Church Service on Sunday, November 1st, 2020 Fourth Sunday before Advent



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
We have put our faith in Jesus Christ, in order that we might be justified through this faith, and not through actions dictated by the law.” (Galatians 2: 16)


Collect

Almighty God,
your servant Abraham obeyed your call,
rejoicing in your promise
that in him all the families of the earth
should be blessed.
Give us faith like his,
that in us your promises may be fulfilled;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Amen 


Opening Hymn of Praise 
Holy, holy, holy (MP 237)
 
 

1  Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
    early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
    Holy, holy, holy! – merciful and mighty,
    God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

2  Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
    casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
    cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
    which wert, and art, and evermore shall be.

3  Holy, holy, holy! – though the darkness hide Thee,
    though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
    only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee,
    perfect in power, in love, and purity.

4  Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
    all Thy works shall praise Thy name, in earth, and sky, and sea:
    Holy, holy, holy! – merciful and mighty,
    God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!
   


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.
Amen

Silence
 
Almighty God
have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Merciful God, 
you have prepared for those who love you
such good things as pass human understanding.
Pour into our hearts such love towards you
that we, loving you above all things, may obtain your promises,
which exceed all that we can desire;
through 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 43
First reading:  Micah 3:5-12
Second reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
Gospel:  Matthew 23:1-12


Song
You are my all in all (MP 1019)
 

 

1  You are my strength when I am weak,
You are the treasure that I seek,
You are my all in all;
seeking You as a precious jewel,
Lord, to give up I’d be a fool,
You are my all in all.
        Jesus, Lamb of God,
worthy is Your name;
Jesus, Lamb of God,
worthy is Your name.

2  Taking my sin, my cross, my shame,
rising again, I bless Your name,
You are my all in all;
when I fall down You pick me up,
when I am dry You fill my cup,
You are my all in all.
Jesus, Lamb of God . . .

 

Prayer for / with the Children
I’m far too small a saint 
Than I would want to be.
I’ve been too big a sinner 
Once again. 
So use this little saint –  
It’s all that I can be –  
In place of me the sinner, 
Please! Amen
 
Sermon 
This Sunday as we are having a member of the congregation preach, 
there is no transcript or video available. 
The transcript and video for next Sunday should be available as usual.


Song
The power of your love (MP 880)

1  Lord, I come to You,
let my heart be changed, renewed,
flowing from the grace that I’ve found in You.
And, Lord, I’ve come to know
the weaknesses I see in me
will be stripped away
by the power of Your love.
        Hold me close,
let Your love surround me;
bring me near,
draw me to Your side.
And as I wait,
I’ll rise up like the eagle,
and I will soar with You,
Your Spirit leads me on
in the power of Your love.

2  Lord, unveil my eyes,
let me see You face to face,
the knowledge of Your love as You live in me.
Lord, renew my mind,
as Your will unfolds in my life
in living every day
in the power of Your love.
Hold me close . . .


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

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.
We pray this in Jesus' name

Amen
 
Prayers
Living God, this is a day of blessedness,
when we take the opportunity to come together,
to the very House of God,
to give thanks for Your goodness and grace.
This is a day when we pause,
to take note,
to see and know what’s around us,
and to give thanks for Your many blessings.
We are blessed with life,
the living, breathing life which is Your gift to us.
We are blessed with creation,
the beauty and wonder of which is beyond our comprehension.
We are blessed with love,
the ability to give love,
and the joy of receiving it.
We are blessed with the Church,
with the Community of God’s Faithful People,
with whom we are bound
and in which we have our place.
We are blessed with the Gospel,
with the Salvation won for us by Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Living God,
we are richly blessed,
and so we pause and give thanks
for Your goodness and grace.
But above all and beyond all,
in all and through all,
we are blessed by Your Love –
a challenging love;
a rebuking love;
a healing love;
an accepting love;
a forgiving love.
So we are blessed again when we can confess our fallings,
and hear Your words of love,
“Arise sinner, and sin no more.”
So, as Your cloak of blessedness is cast around us once again,
may we be drawn closer to You in the warmth of Your Spirit.
As the light of Your blessedness shines upon us today,
may we rise, wakeful and watchful,
to share that blessedness with those around us.
As the peace of Your blessedness restores our very soul,
may we rest in You,
knowing our blessedness is deep and secure. 

God of all blessedness,
we turn to You now with our prayers for others,
seeking Your blessing on all for whom we pray.
You tell us:
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
So we pray for those whose spirit fails them,
that they might be strengthened in their faith;
for those whose poverty is physical,
that they might have an equal share in the fruits of Your kingdom;
for those whose outlook on life is poor,
that they might have a glimpse of hope and purpose.
You tell us:
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
So we pray for all who are cast down by grief –
from recent losses or a deep-seated sorrow over many years –
that they might know the comfort of hope,
the comfort of love,
the comfort of new life.
You tell us:
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
So we pray for leaders and followers,
for big people and little people,
for the proud and the humble,
that in acceptance and grace,
we might work together for the good of all.
You tell us:
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,
for they will be filled.
So, we pray that we,
who seek to live in that very righteousness,
might indeed be filled with wonder and joy in this very place.
You tell us:
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will receive mercy.
So, let us forgive others
that we might know and understand the true meaning of forgiveness.
You tell us:
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
So, make our hearts pure with us,
that we might know Your love all the more.
You tell us:
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called the children of God.
So we pray for all who work for peace:
peace in relationships;
peace in communities;
peace in politics;
peace in places of conflict;
peace for the body, mind and soul ...
that all might see themselves
and others as God’s children.
You tell us:
Blessed are those who are persecuted ...
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
So we pray for the broken and despised,
the marginalised and the downtrodden,
the victims and the dispossessed,
the refugees and the homeless ...
this kingdom, our precious kingdom,
belongs also to them.
And as we pray for others,
we pray also that You will hold us always in communion
with the Saints of all the ages,
those who have been blessed
and whose memories, example and closeness 
bless us, even at this present time.
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 for ever.
Amen

Closing Song 

I see the King of Glory (MP 1185)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJrXTJPZvn8

1 I see the King of glory
coming on the clouds with fire;
the whole earth shakes,
the whole earth shakes.
I see His love and mercy washing over all our sin;
the people sing, the people sing:
     Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
     Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

2 I see a generation
rising up to take their place,
with selfless faith, with selfless faith.
I see a near revival
stirring as we pray and seek;
we’re on our knees, we’re on our knees.
     Hosanna, hosanna . . .

Heal my heart and make it clean;
open up my eyes to the things unseen.
Show me how to love like You have loved me.
Break my heart for what breaks Yours;
everything I am for Your kingdom’s cause.
As I walk from earth into eternity.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.


Prayer of Sending and Blessing
Go now, with the blessings of the saints and angels.
Go now, with the blessings of the people in this place.
Go now, with the blessings of the whole people of God.
Go now, with the blessings of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
to keep you in blessedness,
now and always.
Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
in the name of Christ.
Amen