Gathering

God of power and might,
you sent prophets to your people,
calling us back to your covenant,
and teaching us your ways.
In the fullness of time,
you sent us your Son Jesus,
teaching with such authority,
that our eyes were opened
to see your ways anew.
Open our hearts and minds,
that we may understand 
and proclaim your teachings 
for all to hear. 
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Hymn

Confession & Words of Assurance

Most Merciful God, too often we have lived as if all powers in heaven and on earth were ours, and ours alone, and we have forgotten the source
from which all our gifts and talents have come.

We have denied and evaded our responsibilities as members of the Church and failed to identify ourselves with the sorrowful and suffering.

Hear us as we claim Your promise of forgiveness and mercy. Amen

The good news is that we don’t live out our discipleship merely with our own strength, but with God’s grace holding us up. In our times of fear and frailty, we know that God is closer to us than our breath. And God’s faithfulness is ours, even in our doubts.

Story Time

Scripture

Jesus throws a demon out

Mark 1²¹ Jesus and his followers went into Capernaum. Immediately on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and started teaching. ²² The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the legal experts. ²³ Suddenly, there in the synagogue, a person with an evil spirit screamed, ²⁴ “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the holy one from God.”

²⁵ “Silence!” Jesus said, speaking harshly to the demon. “Come out of him!”²⁶ The unclean spirit shook him and screamed, then it came out.

²⁷ Everyone was shaken and questioned among themselves, “What’s this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands unclean spirits and they obey him!” ²⁸ Right away the news about him spread throughout the entire region of Galilee.

Sermon

 Prayers

In these moments we bring before You, O God, Those whose lives are high in our thoughts and in need of Your active creative love through people like ourselves.

There are many who find life unbearable; The deeply distressed and depressed, those in overwhelming and unrelenting pain, those raked with guilt and fear.

Grant release to those who suffer and bring them comfort in the knowledge of Your acceptance and recreating and restoring forgiveness. Comfort all who cry out silently, behind locked doors, for hope and encouragement, with the awareness of Your presence with them.

Sustain us in the days ahead with the knowledge that we can trust You and rest easily in faith in Your love, knowing that nothing in life or death
can separate them from Your care and love, through Jesus Christ our Saviour and Redeemer.

All of these prayers and so may more we pull together and pray the prayer tradition has taught us…

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.