Sunday 26th July:
Major Angie Bailey
This Is My Father's World
Announcements:
|
The heavens are telling the glory of God; they are a marvellous display of His craftsmanship. Day and night they keep on telling about God. Psalm 19 :1
|
Song: This is My Father's World
Salvation Army Songbook #66
|
|
We sang this song together in Sunday worship on 22nd September 2019 - it was our Harvest Sunday, giving thanks to God for his creation and his provision for each of us.
|
Prayer:
|
|
Click on the image to hear Angie pray with us.
|
Songsters: God Will Make A Way
Don Moen, Arr. Ian Robinson
|
|
Songster Leader writes:
This would have been another new song to our repertoire this year! Written about 30 years ago by the American Pastor, Songwriter and Singer Don Moen. It may sound familiar as it has also been included in the 2015 Salvation Army Songbook #492 (but this arrangement is new for Songsters). Written after personal tragedy it was as he was praying and trying to find some sense behind the loss that the words "God Will Make A Way" came to him. In these days when our faith may be tested and we struggle to make sense of our situations may we also hold onto these words. |
Family item: Bedford Congress Hall Worship Band
Jesus What A Saviour
Click on the image to start the video.
|
|
|
Bible Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14
Read today by Elaine
Song: Father God I Wonder
Songs of Fellowship # 93
|
|
I searched through 2020, 2019 and 2018 and it seems we have not sung this song for a while! So I was not able to find us singing it as a congregation. Nevertheless, even tho' it isn't us, I hope you enjoy the song and sing along.
|
Thought: This is my Father's world.
|
|
Click on the image to start the video. Angie brings us her thought today via 'pre-recorded video'.
|
Thought: If you'd prefer to read through Angie's thought then follow along below as has been our normal Sunday practice during these past 19 weekly on-line worship services.
It was the suggestion that you might like to see our lovely faces, so we are starting to present our thought for each Sunday on-screen and adding pictures on the takeaway sheets we deliver each week. I thought as I had the opportunity, I’d go out and about and invite you on a journey with me as we consider what God is saying through the images around us. The song that we used earlier says, ‘This is our Father’s world’ and in our Father’s world He talks to us, if we have ears to listen to Him.
Bridges are a place of crossing, a place of safety that takes us from one side to another, often over a River. As God’s people we should be like bridges, bridges that connect others to God and His love, bridges that connect us with our communities, as we share life and love and Kingdom values. Perhaps it’s a challenge for us as we think on bridges: how and where does God want you & me to build bridges? God wants us to stand in the gaps and help people understand His love and compassion. I’m reminded too that Jesus stood in the gap for us, that His cross effectively ‘bridges the gap’ between heaven and earth, between humanity and God. A God of love, who demonstrates His love so supremely, in Christ, who, through His death, offers us all away back to the Father, a way of uniting us to Him through His covenantal death on the cross. We praise God that Jesus is our bridge to heaven! We’re challenged that we also should be bridges wherever we find ourselves, in our workplaces, our schools, our colleges, in our homes and neighbourhoods, that we would be bridges by which others to come into God’s Kingdom. We praise God for the opportunities He gives us to be bridge builders in our communities and we praise Him that He chooses to use us to be the bridges by which others connect to Him.
I really like this tree. There’s lots of beautiful and different kinds of trees all around me as I stand in this spot just before Town Bridge. I’m reminded of a family tree, we are joined together as church family, through Jesus becoming members of God’s family.
We are adopted as sons and daughters through Jesus. The verses from Ephesians are a beautiful reminder that God has adopted us, reminding us that we are loved and favoured by God and right from the beginning, He chose us.
The tree reflects that for me and speaks to me of family with common roots. As I stand here, in the background there’s a little boy that just going past with his dad on their bikes, just enjoying time together. You know, that’s exactly what our Father wants us to do; to BE in His presence, to share time with Him, to share fun time, to get to know Him better and to really be intimate with Him, we talk of ABBA Father don’t we? Which means daddy.
He is here, ever present, He is strong and ready for us run to. He is a place of safety but he’s also wanting to be there for our good times and for the down times that we can share with Him. In these days perhaps we’ve valued that even more as we’ve been able to spend, perhaps different time, or more time in His presence and we’ve seen His face.
I feel God is reminding us to just be family, just to be as we would in our ordinary families with all the different generations that come together to celebrate and to be together. He wants us to continue to do that, to be together in His presence and to be connected through God’s Spirit that is in us, working in us and through us in so many different ways.
We belong to a family and we have a heavenly Father that watches over us, who looks out for us and that keeps us in His grace and favour His grace is incredible, isn’t it?!
I’ve just been reading some Old Testament verses in these last days. Hosea, the Prophet, who marries Gorma who is a prostitute and how God uses this literal story, to remind His people that He is a faithful God who calls us and chases us down. A love so incredibly and immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine. His love is for us and He wants us to know His presence in our daily lives. God is just an incredible Father, His love is immense, boundless and free for each one of us. Praise Him that we can be part of His family!
We are adopted as sons and daughters through Jesus. The verses from Ephesians are a beautiful reminder that God has adopted us, reminding us that we are loved and favoured by God and right from the beginning, He chose us.
The tree reflects that for me and speaks to me of family with common roots. As I stand here, in the background there’s a little boy that just going past with his dad on their bikes, just enjoying time together. You know, that’s exactly what our Father wants us to do; to BE in His presence, to share time with Him, to share fun time, to get to know Him better and to really be intimate with Him, we talk of ABBA Father don’t we? Which means daddy.
He is here, ever present, He is strong and ready for us run to. He is a place of safety but he’s also wanting to be there for our good times and for the down times that we can share with Him. In these days perhaps we’ve valued that even more as we’ve been able to spend, perhaps different time, or more time in His presence and we’ve seen His face.
I feel God is reminding us to just be family, just to be as we would in our ordinary families with all the different generations that come together to celebrate and to be together. He wants us to continue to do that, to be together in His presence and to be connected through God’s Spirit that is in us, working in us and through us in so many different ways.
We belong to a family and we have a heavenly Father that watches over us, who looks out for us and that keeps us in His grace and favour His grace is incredible, isn’t it?!
I’ve just been reading some Old Testament verses in these last days. Hosea, the Prophet, who marries Gorma who is a prostitute and how God uses this literal story, to remind His people that He is a faithful God who calls us and chases us down. A love so incredibly and immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine. His love is for us and He wants us to know His presence in our daily lives. God is just an incredible Father, His love is immense, boundless and free for each one of us. Praise Him that we can be part of His family!
As I sit by the Riverside, I am reminded of the 23rd Psalm, which we know so well. The Lord is our Shepherd, He supplies all our needs, He leads us beside still waters and restores our souls.
God calls us into His presence in order to refill and renew us (it’s for our benefit) we must not forget to make time, it’s so easy to just get caught up, even now, in everyday daily life, that we miss that time to just sit, to be still in His presence . Maybe for you in your home, you have a place where you go to just to be with God, to just to allow Him to minister to you. Maybe, there is a favourite spot that you go, where you can sit and just reflect on the beauty around you as you allow God to speak through the natural world.
It’s great to just be in God’s presence to spend time with Him with no agenda just coming into His presence, allowing Holy Spirit to speak, to nudge, to prompt and to remind you of the truths from His word.
God speaks today through His word, He speaks to us through people, through songs, through music, through the natural world and many other forms and we each, individually, need to recognise those places where we are able to tune into hear Gods voice, to hear His promptings and to be attuned to Him.
God is good and we thank Him that He provides for us in these days, we thank Him that He gives us all that we need, that He continues to guide, to lead to direct us in these days.
For some of us, for some of you, they might be dark days, they might be difficult days but God promises He doesn’t leave us alone but He journeys life’s journey with us, with all its twists and turns. God is near and He invites us to join with Him on life’s journey, doesn't force Himself upon us, but He wants us to know His presence as He pursues us, as He long for a relationship with us.
In reflection: Look back at the pictures we’ve shared on this little journey today, maybe there’s something that has nudged you, allow that nudge to really start to work in you ,allowing God to use this time to speak to your heart to encourage and challenge you. May God bless you and keep you.
God calls us into His presence in order to refill and renew us (it’s for our benefit) we must not forget to make time, it’s so easy to just get caught up, even now, in everyday daily life, that we miss that time to just sit, to be still in His presence . Maybe for you in your home, you have a place where you go to just to be with God, to just to allow Him to minister to you. Maybe, there is a favourite spot that you go, where you can sit and just reflect on the beauty around you as you allow God to speak through the natural world.
It’s great to just be in God’s presence to spend time with Him with no agenda just coming into His presence, allowing Holy Spirit to speak, to nudge, to prompt and to remind you of the truths from His word.
God speaks today through His word, He speaks to us through people, through songs, through music, through the natural world and many other forms and we each, individually, need to recognise those places where we are able to tune into hear Gods voice, to hear His promptings and to be attuned to Him.
God is good and we thank Him that He provides for us in these days, we thank Him that He gives us all that we need, that He continues to guide, to lead to direct us in these days.
For some of us, for some of you, they might be dark days, they might be difficult days but God promises He doesn’t leave us alone but He journeys life’s journey with us, with all its twists and turns. God is near and He invites us to join with Him on life’s journey, doesn't force Himself upon us, but He wants us to know His presence as He pursues us, as He long for a relationship with us.
In reflection: Look back at the pictures we’ve shared on this little journey today, maybe there’s something that has nudged you, allow that nudge to really start to work in you ,allowing God to use this time to speak to your heart to encourage and challenge you. May God bless you and keep you.
Band:
|
|
Click on the image to hear the band piece.
The Bandmaster writes: I don’t know why but this piece of music has been on my mind on and off this week. The piece is based around Psalm 145 and verse 8 which says “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in Love”. Is that not an awesome sentence and something that we should be aiming for in our own lives. |
Song: How Great Thou Art
The Salvation Army Songbook #49
|
|
Click on the image to start the song. Be ready to sing as there is no introduction!
|
May God Bless you and keep you , may your week be God inspired as you seek His face.
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/