St Clement Church Community 2nd Sunday before Lent Service
Good morning to you all as we celebrate our service of the Second Sunday before Lent. We will be celebrating the Eucharist at St Clement, this Service of the Word is for you to read at home if you’re unable to worship with us in person but will be with us in spirit!
May Christ’s love sustain you always.
Rev Di and family xx
Let us pray;
God of all mercy, throughout the trials and tribulations of our lives, open our eyes to see what is beautiful, our minds to know what is true, and our hearts to seek what is good, for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn: ‘O worship the King’
Our prayers of Penitence
As brothers and sisters in God’s family, let us, in a moment of silence, recognise those failings in us that undermine relationships, and cause hurt to others:
When we bring hurt and betrayal upon those who love us…
Lord, have mercy.
When we are the cause of love to grow cold and attitudes to harden…
Christ, have mercy.
When we impede the way to forgiveness and reconciliation…
Lord, have mercy.
May Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our failings, and bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray our Collect for today
Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 2. 4b-9, 15-end
New Testament Reading: Revelation 4
Hymn: ‘For the beauty of the Earth’
Gospel: Luke 8. 22-25
(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)
One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’ So they put out, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A gale swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to him and woke him up, shouting, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’ They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?’
(This is the Gospel of the Lord. Response: ‘Praise to you, O, Christ’)
Reflection
In our Gospel reading today we heard how the disciples needed help during the storm that arose whilst they were crossing the lake, the Sea of Galilee. Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves to be calm, and he also rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith.
But we have to put ourselves in the disciple’s shoes, or should I say sandals, to understand how they were feeling.
Just imagine it, Jesus announces that he wants to go on a boat trip; ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’’
Now, not only have you got a boat ride to face, probably cramped, dangerous, no lifeboats in those days remember, and a bit smelly if it was a fishing boat, you’re also going to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which was inhabited by the Gentiles, whom no self-respecting Jew in those times would mix with.
The disciples would have embarked on the journey quite reluctantly, I think. Nervous of the water, they weren’t all fishermen after all, and also quite agitated, to say the least, about visiting the Gentiles anyway.
So, we can imagine their distress when the water gets choppy and the man who instigated the whole trip in the first place is sleeping, quite oblivious to it all.
I think there are very few of us here this morning who couldn’t stand up and give testimony to some aspect of our lives where we’ve felt a bit like the disciples in that boat – afraid, vulnerable, with a sinking feeling in the pit of our stomach! We know what it’s like to feel as though we’re in the middle of a storm, and wonder how we’re ever going to get to calmer waters.
So when we read this story, we’re bound to think of ourselves and the storms that we have in our lives.
And when we hear of storm clouds gathering in people’s lives, when we read in the newspapers, and hear on the TV about chaos breaking loose, such as the President of the USA’s sudden turnaround in his support of the Ukraine, and his threatened withdrawal from Nato.
Or closer to home, how many of our elderly are struggling in this bitter cold weather because they can no longer afford to heat their homes, due to our government withdrawing their fuel allowance, we, like the disciples, are fearful.
And let’s not forget the church. It’s not exempt from storms and chaos either, the reason for Archbishop Justin Welby’s resignation certainly caused a storm didn’t it!
Often the church is described as a boat, and we Christians aren’t exempt from storms as we sail in it, we experience the reality of thunderstorms and rough seas along with everyone else, the storms in life such as sickness, accidents, disappointments, and death.
We’re not exempt, but Jesus promises that by faith in him, he is with us in it all.
But sometimes when we’ve been in such situations and have cried out to God for help, it doesn’t always feel as though God responds, does it? At least not when we’d like, or in the way that we’d like.
Sometimes when the wind is howling and the waves are so high and we’re desperate to know the Lord is working on our behalf – rowing like mad, bailing the water out – it may seem for all the world as though he’s sound asleep. ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ Sometimes in our most desperate moments, maybe it feels as though God is asleep.
But, as the Bible story tells us, the wind dies down and peace does come, Jesus rebukes the storm and there is calm.
Our storms in life can be stilled if we lean on our faith in the midst of them, enabling us to weather such storms with confidence.
Remember back to a time in your life of terrible turmoil, be it a major upheaval, or the death of a loved one. How many of us have said, ‘I don’t know how I got through it, I was on auto pilot the whole time.’ Give some careful thought as to who was really at the helm.
‘Where is your faith?’ Jesus asked those disciples.
By our faith we will never perish in whatever storm life throws at us.
He will rebuke the storm, and there will be calm, so we too, may sleep in safety.
Amen.
Affirmation of our faith
Let us declare our faith in God.
We believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist.
We believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again.
We believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God and makes Christ known in the world.
This is the faith of the Church. This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn: ‘Glorious things of Thee are spoken’
Our Intercessions this week are written by Liz Davies
Holy God, as we bow our heads in the quietness of this place, we bring before you all the concerns, hopes and fears that are in each of our hearts. We pray that each of us may have a realistic understanding of what you want for and from us in every aspect of our lives.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
God of peace and justice, we pray for our troubled world where individual’s and regimes’ demand for power and supremacy ignores and is in direct contrast to the need for individuals and nations to work together for a better world. We join with all those across the world praying for the people of Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, and all places where there is unrest and war. Be with the peoples of all war-torn countries as they face the uncertainty of what each day will bring. May peace and love be more powerful than war.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Creator God, as we think of your world with its wonderful scenery, its beautiful plant and amazing animal life we also look at the needs of your people. We, who are so fortunate must never forget those who struggle with everyday existence. Those who do not have enough or clean water. Those who do not have enough to eat. Those who do not have safe or secure homes. Those who live in fear in war torn countries or religious or sectarian communities. Help us to show the hand of friendship to all. May all those countries and those people that can, work together to ensure that everyone on this earth may have enough of the basic needs of life – safe homes, enough fresh water, and food. May each one of us accept responsibility for ensuring good stewardship of your precious world, and we ask your help that the nations of the world and their leaders may seek ways of conserving all our finite resources for the good of all.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Father God, there continues to be so much tension and division within the Church. The many changes planned and being worked through are causing much heartache to many. We pray for our communities, that each one of us will make use of our individual talents enabling each church group to flourish as a witness to the ‘One Body’ of the church.
Over the next few weeks and months may we stir up the desire in all of us to serve where appropriate in order that your Gospel may be effectively taken out into every part of our communities and beyond.
Gracious God, we pray for your blessing upon this congregation, upon this church and upon this parish. We pray for your presence to be seen clearly in what we do and say each day. We pray that your joy and love will flow freely in and through us and that we may never be seen by those around us as falling short of the teachings of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Loving God, we ask your healing touch on all who are ill or suffering. We especially pray for any we know who are experiencing emotional pain or are broken in spirit through personal or family problems.
We bring before you all those who are suffering in body, mind, or spirit. We especially remember today: Ken and Reverend Diane, May, Susan, Jan, Lynda, Terry and Dot, Margaret, Maureen, Pam and David, Sandra, Roger, Michael and Patricia, Daphne and Dave, Rob and Alison, Stella, Jeremy, Anita and Stephen, Felicity, Callum and Elaine, Sue and Martin, Margaret and John, Dave and Jeanette, Carrie and John Paul and all those who have no one to pray for them.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Merciful God, we bring before you those who have died during this last week; those known to each one of us and those who have passed away, unnoticed by anyone but you. Give courage and faith to those who are left behind, that, by casting their cares on you they may find the strength to face the days ahead. We also remember those whose year’s mind occurs at this time: Tony Hams and Jeff Smith.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
May God’s Word be in our hearts. May God’s Word be on our lips. May God’s Word be in our touch. May God’s Word direct our feet. On this day and all our days to come may God’s Word be the life we live. Dear God, into your strong hands we place our lives today, choosing to depend on YOU to light and guide our way.
Rejoicing in the fellowship of St Clement, St Andrew, and St Allen;
Merciful God: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray with confidence as Jesus taught us;
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Hymn: ‘O Jesus, I have promised’
The Peace
‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name’ says the Lord,
‘I am there among them’
May the peace of God be always with us. Amen.
Blessing
May God the Father, by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead, strengthen us to walk with him in his risen life; and may the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among us, those whom we love, and remain with us always. Amen.