prepared by Joanne Mead – 9th February 2025
SUNDAY SERVICE – 9th February 2025
prepared by Joanne Mead
Call to Worship: Lord, you call us to follow you – not because we are worthy, but because you can transform us into people you can use. Come, let us worship the Lord our God, not because we are great, but because God is great and loves us with love everlasting.
StF 59: Shine Jesus Shine
Graham Kendrick
Copyright © 1987 Make Way Music
Prayer of Praise
Lord God, Alpha and Omega, giver of life and source of all that is good. We praise your Holy Name. God of Love, whose inescapable love envelops us wherever we are, whose Spirit transforms us no matter what we were before we answer your call. God of Peace, a peace that overwhelms the vileness of this world in ways we often fail to recognise. Lord, we praise you, we welcome you into our hearts and seek your Holy presence in our lives today. Reveal yourself to us afresh, so that we may know close fellowship with you even though we are at home, and separate from our Church Family today. Be with us now, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Thank you Lord, for all that you have provided for us today – we thank you for food, warmth and that assurance of your constant presence alongside us, even though we may be alone.
Thank you Lord, for your inescapable love that reaches out to us, wherever we happen to be.
Thank you Lord for your peace, a peace that surpasses our understanding, that calms and comforts us through the darkest days.
Thank you Lord, for the beauty that surrounds us, captured in the natural world around us, that shapes even the things we cannot see. We thank you for the snowdrops that will overcome the coldness of winter and herald the coming of Spring. In Jesus name we give thanks. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, we are sorry for the times when we have not lived up to the standard you have set for us. Forgive us for the times when we have failed to love as we have been loved, for the times when we have failed to forgive as we have been forgiven. Sometimes we have become so absorbed in our own priorities, we have been deaf to your guidance and to your call. Forgive us, help us to be obedient to your call and diligent in our service to you. Make us whole again so that we might fully experience the joy and the wonder of being your disciple. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
StF 495: Dear Lord and Father of mankind
Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
re-clothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence praise.
2 In simple trust like theirs who heard,
beside the Syrian sea,
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word
rise up and follow thee.
3 O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love!
4 Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace.
5 Breathe through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still small voice of calm.
Prayer of Intercession
As we look out on a world torn apart by war, by natural disaster and by tragedy, we give thanks for the fragile ceasefire in Gaza. We remember the communities destroyed in wild fires, those affected by recent storms, Bring healing to those injured and comfort to those who are grieving.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for your church throughout the world, especially those Christians who live in danger for being a follower of Jesus. We pray for all ministers, preachers, evangelists and pastoral workers who faithfully care for your church, here and throughout the world.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Today we also remember those known to us who are struggling. We seek healing and wholeness and ask that your presence be known to each and every one today. Guide those whose job it is to care – that they might show diligence and compassion to all.
Hear our prayers for we ask them in Jesus’ name. Amen.
We now share in the prayer Jesus taught us…..
Reading: Luke 5:1-11
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Reflection
Fishermen are tough, they must endure the dangers of open water; rough weather, uncertain catches and long hours at sea to make a living. Our fishermen in today’s Gospel reading had a long night at sea and caught nothing. How hard it must have been as they washed their nets to contemplate going home empty-handed. When Jesus asks them to try again, they catch so many fish that their nets are in danger of breaking – and their boats almost sink. Jesus tells them that they will be fishers of men – I wonder what they were thinking now?
There can be no doubt that their encounter with Jesus was life-changing. Peter would end up denying he even knew Jesus. It wasn’t what they were when Jesus called them that was important, but what they became when they answered Jesus’ call on their lives. It’s the same for us – we might feel totally inadequate, unworthy, inept – but God enables us and our true potential is realised. God doesn’t call us when we think we are ready, he doesn’t call us when we have ticked all the boxes – he takes us warts and all, enabling us to serve God in all sorts of ways. It doesn’t mean that challenges won’t come, that difficult days will be a thing of the past, but simply means that God is with us even in those difficult times. What a wonderful assurance that is! Even if we get things wrong, as Peter did, we are not rejected, but God’s grace overcomes all.
StF 663 I the Lord of sea and sky
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
my hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my words to them.
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. ……
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will send the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide
till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. …..
BLESSING
And may the blessing of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, go with us this day and always.
Amen.
