prepared by Deacon Nigel Perrott – 20th July 2025
To the Holy faithful sisters and brothers in Christ across our circuit.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
Heavenly Father,
We praise You for Your boundless love and mercy.
You are the Creator of all things, the Giver of life and light.
Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer,
We exalt Your holy name for the grace poured out on the cross.
Thank You for walking with us, guiding us, and never letting go.
May our hearts sing Your glory in every moment.
Amen.
Hymn STF 94 – To God be the glory
1 To God be the glory, great things he has done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life in atonement for sin,
and opened the life-gate that all may go in:
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son;
and give him the glory — great things he has done!
2 O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
to every believer the promise of God!
And every offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives:
3 Great things he has taught us, great things he has done,
and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
but purer, and higher, and greater will be
our wonder, our rapture, when Jesus we see:
Frances Jane van Alstyne, (Fanny Crosby) (1820–1915)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 94
Prayer
Father God,
Thank You for Your constant presence,
for breath in our lungs, joy in simple things,
and the grace that greets us each morning.
We thank you for your rich mercy that
was revealed to us through Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.
As walk we walk this troubled earth, we thank and praise you for
walking beside us, your rod and staff keeping us on track.
You are generous beyond measure,
and yet we often forget.
We chase distractions,
we speak before listening,
we overlook the needs of others.
Forgive us, Lord.
Cleanse our hearts and renew our minds.
May we walk gently,
serve humbly,
and love as You love.
Today, we return to You with thankful hearts,
in the knowledge, that through Jesus we are guaranteed
our forgiveness, and ask for Your help to live more fully in Your light.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Hymn STF 55 – Immortal Invisible, God Only Wise
1 Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
2 Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might —
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.
3 To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish; but naught changeth thee.
4 Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all praise we would render: O help us to see
’tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.
5 Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
Walter Chalmers Smith (1824–1908)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 55
Please read: Colossians 1:15-23 – To really get a feel for this reading, I encourage you to read the whole book!
The Supremacy of the Son of God
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[a] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Reflection
What do we get if we take Christ out of Christian? The answer is simple, “Ian”
I have a couple of friends with that name, lovely men, but I would not necessarily follow them and set my life akin to theirs. Christianity is of course all about The Christ, Jesus Christ. In Mathew chapter 16 we read the words of Peter, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God”. It would be easy to take this statement in our stride, to move on with our reading, after all we have probably heard them many times. It is, however, a statement that shapes the very character and nature of God in one very profound moment of history.
In Pauls letter we read today, we see that statement from Peter taken even further. Here Paul unequivocally states who Jesus is, he is the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation, for by him and through him, all things were created, Things in heaven and on earth. The very creator of the universe, the first born.
Paul offers us an even deeper description of who Jesus is, not just the earthly man but the divine presence of God himself, revealed through his Son, Jesus Christ. Following his Damascus Road experience, Paul knew better than anyone, the power and glory that Jesus had. Fully alive and in his rightful place, Jesus spoke to Paul and transformed his life, the scales were removed from his eyes, and he saw the power of God. All of this is poured out in this short letter. We know, when we read the whole letter, that Paul was commending them for their faith and for the way in which the message of the Gospel was spreading throughout the area. The letter closes with further teaching on how to live with all this knowledge in their everyday lives. Though many people were now turning to Jesus, the times they lived in were still very hard. These words praising Jesus inspired people to persist in prayer, worship, and study.
For us today, it would be easy to gloss over these events, after all, that was then not now. I think Paul is reminding us today the need for us to remember who Jesus was. This is the Jesus we follow, and as we follow, there is a need to continually be aware of his presence. We are not “Church Ian’s” we are Christians. Just as those in Colossi, we live in hard times, and there is a need for us to continue, to worship, pray, and study. It is so much easier to do all these things when we are reminded who we are doing it for! “The very creator of the universe who walked among us in grace and truth. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Following the prayers that follow, I have included some prayer points that can be used throughout this coming week. We have just thought about the importance of prayer and study, not just in the church but in our homes and daily lives. Perhaps use these prayer points this week as part of the commitment to remembering who God is to us, today.
Loving God,
Thank you that through your word, we can see your glory revealed, not just yesterday but today and forevermore. As we remind ourselves of your love shown to us through Jesus, we remember the world around us. Today we particularly pray for the areas of the world at war with each other. We lift the broken hearted and lost. We pray for the power of words and conversation rather than bombs and guns.
We lift those in our community who feel lost, burdened, or alone.
Wrap them in Your peace, renew their strength, and surround them with kindness.
Let hope rise in weary hearts and light return to troubled minds.
Help us to be Your hands and feet—offering comfort, support, and love
We pray for our church and circuit, we pray it would continue to be a place of welcome, joy, and spiritual growth. Bless all those who step through its doors. Help us to be the light of your love in all we do and say.
All this we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Hymn STF 52 – He is exalted
He is exalted,
the King is exalted on high,
I will praise him.
He is exalted,
forever exalted
and I will praise his name!
He is the Lord,
forever his truth shall reign.
Heaven and earth
rejoice in his holy name.
He is exalted,
the King is exalted on high!
Twila Paris (b.1958)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 52
The Blessing:
May the Lord bless you and keep you, may he turn his towards you and give you peace
In the name of The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit
Amen
Prayer Points for the coming Week:
| Thursday: Gratitude & Generosity Thank God for blessings — big and small. Pray for a generous heart and opportunities to bless others.Friday: Strength & Endurance Ask for resilience to finish the week well. Pray for those feeling weary or burdened.Saturday: Reflection & Renewal Reflect on the week’s highs and lows with God. Pray for healing, growth, and a refreshed spirit. |
| Monday: Motivation & Purpose Ask God to fill your heart with enthusiasm and clarity for the week ahead. Pray for strength to tackle tasks with joy and perseverance.Tuesday: Peace & Calm Invite God’s peace into any anxious or stressful areas of life. Pray for harmony in relationships and calm in your surroundings.Wednesday: Wisdom & Discernment Seek insight for decisions you’re facing. Ask for understanding and wisdom. |
