St Albans and Welwyn Circuit Service for 9th June 2024

Chris Hancock 

Call to Worship from the MHA resources

Loving God, as we gather in your name this day, open our mouths to praise your name, open our ears to hear your word and open our eyes to see where you are at work in your people, your church and your world.

Hymn – Singing the Faith 83 –             Praise my soul the King of heaven

Prayers

Loving God, we come into your presence filled with awe and wonder. You are our Creator the source of everything. Yet you know each one of us by name. We come to give you are praise and worship to open our hearts and minds to you. We pray that you will speak to us in the words of our hymns, reading and reflection. Help us to hear, understand and act on the purpose you want us to fulfil. Bless us as we share this time of worship with you and fill our lives with your Holy Spirit. Amen

Merciful God we come knowing that often we fall short of what you desire of us. Through mistakes we make and opportunities we miss to show your love to the world. We take a time of quiet to reflect on the past week and those times when we could have spoken and remained silent. Those times when we acted or spoke out when we should not have.

Loving God we thank you that you are merciful and that when we are truly sorry you are quick to forgive us and keep no record of our failings. We delight to hear your words of grace – your sins are forgiven, go in peace. Amen

We share together in the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples.

Our Father, who art in heaven …

Reading – Mark Chapter 4                  Verses 26 – 34

The Parable of the Growing Seed
²⁶ He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹ As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed
³⁰ Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. ³² Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
³³ With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. ³⁴ He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Hymn – Singing the Faith 342 – For the fruits of Your creation

Reflection

Today is MHA Sunday and this year the resources suggested use the parable of the mustard seed. This parable is perhaps something we should hold close to us as we try to work out our Christian lives.

As I read the parable once again it speaks to me of the fact that most of the important things in life are invisible. But, despite this, they are more powerful than the things we can see.
We start with the Spirit of God, the spirit that gives life the Hebrew – Ruah – means wind or breath. Without air we cannot breathe and therefore we cannot live. Beyond the Spirit other invisible things extend to every facet of our lives. Love cannot be touched. Mercy cannot be touched, and Self-respect cannot be touched.

But while they cannot be touched, they have an impact the breath of life is seen in the rising and falling of the chest. The love of God is seen in the kindness of strangers, the acceptance of family members, the food on our tables. Mercy is seen in every act of caring and compassion and self-respect is seen when you treat yourself as an important person – too important to destroy with feelings that “we are no good”

One of the most important things in life is to trust. Without trust we cannot function we cannot become close to another a person we cannot escape fear.
The most important thing we can do is trust God, that he will be our refuge and strength in times of trouble – trust God that he will be present with us and help us accomplish all that he asks of us  – trust God that he will give us the power we need, the people we need, the joy we need.   Trust in the promises he has made with us.

Trust is spoken of in today’s gospel reading.  You plant a seed, and it grows – whether we are awake or asleep, it puts forth first a shoot, then a head, then the full kernel in the head.  By some means or other life comes out of the seed that is planted.  So too out of trust planted in our hearts comes life.

So, we consider the mustard seed which becomes a great bush which birds can shelter in but it is small first. Jesus said the kingdom of God is like the mustard seed; and his life shows that this is true. The kingdom of God works, God works, with the little things.
We however are wired on big, on grand, on flashy — big cars, big houses, big buildings, huge stages and tremendous sound systems, we are impressed by big money, big fame, big status. It never ceases to amaze me that people can spend hours talking about celebrities and reality TV.

But God chooses what is little to work with – from Jesus – a carpenter born to a peasant girl, to the 12 disciples – who were simple men – to you and me. The bible says over and over again that God loves the little ones, the humble ones, the people that others despise and reject.  The Bible says the most important things are the little things and that in the end they will overturn the big things, they will bring down rulers and show the emptiness of wealth and power.
I love big churches and when the children were at home used to drive them mad taking photographs of them. I love the artistry and skill that has been put into these buildings as a gift to God. However, the signs of God’s kingdom are not big churches, big congregations, or gold and silver and fantastic wealth – but bread and wine – stuff that can be found at the corner shop and in our homes – ordinary stuff for ordinary people. Of course, God’s work is done by some prominent people – the Billy Grahams, Florence Nightingales, and Bishop Tutus to name a few but most often it is done – and done well by you and I.

Whenever we give to charity, when we help a person whose car has broken down, or help a person across the street, or volunteer to help those in need or pick up rubbish from our streets. All these little things – all these acts of care – are God’s work.  Out of them grows the Kingdom of God. Without them there is nothing. God’s kingdom is found in the bread and the wine we share at His table, in the meals we share at home, in the fellowship we have with others that sees in them another human being in need of love and who is loved by God.

I don’t know what God is saying to you as individuals or to us as fellowship round the Circuit but what I do know is that He is speaking to each one of us. That He has a purpose for our lives in growing His kingdom both in our lives and wherever we are.
So, remember that the best stuff is invisible. It seems insignificant at the beginning. Live faith by opening yourself to God and God will do the rest. He will bring you into the fullness of the Kingdom and peace and joy will be yours both here, in the midst of life’s woes and when the time is right in the eternal realms of God. Amen.

Hymn – Singing the Faith 767 – Give me the faith which can remove

Prayers of intercession

Loving God we spend time bringing to you in prayer the things and people who are on our hearts and minds today. We pray for your Church and all who work within it to spread your gospel message of love and hope.

We pray for the world in which we work out our Christian lives. For the coming election, for all of the candidates and for ourselves as we consider who we will cast our vote for. May all in public service be mindful of the trust put in them and may they work for the common good of all they represent and serve.

We pray for the world a damaged and broken place. For places where there is conflict remembering especially Israel and Palestine, Ukraine, Yemen and so many other places. For communities suffering through the climate change and for all working to minimise and reverse the impact of the changes we have caused.

We pray for those we know and love who are in need of prayer at this time. For those suffering in body, mind or spirit. For those who are lonely and for those who are bereaved. We pray that they will feel you especially close to them at this time and know that your loving presence surrounds and holds them.

We offer you these prayers in the all-powerful name of Jesus. Amen.

Hymn – Singing the Faith 404 – God’s Spirit is in my heart

Blessing from the MHA service resources

May our small acts of care grow by God’s spirit to encompass all who need fellowship, friendship or love; may our small gifts of time be used fruitfully, blossoming into more than we expect or hope, and may our small acts of faith be rewarded in ways that surprise and delight us, and may the blessing of the God of love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us, and all those we care for, now and forever,

Amen