Welcome to our service today. We welcome our guest preacher, Rev Trevor Neill from Selsdon Baptist Church who is unpacking God's word today. We will be meeting after the service on zoom at 12.15pm for coffee. The link is here
We're still waiting for Government Guidance on how we might be able to meet for worship as lockdown eases and as that is released and interpreted by the Baptist Union we will begin to work out what that means for us. We have no plans to begin opening up until September, and the leadership will let you know what that might look like as soon as we are able - more details are in this video which we released a couple of weeks ago.
This week our work continues as normal - we're now operating two separate Fareshare teams and we are grateful for our new and returning volunteers who are now helping to ensure that the food is sorted and distributed effectively. In our prayers today Vic updates us a little on the work of the Community Family Project in this time.
The service today focuses on how God is using us even if this summer isn't exactly what it turned out to be......
Worship
In our different houses, in different rooms, in a different place to where we expected to be today, we gather.
From different backgrounds, with different life circumstances, with different ideas and expectations, we gather.
Those of us who have been working, those of us who have been stopping, those of us who have been struggling, those of us who have found peace, we gather.
We gather because God calls us.
We gather in this strange way.
We gather to worship.
Here is a Playlist of songs for today. You might want to save the last two for after the prayers and after the sermon
2020 has not turned out the way we expected and it's been a challenge to all of us, but there have been glimmers of hope as we've seen and experienced the world working in different ways. Here is a video that might have made many of us smile right at the beginning of lockdown......
What are the good things that have come out of lockdown? What has made you smile? You might want to make a prayer poster with drawings and descriptions of these things and maybe write a prayer giving thanks for what you have thought about. You could share it with others on zoom after the service or on WhatsApp.
Prayers
Today Vic introduces us to the changing work of the Community Family Project (there is a letter that goes into more detail on the members section of the website for the regular congregation and members - contact us for the password) which will lead into a time of prayer.
Prayer points from the video as you continue in prayer in your homes:
Pray for the leaders and volunteers - for wisdom and for God to guide us on how we take the project forward as lockdown eases
For our clients - for those who are helped through the distribution of food and other items
For those who are suffering with their mental health who are particularly struggling because they are unable to meet
Thank God for the provision of food from Fareshare and for generous grants and donations that enable the work to continue
Sermon
Our sermon today is brought by Trevor and is based on Romans 15:23-33