Sunday Worship - 3rd May 2020
Major Graham Bailey
Announcements - Click on the 'Play' arrow and watch the slide show all the announcements
Introduction
One of things that I’ve heard on the radio this week is about how spending time walking in or looking at nature is so helpful for our mental wellbeing during the time of lockdown. It really shouldn’t surprise us should it? God has created everything that we see for our benefit because He loves us. To start our worship this week we are going to firstly sing ‘How great Thou art’ & then be blessed by listening to Marion Hext & her family bring to us that lovely song, ‘What a wonderful world’ both reminding us about God’s creation. This will be followed by the Songsters reminding us that God’s love is as big as creation - limitless!
Song: Salvation Army Songbook #49 - How Great Thou Art
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Click on the image on the left to hear the band play the tune. Be ready to sing as there is no introduction.
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Family Item - Marion
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David’s idea was to make a family recording each week in support of our NHS. He chose this one to start with and, these are his words: "This song is very poignant at the moment as the current situation is making many of us much more aware of the beauty and fragility of the natural world."
David makes an arrangement of the song, gives me the piano part to record, it then goes to Mike to record his part, then it goes back to David who fits all the rest together. The app is called aCapella. Each week different instruments are included, and lately new players who have a connection with the family, (Tim Litchfield godparent to Amy) are included. Wonderful WorldI see trees of green,
Red roses too. I see them bloom, For me and you. And I think to myself, What a wonderful world! |
I see skies of blue,
And clouds of white. The bright blessed day, The dark sacred night. And I think to myself, What a wonderful world! The colours of the rainbow, So pretty in the sky. Are also on the faces, Of people going by. I see friends shaking hands, Sayin': "How do you do?" They're really sayin' "I love you". |
Songsters: Everywhere
John Gowans / Andrew Maycock
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Songster Leader's comment: This beautiful song is another loved and requested by members of our Songsters. This recording of us singing is from 3rd May 2013, unfortunately we have not been able to sing it more recently.
The message it portrays, that God the creator loves us unconditionally, remains. A saying I heard recently (by a Benedictine Monk on a TV programme over Easter week-end) says “Nature is the second scripture in which we perceive God.” I trust the pictures that accompany this song will also bring blessing and joy to your hearts today. |
Click on the image above to hear Bedford Songsters sing this lovely song.
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Prayer:
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Loving Father and Creator of all we come to you today deeply grateful for your creation.
As we look around us we are amazed at the greatness and majesty of all that you have made. Nature around us speaks of your greatness – the vast expanse of the sky, the mountains, trees, lakes and streams speak of your great design. You have given us such beauty in the colours of the rainbow, the beauty of flowers and fields. Words cannot adequately express the magnificence of all you have created. We join in praise with the writer of the psalms when he says, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.” May we show our love and reverence to you, our Lord, by caring for all that you have created. We humbly give you praise and thanks. Amen |
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Bible Reading: Mark 10: 32-52 (New International Version)
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Click on the image to the right to hear Amanda read Scripture for us today.
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Thought:
At the moment the media are concerned about when we are going to end the present lockdown. It is taking many column inches and time on radio and tv talking over what they perceive as the various options & also discussing the impact that the lockdown is having on the nation’s mental health. In the U.S. people are taking things into their own hands and are taking to protesting on the streets about wanting to ‘be free’. We haven’t got that far yet, but there seems to be a growing issue here.
In the Scripture reading we shared just now Bartimaeus was in a position he didn’t want to be in and must have felt in many ways like he was trapped. Jesus says to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” Do you, Bartimaeus, want to give up begging? Do you want to have to live differently, to work for a living, to have no reason to sit by the roadside all day whining at passers-by? It’s quite a challenge and Bartimaeus responds. He wants the new life; not only sight, but the chance to follow Jesus. Fancy seeing for the first time for many years and imagine that the first thing you saw was Jesus on his way up to Jerusalem!
Mark is quite clear: Bartimaeus is a model in imitate. Unlike the disciples, who hadn’t really understood what Jesus was about, he is already a man of faith, courage and true discipleship. He recognises who Jesus is, clearly believes that Jesus can help him, he leaves his begging and he follows Jesus on the way.
What a difference to the disciples! When Jesus said to James & John, in the early part of our reading, “What do you want me to do for you?” all he got was a request for power, prestige and glory! (Mark 10: 36ff).
There is so much in this passage that can help us on our faith journey, but I want us to think for a moment and meditate – we have the time! – imagine yourself as Bartimaeus.
We all have something, by no means physical ailment, that we know is getting in the way of our being the people we believe God wants us to be and made us to be. Sit by the roadside and listen to the crowd. Examine your own feelings when you discover it’s Jesus coming by.
Call out to him, and when he summons you, put everything aside and go to him. And when he asks you what you want him to do, go for it! Ask for freedom, ask to be released. But that’s not the end of it. At this time when we’re wanting to be free, to be released from our seclusion – and that will come - what are we going to do when we are? Why do we want it? Is it just because that makes us feel better, for things to be back to ‘normal’? Or is it to follow Jesus wherever he goes next – whatever / wherever that might mean for you?
Let’s take our freedom, literally, when it arrives, and then let’s see where God takes us – what He shows us when we have eyes to see!
I prepared this thought for today and then was quite taken aback when I realised that today is also Candidates Sunday in the Salvation Army (It has normally been the second Sunday in May), and reaffirmed that this is the message for us. I’m sure you can see the link to what we’ve been considering this morning.
In the Scripture reading we shared just now Bartimaeus was in a position he didn’t want to be in and must have felt in many ways like he was trapped. Jesus says to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” Do you, Bartimaeus, want to give up begging? Do you want to have to live differently, to work for a living, to have no reason to sit by the roadside all day whining at passers-by? It’s quite a challenge and Bartimaeus responds. He wants the new life; not only sight, but the chance to follow Jesus. Fancy seeing for the first time for many years and imagine that the first thing you saw was Jesus on his way up to Jerusalem!
Mark is quite clear: Bartimaeus is a model in imitate. Unlike the disciples, who hadn’t really understood what Jesus was about, he is already a man of faith, courage and true discipleship. He recognises who Jesus is, clearly believes that Jesus can help him, he leaves his begging and he follows Jesus on the way.
What a difference to the disciples! When Jesus said to James & John, in the early part of our reading, “What do you want me to do for you?” all he got was a request for power, prestige and glory! (Mark 10: 36ff).
There is so much in this passage that can help us on our faith journey, but I want us to think for a moment and meditate – we have the time! – imagine yourself as Bartimaeus.
We all have something, by no means physical ailment, that we know is getting in the way of our being the people we believe God wants us to be and made us to be. Sit by the roadside and listen to the crowd. Examine your own feelings when you discover it’s Jesus coming by.
Call out to him, and when he summons you, put everything aside and go to him. And when he asks you what you want him to do, go for it! Ask for freedom, ask to be released. But that’s not the end of it. At this time when we’re wanting to be free, to be released from our seclusion – and that will come - what are we going to do when we are? Why do we want it? Is it just because that makes us feel better, for things to be back to ‘normal’? Or is it to follow Jesus wherever he goes next – whatever / wherever that might mean for you?
Let’s take our freedom, literally, when it arrives, and then let’s see where God takes us – what He shows us when we have eyes to see!
I prepared this thought for today and then was quite taken aback when I realised that today is also Candidates Sunday in the Salvation Army (It has normally been the second Sunday in May), and reaffirmed that this is the message for us. I’m sure you can see the link to what we’ve been considering this morning.
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Is it possible that God could be wanting you to commit to Him in the sphere of leadership within the wider Salvation Army? If you follow this link there is a short film about this: or watch it here by clicking on the image on the right.
https://vimeo.com/showcase/candidatessunday2020 Please, again, take the time to consider what God might be wanting of you. Meditate on these things as the Band play this piece of music entitled ‘A Quiet Moment’ the words of this piece say: In this quiet moment, still, before your throne, Conscious of your presence, knowing I am known, In this quiet moment, set my spirit free, In this quiet moment, make a better me.’ |
The Band - A Quiet Moment - William Himes |