Morning Service Sunday 6 August 2023

Welcome and Intimations

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen.

CH4 211 Today I Awake

1. Today I awake
   and God is before me,
   at night, as I dreamt,
   he summoned the day
   for God never sleeps,
   but patterns the morning
   with slithers of gold
   or glory in grey.
   

2. Today I arise
   and Christ is beside me.
   He walked through the dark
   to scatter new light.
   Yes, Christ is alive,
   and beckons his people
   to hope and to heal,
   resist and invite.
   

3. Today I affirm
   the Spirit within me
   at worship and work,
   in struggle and rest.
   The Spirit inspires
   all life which is changing
   from fearing to faith,
   from broken to blessed.
   

4. Today I enjoy
   the Trinity round me,
   above and beneath,
   before and behind;
   the Maker, the Son,
   the Spirit together –
   they called me to life
   and call me their friend.
   

John L Bell & Graham Maule

1. Psalm 121
2. Genesis 32:22-31

Children’s Message

CH4 603 For Your Gift of God the Spirit

1. For your gift of God the spirit,
   with us, in us, always true,
   pledge of life and hope of glory,
   Saviour, we would worship you.
   

2. He who in creation’s dawning
   brooded on the pathless deep,
   still across our nature’s darkness
   moves to wake our souls from sleep.
   

3. He it is, the living author,
   wakes to life the sacred word,
   reads with us the Bible story
   and reveals our risen Lord.
   

4. He it is who works within us,
   teaching rebel hearts to pray,
   he whose fervent intercessions
   rise for us both night and day.
   

5. Fill us with your grace and goodness,
   God the Father, Spirit, Son;
   in us, through us, now and always,
   may your perfect will be done.
   

1960, 1976, Margaret Clarkson. Assigned 1987 to Hope Publishing Co.

Meditation

CH4 710 I Have a Dream

1. “I have a dream”, a man once said,
   “where all is perfect peace;
   where men and women, black and white,
   stand hand in hand, and all unite
   in freedom and in love.”
   

2. But in this world of bitter strife
   the dream can often fade;
   reality seems dark as night,
   we catch but glimpses of the light
   Christ sheds on humankind.
   

3. Fierce persecution, war, and hate
   are raging everywhere;
   God calls us now to pay the price
   through struggles and through sacrifice
   of standing for the right.
   

4. So dream the dreams and sing the songs,
   but never be content:
   for thoughts and words don’t ease the pain:
   unless there’s action, all is vain;
   faith proves itself in deeds.
   

5. Lord, give us vision, make us strong,
   help us to do your will;
   don’t let us rest until we see
   your love throughout humanity
   uniting us in peace.
   

Pamela J. Pettitt

Offering

Prayer of Intercession

CH4 517 Fight the Good Fight

1. Fight the good fight with all your might;
   Christ is your strength, and Christ your right;
   lay hold on life, and it shall be
   your joy and crown eternally.
   

2. Run the straight race through God's good grace,
   lift up your eyes, and seek his face;
   life with its path before us lies;
   Christ is the way, and Christ the prize.
   

3. Cast care aside, lean on your Guide;
   his boundless mercy will provide.
   Trust, and your trusting soul shall prove
   Christ is its life, and Christ its love.
   

4. Faint not, nor fear; his arms are near;
   he does not change, and you are dear:
   only believe, and Christ shall be
   your all in all eternally.
   

John Samuel Bewley Monsell

Blessing