This online worship service, for Mothering Sunday and the 4th Sunday of Lent, was recorded at Museum Street Methodist Church, Ipswich and led by Rev. Joan Pell with Adrian Pell as musician. Hymns are from Singing the Faith, numbers 51, 370 and 503.

We often think of wandering in the wilderness as a metaphor for Lent as Jesus was tempted for 40 days in the desert. A wilderness is a hostile place, where you will experience trials and challenges. It can be a physical place, or a spiritual place. It could be a place that you choose to go, or one where you currently find yourself. In the wilderness the future feels dangerous and the path ahead unknown. It can be a place of fear. This Lent, while we can choose how to pray and fast and give, we have no choice about being plunged into the coronavirus wilderness. The sermon Why God’s Love Prevails addresses some of our fears as we look at how God works in the world and how our faith sustains us. It is based on two books by Adam Hamilton: Why? Making Sense of God’s Will and Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times.

The previous sermons in this series are also available here.