Bible Reading: Psalm 8
Hymn: Sorry, I haven’t been able to find a clip for these words but feel they are worth reading anyway
As the glory of creation
and the thrill of human love,
as the wonder at a cradle,
at the things that live and move,
higher still, uncaught in word,
is the glory of the Lord.
As the glory of a concert
and the skill of those who play,
as the joy of book and painting,
shapes in stone and bronze and clay
higher still, uncaught in word
is the glory of the Lord.
As the glory of the future
and the teaching of the past,
as the challenge of the present
and the here-and-now of Christ,
higher still, uncaught in word,
is the glory of the Lord.
In the life and work of Jesus,
in his dying on a cross
in the great surprise of Easter
giving people gain and loss,
here we catch and taste the word
spelling glory to the Lord!
Fred Khan (1929-2009)
Prayers
Eternal God,
We worship you, creator and Sustainer of the universe, and we praise you for the gifts of life, health and strength.
Lord Jesus,
We worship you, Saviour and Lord of the world, and we praise you that you have found us, washed us, forgiven us and given us a place in your church.
Holy Spirit,
We worship you, sanctifier of the people of God, and we praise you that you have renewed us and blessed us with your gifts. Amen.
Prayer by Revd. Aian Ferguson from the Methodist Prayer Handbook 2014-15 p4
Old Testament Genesis 1-2:4
Over the years the story of creation as recorded in the Genesis story has often been dismissed by people outside the religious world as being untrue and misinformed. I have had conversations myself with people who feel that with the advances in space exploration and the increasing scientific knowledge there is no place in modern thinking for a creationist narrative, yet, I find the creation story recorded in the book of Genesis one of the most important passages of scripture, not least because the first few words set out the key agenda for the rest of the Bible story “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”
Consider:
- How do you react in June 2020 to the knowledge that the God whom you worship, even in the privacy of your own home, is the God who spoke the world into being?
- The order by which the world came into being. The final creation is human beings, does that mean that God was gradually preparing the perfect place for us? If so, how have we mistreat his glorious gifts for us?
- It has been noticeable during this time of lockdown, how the world has reacted, the air is cleaner, wild animals are finding new freedoms and the damaging effects of climate change have reduced. Do we simply go back to where we used to be at the end? Or is there a better world for us?
Hymn: Watch on You tube
- For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies
‘Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise.
- For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale and tree and flow’r
Sun and Moon and stars of light
‘Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise.
- For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child.
Friends on earth and friends above
For all gentle thoughts and mild.
‘Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise.
- For each perfect gift of Thine
To our race so freely given.
Graces human and divine
Flow’rs of earth and buds of heav’n.
‘Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise.
Epistle: 2 Corinthians 13: 11-13
Today is Trinity Sunday, the Sunday when we reflect on the threefold nature of God, Father, Son and Spirit. A Muslim man once said to me “You Christian’s don’t half complicate things with the Trinity, our approach is much simpler, we believe in God, full stop” his comment made me wonder why the Trinity is so important to me. I have had next to no personal contact with people apart from our Post Lady for ten weeks now and I have a new understanding of the work Fellowship now. I long to see people face to face and believe that a personal relationship is vital to my living, video conferencing is a substitute, but isn’t the same. We share in Fellowship with God, through the Holy Spirt.
We see the threefold nature of God in the reading from Genesis, the writer talks about the Spirit of God hovering over the water, which suggests that the Spirit was there at the begging of all time. It would seem by the careful preparation of the world that piece by piece God gave it its form as a gift that all humankind might enjoy, the theme from the outset is “God do loved the world” and I feel that it is important for me on my life journey, that I am worshipping a God who loves the world and loves me, flaws and all. The love of God is central to our faith.
For generations the followers of God lived in fear, they saw the world as being consumed by sin and God would punish those who sinned, which, let’s be fair is everybody, but Jesus changed all of that, for in Grace he loaded our sins on his shoulders and died for us, therefore we know that we are forgiven because of him. As Paul closes his final letter to the Church in Corinth, his concluding words are “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion [Fellowship] of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
Consider:
- How important do feel that the threefold nature of God is to you? Have you ever considered the way that you use all three aspects of God in your personal faith journey?
- When you pray, who do you pray to? Some people will start their prayer by saying “Jesus” others will say something like Lord our God and yet others will say “Spirit of the living God” which do you feel is right and does it matter to you?
- Our prayer for others this morning is based on one of Charles Wesley’s hymns, the language is obviously dated, but please bear with that because we are reminded of the triune [three-fold] nature of God.
A time of prayer
Father, in whom we live,
In whom we are, and move,
Glory and power and praise receive
Of thy creating love.
We pray for your church throughout the world, continually exploring new ways to be in fellowship and to offer worship. Unite us by your creative power across earthly boundaries of time and space to bring you our united voices of praise and glory.
Incarnate deity,
Let all the ransomed race
Render in thanks their lives to thee,
For thy redeeming grace.
We pray for all those who have revealed Christ to us in past months. For key workers, carers, intercessors and strangers – we give you our thanks, and pray that we in our turn might reveal Christ to our neighbour too.
Spirit of holiness,
Let all thy saints adore
Thy sacred energy, and bless
Thy heart-renewing power.
We pray for all those who need the comfort of your Holy Spirit today. The lonely, the anxious, the bereaved; the sick, the distressed, the dying; those facing difficult decisions and those forced to make new beginnings – bring your peace to them.
Eternal, triune Lord!
Let all the hosts above,
Let all the sons of men, record
And dwell upon thy love.
We bring all our prayers to you, O God our Father, in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn: Watch on You tube
- Holy spirit, we welcome you
Holy spirit, we welcome you
Move amongst us with holy fire
As we lay aside all earthly desire
Hands reach out and hearts aspire
Holy spirit, holy spirit, holy spirit, we welcome you
- Holy spirit, we welcome you
Holy spirit, we welcome you
Let the breeze of your presence blow,
That your children here might truly know
How to move in the spirit’s flow.
Holy spirit, holy spirit, holy spirit, we welcome you
- Holy spirit, we welcome you
Holy spirit, we welcome you
Please accomplish in me today
Some new work of loving grace i pray
Unreservedly have your way
Holy spirit holy spirit holy spirit we welcome you
Christopher Alan Bowater (b 1947)
Gospel: Matthew 28: 16-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’
Often when we look at this passage we tend to focus on the first eight words and that is understandable if we are truly a missional Church, we should never be content until we have discipled all of the nations. I find it quite interesting that even Jesus in this fianl discourse says “baptise in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” when we christen children we use the same words Father, Son and Spirit
Consider
- I know of preachers who shy away from Trinity Sunday, can you imagine why? Do you find this concept of one God in three persons difficult to comprehend?
- Ho might you justify the Trinity if you were talking with somebody outside the Christian community?
- My Muslim friend would say God is God and that should be enough, where do you think this leaves Jesus and the Spirit, are you comfortable with that thought?
Hymn: Watch on You tube
Teach me to dance to the beat of your heart
Teach me to move in the power of your Spirit
Teach me to walk in the light of your presence
Teach me to dance to the beat of your heart
Teach me to love with your heart of compassion
Teach me to trust in the word of your promise
Teach me to hope in the day of your coming
Teach me to dance to the beat of your heart
You wrote the rhythm of life
Created heaven and earth
In You is joy without measure
So, like a child in your sight
I dance to see your delight
For I was made for your pleasure
Pleasure
Let all my movements express
A heart that loves to say ‘yes’
A will that leaps to obey you
Let all my energy blaze
To see the joy in your face
Let my whole being praise you
Praise you
A prayer of blessing
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit; and the Blessing of God, the Holy Three-in-One, be with you, and all those whom you love, and all those who love you, today and always. Amen.