Church Service on Sunday, February 14th, 2021 Sunday before Lent: Transfiguration of the Lord

   

 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
 




JESUS MAFA. Transfiguration, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57486 [retrieved December 29, 2020]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact). 










Scripture Sentence
"God forbid that I should boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, through which the world is
crucified to me and I to the world!"
(Galatians 6: 14)



 
The Collect
 
God of light and truth,
open our eyes to the glory of your presence
in the world around us,
but chiefly in the face
of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord;
that we may grow into his likeness,
and attain the happy fulfilment of our hope
when the splendour of the Saviour
will be revealed;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
  
Amen  


Approach and Thanksgiving

 

'Let light shine out of darkness’.

Creator God

who spoke light into primordial darkness,

who ‘speaks and summons the earth

from the rising of the sun to its setting’,

we gather to You,

Your faithful yet fragile ones.

With ‘the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ’:

Give us eyes to see and ears to hear.


Acknowledging that You dwell

beyond our comprehension,

worshipped by the universe itself,

we thank You for emptying Yourself of glory

in the person of Jesus Christ,

and through Him illuminating our path back to You.

We name Your blessings to us... [silent or aloud]

Recalling that You first loved us:

Give us grateful hearts to receive Your blessings.



Opening Hymn of Praise 

 
Light of the world (MP 1086)
 

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 . . .

So here I am to worship . . .

And I’ll never know how much it cost
to see my sin upon that cross.
And I’ll never know how much it cost
to see my sin upon that cross.
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.
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

Psalm:  Psalm 50:1-6
First Reading:  2 Kings 2:1-12
Second Reading:  2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Gospel: Mark 9:2-9




Song

Our God is a great big God (JP 589)


Our God is a great big God,

    our God is a great big God,

    our God is a great big God

    and He holds us in His hands.

    Our God is a great big God . . .



He’s higher than a skyscraper

and He’s deeper than a submarine.

He’s wider than the universe

and beyond my wildest dreams.

And He’s known me and He’s loved me

since before the world began.

How wonderful to be a part

of God’s amazing plan.


    Our God is a great big God . . .

    And He holds us in His hands.




Prayer with and for the children

You are a great God who made a wonderful

world.

You are far beyond what we can ever

understand.

But we trust in you.

You work in ways that we do not expect.

You are far beyond what we can ever

understand.

But we trust in you.

You make yourself known to us in all sorts of ways, as we speak with you, as we read about you, as we meet with others, in our dreams and in the silence.
You are far beyond what we can ever understand.

But we trust in you.

You know all people by their personal name,
all across the world.
You are far beyond what we can ever understand.

But we trust in you.


Sermon



Song

Be still (MP 50)


1  Be still,
for the presence of the Lord,
the Holy One, is here;
come bow before Him now
with reverence and fear:
in Him no sin is found –
we stand on holy ground.
Be still,
for the presence of the Lord,
the Holy One, is here.

2  Be still,
for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around;
He burns with holy fire,
with splendour He is crowned:
how awesome is the sight –
our radiant King of light!
Be still,
for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around.

3  Be still,
for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place:
He comes to cleanse and heal,
to minister His grace –
no work too hard for Him.
In faith receive from Him.
Be still,
for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place.





 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

Recalling Your goodness to Your people through the ages
We turn to You in our need.
Knocking on Your door,
again and again,
as if to tire You of our knocking
as our Lord commanded,
we name the burning desires of our own hearts... [silent or aloud]
Our Lord promised,
‘if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask,
it will be done for you by my Father in heaven’.
And yet, You have drawn to our attention the great lack endured by so many around the
world,
the victims of oppression and injustice, in Myanmar, Xinjiang and North Korea
Holy one, who wants to be addressed as our loving parent,
We acknowledge our kinship ties with the church across the world.
We unite our wills with Your people in Ethiopia and the Central African Republic
We ask that you will bring peace, stability and freedom from fear in these and other places where there is much violence.

May Your Kingdom come here in Laos as well as in other lands
This morning we unite our wills with Your servants in the Middle East,
those who have inherited the oldest church communities in the world,
and ask that Your abundant life would be known by them,
and through them, by all Your children.
Until You satisfy us in Your fullness, God,
enlighten us with the knowledge of Christ that shines in our hearts,
and strengthen Your people to take up their crosses on dark roads.
Owning Your promises, we ask that You would fill Your people’s outstretched hands:
That our hands may be turned to Your holy work. 

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

When I look into your holiness (MP 754)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfIT3rooJWQ

When I look into Your holiness,

when I gaze into Your loveliness,

when all things that surround

become shadows in the light of You.


When I’ve found the joy of reaching Your heart,

when my will becomes enthroned in Your love,

when all things that surround

become shadows in the light of You.


I worship You, I worship You;

the reason I live is to worship You.

I worship You, I worship You;

the reason I live is to worship You.


Prayer of Sending and Blessing
May the light of Your glory
illuminate our path this day and every day,
showing us the truth of Your presence
amid the lies of the unjust kingdoms of this world.
Turning to the tasks You have prepared for us,
And the people You have set us among:

Make our feet sure and fleet, the bearers of good news.

Amen

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

 

 

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