Welcome to our service today. We'll be continuing the service on zoom at 12.15pm where we will be sharing in communion together, so gather together bread and wine and we'll be meeting here. If you are unable to join us on zoom the words for communion are at the end of this service and you might want to follow through the words with us - there is something in meeting together in time and words even if we are not able to meet together in person.
This week we will be having a whole church prayer meeting at 6.30pm on zoom using the link above. All are welcome to join us in prayer. Don't forget also the Bible Study on Wednesday Evening at 8pm.
Today should have been a church meeting and the leadership are currently working out what the best way to share information is and create forum for discussion when a number of our members are not online and we are unable to meet in person. Look out for more information in the near future. Please remember those who are not online and keep in touch with them as they find it more difficult to connect.
We continue our series looking at Hebrews 11 and today we look at verse 7 which is all about Noah. You can find the story of Noah in Genesis 6-9. It's a great story of rescue and ends with the promise that God will take care of us. There is always hope.
Let us pause and pray as we come to worship:
So Few Words by Gail Scholes (from Gathering up the Crumbs )
So few words
So much to say
Fill me with your Word, Lord
So much pain
In my heart holds sway
Fill me with your peace, Lord
So many troubles
Filling each day
Fill me with your strength, Lord
Each day, you speak to me
Each day, you comfort me
Each day, you carry me
Every day, you love me.
Here are the songs for today's worship - you might want to save one for the end.
Here is the story of Noah told by David Suchet
The story of Noah is a great one to act out. If you are feeling majorly creative why don't you see if you can build an ark? It could be out of boxes or furniture or the wooden pallet that is outside Claire's house (feel free to claim it and come and pick it up (or Claire will drop off at a safe distance)) or it could be out of something smaller - lego or lolly sticks or even out of biscuits. Share your creations with the rest of the church on zoom or via whatsapp.
This week we have been collecting pictures of rainbows - do your rainbows need updating or do you have some you'd like to share? You could make a new one as a gift for someone. The rainbow reminds us of the end of the story of Noah where God writes his promise with love and signs it with a rainbow.
Here is the sermon for today from Claire
And a reflective video/prayer following on from the sermon. You might want to spend some time praying for the community and wider world after this video
And here is our elder Laurel, with socially distanced prayers for the church from her doorstep to close our service today.
Don't forget to join us on zoom for communion afterwards and don't forget to bring bread and wine - here are the words we will be using:
Communion Words – Longing for Rainbows (inspired by (but different to!) words found on Dancing Scarecrow by Clare McBeath and Tim Presswood here)
Many years ago, God asked Noah to build an ark.
It didn’t make sense – a massive boat in a land locked place – no water to be seen.
Today as we meet, not in person, but together
We know that the God who asked Noah to build an ark
Is the one who guides us and leads us on.
Many years ago, God asked Noah to fill that ark.
Full of living things that probably didn’t get on, but needed safety.
Today as we meet together, all different, and all loved
We know that the God who asked Noah to fill that ark
Is the one who keeps us safe today.
Many years ago, God asked Noah to stock the ark.
Full of every kind of food so that those who lived on the ark could be fed
Today as we meet together, hungry for change, waiting for normality
We know that God who asked Noah to stock that ark
Is the one who provides food day to day.
The rains came down
And the floods came up
The rains came down
And the floods came up
The ark floated
The animals didn’t kill one another
And there was enough food for all
This amazing story tells the story
Of how God looks out for his creation
This amazing story tells the story
Of how God keeps his promises
In this time when devastation is so real
So close, so near….
This amazing story tells the story
Of how God never leaves us on our own.
This story, points to another
Thousands of years later when Jesus,
In the face of devastation and disaster
In the face of human sin and violence
He took bread, he took wine – symbols of life and death
And he shared them with us all.
As we take the bread today and drink the wine,
May we remember that God is near
That Christ is with us
That the Holy Spirit moves amongst us.
On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he handed it to his disciples saying “This is my body broken for you”
In the same way after supper he took the cup, saying “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me”
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Take some time to pray and give thanks
Share the Bread and Wine saying
“The body of Christ, broken for you”
“The blood of Christ, shed for you”
Pause and pray
After body was broken and blood was shed
Three days later we find ourselves looking at an empty cross
It stands empty as a promise, as a sign, that this brokenness will be mended
New life will begin.
God is with us.
After the rain came down, and the world flooded
Three months later we find ourselves looking at a rainbow crossing the sky
It brings beauty and hope, as a sign, that this separation is only for a time.
New life will begin.
God is with us.
And we come today, as we look at the signs of bread and wine
And the rainbows that cover pavements and windows and doors
And we remember
New life will begin
God is with us.