Welcome to the CHS Vientiane Worship Service Resources
We invite you to take time this Sunday, in families or very small groups of friends, to responsibly share space to worship God together. If you are on your own, please be assured we are together in the Spirit and if you have needs, or just want to share concerns, please don't be afraid to reach out and share these with the CHS community. Contact details can be found on our church website at: http://www.the-chs.org/
Ideas for parents to use with their children at home can be found on this page (click this link).
~ Pastor Tony
Scripture
Sentence
When
they asked, he gave them bread of heaven in plenty.
(Psalm
105: 40)
Collect
God
of life and love,
your
Son made himself known to his disciples
in
the breaking of bread.
Open
the eyes of our faith,
that
we may see him in his redeeming work,
who
is alive and reigns
with
you and the Holy Spirit,
One
God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Prayer
of approach / Call to Worship
Leader:
This Easter,
we
are reminded that
love
is our greatest challenge.
Accept
the good news,
love
those around us,
share
food with those you meet.
All:
As we worship
we
listen for God’s voice.
May
we learn to love,
accept,
share
and
open the door
to
those whom we meet.
Opening
Hymn of Praise
Alleluia,
alleluia, give thanks (MP30)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRSnJaa8Z80
(Words are not on screen, so it might be better to open this in a separate
window and have it play in the background, also *verse 4 is missing in the video.)
Alleluia,
alleluia,
give
thanks to the risen Lord;
alleluia,
alleluia,
give
praise to His name.
1 Jesus is Lord of all the earth,
He
is the King of creation.
Alleluia,
alleluia . . .
2 Spread the good news o’er all the earth,
Jesus
has died and has risen.
Alleluia,
alleluia . . .
3 We have been crucified with Christ;
now
we shall live for ever.
Alleluia,
alleluia . . .
(*4 God has proclaimed the just reward,
life
for all men, alleluia.
Alleluia,
alleluia . . .)
5 Come let us praise the living God,
joyfully
sing to our Saviour:
Alleluia,
alleluia . . .
Confession
Our
heavenly Father
thank
you that you love us and care for us all the time.
We
know that this week we have not always lived the way you tell us.
We
have done wrong things and not done all the good things we should have done.
Only
you can save us,
so
please forgive us
and
help us to live as your friends.
We
ask this in Jesus’ name.
Silence
Bless
Your name, Lord Jesus.
With
open hearts, minds and spirits,
we
gather to praise You,
grateful
that Your arms are thrown so wide in welcome.
It
is in the security of that embrace that we confess
we
do not deserve such warmth
or
acceptance.
We
ask for Your forgiveness –
but
more than that.
We
ask for the courage to choose to do better.
Help
us to remember every minute of every day,
that
we are Yours
loved
by You,
called
by You.
Let
that love and that calling makes us generous
towards
others
and
more loving towards You.
Be
Lord of our lives,
this
day and forever.
Amen
Creed
We
believe in God the Father,
Maker
of all things.
We
believe in his Son Jesus Christ,
Lord
and Saviour of the world.
We
believe in the Holy Spirit,
giver
of life and light.
We
belong to the Church,
God’s
family everywhere.
Amen.
Bible
Readings
Psalm: Psalm 116:1-4;12-19
First reading: Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Second reading: 1 Peter 1:17-23
Children’s Song
I know He
rescued my soul (MP1066)
I know He
rescued my soul,
His blood has
covered my sin,
I believe, I
believe.
My shame He’s
taken away,
my pain is
healed in His name,
I believe, I believe.
I’ll raise a
banner;
My Lord has
conquered the grave.
My Redeemer
lives, my Redeemer lives;
My Redeemer
lives, my Redeemer lives.
I know He
rescued my soul . . .
My Redeemer
lives . . .
You lift my
burden, I’ll rise with You:
I’m dancing on
this mountain-top
to see Your
kingdom come.
My Redeemer
lives . . .
I know He
rescued my soul . . .
My Redeemer
lives . . .
Prayer
for / with the children
A
prayer remembering God is with us
Lord
Jesus, we thank you that you meet us
in
the people we know and love -
our
friends and those who care for us;
in
the church when we meet for prayer and worship;
(and
also when we are being church at home);
in
our daily lives
as
we sometimes struggle to make sense of things;
in
the Bible and the stories of our faith;
in
bread and wine – the signs of your presence
with
us for all time.
Lord
God, you are always with me.
You
are with me in the day and in the night.
You
are with me when I’m happy and when I’m sad.
You
are with me when I’m healthy and when I am ill.
You
are with me when I am peaceful and when I am worried.
Today
I am feeling (name how you are feeling) because (reasons you are feeling this
way).
Help
me to remember that you love me and are with me in everything today.
A
prayer for the world
God
of love and hope,
you
made the world and care for all creation,
but
the world feels strange right now.
The
news is full of stories about Coronavirus.
Some
people are worried that they might get ill.
Others
are anxious for their family and friends.
Be
with them and help them to find peace.
We
pray for the doctors and nurses and scientists,
and
all who are working to discover the right medicines
to
help those who are ill.
Thank
you that even in these anxious times,
you
are with us.
Help us to put our trust
in you
and to have peace that
comes from knowing
you are caring for our
friends and families
here and far away.
Keep them and us safe.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
*
Bonus feature. Here is the midweek sermon from Bishop Rennis Ponniah of the
Anglican Diocese of Singapore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc76qAMAE8w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc76qAMAE8w
Song
Psalm
23 (MP1008)
1 The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want.
He
makes me lie in pastures green.
He
leads me by the still, still waters,
His
goodness restores my soul.
And I will trust in You alone,
and
I will trust in You alone,
for
Your endless mercy follows me,
Your
goodness will lead me home.
DESCANT
I
will trust, I will trust in You.
I will trust, I will trust in You.
Endless mercy follows me,
goodness will lead me home.
2 He guides my ways in righteousness,
and
He anoints my head with oil,
and
my cup, it overflows with joy,
I
feast on His pure delights.
And
I will trust . . .
3 And though I walk the darkest path,
I
will not fear the evil one,
for
You are with me, and Your rod and staff
are
the comfort I need to know.
And
I will trust . . .
Offering
(Please
do bear in mind that as long as we are still able to, CHS is continuing to
support various projects and people in need and needs will likely increase
during this time. You may want to set
aside some money in an envelope every Sunday and bring these to church when we
next meet back at ARDA.)
Dedication
of our Offering
Gifts
for You, our Father,
Given
recognising the many blessings we enjoy.
Use
them we pray, for the sake of others
That
Your love for all Your children
might
be seen in the priorities of the Church throughout the world,
including
this nation,
and
of this congregation locally,
for
the sake of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
Amen
Prayers
(Please
do use the newly formed WhatsApp group or contact Pastor Tony directly if you
have any prayer needs you would like included in our intercessions.)
Lord
Jesus,
when
things happen that we find hard to deal with
when
our head goes down
and
our eyes see no further than our own feet,
help
us to be honest with You
even
if it’s through tears
or
rage
and
ride the storm with us.
Help
us to trust You’re there
even
when we cannot see or feel You close
then
gently tilt our faces to look into Yours
to
find there
limitless
compassion
endless
understanding and patience
and
the courage we need to begin again.
We
bring to You those who carry forever in their hearts,
the
pain of losing a child…
we
bring to you those who have coped with the suicide of a loved one….
and
all those who mourn…
speak
into each life, we pray,
to
bring strength and courage
and
to re-kindle the flame of hope….
This
morning, we also want to remember in particular
those
affected by last weekend's mass shootings in Nova Scotia, Canada.
We
pray for all those in the communities affected:
Heal
the broken-hearted and bind up their wounds.
Comfort
those who mourn the loss of loved ones.
Help
those with life-changing injuries to have courage
to
face the future.
We
cannot understand why someone would commit
such
a terrible series of crimes, so give your grace
to
all those with such unanswered questions,
that
somehow hope would not be extinguished.
Like
a smouldering flame,
rekindle
light in their darkness,
that
good would emerge out of evil.
In
the continuing Covid19 global pandemic,
We
pray for the leaders of the nations
and
all in positions of authority,
for
decision-makers and their advisers.
O
powerful, wise and loving Lord,
guide
our leaders to make good decisions.
May
they not be afraid of making unpopular decisions
on
behalf of the poor and vulnerable.
We
pray you may use this crisis to cause many
to
call upon your name and seek your counsel.
May
rulers recognise their powerlessness without you
and
may such recognition happen
throughout
all sectors of society,
from
kings in their palaces
to
people begging in the streets,
that
you would be found to be
our
refuge, our strength and an ever-present help
in
this time of trouble.
May
your Church shine as a beacon of light,
showing
the light and love of Christ,
speaking
out a message of true hope and life
in
words and actions, testifying to the Good News of Jesus.
This
past week, we have had items for both praise and prayer...
We
give thanks with Ajit and Sonya for the success,
so
far, of emergency surgery on their baby daughter Sanam's eyes.
We
continue to uphold Ajit, Sonya and the family.
Loving
God, we praise you for the evidence of your grace
in
your provision for baby Sanam this past week.
We
pray that the surgery which took place,
will
preserve her eye-sight.
We
are grateful for the skills
and
dedication of the surgical team
in
performing the operation.
We
pray for full and complete healing for Sanam.
We
pray that all the necessary paperwork
will
be in order, prior to the follow-up
treatment
in the weeks ahead
and
for journeying mercies
to
and from Khon Khaen.
We
give thanks too for our former Dean of Laos,
the
Reverend Mark Dickens, now serving in a church
back
in his native Australia.
We
are grateful to God for the encouraging news Mark
received
this week from his doctor, regarding his treatment
for
prostate cancer.
God
of compassion and kindness,
We
continue to pray for healing for Mark
and
for wisdom for the doctors treating him.
We
ask for Mark's wife Rosemary and the rest of the family,
that
they would know your strength and peace.
Help
them Lord, to look to you
and
have confidence that you are in control
of
this situation.
We
also pray for a young man,
a
student, originally from Phongsaly
known
to the Millers.
He
is paralysed on one side and was being treated
in
Hospital 103.
His
parents have come down from Phongsaly to
take
care of him.
Lord,
in Jesus, we see how you are the great physician
and
healer.
We
pray for this young man,
struck
down with sudden paralysis.
We
pray that he might receive the treatment
he
needs to help him recover.
We
thank you that his family have been
able
to travel down to be with him.
Speak
into their hearts and the heart of their son,
that
their anxiety and fear
might
be replaced with hope and peace.
We
pray that those caring for him,
would
be protected from any potential infection.
We
pray for wisdom for Tim and Michelle
as
they try to work out how best to help.
We
ask all these prayers,
in
the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Lord’s
Prayer
Our
Father in heaven,
hallowed
be your name.
Your
kingdom come,
your
will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give
us today our daily bread.
Forgive
us our sins
as
we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead
us not into temptation,
but
deliver us from evil.
For
the kingdom, the power,
and
the glory are yours
now
and forever.
Amen.
*Song before Communion
(*Optional Communion resources begin here)
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah (MP201)
(**final verse is in Welsh language.)
1 Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
hold me with Thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore.
2 Open now the crystal fountain,
whence the healing stream doth flow;
let the fiery, cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through:
strong deliverer,
be Thou still my strength and shield.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside:
death of death, and hell’s destruction,
land me safe on Canaan’s side:
songs of praises
I will ever give to Thee.
Closing
Song
In
Christ alone (MP1072)
1 In Christ alone my hope is found,
He
is my light, my strength, my song;
this
cornerstone, this solid ground,
firm
through the fiercest drought and storm.
What
heights of love, what depths of peace,
when
fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My
comforter, my all in all,
here
in the love of Christ I stand.
2 In Christ alone – who took on flesh,
fullness
of God in helpless Babe!
This
gift of love and righteousness,
scorned
by the ones he came to save
till
on that cross as Jesus died,
the
wrath of God was satisfied,
for
every sin on Him was laid;
here
in the death of Christ I live.
3 There in the ground his body lay,
light
of the world by darkness slain,
then,
bursting forth in glorious day,
up
from the grave He rose again!
And
as he stands in victory
sin’s
curse has lost its grip on me,
for
I am His and He is mine –
bought
with the precious blood of Christ.
4 No guilt in life, no fear in death,
this
is the power of Christ in me;
from
life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus
commands my destiny.
No
power of hell, no scheme of man
can
ever pluck me from His hand;
till
He returns or calls me home,
here
in the power of Christ I’ll stand!
Blessing
Prayer
of sending
Today
we have walked and talked
along
the Emmaus road.
We
walk and talk each week
with
Christ by our side.
Let
Him walk with you this week,
let
Him speak to you and allow him
to
open the door of your heart,
so
that you too meet the extraordinary
in
the ordinary.
May
you know God’s hope,
Christ’s
love
and
the Holy Spirit’s energy
this
week and always.
Go
in peace to love and serve the Lord,
in
the name of Christ.
Amen.
All song lyrics taken from Mission Praise: