Gathering

Lord God,
High in the heavens, yet kneeling at our feet, Let us sing praises loudly, let us pray quietly, Let us listen attentively, let us act presently. Let our words praise You,
Let our actions praise You,
Living, loving, eternal God.
As we draw near to You, may we find that You Already are on Your way to meet us,
And more than halfway.
Bridging sin-gulfs, breaking sin-walls,
Your sparkling, irresistible love wins through.

Let us praise Your Holy Name!

Hymn

Confession & Words of Assurance

O Holy One, we come to You in need of Your leading and instruction.  We so often become bogged down in the details of life and forget to see the bigger picture of life and its needs.  We so often give ourselves to what we think is necessary and fail to see what is needful.  Forgive us our short-sightedness and save us from our spiritual myopia.

As we walk the Christian journey we pray that You will provide us a greater vision.  Interrupt our frenetic activity.  Help us to find the creative spiritual pause which will make clearer our mission and refresh us for it.  Help us to see all people as Your people and to know that we have the responsibility to love them.  Help us to have the courage to change the way we have gone about life and to make it both more rewarding and more fruitful.

The good news in Christ is that when we face ourselves and God with the awareness of our needs, we are given grace to grow, and courage to continue the journey. Believe the good news of the Gospel.

Story Time

Scripture

Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law

Mark 1²⁹ After leaving the synagogue, Jesus, James, and John went home with Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. ³¹ He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.

Jesus’ ministry spreads

³² That evening, at sunset, people brought to Jesus those who were sick or demon-possessed. ³³ The whole town gathered near the door. ³⁴ He healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons. But he didn’t let the demons speak, because they recognized him.

³⁵ Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer. ³⁶ Simon and those with him tracked him down. ³⁷ When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”

³⁸ He replied, “Let’s head in the other direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve come.” ³⁹ He traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and throwing out demons.

Sermon

 Prayers

Lord, You are the giver of life.  In the midst of suffering we celebrate the promise of Your peace.  In the midst of oppression – the promise of Your freedom.  In the midst of doubt and despair – the promise of Your presence and Your kingdom.  In the midst of fear – the promise of everlasting joy.  In the midst of sin and decay – the promise of salvation and of renewal.  In the midst of death the promise of life eternal.  May we dwell in Your promises and lift them up before others with love and compassion.

God, our healer, we pray for those who are sick,     and for those who look after them. We pray for those who are full of dread and anxiety and for those who carry the word of courage and faith.

God, our consoler, we pray for those who are sorrowful, and for those who have been bereaved.

We pray for the weary and for those  weighed down by chronic illness, pain or frailty.  We pray for those exhausted by the demands of work or caring for others.     

And we pray for those who are hungry, those who are without a home,  and all those live under the threat of war.

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.