A separate video feed of the choir will be available here during the service.

Preacher:      Revd George Mwaura
Celebrant:     Revd Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga

Gathering Music

Welcome

Opening Prayer

Lord, open our eyes to those who need help.
Keep us from giving up when it seems too difficult to help everyone.
Help us to remember that you renew and restore,
and let us be as salt and light in all the places around us.

Amen

[Silence]

Welcome to the house of God.
We have come from all the corners of the earth.

Welcome to the hospitality of God.
We come as we are; we bring our life, our stories, our journey.

Welcome, brothers and sisters.
We are the rainbow people of God.

Welcome, chosen people.
May God our companion bind us in his love.

Amen

Hymn: 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

Prayer of Approach

Light of the world, may your light shine in us, may your light shine out of us,
and may our light shine on all in our communities, as we come to worship you today.

Amen

[Silence]

Confession

Restorer God,
we have sinned against you in our thoughts and actions.
You came to loose the bonds of injustice, and we have stood by and said nothing.
beloved God forgive us.

You came to let the oppressed go free, and we have kept them in chains.
Beloved God forgive us.

You asked us to share our bread with the hungry, and we let them starve.
Beloved God forgive us.

You asked us to bring the homeless into our homes, and we shut the door.
Beloved God forgive us.

Restorer, healer, forgive us and transform us, so our hearts and our homes will always be open –
open to you and the call you have placed on our lives to be lights in our communities.

Amen

[Silence]

Forgiving God,
thank you that even when we let you down,
when we have not acted as you would,
when we have allowed our light to fade and our saltiness to lose its flavour,
still we are forgiven and healed and restored in you – ready to go out and shine for you.

Amen

Prayer of the Week

Creating God, you are the perfect Light of revelation,
and as you shone in the life of Jesus, whose epiphany we celebrate,
so shine in us and through us,
that we may become beacons of truth and compassion,
enlightening all creation with deeds of justice and mercy.
Set us free, from the bondage of our sins,
and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son
that we may truly be the salt and the light in our communities.

Amen

Ministry of the Word

Isaiah 58: 3–12

Read by David Chapman

³ “Why have we fasted,” they say,
“and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?”

‘Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.
⁴ Your fasting ends in quarrelling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.
⁵ Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?

⁶ ‘Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter –
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: here am I.

‘If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
¹¹ The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
¹² Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

NIV®

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

Matthew 5: 13–20

Read by Katherine Wheldon

Salt and Light

¹³ ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ ‘You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

The Fulfilment of the Law

¹⁷ ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. ¹⁸ For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practises and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

NIV®

This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ our light.

Meditation

By Revd George Mwaura

[Silence]

Affirmation of Faith

We believe in the Creator:
the maker of all things

We believe in the Son:
the redeemer of our broken world

We believe in the Spirit:
The sacred wind that binds all things together in the family of God.

Creator Father, beloved Son and living Spirit.

Amen

Prayers and Intercessions

Led by Glynne Gordon-Carter

The Peace

Peace to you from God, who is our Father.
Peace from Jesus Christ, who is our peace.
Peace from the Holy Spirit, who gives us life.

The peace of God be always with you.
and also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Hymn: Christ is the world’s light

Christ is the world’s light, he and no other,
born in our darkness, he became our brother.
If we have seen him, we have seen the Father:
Glory to God on high.

Christ is the world’s peace, he and no other,
no-one can serve him and despise another.
Who else unites us, one in God the Father?
Glory to God on high.

Christ is the world’s life, he and no other,
sold once for silver, murdered here, our brother,
he who redeems us, reigns with God the Father:
Glory to God on high.

Give God the glory, God and no other;
give God the glory, Spirit, Son and Father;
give God the glory, God in man, my brother:
Glory to God on high.

Fred Pratt Green (1903–2000)
CCL31580

Holy Communion

The Thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this bread to offer,
which earth has given and human hands have made.
It will become for us the bread of life.

Blessed be God for ever.

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this wine to offer,
fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
It will become our spiritual drink.

Blessed be God for ever.

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.

Almighty God, good Father to us all, your face is turned towards your world.
In love you gave us Jesus your Son to rescue us from sin and death.
Your Word goes out to call us home to the city where angels sing your praise.

We join with them in heaven’s song:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

We bless the name of Jesus, bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh,
whose brokenness and suffering makes love real,
who on the night in which he was betrayed took bread,
gave thanks, broke it and gave it to his disciples saying,

Take, eat. This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

After supper he took the cup saying,

Drink from this, all of you, this is my blood given for you.
Do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of me.

This is the mystery of our faith.

Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.

Therefore, as we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we acknowledge brokenness as a path to truth.
We long for the bread of tomorrow: eternally broken and so able to nourish.
We long for the new wine of the kingdom: continuously poured out that thirst may be quenched.

Send your Spirit on us now,
that by these gifts we may feed on Christ with opened eyes and hearts on fire.
May we and all who share this food offer ourselves to live for you
and be welcomed at your feast in heaven, where all creation worships you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours forever and ever.

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 for ever.

Amen

The Communion

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.

Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share in one bread.

Amen

Come to this table, not because you must, but because you may,
not because you are strong, but because you are weak.
Come, not because any goodness of your own gives you a right to come,
but because you need mercy and help.
Come, because you love the Lord a little and would like to love him more.
Come, because he loved you and gave himself for you.
Come and meet the risen Christ, for we are his Body.

During the communion we sing:

Hymn: Let us break bread together on our knees

Let us break bread together on our knees.
Let us break bread together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
Oh Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees.
Let us drink wine together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
Oh Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us praise God together on our knees.
Let us praise God together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
Oh Lord, have mercy on me.

Traditional
CCL31580

Post Communion Prayer

Eternal Father, we thank you for nourishing us with these heavenly gifts:
may our communion strengthen us in faith, build us up in hope, and make us grow in love;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Notices

Congregational Meeting

Our next Congregational Meeting is today (Sunday, 5 February 2023) at 12.30 pm by Zoom. The link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83145084283?pwd=a1Z0SEN4SjBpQVhNZHZlazdCL0Jxdz09.

The main business of our meeting is for you to consider and approve two proposals recommended by Ecumenical Council for our application to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO):

Proposal 1: To formally agree the adoption of the Churches Together in England’s Statement of Belief for the application process.

Proposal 2: That the ‘CIO Governing Document’ and ‘Partnership Agreement’ presented at Ecumenical Council on 17 January 2023 be adopted to form part of our application to the Charity Commission for CIO status.

Please attend the Zoom meeting if you can! Looking forward to seeing you at 12.30 pm.

Pat Kyd, Clerk to the Ecumenical Partnership

Racial Justice Sunday

Sunday, 12 February 2023

This year’s event marks  the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence. We are pleased that Bishop Dr Joe Aldred has accepted our invitation to preach at the 10.00 am service. He has served in several capacities in the Pentecostal churches and structures; as well as ecumenically in Churches Together in England. He served as pastor and bishop in the Church of God of Prophecy in Ashford, Oxford and Sheffield; as well as an Associate Pastor in a Baptist Church in Handsworth, Birmingham. Bishop Joe has received several religious, community and national awards; including NSPCC Safety Award; Lambeth Palace Langton Award for Community Service. He is well known as a broadcaster, speaker, author and editor of several books. Although retired, within a voluntary capacity he is making valuable contributions to the work of some religious, as well as secular, agencies. Bishop Joe is Jamaican by birth, and married to Novelette, also Jamaican; she is a psychotherapist and chaplain.

A Racial Justice Sunday pack for 2023 has been prepared by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. It is available at https://cte.org.uk/racial-justice-sunday-2023/.

Lent Studies 2023

Heads up!

Study groups for Lent will be starting in the next 2–3 weeks (Ash Wednesday is 22 February 2023). This is our time to learn more about and deepen our personal discipleship. More information to come next week. Sessions will be weekday early evenings or timings arranged to suit the participants.

Cheryl Montgomery

Wednesday Evening Bible Study Group

The Wednesday Evening Bible Study Group met on Wednesday (1 February 2023) to consider plans for future studies. The Group will take part in the Lent Studies, beginning at 7.00 pm on Wednesday, 15 February 2023, with a break for Ash Wednesday (22 February 2023). After Easter the Group will resume Bible study on Wednesday, 3 May 2023 with a study of the Kingdom Parables.

Offering

Final Prayer

Light of the world, shine through us.
Like salt of the earth, scatter us where there is need.
Help us work together to repair and renew, to rebuild and rejoice throughout this place.
In Jesus’s name.

Amen

Hymn: Christ be our light!

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.

Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has power to save us.
Make us your living voice.

Christ be our light! ….

Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,
shared until all are fed.

Christ be our light! ….

Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stone.

Christ be our light! ….

Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
helping your kingdom come.

Christ be our light! ….

Bernadette Farrell (b. 1957)
CCL31580

Blessing

May the strength of God sustain us;
may the power of God preserve us;
may the hands of God protect us;
may the way of God direct us;
may the love of God go with us this day and always.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you today and always.

Amen

Dismissal

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ,

Amen