prepared by Deacon Nigel Perrott – 14th June 2026
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
God of Light
Your presence is ever present throughout all creation.
You are the source of all love and light,
Bringing life and hope to all.
We bring you our praise
Christ, Light of the World,
You entered the world as Light.
Your Light shines in the darkness
And can never be extinguished.
We bring you our praise
Spirit of God
Your presence brings life and breath to all.
You breathe life into that which seems lifeless and without hope,
And you give courage for us to shine in dark places.
We bring you our praise
We celebrate your presence and offer our worship.
Amen
Hymn STF 545 – Be though my vision
Irish, 8th century
translated by Mary Elizabeth Byrne (1880–1931)
versified by Eleanor Henrietta Hull (1860–1935) (alt.)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 545
Prayer of Confession
Father God,
you are the one who leads us from darkness into light, from captivity into freedom,
from anxiety into peace, from despair into joy.
Yet we long to break free, choosing independence, convinced of our own wisdom,
forgetting your love and grace.
Yet we so often fail to show that love and grace within our lives,
or recognise its source.
Forgive us Lord for our short-sightedness, for the times we’ve failed to see your love in the generosity of friend or stranger, the shoulder to cry on, willing ear to listen, a word of encouragement, holding our hand that extra mile. Forgive us for failing to notice how much you care for us.
In this moment we bring all our confessions
Lord, we do indeed praise your holy name as we are assured of your forgiveness as we say together the prayer Jesus taught us to pray.
Lord’s Prayer
Hymn STF 78 -Give thanks with a Grateful Heart
Give thanks with a grateful heart,
give thanks to the Holy One;
give thanks because he’s given
Jesus Christ, his Son.
Give thanks with a grateful heart,
give thanks to the Holy One;
give thanks because he’s given
Jesus Christ, his Son.
And now let the weak say, ‘I am strong,’
let the poor say, ‘I am rich,’
because of what the Lord has done for us;
And now let the weak say, ‘I am strong,’
let the poor say, ‘I am rich,’
because of what the Lord has done for us;
Give thanks.
Henry Smith (b.1952)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 78
Please Read: Matthew 5: 14-16
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.
Reflection
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the reopening of the Methodist Diaconal Order. The Methodist Diaconal Order is both: an Order of Ministry, and a Religious Order. This means deacons are ordained to a permanent ministry and belong to a dispersed, vowed community that lives by a shared Rule of Life. The Order was formed in 1989 as the successor to the Wesley Deaconess Order and is open to people of all genders.
Deacons are one of the two types of ordained ministers in the Methodist Church, the other being presbyters. Diaconal ministry emphasises witness through service, encouraging the whole Church to model Christ’s servant love.
The above statement is taken from The Methodist website, and I wanted to highlight the words “Witness & Service.”
Our passage today is a well known one, “You are the light of the world”. Here, there is a slight shift from what Jesus says in John chapter 8, “I am the light of the world”.
Jesus is now passing the light to his followers and giving them the same gift he held. It is this light that comes from the father. From the creation moment when God said, “Let there be light” Genesis 1:3, To the coming of Jesus as he entered the world, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” John 1:9.
In short, this is the God light that shines around us and that light is now being passed to us, as a gift. This is a gift to be used. I had a lovely new tool kit gifted to me once, when I opened it up, all the tools were bright and clean, unused. To fully use the gift, I needed to use them, not wrap them back up. The gift of light is something we are meant to use. The message version of this passage says, “If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand.” Yes, when we shine our light through our actions and deeds, people see the amazing God we know and serve. We can become, a witness through our service. Witness and service are at the heart of all deacons, but at the same time, it is at the heart of all followers of Jesus.
The world today is filled with many areas of darkness. This darkness can come in many forms. Sometimes, the smallest act of kindness can shine a light into someone’s life. A smile as you see them, or a kind word in passing. I love the words from Louis Armstrongs song, A wonderful world: “I see friends shaking hands, saying, “How do you do?”, They’re really saying’, “I love you.”
So this week, and beyond, I hope, you can “shine your light!”. Shine for Jesus, in whatever way you can! Amen
Song STF 59
1 Lord, the light of your love is shining,
in the midst of the darkness, shining:
Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us;
set us free by the truth you now bring us —
shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine,
fill this land with the Father’s glory;
blaze, Spirit, blaze,
set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow,
flood the nations with grace and mercy;
send forth your word,
Lord, and let there be light!
2 As we gaze on your kingly brightness
so our faces display your likeness,
ever changing from glory to glory:
mirrored here, may our lives tell your story —
shine on me, shine on me.
Graham Kendrick (b.1950)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 59
Prayer of Intercession
Gracious God,
We bring before you our world, holding its joys and its deep needs in the light of your love. Where there is conflict, bring peace that softens hearts and opens new paths of understanding. Where people live with fear, uncertainty, or loss, surround them with your steadying presence and the kindness of others.
We pray for our communities closer to home. Bless those who feel overlooked or alone, those carrying burdens they cannot easily name, and those waiting for good news. Strengthen all who work for healing, justice, and care — in hospitals, schools, charities, and neighbourhoods. Give them patience, courage, and moments of unexpected hope.
We remember our church family. Guide us as we seek to follow Christ with generosity and compassion. Help us to shine your light. Make us attentive to the needs around us, bold in our welcome, and gentle in our words. May your Spirit shape us into a people who reflect your grace in all we do.
And for ourselves, Lord, renew our faith, deepen our trust, and steady our steps for the week ahead. Where we need comfort, bring comfort. Where we need challenge, bring challenge. Where we need joy, surprise us with joy.
We offer all these prayers, spoken and unspoken, in the name of Jesus Christ, our hope and our redeemer. Amen.
Blessing
May the God who walks beside us fill your week with peace, steady your steps with grace, and surprise you with moments of joy. Go in His love and share His light.
Amen.
