Sunday 21st Feb
Whitewater BeneficeIntroductionWelcome to our online worship on Sunday 21st Feb, the first Sunday in Lent. Over the next six weeks as we prepare for Easter we take time to reflect on our lives - our thoughts, words and actions – and we consider what it means to us that we are people who are forgiven because Christ was willing to die for us There will be a live worship service using zoom at 10am, which will be open 15 mins beforehand for technical sound checks & notices. For any children we have weekly activities which follow the same theme and are used for junior church and for children joining the Zoom Meeting - click here for activity sheets for this week.
Welcome To WorshipWelcome to our online worship - as we now have most of the congregation joining our Zoom, we are going to provide a slightly different experience for those who follow our online services. Every week we will continue to provide, readings, prayers and a recorded talk - this week we have a talk from Shona. Usually we will record the talk from the Zoom, and upload at the start of the following week, but this week due to subject matter we are unable to share Judy's talk with you. You may like to light a candle as a reminder that the love of God is like a light in our darkness
Waiting Here for You A welcome prayerWelcome to our worship as we are gathered in heart and spirit if not in physical proximity with one another. It is a reminder that the church is not the building but rather it is the people of God who are the church. Faithful One, whose word is life: come with saving power to free our praise, inspire our prayer and shape our lives. For the kingdom of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Holy God, IOC - Charity Support 2021St John’s, Hook have two nominated charities that they are supporting this year. Today we are profiling the work of International China Concern (ICC). You can find out about their work by watching this four minute You Tube video. ConfessionThe sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;
Lord God, our maker and our redeemer, Lord Jesus, open our eyes to your saving love: Lord Jesus, unstop our ears to hear your living word: AbsolutionMay Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, CollectHeavenly Father, Bible ReadingsGenesis 9: 8 – 17Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9‘I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10and with every living creature that was with you – the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you – every living creature on earth. 11I establish my covenant with you: never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.’
17So God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.’ Mark 1: 9 – 15At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. 10Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ 12At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13and he was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. 14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’
Talk from Shona
Shona's talk - a Rainbow as a reminder of God's promise Shona mentions the rainbows seen earlier this week, here is a photograph, taken from in Hook
HymnHear I am Lord Affirmation of FaithWe believe in God the Father,
PrayersPrayers of IntercessionLet us pray to God the Father, For peace among the nations, For those who serve in public office, For Christian people everywhere, For those working in China bringing light and love into the lives on those with disabilities and their families. Be alongside those families known to ICC who are on their waiting list for help and give them a sense of your presence with them. Be with the long-term volunteers who can’t return to China yet and who long to continue serving you as they look after the vulnerable. Give patience to the long-term volunteers who can’t come home to visit their families at this time. Give all that is needed to ICC’s leadership, for vision, courage and resilience and strengthen the network of National Office staff as they face another challenging year. For those who suffer from hunger, sickness or loneliness, wherever they are in the world may they know the presence of Christ in their lives and may it bring them health and wholeness; Let us commend ourselves, and all for whom we pray, The Lord's PrayerOur Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, The PeaceSince we are justified by faith, OffertoryPlease let us consider our calling as God’s church in this location, and during this season of fog and uncertainty. We are so grateful for your gifts and donations that enable us to serve our local communities and support other churches in Winchester Diocese. If you are able to donate online as one off, or regularly, your gifts will be gratefully received. Please do ask if you would like further information about how your giving is being spent by the churches. See our giving page for more information about how you can give to our churches
Final Prayer & BlessingLord God, Christ give you grace to grow in holiness,
Copyright detailsLiturgy and prayers from Common Worship. Services and Prayers for the Church of England. Times and Seasons © 2006. The Archbishops’ Council. Church House Publishing. |
This week we have a visitor, Judy Elliott from International China Concern, which is one of the charities supported this year by St John's. We are not able to record the sermon in the service this week as there will be some sensitive details included which we don't want to put on our website. We do however, have a video we can share on the work of ICC for those who may miss the Zoom. If you would like to make a donation to the work of International China Concern, the QR code will be shared in the Zoom and is available if you scroll down this page.
