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/
~ Pastor Tony
Scripture Sentence
"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." (Psalm 24:1)
"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." (Psalm 24:1)
Collect
Creator God,
You have made us stewards of Your earth,
Creator God,
You have made us stewards of Your earth,
You have charged us to tend it
and to grow food in season;
help us to respect and to use them to Your glory and to cherish all life that comes from You,
so that we may share in the labour of all creation to bring relief to those in need
and to sustain ourselves in our own well-being;
through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with You,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever
Amen
and to grow food in season;
help us to respect and to use them to Your glory and to cherish all life that comes from You,
so that we may share in the labour of all creation to bring relief to those in need
and to sustain ourselves in our own well-being;
through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with You,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever
Amen
Call to Worship
God of harvest time
we gather together today as Your people
we gather together today as Your people
and Your church to celebrate
and to give thanks for the harvest
we have been fortunate enough to share in.
Enable us to be fruitful in our worship
and to praise You with joyful hearts
and to praise You with joyful hearts
Responses:
Leader: God of the harvest,
All: gather us in.
Leader: God of the plentiful,
All: gather us in.
Leader: God of the abundant,
All: gather us in.
Leader: God of us all,
All: gather us in.
Amen
Opening hymn of praise
Come you thankful people come (MP 106)
1 Come, you thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home!
fruit and crops are gathered in
safe before the storms begin:
God our maker will provide
for our needs to be supplied;
come, with all His people, come,
raise the song of harvest home!
2 All the world is God’s own field,
harvests for His praise to yield;
wheat and weeds together sown
here for joy or sorrow grown:
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear –
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.
3 For the Lord our God shall come
and shall bring His harvest home;
He Himself on that great day,
worthless things shall take away,
give His angels charge at last
in the fire the weeds to cast,
but the fruitful ears to store
in His care for evermore.
4 Even so, Lord, quickly come –
bring Your final harvest home!
gather all Your people in
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there together purified,
ever thankful at Your side –
come, with all Your angels, come,
bring that glorious harvest home!
Confession
Lord God, you have made a wonderful and beautiful world.
We thank you that we can enjoy your world.
But we know that sometimes we take your world for granted
and sometimes we even do things that damage the environment:
We throw away things that are good and that could be used again,
or we cause damage in some other way.
(Pause to think of ways in which we been guilty of spoiling God’s world.)
Lord God, we are sorry when we have been like this
and we ask for your forgiveness.
We often cannot undo what we have done
but we can seek to do things differently from now on.
Lord God, help us to take care of your world from now on!
Amen.
Creed
We believe that:
• The earth and everything on it belong
to the Lord.
• The world and its people belong to
him.
• The Lord is a strong and mighty
warrior.
• The Lord saves those who do right
for the right reasons.
• The earth and everything on it belong
to the Lord.
(based on Psalm 24)
Bible Readings
Psalm: Psalm 65
New Testament: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Song
Great is Thy faithfulness (MP 200)
1 Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
there is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not,
as Thou hast been Thou for ever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness,
great is Thy faithfulness;
morning by morning
new mercies I see;
all I have needed
Thy hand hath provided –
great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
2 Summer and winter, and spring-time and harvest,
sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
join with all nature in manifold witness
to Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Great is Thy faithfulness . . .
3 Pardon for sin, and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is Thy faithfulness . . .
Bible Talk
Part One: God's world is great...
Jesus came to earth as God in
human form. Because he was God, he was
able to control the created world in a way
that was to help those he was with.
Remember this story...
(Read Mark 4:35-41)
human form. Because he was God, he was
able to control the created world in a way
that was to help those he was with.
Remember this story...
(Read Mark 4:35-41)
"That day when evening came, he said to his disciples,
“Let us go over to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along,
just as he was, in the boat.
There were also other boats with him.
A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat,
so that it was nearly swamped.
Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.
The disciples woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves,
Quiet! Be still!”
Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid?
Do you still have no faith?”
They were terrified and asked each other,
“Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”"
(Mark 4:35-41)
“Let us go over to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along,
just as he was, in the boat.
There were also other boats with him.
A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat,
so that it was nearly swamped.
Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.
The disciples woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves,
Quiet! Be still!”
Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid?
Do you still have no faith?”
They were terrified and asked each other,
“Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”"
(Mark 4:35-41)
The power of the waves and
the fury of the storm scared Jesus’ followers
but he was not afraid and, having been woken
up, he calmed the storm.
God’s creation is great and vast. We can
marvel at it but we can also be fearful.
Thunder and lightning, waterfalls and storms,
and mountains and sharp crags can make us
afraid. But the God who made all of them is
with us and is able to take away our fear.
Listen again to part of the Psalm we read earlier:
"You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Saviour,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy."
(Psalm 65:5-8)
the fury of the storm scared Jesus’ followers
but he was not afraid and, having been woken
up, he calmed the storm.
God’s creation is great and vast. We can
marvel at it but we can also be fearful.
Thunder and lightning, waterfalls and storms,
and mountains and sharp crags can make us
afraid. But the God who made all of them is
with us and is able to take away our fear.
Listen again to part of the Psalm we read earlier:
"You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Saviour,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy."
(Psalm 65:5-8)
Things like the booming and banging of thunder
or the roaring of giant waves crashing onto the shore
can be scary. We can feel tiny compared to giant mountains
and looking down over steep cliffs
can make us feel a bit queasy.
But it is God who made the whole, wide, wonderful universe
and even when things seem too big and scary
for us to deal with, the same God who made everything
helps us to be brave.
Can you think of a time when God has helped you to be brave,
when you were scared?
We are going to sing about that in our next song...
Song
Your Name (MP 1152)
1 As morning dawns and evening fades,
You inspire songs of praise
that rise from earth to touch Your heart,
and glorify Your name.
Your name is a strong and mighty tower.
Your name is a shelter like no other.
Your name, let the nations sing it louder,
’cause nothing has the power to save
but Your name.
2 Jesus, in Your name we pray,
come and fill our hearts today.
Lord, give us strength to live for You
and glorify Your name.
Your name . . .
Your name . . .
Bible Talk
Part Two: God's world is full of variety...
Listen to another well-known story about Jesus:
(Read Mark 8:1-9)
"During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat,
Jesus called his disciples to him and said,
“I have compassion for these people;
they have already been with me three days
and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry,
they will collapse on the way,
because some of them have come a long distance.”
His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place
can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves
and given thanks, he broke them
and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people,
and they did so.
They had a few small fish as well;
he gave thanks for them also and
told the disciples to distribute them.
The people ate and were satisfied.
Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls
of broken pieces that were left over.
About four thousand were present."
(Mark 8:1-9)
(Mark 8:1-9)
Jesus fed over 4,000 people, who were hungry after a day listening to him.
Jesus provided them with what they needed.
This is what our reading from the Psalms says about God's willingness
to bless His creation, including people like you and me:
"You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it.
You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing."
(Psalm 65:9-13)
The harvest talked about by the Psalmist is rich and plentiful.
Sadly, we know that this isn't the same for many farmer's in different parts of the world today.
Climate change is affecting how the seasons and harvests happen.
Sometimes farmers fail to harvest enough to sell or even feed their families
because there isn't enough rain for crops to grow properly.
At other times, the rain falls at the wrong time,
At other times, the rain falls at the wrong time,
raining all at once causing flooding, which sweeps away
people, animals and houses, or ruins crops,
so that people are left with nothing to eat or plant for next year.
Sometimes disasters are described as "acts of God".
But is it really fair to blame God,
when so much of what is happening is down to humans
not taking proper care of the planet: poisoning its air, land, rivers and oceans?
But it doesn't have to be like that.
But it doesn't have to be like that.
We can make a difference by changing the way we live
and shop. We can make wise choices
that encourage farmers not to use lots of chemicals
and buy locally grown food, instead of just buying
the cheapest food we can, from far away places,
where harmful pesticides and other toxins,
damage the land and the people who grow the food.
God has given us so many different kinds of wonderful food
for us to enjoy and help us to stay healthy.
Let's take a look at just some of the different kinds of food now.
Which of these do you like and not like?
There's plenty to choose from because God's world is full of variety and that includes you and me
with our different likes and dislikes.
Song
All things bright and beautiful (MP 23)
All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.
1 Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.
All things bright . . .
2 The purple-headed mountain,
the river running by,
the sunset, and the morning
that brightens up the sky;
All things bright . . .
3 The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.
All things bright . . .
4 He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God almighty,
who has made all things well.
All things bright . . .
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.
1 Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.
All things bright . . .
2 The purple-headed mountain,
the river running by,
the sunset, and the morning
that brightens up the sky;
All things bright . . .
3 The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.
All things bright . . .
4 He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God almighty,
who has made all things well.
All things bright . . .
Bible Talk
Part Three: God's world is to be shared with others...
God gives his gifts generously. We too need to be generous.
Here are just some of the things Saint Paul says to the churches
Part Three: God's world is to be shared with others...
God gives his gifts generously. We too need to be generous.
Here are just some of the things Saint Paul says to the churches
he is writing to on the subject of giving to people in need...
"Whoever sows generously will also reap generously." (v. 6)
"God loves a cheerful giver." (v. 7)
"You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion,
and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." (v. 11)
So you see, God has given us good things, so that we can share them with others.
So you see, God has given us good things, so that we can share them with others.
And when we do that makes a difference, doesn't it?
What difference does it make? Listen again to the last part of verse 11:
What difference does it make? Listen again to the last part of verse 11:
"your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."
Others will experience God's love through our kindness and give thanks and praise to God!
That group of Christians were very generous but Paul wanted them to have the right attitude:
Others will experience God's love through our kindness and give thanks and praise to God!
That group of Christians were very generous but Paul wanted them to have the right attitude:
not to be mean or grudging in their giving
but to be sure that God would bless them in their generosity.
That’s how God wants his people to behave
– generously, so that others will come to know that Jesus cares for them too
and be thankful to God and want to know Jesus and follow him.
And I know that's why many of us are living and working here in Laos,
And I know that's why many of us are living and working here in Laos,
sharing the good gifts we have been given and hoping that the people here
will recognise and respond to the kindness they are shown, and want to know Jesus and follow him.
Song
Brother, sister, let me serve you (MP1261)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07FBSrx5Oq4
1 Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.
2 We are pilgrims on a journey,
fellow travellers on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.
3 I will hold the Christ-light for you
in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.
4 I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh I’ll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow
till we’ve seen this journey through.
5 When we sing to God in heaven
we shall find such harmony,
born of all we’ve known together
of Christ’s love and agony.
6 Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.
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
Father God, we thank you for all you have
given us.
We thank you that we too can give to others.
Bless us as we give these gifts of money
and with them offer you our skills and time too
that they and we may be a blessing that will let many others
know your love for them,
and in turn give thanks and praise to you.
We ask these prayers in Jesus' name.
Amen
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Thanksgiving
God of all creation,
we praise and give thanks for all that You have given to us in our lives.
We thank You for the beauty of the Lao landscape,
the beautiful mountains, the rivers, the high plateaus and the fertile Mekong Plain.
We thank You for the rice fields,
the many kinds of tasty fruit and vegetables,
and the rich soil for cultivation.
We thank You for all those who work the land and rivers and lakes
to provide food to feed us;
for farmers who grow crops of different kinds
and produce livestock with love and care
and those who catch fish or raise them in fish-farms.
We thank You God for the rich variety of food
that comes from all across the world.
We thank You for the enjoyment and pleasure we find
in sharing food in celebration and fellowship.
We pray for those who grow, prepare and distribute the food we eat.
Intercession
We pray today for all farmers and farm-workers,
especially those here in Laos.
We pray for them in the scorching days of the hot season
and in the wetness of the rainy season,
as they tend their stock daily and cultivate their fields,
as they manage the planting and transplanting of their rice to harvest food for their families and for us.
We pray for their safety and good health,
and a fair price for their products.
We pray for good weather,
good growth and good yields,
so that there may be abundant harvests to feed hungry people.
For safe work practices and healthy habits for all farmers,
and freedom from dangerous abuse of drugs and alcohol,
which can harm those in the countryside as well as in the towns and cities,
so that people and communities may flourish and be strong,
For health and happiness in the home life of all farmers,
and for families to work together
with love, respect and harmony,
especially those here in Laos.
We pray for them in the scorching days of the hot season
and in the wetness of the rainy season,
as they tend their stock daily and cultivate their fields,
as they manage the planting and transplanting of their rice to harvest food for their families and for us.
We pray for their safety and good health,
and a fair price for their products.
We pray for good weather,
good growth and good yields,
so that there may be abundant harvests to feed hungry people.
For safe work practices and healthy habits for all farmers,
and freedom from dangerous abuse of drugs and alcohol,
which can harm those in the countryside as well as in the towns and cities,
so that people and communities may flourish and be strong,
For health and happiness in the home life of all farmers,
and for families to work together
with love, respect and harmony,
For the related Government ministries and others we pray for
wise financial planning, land care and resource management,
so that farmers may be confident about the future of their farms,
for good communication between country and city,
so that we may understand each other's needs
and encourage one another.
We pray for this country to increase its self-sufficiency in food
and that people will support local growers.
We pray for those who transport, and sell our food
and for all who cook it for us.
Generous God,
as we celebrate Your goodness to us in providing for our needs,
we also remember the plight of those whose harvests have failed.
We pray for those whose land or crops have been affected
by floods, drought, or fire
by pests and disease.
For those whose families are hungry
and for those who have no seed or livestock for the future.
We also remember those here and abroad
who have to beg for food.
Help us to be generous givers –
of our money, food and time,
as your followers in this place,
and show us how to be stewards of the resources of Your world,
for the benefit of all people.
In a moment of silent reflection we lift before God
our prayers for people and situations we feel led to remember.
This morning we continue to remember Phonesai
as she recovers from her operation to remove the cancer
from her body. May she be healed and have her health
and strength renewed. We remember others too,
going through the same procedure.
May the healing light of Christ shine upon their darkness and cause them to give thanks and praise to you.
We pray also for full recovery for Donald,
We pray also for full recovery for Donald,
who is in much discomfort due to back pain.
Today, we particularly remember and give thanks
for Bishop Designate Titus Chung, as he will be consecrated
as the 10th Bishop of Singapore, this afternoon.
May your richest blessings be upon Titus and his family, as he takes up this new responsibility.
Inspire, guide and protect him that he would be a faithful overshepherd of the Diocese of Singapore
and the six Deanery countries, including us here in Laos.
These prayers we ask 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 for ever.
Amen
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
Now thank we all our God (JP175)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR6Kajdtt3M&pbjreload=101
Now thank we all our God (JP175)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR6Kajdtt3M&pbjreload=101
1 Now thank we all our God,
with hearts, and hands, and voices;
who wondrous things has done,
in whom His world rejoices;
who, from our mothers’ arms,
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
2 We thank You, then, O God
that through our life You’re near us,
for joy that fills our hearts,
which, with Your peace, restores us.
Lord, keep us in Your grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
that we may love Your ways,
in this world and the next.
3 All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son, and Him who reigns
with Them in highest heaven;
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
with hearts, and hands, and voices;
who wondrous things has done,
in whom His world rejoices;
who, from our mothers’ arms,
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
2 We thank You, then, O God
that through our life You’re near us,
for joy that fills our hearts,
which, with Your peace, restores us.
Lord, keep us in Your grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
that we may love Your ways,
in this world and the next.
3 All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son, and Him who reigns
with Them in highest heaven;
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
Prayer of Blessing and Sending
May God who clothes the lilies
and feeds the birds of the air,
who leads the lambs to their pasture
and the deer to still waters,
who multiplied the loaves and fishes
and changed water into wine,
lead us, feed us, multiply us,
and change us to reflect the glory of our Creator
now and through all eternity.
And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
rest upon you and remain with you
now and for ever.
Amen.
in the name of Christ.
Amen
