Led by Revd George Mwaura

Gathering Music

Call to Worship

God calls us to trust him, even when the road ahead is uncertain.
We come to worship the God who is faithful in every season.

Christ has drawn near to us; his word is already in our hearts and on our lips.
We come to proclaim His goodness with joy and hope.

The Spirit gathers us from many places into one family of faith.
We come to encourage one another and to grow in love.

Come, let us worship the Lord.
We will praise God’s holy name, now and always.

Amen

Opening Prayer

Faithful and gracious God, we gather before you with thankful hearts,
acknowledging that you are present with us before we speak a word or sing a song.
You are the God who remained with Joseph in the depths of betrayal
and the God whose saving word has reached us
through those who faithfully proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ.
As we worship you today, quiet our anxious thoughts and open our hearts to your Spirit.
Help us to hear your voice above every other voice.
May everything we do in this service bring glory to your name
and equip us to serve You more faithfully in the days ahead.

Amen

Greetings and Welcome

Hymn: All my hope on God is founded

All my hope on God is founded;
he doth still my trust renew.
Me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.

Pride of man and earthly glory,
sword and crown betray God’s trust;
what with lavish care man buildeth,
tower and temple fall to dust.
But God’s power,
hour by hour,
is my temple and my tower.

God’s great goodness aye endureth
deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light, and life attend him,
beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore
from his store
new-born worlds rise and adore.

Still from man to God eternal
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ his Son.
Christ doth call
one and all:
ye who follow shall not fall.

Robert Bridges (1844–1930)
CCL31580

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Confession

Loving God, we thank you that throughout every generation you have never abandoned your people.
When the path has been unsure, you have guided. When hearts have been broken, you have healed.
When hope has seemed distant, you have remained faithful.
We thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ,
whose death and resurrection have opened the way to life for all who believe.
We thank you for those who shared the gospel with us,
and for the privilege of belonging to your Church.

Yet, gracious Lord, we confess that we do not always reflect your love.
Like Joseph’s brothers, we sometimes allow jealousy, resentment
or selfish ambition to shape our attitudes.
We fail to celebrate the gifts you have given to others.
We judge too quickly and forgive too slowly.
Like those Paul describes, we sometimes remain silent when you call us to speak words of hope.
We hesitate to share our faith, fearing misunderstanding or rejection.
We become comfortable rather than courageous.

Forgive us, O Lord. Renew within us generous hearts, truthful lips and willing spirits.
Teach us to trust your purposes even when we cannot yet see where you are leading.
Make us faithful witnesses of Christ in both word and deed, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

[Silence for personal confession]

Words of Grace

Hear the good news. ‘The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart.’
Christ has come near to us, bearing our sin and overcoming death through his cross and resurrection.
Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Therefore, in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, restored and made new.

Thanks be to God.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Faithful God, you work out your purposes
even through circumstances we do not understand.
As we enter this new week, grant us courage when the path is uncertain,
patience when progress seems slow, and wisdom when difficult decisions must be made.
Help us to trust your providence as Joseph learnt to trust you,
and give us boldness to proclaim Christ with confidence,
knowing that faith comes through hearing the good news.
Strengthen us by your Holy Spirit so that our lives may bear witness to your grace
in every place we go.

Amen

Ministry of the Word

Genesis 37: 1–4 & 12–28

Read by David Chapman

¹ Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.

² This is the account of Jacob’s family line.

Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.

³ Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. ⁴ When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

^…

Joseph sold by his brothers

¹² Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, ¹³ and Israel said to Joseph, ‘As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.’

‘Very well,’ he replied.

¹⁴ So he said to him, ‘Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.’ Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.

When Joseph arrived at Shechem, ¹⁵ a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, ‘What are you looking for?’

¹⁶ He replied, ‘I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?’

¹⁷ ‘They have moved on from here,’ the man answered. ‘I heard them say, “Let’s go to Dothan.”’

So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. ¹⁸ But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

¹⁹ ‘Here comes that dreamer!’ they said to each other. ²⁰ ‘Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.’

²¹ When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. ‘Let’s not take his life,’ he said. ²² ‘Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.’ Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.

²³ So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe – the ornate robe he was wearing – ²⁴ and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

²⁵ As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.

²⁶ Judah said to his brothers, ‘What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? ²⁷ Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.’ His brothers agreed.

²⁸ So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

NIV®

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

As the deer pants for the water

As the deer pants for the water,
so my soul longs after you.
You alone are my heart’s desire
and I long to worship you.

You alone are my strength, my shield,
to you alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart’s desire
and I long to worship you.

I want you more than gold or silver,
only you can satisfy.
You alone are the real joy-giver
and the apple of my eye.

You alone …

You’re my Friend and you’re my Brother,
even though you are a king.
I love you more than any other,
so much more than anything.

You alone …

Martin Nystrom (b. 1966)
CCL31580

Romans 10: 5–15

Read by Osazeme Osaghae

⁵ Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: ‘The person who does these things will live by them.’ ⁶ But the righteousness that is by faith says: ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?”’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ ‘or “Who will descend into the deep?”’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? ‘The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,’ that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: ⁹ if you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ¹¹ As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ ¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

NIV®

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Sermon

Musical Meditation

Affirmation of Faith

We believe in God, the Creator of heaven and earth,
whose purposes are faithful and whose love never fails.

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s Son and our Saviour, who lived among us,
died for our sins, rose again in glory, and is Lord of all.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who strengthens the Church,
gives courage to proclaim the gospel, and guides God’s people in every generation.

We believe that nothing can separate us from the love of God,
and that we are called to live as witnesses to the hope we have received in Christ.
To God be the glory, now and for ever.

Amen

Hymn: Father, I place into your hands

Father, I place into your hands
the things I cannot do.
Father, I place into your hands
the things that I’ve been through.
Father, I place into your hands
the way that I should go,
for I know I always can trust you.

Father, I place into your hands
my friends and family.
Father, I place into your hands
the things that trouble me.
Father, I place into your hands
the person I would be,
for I know I always can trust you.

Father, we love to see your face,
we love to hear your voice.
Father, we love to sing your praise
and in your name rejoice.
Father, we love to walk with you
and in your presence rest,
for we know we always can trust you.

Father, I want to be with you
and do the things you do.
Father, I want to speak the words
that you are speaking too.
Father, I want to love the ones
that you will draw to you,
for I know that I am one with you.

Jenny Hewer (b. 1945)
CCL31580

Prayers of Intercession

Led by Robin Kyd

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 for ever.

Amen

Sharing the Peace

Christ has broken down every barrier that divides his people.
He calls us to forgive as we have been forgiven,
to love as we have been loved, and to live together in peace.
Church, may the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.,
and also with you.

Let us share with one another a sign of Christ’s peace and wave to those watching on the live stream.

Notices and Offertory

Big Butterfly Count ends this Sunday (9 August 2026)

It’s still not too late to take part in the Big Butterfly Count. You choose a place to spot butterflies and moths and watch and record for 15 minutes! Details of what’s involved can be found here: https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/.

Eco Church Core Group

Offertory Prayer

Gracious God, all abundance flows from your endless love.
We humbly present these offerings before you, those placed before your altar today,
and those given faithfully electronically throughout the week in ways seen and unseen.
Receive and bless them, that they may serve your purposes,
and reflect the generous love revealed to us in Jesus Christ our Lord

Amen

Hymn: Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us

Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
o’er the world’s tempestuous sea;
guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,
for we have no help but thee;
yet possessing every blessing,
if our God our Father be.

Saviour, breathe forgiveness o’er us:
all our weakness thou dost know;
thou didst tread this earth before us,
thou didst feel its keenest woe;
lone and dreary, faint and weary,
through the desert thou didst go.

Spirit of our God, descending,
fill our hearts with heavenly joy,
love with every passion blending,
pleasure that can never cloy:
thus provided, pardoned, guided,
nothing can our peace destroy.

James Edmeston (1791–1867)
CCL31580

Blessings

May the God who remained faithful to Joseph in every trial, bless you and keep you,
strengthen your faith, fill your hearts with hope,
and make you faithful servants of Christ today and always.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among us and remain with us always.

Amen

Sending Out

Church, go into the world trusting that God is already at work where you are called to serve.
Walk in faith when the way is uncertain. Speak the good news of Christ with confidence and humility.
And in all you do, glorify God by loving, serving and welcoming others.

In the name of Christ we will.

Amen