Sunday 20th September:
Linbert Spencer
Announcements
1- Sunday Stroll: Sunday Walk and Talk is still on but with additional restrictions: No more than 6 people in a group.
2- Church Family News:
Call To Worship
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Song: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Salvation Army Songbook # 56
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Click on the image to start the song. The accompaniment for this song comes courtesy of The Norridge Citadel Band of the USA from their CD Hymn Tune Accompaniment.
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Prayer:
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Click on the image to hear Marlene pray with us.
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Song: Be Still For The Presence of the Lord
Salvation Army Songbook # 353
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Click on the image to start the song. This recording is of our congregation made during Sunday Worship on the 10th November 2019.
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Introduction:
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Click on the image to hear the introduction to our thoughts and worship.
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Song: Peace In Our Time O Lord
The Salvation Army Songbook # 1010
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Click on the image to start the song. This recording of the song was made during Sunday worship on the 4th February 2018.
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Bible Reading: Isaiah 9:1-7 The New International Version
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Click on the image to hear Esther read the Scripture to us.
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Songsters: Thou Art The Way (Salvation Army Songbook 628)
Arch R. Wiggins
This recording of Bedford Songsters (ladies voices) was made during worship on Remembrance Sunday 10th November 2019.
The Songster Leader writes:
I chose this song for today's service, mainly because of the 3rd verse which speaks about us bringing peace to those who are hurting through many different situations.
As Christians, as Salvationists, we are called to be Christ's hands and voice bringing comfort and peace in any way we can to those in need.
But we can only do that when we ourselves know God's love and peace. The Lord has promised peace to all who trust Him and whose thoughts are fixed on Him (Isaiah 26:3).
The words of verses 1 and 2 reiterate the commitment that many of us have made in the past. As you listen and follow the words of this song, sung to the beautiful tune of 'Finlandia' may they be your prayer and commitment again today.
The Songster Leader writes:
I chose this song for today's service, mainly because of the 3rd verse which speaks about us bringing peace to those who are hurting through many different situations.
As Christians, as Salvationists, we are called to be Christ's hands and voice bringing comfort and peace in any way we can to those in need.
But we can only do that when we ourselves know God's love and peace. The Lord has promised peace to all who trust Him and whose thoughts are fixed on Him (Isaiah 26:3).
The words of verses 1 and 2 reiterate the commitment that many of us have made in the past. As you listen and follow the words of this song, sung to the beautiful tune of 'Finlandia' may they be your prayer and commitment again today.
Thought:
For unto us a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace, will never end.
A couple of weeks ago, whilst preparing my thoughts for today, I read the following story shared by a man in America who was trying to buy a house. This is his story.
I had a complete stranger tell me I needed to chill out and trust God. He did it nicely. First, he verified that I believed in God. That’s an important point. Believing in God is the foundation upon which love, joy, peace, patience, and so much more flows. Next, he proceeded to admonish me to act like I believed in God. That sounds harsher than it actually was. I took his reprimand as a blessing. A reminder that God is in control.
But let me put this in context. We had just moved, and we were living in temporary housing as we waited for our old house to sell. I was the realtor’s worst nightmare. Every time someone viewed our house, I would follow-up, ask questions, prod, poke, and pry until I found out something.
I think my realtor stopped taking my calls. That’s when I called another realtor. The one who showed our house to a nice couple. He took my anxious call, listened to me, and then told me to trust God. I don’t suppose realtors normally talk to people this way, so I listened.
He explained to me how God would take care of me, and that I needed to pray, present my requests to him, and then let him do the rest. I had done the praying part. In fact my requests were scattered all over my prayer time. I just couldn’t get to the place where I would not be anxious.
Feelings grab a hold sometimes and don’t let go. My fear and anxiety had a fierce grip on me. But the realtor was right. If I asked God to help me, then I needed to stop letting my feelings control the show. And I needed to stop focusing on my fears and focus on God.
I think I expected two things to happen when I prayed. I expected to get a call saying my house had sold, and I expected an immediate feeling of peace and tranquillity.
Neither of those things happened.
My house didn’t sell because God’s not a genie. He doesn’t exist to do our bidding. He knows what we need, and sometimes we need to wait.
didn’t experience feelings of peace and tranquillity because I kept getting in the way; as crazy as that sounds, I refused them. As believers, peace is always available to us. But it’s very hard to have peace when you’re focusing on everything that can go wrong.
Since that reprimand years ago, I’ve experienced God’s abiding peace in my life over and over. It’s real. He gives it freely. It comes, not when I look at the problem, but when I look to God. When we acknowledge His power, His love, His presence in our lives, peace is a natural by-product.
If you’re struggling and if anxiety is weighing you down, focus on God.
What a great story and what a huge lesson.
I don’t know about you, but having prayed to be at peace, from time to time I’ve caught myself focussing on, or sometimes even obsessing about, things or people that I’m conflicted about, or things that cause me discontent, dissatisfaction, disquiet or dis-ease.
At verse 27 in chapter 14 of John’s gospel, we read the following words:
"I’m leaving you with a gift peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." NLT.
The gift of peace of mind is not to be spurned. And as our man struggling to sell his house reminded us it’s easy to refuse the gift because we refuse to change our focus. Why would you expect to see something if you are constantly looking the other way. In Hebrews chapter 12, a letter which may or may not have been written by Paul, we are reminded to lay aside every weight I. and to look unto Jesus.
The definition of peace of mind that I like to use is - freedom from fear, stress, anxiety, lack. Feeling at ease with yourself. It’s pretty hard to feel at ease if we’re constantly focussed on the things, or people that cause us stress or anxiety.
The writer John Milton once wrote: The mind is it’s own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven. Is your mind causing you hell? If so, remember to turn to Scripture for help and inspiration, another verse - 2nd Samuel chapter 14 verse 17 says, "Yes, my Lord the king will give us peace of mind again."
Earlier we heard Isaiah’s prophesy: "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end." NLT
He will be called The Prince of Peace. That child who was born to us, also died for us and rose again defeating the power sin has over us. When Jesus greeted His disciples with Peace be with you, following His resurrection, He was saying, be at peace with your past and be at peace in the present.
I believe that through grace, His peace is available to all of us today if we call on His name. We are forgiven - the past is the past and He has made it possible for us to be at peace with our past.
We are also promised His peace in the present, in-spite of the uncertainties of the time.
However, we need to remember that the full scripture at John chapter 20 v 19 reads; "Peace be with you, as the Father has sent me, I also send you." We frequently hear news reports of a UN peace keeping force taking action in a trouble spot somewhere in the world. Well as Christians, we are to be peacemakers. We are not only to be at peace, we are to be peace and to be constantly on a mission of peace.
Two questions for us to reflect on as I bring my thoughts to a close. What do we need to be doing as peacemakers as we strive to live in peace with each other, in our families, in our Church, in our communities, in our Nation and in our world?
Who do we need to be if we are to be effective peacemakers? Leaning heavily on scripture, I’ll offer some answers to this one. We need to be - the salt of the earth; the light of the world; and we need to be in action to be reconciled with anyone with whom we are not at peace. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
Let us pray.
You are my peace, O Lord. From the thousand wearinesses of the day-today; from the disappointments, from the nervous and senseless haste, I turn to you and am at peace. The clamour dies. I spring to life in the sunshine of your presence. Come, Lord Jesus to this heart of mine. Amen.
A couple of weeks ago, whilst preparing my thoughts for today, I read the following story shared by a man in America who was trying to buy a house. This is his story.
I had a complete stranger tell me I needed to chill out and trust God. He did it nicely. First, he verified that I believed in God. That’s an important point. Believing in God is the foundation upon which love, joy, peace, patience, and so much more flows. Next, he proceeded to admonish me to act like I believed in God. That sounds harsher than it actually was. I took his reprimand as a blessing. A reminder that God is in control.
But let me put this in context. We had just moved, and we were living in temporary housing as we waited for our old house to sell. I was the realtor’s worst nightmare. Every time someone viewed our house, I would follow-up, ask questions, prod, poke, and pry until I found out something.
I think my realtor stopped taking my calls. That’s when I called another realtor. The one who showed our house to a nice couple. He took my anxious call, listened to me, and then told me to trust God. I don’t suppose realtors normally talk to people this way, so I listened.
He explained to me how God would take care of me, and that I needed to pray, present my requests to him, and then let him do the rest. I had done the praying part. In fact my requests were scattered all over my prayer time. I just couldn’t get to the place where I would not be anxious.
Feelings grab a hold sometimes and don’t let go. My fear and anxiety had a fierce grip on me. But the realtor was right. If I asked God to help me, then I needed to stop letting my feelings control the show. And I needed to stop focusing on my fears and focus on God.
I think I expected two things to happen when I prayed. I expected to get a call saying my house had sold, and I expected an immediate feeling of peace and tranquillity.
Neither of those things happened.
My house didn’t sell because God’s not a genie. He doesn’t exist to do our bidding. He knows what we need, and sometimes we need to wait.
didn’t experience feelings of peace and tranquillity because I kept getting in the way; as crazy as that sounds, I refused them. As believers, peace is always available to us. But it’s very hard to have peace when you’re focusing on everything that can go wrong.
Since that reprimand years ago, I’ve experienced God’s abiding peace in my life over and over. It’s real. He gives it freely. It comes, not when I look at the problem, but when I look to God. When we acknowledge His power, His love, His presence in our lives, peace is a natural by-product.
If you’re struggling and if anxiety is weighing you down, focus on God.
What a great story and what a huge lesson.
I don’t know about you, but having prayed to be at peace, from time to time I’ve caught myself focussing on, or sometimes even obsessing about, things or people that I’m conflicted about, or things that cause me discontent, dissatisfaction, disquiet or dis-ease.
At verse 27 in chapter 14 of John’s gospel, we read the following words:
"I’m leaving you with a gift peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." NLT.
The gift of peace of mind is not to be spurned. And as our man struggling to sell his house reminded us it’s easy to refuse the gift because we refuse to change our focus. Why would you expect to see something if you are constantly looking the other way. In Hebrews chapter 12, a letter which may or may not have been written by Paul, we are reminded to lay aside every weight I. and to look unto Jesus.
The definition of peace of mind that I like to use is - freedom from fear, stress, anxiety, lack. Feeling at ease with yourself. It’s pretty hard to feel at ease if we’re constantly focussed on the things, or people that cause us stress or anxiety.
The writer John Milton once wrote: The mind is it’s own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven. Is your mind causing you hell? If so, remember to turn to Scripture for help and inspiration, another verse - 2nd Samuel chapter 14 verse 17 says, "Yes, my Lord the king will give us peace of mind again."
Earlier we heard Isaiah’s prophesy: "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end." NLT
He will be called The Prince of Peace. That child who was born to us, also died for us and rose again defeating the power sin has over us. When Jesus greeted His disciples with Peace be with you, following His resurrection, He was saying, be at peace with your past and be at peace in the present.
I believe that through grace, His peace is available to all of us today if we call on His name. We are forgiven - the past is the past and He has made it possible for us to be at peace with our past.
We are also promised His peace in the present, in-spite of the uncertainties of the time.
However, we need to remember that the full scripture at John chapter 20 v 19 reads; "Peace be with you, as the Father has sent me, I also send you." We frequently hear news reports of a UN peace keeping force taking action in a trouble spot somewhere in the world. Well as Christians, we are to be peacemakers. We are not only to be at peace, we are to be peace and to be constantly on a mission of peace.
Two questions for us to reflect on as I bring my thoughts to a close. What do we need to be doing as peacemakers as we strive to live in peace with each other, in our families, in our Church, in our communities, in our Nation and in our world?
Who do we need to be if we are to be effective peacemakers? Leaning heavily on scripture, I’ll offer some answers to this one. We need to be - the salt of the earth; the light of the world; and we need to be in action to be reconciled with anyone with whom we are not at peace. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
Let us pray.
You are my peace, O Lord. From the thousand wearinesses of the day-today; from the disappointments, from the nervous and senseless haste, I turn to you and am at peace. The clamour dies. I spring to life in the sunshine of your presence. Come, Lord Jesus to this heart of mine. Amen.
Song: Love, O Love
Matt Spencer
Click on the image to start the video.
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Band: Festival March - Praise
Wilfred Heaton
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Click on the image to hear the band piece.
Some will recognise the old Army song in this piece the words of which are: Praise, Oh, Praise Him Swell the song that's rung throughout the ages; Praise, Oh, Praise Him The Lamb that was slain, Oh, sing the grand old song again, How the precious flow washes white as snow! Oh, sing the grand old song again, Of the fountain that was opened at the Cross. |
Song: Great is the Darkness
The Salvation Army Songbook # 220
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Click on the image to start the song.
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Benediction
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Click on the image to hear the Benediction.
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Note: Our 'take-away' Sunday worship started on the 22nd March. To find the previous week's services go to the Archive section of the website listed under the 'more.....' tab at the top of the page. On the 'C-19 Worship' section of the website we will only keep the current and previous month on this section of the website before moving them into the Archive.
Can you help?
In this current situation when our church doors are closed to our normal activities but our work to support those in need continues our normal source of funds (Sunday Tithes and Offerings) have reduced dramatically. We need your help, so that we continue to be ready to meet the ongoing needs of our community that will undoubtedly impact beyond this lock down period. If you are willing to help please visit our Just Giving Page to make a donation to this work. https://www.justgiving.com/