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
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
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed,
which a man took and planted in his field.
Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when
it grows,
it is the
largest of garden plants and becomes a tree,
so that the birds come and perch in its
branches.”
(Matthew 13:31-32)
Collect
Almighty God,
O God, the protector of all who trust in you,
without you nothing is strong, nothing is holy.
Increase and multiply upon us your mercy,
that with you as our ruler and guide,
we may so pass through things temporal,
that we lose not the things eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever and ever.
Amen.
Prayer of Approach
God, your kingdom is...
among us all
in surprising places,
hidden in the everyday,
small but precious,
above us and below us.
Your kingdom is here
and we gather as part of it
to worship and adore you, O God.
Responses
Leader: The Kingdom of God is...
All: within us.
Leader: The Kingdom of God is…
All: found in the most surprising of places.
Leader: The Kingdom of God is…
All: hidden in the everyday things of life.
Leader: The Kingdom of God is…
All: small but very precious.
Leader: The Kingdom of God is…
All: here and now.
Let us worship God
who reigns over the Kingdom.
Amen.
Opening Hymn of Praise
Open our eyes Lord (MP 545)
Open our eyes, Lord,
we want to see Jesus –
to reach out and touch Him
and say that we love Him.
Open our ears, Lord,
and help us to listen:
O open our eyes, Lord,
we want to see Jesus!
Adoration and Confession
Gracious, Loving God,
We come this day to worship and praise Your holy
name.
We gather with thanksgiving on our lips and love
in our hearts
to sing to Your glory;
to be touched and inspired by Your word;
to dwell in Your house in unity.
Lord, forgive the times when we choose not to
look…
Not to look out for those in need.
Not to look for glimpses of Your glory.
Not to look for opportunities to share Your good
news with others.
Forgive us, Lord.
Pause
Open our eyes to You, O God…
May Your Holy Spirit reinvigorate us.
May we rub our eyes and focus on what You call
us to do
this day and every day.
Open our eyes,
open our hearts,
open our mouths
and open our minds we pray,
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.
Amen.
Silence
Jesus died and rose again for us.
In humble penitence let us
accept his pardon and receive his peace.
Amen.
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
from you alone come everlasting joy and peace.
Fill us with joy in your promises,
and send us out to be bearers of your peace;
through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
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
119:129-136
First
reading: 1 Kings 3:5-12
Second
reading: Romans 8:26-39
Gospel: Matthew
13:31-33, 44-52
Children’s Song
All I once held dear (Knowing You) (MP799)
1 All I
once held dear,
built my life upon,
all this world reveres,
and wars to own,
all I once thought gain
I have counted loss;
spent and worthless now,
compared to this:
Knowing You, Jesus,
knowing
You,
there
is no greater thing.
You’re
my all,
You’re
the best,
You’re
my joy, my righteousness,
and
I love You, Lord.
2 Now my
heart’s desire
is to know You more,
to be found in You
and known as Yours,
to possess by faith
what I could not earn,
all-surpassing gift
of righteousness.
Knowing
You . . .
3 Oh, to
know the power
of Your risen life,
and to know You in
Your sufferings,
to become like You
in Your death, my Lord,
so with You to live
and never die.
Knowing
You . . .
Prayer for / with the Children
Dear God
Like looking through a kaleidoscope
we see your presence amongst us in different
ways...
A tiny shard of coloured glass
through which to view the kingdom:
each shard lending
a different colour,
a different perspective.
Seeds that grow into sheltering trees,
yeast that ferments
and leavens the dough,
treasure and pearls and nets,
all worth letting go of everything else for
in order to secure it.
So many ways
of describing the indescribable,
putting the pieces together
still doesn’t produce a whole
but perhaps the knowledge
of such a multi-stranded tapestry
will serve to remind us of the enormity
and the mystery
of your amazing Kingdom.
So help us we pray to have our eyes open to you
and be opened by you to live with a sense of
wonder
and praise at your handiwork.
Give us a willingness to graciously work
alongside you
in doing what you call us to do
to reveal your beauty in and through our lives.
In Jesus' name we pray,
Amen.
Song
Be the centre (MP1076)
1 Jesus, be
the centre,
be my source, be my light, Jesus.
be my source, be my light, Jesus.
2 Jesus, be
the centre,
be my hope, be my song, Jesus.
Be the fire in my heart,
be the wind in these sails,
be the reason that I live,
Jesus, Jesus.
be my hope, be my song, Jesus.
Be the fire in my heart,
be the wind in these sails,
be the reason that I live,
Jesus, Jesus.
3 Jesus, be
my vision,
be my path, be my guide, Jesus.
Be the fire in my heart . . .
be my path, be my guide, Jesus.
Be the fire in my heart . . .
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
Accept, O Lord, these gifts of our time,
talents and treasure.
However great or however small,
May they and may we be used to grow Your
kingdom.
May our mustard seeds grow into great trees
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Intercessions
Lord Jesus Christ,
Words cannot express how thankful we are
that You consider us to be Your children;
Your treasure, Your pearl beyond all price.
Words cannot express how grateful we are that
nothing:
Angels, demons, death, life...
nothing can separate us from Your love!
Lord, we pray this day for all who are yet to
hear this news.
May You continue to sustain all who seek
to make You known across our world.
Be with mission workers, Bible translators,
children and family workers,
chaplains, ministers, preachers and pastors.
Be in conversations, Bible studies, Alpha
courses,
Christianity Explored and Emmaus courses.
Be in high churches, café churches, messy
churches,
house groups and cathedrals.
Be in all that opens people’s eyes to You, Your
love and Your call.
God of love and compassion,
We pray for all who seek to make a difference in
the lives of others.
Be with carers and counsellors, medics and
mediators,
Be with those with listening ears and those with
caring hands,
Be in all that opens people’s eyes to You, Your
love and Your call.
God of justice and peace,
We pray for all who seek to challenge injustices
and stand up for what is right.
Be with the politician and the protester,
The activist and the pacifist,
The vocal and the silent.
Be in all that opens people’s eyes to You, Your
love and Your call.
Hear us and help us to see You this day,
we pray in Jesus’ name.
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 for ever.
Amen.
Closing Song
Amazing grace (MP31)
1 Amazing
grace – how sweet the sound –
that
saved a wretch like me!
I once
was lost, but now am found,
was
blind, but now I see.
2 ’Twas
grace that taught my heart to fear,
and
grace my fears relieved;
how
precious did that grace appear
the
hour I first believed.
3 Through
many dangers, toils and snares,
I have
already come;
’tis
grace hath brought me safe thus far,
and
grace will lead me home.
4 When
we’ve been there ten thousand years
bright
shining as the sun,
we’ve
no less days to sing God’s praise
than
when we’ve first begun.
Prayer of Sending and Blessing
Take the smallest seed
and produce life.
Add yeast to the bread of life
and it will grow.
Find the hidden treasure in your life,
invest all you have in living for God.
Cast wide your net
and haul in the catch.
All these blessings and more are yours
from God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
there for you today and always.
Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
in the name of Christ.
Amen
