
Everlasting God, your Son Jesus’ Ascension into heaven marked the culmination of the Paschal Mystery. May we live life in the same way as his disciples did at that time, knowing no sense of abandonment but patiently awaiting the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer
Holy God, encourage us as we search for a deeper knowledge of you, calm us as we search for you in silence, enthuse us as we search for a greater appreciation of your creation, guide us as we search for the freedom to pray in a way that is right for us. And unite us in your love as we search for ways to share the good news of your Gospel.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer
A local prayer from St Johns Church, Facit:
Dear Lord there are times when I find it hard, when I look around at this world and wonder what is going on? But I know that if I knock, the door will be open – and if I listen, I shall find and I shall know that you are there for me and for all mankind. Thank you Lord for this world and the next.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer
A prayer of John Newman:
Teach us dear Lord, frequently and attentively to consider this truth – that if I gain the whole world and lose you, in the end I have lost everything;
Whereas if I lose the world and gain you, in the end I have lost nothing.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer
Lord God, we remember those who are sick, sad or lonely and who are brave and patient when things go wrong. We pray that they may be aware of your comforting presence and know that in your hands they are safe and loved those known to us or unknown.
Father we want to commit our loved ones, who have died, into your safe keeping – and from our Book of Remembrance – Nora Isherwood, James Frederick Cowburn, Richard Tracey, Roy Ramsbottom, Mary Armstrong, Marion Yates and Valerie Hamer.
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer
To conclude- a Celtic prayer
May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always on your back, may the sunshine warm upon your face – and the rainfall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again – may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
Merciful father accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 forever. Amen.
THE BLESSING
The Lord bless us and keep us. Amen
The Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious to us. Amen.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace. Amen.
The Lord God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Holy undivided Trinity, guard us, save us and bring us to that heavenly city, where he lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
