All-Age Church Service on Sunday, February 21st, 2021 First Sunday in Lent

    

 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
 








Beginning the Service...

Scripture Sentence
"God keeps faith and will not let you be tested beyond your powers."
(1 Corinthians 10: 13)



 
The Collect

Almighty God,
your Son Jesus Christ
fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are but did not sin.
Give us grace to discipline ourselves
in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness,
so may we know your power to save;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
  
Amen  


Approach and Thanksgiving

 


  Jesus, like a mother you gather your people to you;
you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.
   
  Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness;
through your gentleness we find comfort in fear.
   
  Your warmth gives life to the dead,
your touch makes sinners righteous.
   
  Lord Jesus, in your mercy heal us;
in your love and tenderness remake us.
   
  In your compassion bring grace and forgiveness,
for the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us
  
Anselm (1109)


Opening Hymn of Praise 

 
Bless the Lord O my Soul (MP 1259)
 


Bless the Lord, O my soul;
O my soul, worship His holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul.
I’ll worship Your holy name.

1 The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning;
it’s time to sing Your song again.
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me,
let me be singing when the evening comes.
Bless the Lord, O my soul . . .

2 You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger,
Your name is great and Your heart is kind.
For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing;
ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.
Bless the Lord, O my soul . . .

3 And on that day when my strength is failing,
the end draws near and my time has come,
still my soul will sing Your praise unending:
ten thousand years and then for evermore!
Bless the Lord, O my soul . . .

. . . I’ll worship Your holy name.
Yes, I’ll worship Your holy name.

 


Confession based on Psalm 25 (NIV)
Voice 1: Remember not my sins, O Lord,
remember them not.
Voice 2: Remember not the sins of my
youth, O Lord, remember them not.
Voice 1: According to your love
remember me.
Voice 2: Remember your great mercy and
love, for they are from of old.
Voice 1: To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
Voice 2: In you, O God, I put my trust.
Voice 1: Show me your ways, O Lord, and
teach me your paths.
Voice 2: Guide me in your truth and teach
me.
Voice 1: Good and upright is the Lord.
Voice 2: Therefore he instructs sinners in
his ways.
Voice 1: He guides the humble in what is
right.
Voice 2: He teaches them his way.
Voice 1: You are God.
Voice 2: You are God, my Saviour
Voice 1: and my hope is in you.
Voice 2: My hope is in you all day long.
Voice 1: You are God, my Saviour
Voice 2: and my hope is in you all day long.
Voices 1 and 2: You are God, our Saviour,
and our hope is in you all day long.

Amen

Silence 

(We know that we fall short of our calling every day and name in our hearts those ways in which we have sinned in thought, word, deed and in what we have failed to do...)

Confident in the righteousness of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ

Lift up our heads in the life-giving knowledge of Your forgiveness.

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
First Reading:  Genesis 9:8-17
Second Reading:  1 Peter 3:18-22
Gospel:  Mark 1:9-15




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 . . .



Bible talk

Part 1

God of the whole world

Remember how in the story of Noah, God told Noah, whom God knew to be a good man, to build an ark - a huge boat to rescue animals from the flood that God was sending to cover the whole earth because people were being so bad that God decided to destroy them. The same people thought Noah was very foolish for building a huge boat on dry land and made fun of him. Nevertheless Noah obeyed God and brought safely on board all kinds of animals to save them from the flood. Then it began to rain and rain and rain until the whole of the earth was flooded. Noah, his family and the animals were saved from the rising flood waters. After many days, the floodwaters began to go down and eventually the ark came to rest on dry land. The animals were released and Noah and his family came out of the boat too. They began to live a new life.
(Take the globe and explain...)
God was now making an agreement not just with Noah’s family but with the whole world, every living creature, bird and animal. 
God is the God of the entire world. This was the news to north and east and west and south.

God of new life
Why do we have Easter eggs, as a sign of new life? In Genesis 9:11 God is the God of life. He promises never to destroy the earth with a flood again. After the flood there is new life.

God of peace
Finally, take the bow. Ask if there are arrow references in the reading. No! God has put away the arrows of anger. He has decided to hang up his bow as well.  He displayed the bow in the sky as a reminder to himself as well as to humans of his promise never again to flood the earth. Just like back at the beginning of the service when I spoke about a footballer hanging up his / her boots and a boxer, hanging up his / her boxing gloves, when God hangs his bow up in the sky, something's changed.  It isn’t that God has retired but that he has put away his anger. He is a God of peace, a God who loves his creation.


Encourage everyone to learn and remember Genesis 9:13 to help them remember God’s promise.

You might prefer to shorten it as follows: "The rainbow will remind you that I will keep my promise forever." 

Song

Way Maker


Verse 1

You are here, moving in our midst

I worship You, I worship You

You are here, working in this place

I worship You, I worship You

(REPEAT Verse 1)

 

Chorus

(You are) Way Maker, Miracle Worker

Promise Keeper

Light in the darkness, my God

That is who You are 

(REPEAT chorus)

 

Verse 2

You are here, touching every heart

I worship You, I worship You

You are here, healing every heart

I worship You, I worship You

 

Verse 3

You are here, turning lives around

I worship You, I worship You

You are here, mending every heart

I worship You, I worship You

 

Chorus

(You are) Way Maker, Miracle Worker

Promise Keeper

Light in the darkness, my God

That is who You are

(REPEAT chorus)

 

Tag

That is who You are

That is who You are

That is who You are

That is who You are


Bridge Even when I don't see it, You're working Even when I don't feel it, You're working You never stop, You never stop working You never stop, You never stop working Chorus (You are) Way Maker, Miracle Worker Promise Keeper Light in the darkness, my God That is who You are (REPEAT chorus) Tag That is who You are That is who You are That is who You are That is who You are…and




Bible talk 

Part 2

Remember from earlier how... 
God is God of the whole world: north and south, east and west.
God is God of new life. After the flood God brings new life - Easter eggs are a symbol of the new life God gives.
God is God of peace. God has put away his anger. He is a God of peace who loves his creation.
Let's take a bit of time now to find out more about how Jesus came and fulfilled what was promised by God.
God made his agreement with all living creatures, the entire world. Where is there evidence that Jesus came not just for Jews but for all people? 

We see this in the way Jesus spoke positively about the faith showed by the Roman Centurion, whose servant was sick and the Samaritan woman, whose son Jesus healed.  

Is there evidence that Jesus had control of nature? There's the miracle of Jesus enabling a few loaves and fishes - to feed thousands of people. Then there's the time Jesus calmed the storm, when he told the wind and waves to be still and quiet and they obeyed him, much to his disciple's amazement.
God promised new life on earth. What do we associate with Easter Sunday? New life, not just on earth but after death. 
Resurrection life.
God hung up his bow to assure us of his love and peace. Where do we see Jesus assuring us of God’s love and peace? We see it in the way He welcomed outsiders such as women, Samaritans, people with skin diseases, tax collectors and non-Jews. 
He came to bring peace between God and all people who have disobeyed God. The apostle Paul referred to Jesus as the Reconciler - bringing us back from living like God's our enemy and helping us to be his friends again.
We worship the God of the whole world, the God of resurrection life, the God of peace. The God who keeps his promises, who wants to be our God and for us all to be His people.
Amen.


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

God of all goodness,
accept the gifts we bring.
Use them and us for your glory
and the work of your Church;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen

    

Prayers of Intercession

(Picture of family.) Lord, we thank you that
you saved the family of Noah at the time
of the flood. We pray for our own family:
our parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, nephews, nieces, godparents and godchildren and the church family here today. 
We pray especially for... 
Help us to live happily together, putting others first instead of ourselves.

(Picture of birds/animals.) Lord, we thank you that you have given us a beautiful world. We thank you for the birds, the animals and the insects. 
Especially we thank you for... 
Help us to take care of your world.

(Picture of ark.) Lord, you are a God who
works to save us, just as you saved Noah in
the ark. We remember all those who teach
others about how you want to save all
people, those who teach adults and younger members in our church. Especially we name...

(Picture of coast.) Lord, we thank you for the coasts, seas and waterways. We pray for those who sail on the sea, transporting goods and people. Keep them safe when the sea is rough and stormy. We remember especially... 

(Picture of rainbow.) Lord, thank you for your promise of peace. You declared that you would never destroy and flood the earth again. We pray for areas of the world where there is little peace. 
Especially... 
Help us to work for peace among our family and friends. 

Lord, you are a God of promise, a God of peace and a God of power. May we walk in your ways and become more like 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

Closing Song

What a wonderful name it is (MP 754)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yc3exCsHCw

Verse 1

You were the Word at the beginning

One with God the Lord Most High

Your hidden glory in creation

Now revealed in You our Christ

 

Chorus 1

What a beautiful Name it is

What a beautiful Name it is 

The Name of Jesus Christ my King

What a beautiful Name it is

Nothing compares to this

What a beautiful Name it is

The Name of Jesus

 

Verse 2

You didn't want heaven without us

So Jesus You brought heaven down

My sin was great Your love was greater

What could separate us now

 

Chorus 2

What a wonderful Name it is

What a wonderful Name it is 

The Name of Jesus Christ my King

 

What a wonderful Name it is

Nothing compares to this

What a wonderful Name it is

The Name of Jesus

 

What a wonderful Name it is 

The Name of Jesus

 

Bridge 

Death could not hold You, 

the veil tore before You

You silence the boast of sin and grave

The heavens are roaring 

the praise of Your glory

For You are raised to life again


You have no rival, You have no equal 

Now and forever God You reign

Yours is the kingdom, Yours is the glory

Yours is the Name above all Names

 

Chorus 3

What a powerful Name it is

What a powerful Name it is

The Name of Jesus Christ my King

What a powerful Name it is

Nothing can stand against

What a powerful Name it is

The Name of Jesus

 

Prayer of Sending and Blessing
"The rainbow will remind you that I will keep my promise forever." (Genesis 9:13)
God keeps his promise.

Amen

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

 

 

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