Sunday, May 3, 2020: The Fourth Sunday of Easter

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.thechs.org/

Ideas for parents to use with their children at home can be found on this page (click this link).

~ Pastor Tony

Scripture Sentence

Acknowledge that the Lord is God;

he made us, and we are his,

his own people, the flock which he shepherds.

                                                  (Psalm 100: 3)

Collect

God of peace,

who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus,

the great Shepherd of the sheep,

through the blood of an eternal covenant,

make us perfect in goodness

so that we may do your will;

and create in us what is pleasing to you;

through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Call to Worship

Leader: Come, one and all,

All: and join us in this place.

Leader: Come, one and all,

All: and seek the voice of God.

Leader: Come, one and all,

All: Christ calls us to be here.

Leader: Come, one and all,

All: and sing your praise to God.

Opening Hymn of Praise

Light of the World (MP1086)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MmRGSEG2LM

1  Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness,

opened my eyes, let me see

beauty that made this heart adore You,

hope of a life spent with You.

So here I am to worship,
here I am to bow down,
here I am to say that You’re my God:
You’re altogether lovely,
altogether worthy,
altogether wonderful to me.

2  King of all days, O so highly exalted,

glorious in heaven above,

humbly You came to the earth You created,

all for love’s sake became poor.

So here I am to worship . . .  (X2)
And I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross. (X2)
So here I am to worship . . .

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

Lord God

You are our Saviour and king

our Master and friend

our Shepherd and guide.

Wherever we go, You are with us.

Wherever we stray, You seek us out.

Whenever we call, You hear us.

You are our promise and our hope

our place of rest and peace

our security and our sureness.

Whoever we are, You accept us.

Whatever we do, You love us.

Whenever we fall, You lift us up.

Gracious God

our path in life does not always

lead us into quiet, calm places

of caring and compassion for others.

Our journey often takes us

off the beaten track and into the difficult terrain

of selfishness and anger.

Our progress is often slowed

by fear and anxiety.

Yet You remain at our side, Lord,

to comfort and provide,

reminding us of Your promise

that all is forgiven for all time.

And so we praise You, Lord,

that you bless us anew each day

with Your grace and goodness.

That You open doors to fresh opportunities

and that You lead us by the hand

to a place we can call home.

Take us from here, refreshed in our journey

with You and with one another,

that we might love You more

and follow You more closely.

In Jesus’ name.

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 23

First reading:  Acts 2:42-47

Second reading:  1 Peter 2:19-25

Gospel:  John 10:1-10

Children’s Song

Teach me to dance (MP936)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1LaArPzHyk or

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDyFgNX4es8

Teach me to dance to the beat of Your heart,

        teach me to move in the power of Your Spirit,

        teach me to walk in the light of Your presence,

        teach me to dance to the beat of Your heart.

        Teach me to love with Your heart of compassion,

        teach me to trust in the word of Your promise,

        teach me to hope in the day of Your coming,

        teach me to dance to the beat of Your heart.

1  You wrote the rhythm of life,

    created Heaven and earth;

    in You is joy without measure.

    So like a child in Your sight,

    I dance to see Your delight

    for I was made for Your pleasure, pleasure.

        Teach me to dance . . .

2  Let all my movements express

    a heart that loves to say ‘yes’,

    a will that leaps to obey You.

    Let all my energy blaze

    to see the joy in Your face,

    let my whole being praise You, praise You.

        Teach me to dance . . .

        Teach me to dance to the beat of Your heart.

Prayer for / with the Children

Lord, You are our shepherd.

We thank You that You give us

everything we need.

That You offer us rest and refreshment

through Your Word.

That You keep us on the straight and narrow

when we are prone to stray.

We thank You that those times when we are afraid

we can trust that You watch out for us.

Thank you loving heavenly Father

that you watch over all your creation,

including our family and friends,

Even though they may be far away from us,

your loving protection extends to them.

We pray for the many people

who have been affected by the Covid19 pandemic

far more than us.

We ask for you to provide for them;

for those who have lost jobs or daily income,

for those who work in hospitals and care homes,

working long hours facing the challenges

of taking care of those who are sick.

We remember in our prayers those they care for;

for those who are ill,

particularly those who are not getting better.

Have mercy on them.

We pray for those whose family members or friends have died.

Comfort them in their sadness.

Give them hope to believe that with you,

death is not the end but a doorway to eternal life.

Thank you Jesus that you are the good shepherd;

giving your life to save your sheep from harm.

You were prepared to die for us on the cross,

so we could enjoy eternal life in heaven

with you and those who have gone before us forever.

We also pray for the farmers, market sellers, shop and other key workers,

who keep working to allow us to lack nothing we need.

Along with healthcare workers, keep them and their families safe and well.

These prayers we ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Sermon

Transcript of CHS sermon for 3.5.20 can be found here.
Video of CHS sermon for 3.5.20 can be found here.

*Bonus feature. Here is the midweek sermon from Bishop Rennis Ponniah of the Anglican Diocese of Singapore

Song

The King of love (MP649)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI1OeQfkVyI

1  The King of love my shepherd is,

whose goodness faileth never;

I nothing lack if I am His

and He is mine for ever.

2  Where streams of living water flow

my ransomed soul He leadeth,

and where the verdant pastures grow

with food celestial feedeth.

3  Perverse and foolish oft I strayed;

but yet in love He sought me,

and on His shoulder gently laid,

and home rejoicing brought me.

4  In death’s dark vale I fear no ill

with Thee, dear Lord, beside me;

Thy rod and staff my comfort still,

Thy cross before to guide me.

5  Thou spread’st a table in my sight;

Thy unction grace bestoweth;

and O what transport of delight

from Thy pure chalice floweth!

6  And so through all the length of days

Thy goodness faileth never;

Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise

within Thy house for ever!

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

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession

Provider God

You have given us so much of Yourself

in Your abundant love and grace.

And so we lay before You our offerings

of money and of ourselves.

With Your blessing may they open the gate

to visions of a better world for all.

For there are many who hunger;

many who are left out in the cold

while others reap the benefits

of a society based on greed.

We think of those who are homeless or displaced,

Those who are exploited, those who are poor.

There are many who cannot enjoy

the beauty and mystery of creation.

We think of prisoners of conscience,

of those living in war-ravaged lands,

of those confined through illness.

There are many who yearn for rest

in lives which are restless and hard.

We think of those who work long hours

for little reward;

those who are discontent and disillusioned.

There are many who struggle to find

the right path because life has taken them

a different, difficult route.

We think of those with addiction problems,

those who turn to crime through desperation,

of children whose home life is chaotic.

There are many who are fearful

for themselves and for others.

We think of those in broken relationships,

those who live with sickness,

those who are afraid of the future and of being themselves.

There are many who have lost hope that light

will ever penetrate their darkness –

we think of those who live with loneliness, grief,

bereavement and rejection.

There are many who we walk alongside

in their pain and suffering, their joy and hope.

We think of them now in a time of silence…

(A praise and prayer request has been received from Kok Liang, who thanks God that the rehabilitation of land for rice fields in Sanamxay village, Attapeu Province, has taken place this past week. (Many rice fields were devastated by flooding in southern Laos, last year.)
Please pray for greater reliability of the tractors - two had tyre and wheel problems. Pray for good weather, safety and security to continue until all 140 Hectares are completed.

Please also give thanks that Ajit and Sonia's baby daughter Sanam's eye surgery has gone well and though they will have to return to Khon Kaen in June, this is just for a routine check-up.

Give thanks too for the safe arrival of Colin and Cathy McKay's daughter Nancy's second child, a baby boy Heath, a brother for Aria. Colin and Cathy are with them in Australia.

On things health-related please continue to remember healthcare workers here in Laos, particularly Donald and his wife Keo, as they continue their surgical work at Setthathirat Hospital.

Pray also for wisdom for those making decisions about when to ease "lockdown" measures, that they would be guided to make wise and safe choices that there would be the right
 balance struck between people's health and economic welfare.)

Lord God, shepherd all Your people

on their different journeys

with their different joys and struggles.

Remind them that all are honoured guests

at Your table

and that all may find a home in You.

Lavish them with Your goodness and love

so that they might know

that in You they have everything they need.

In Jesus' name we pray.

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.

Closing Song

O Jesus, I have promised (MP501)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVWkljgPZU8 (words on webpage below video)

1  O Jesus, I have promised

    to serve Thee to the end;

    be Thou for ever near me,

    my Master and my friend.

    I shall not fear the battle

    if Thou art by my side,

    nor wander from the pathway

    if Thou wilt be my guide.

2  O let me feel Thee near me;

    the world is ever near;

    I see the sights that dazzle,

    the tempting sounds I hear;

    my foes are ever near me,

    around me and within;

    but, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,

    and shield my soul from sin.

3  O let me hear Thee speaking

    in accents clear and still,

    above the storms of passion,

    the murmurs of self-will;

    O speak to reassure me,

    to hasten or control;

    O speak, and make me listen,

    Thou guardian of my soul.

4  O Jesus, Thou hast promised,

    to all who follow Thee,

    that where Thou art in glory

    there shall Thy servant be;

    and, Jesus, I have promised

    to serve Thee to the end;

    O give me grace to follow

    my Master and my friend.

5  O let me see Thy footmarks,

    and in them plant mine own;

    my hope to follow duly

    is in Thy strength alone;

    O guide me, call me, draw me,

    uphold me to the end;

    and then in heaven receive me,

    my Saviour and my friend!   

Blessing

You are sought,

seek peace.

You are loved,

love justice.

You are protected,

protect the weak.

You are safe,

save the lost.

You are chosen,

choose life.

Prayer of sending

With Christ as our Gatekeeper,

we go from here into fresh pastures.

With Christ as our Gatekeeper,

we find security and peace.

With Christ as our Gatekeeper

we find a safe haven.

With Christ as our Gatekeeper

we find life in all its fullness.

Go now through the gate of this sheepfold

and go with the blessing of God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit

enfolding and surrounding you

today and always.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord,

in the name of Christ.

Amen.

       

All song lyrics taken from Mission Praise:

www.missionpraise.com