Welcome to our virtual service!

We’re really glad you can join us for this service. Everything you need for the service is on this webpage. Simply press the red play button on each of the videos as you come to them. You might like to print out the service sheet below and if you have children under the age of 14 with you – there are activities for them which you can also download below.

Today’s service sheet can be downloaded here

Today’s resources for E Kids can be found here

The thinking behind the song choices is explained in italics

WELCOME

Watch the video of Alex’s welcome.

SONG

Even in the midst of a pandemic, we have so much to thank God for.

Give thanks to the Lord our God and King
his love endures forever.
For He is good, he is above all things:
his love endures forever.
Sing praise, sing praise,
sing praise, sing praise.

With a mighty hand
and an outstretched arm:
his love endures forever.
For the life that’s been reborn:
his love endures forever.
Sing praise, sing praise,
sing praise, sing praise.

Forever God is faithful;
forever God is strong.
Forever God is with us, forever. (repeat)
Forever.

From the rising to the setting sun:
his love endures forever.
By the grace of God, we will carry on:
his love endures forever.
Sing praise, sing praise,
sing praise, sing praise.

Forever God is faithful….

BITESIZE

In our bitesize we get to hear from Helen Hawley, our new Youth and Children’s work co-ordinator.

PRAYERS led by Colin and Nina Sedgwick

SONG

Confident in God who saves us, in our next song we commit ourselves to living His way.

CONFESSION
Let’s come to our compassionate Saviour and confess our sin to him.

Father God, you are the giver of all good things,
but we fail to praise and thank you as we ought. Lord, please be gracious and forgive us.

You have given us one another to love and to serve, but we selfishly look more to our own interests. Lord, please be gracious and forgive us.

You have provided a way to be reconciled to you through the death of Jesus,
but we so often reject you,
thinking that salvation depends on our own effort.
Lord, please be gracious and forgive us.

Your grace is meant to transform us
to be more godly,
but often we excuse our sin
and don’t seek to grow and change.
Lord, please be gracious and forgive us.

Titus 3 tells us that “when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.”

Having turned back to God and asked for mercy,
we are forgiven!

Thank you, Lord, that you are merciful
and that you forgive us through Jesus.
Lord, please be gracious and transform us
so that we are eager to do what is right.
For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

SONG

In our next song we remember what Jesus did for us and ask him to help us live for him.

In the next video Ruth Watts introduces the children’s material for today, Carey reads the bible passage which Richard then speaks on.

BIBLE TALK by Richard Hopkins

Ephesians 4:17-5:2

¹⁷ Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. ¹⁹They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practise every kind of impurity. ²⁰But that is not the way you learned Christ!— ²¹assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²²to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, ²³and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

²⁵Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbour, for we are members one of another. ²⁶Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷and give no opportunity to the devil. ²⁸Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labour, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. ²⁹Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. ³²Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ²And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Live differently from unbelievers

Put off your old self

Be renewed by God

Put on the new self

Case studies:

a) Speak the truth, not lies

b) Don’t sin in anger

c) Work hard, don’t steal

d) Say what builds up, not what harms

e) Be kind, not angry or malicious

Conclusion: Imitate God and walk in love

In our closing two songs we commit ourselves to live whole-heartedly for Christ.

SONGS

CLOSING PRAYER from Hebrews 13:20-21

²⁰ Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, ²¹ equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

^{Some material in this service is © Used by permission CCL Licence # 1102690. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.}