Sunday 7th June 2020 – Trinity Sunday
This short act of worship has been prepared for you to use whilst we are unable to use Methodist Church premises. If you are well enough why not spend a few moments with God, knowing that other people are sharing this act of worship with you.
Opening Prayer
Father God, Holy Three-in-One,
We join with the saints on earth and in heaven as we bring our worship to you.
Come and meet us now by your Holy Spirit, and gather our dispersed voices into one single church of praise. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy (StF 11)
Sing/ Read /pray /proclaim the words or listen to it here www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwuDSw-9cUQ
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee:
holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the sinful human eye thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love, and purity.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea;
holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Reginald Heber (1783-1826) (alt.)
Or enjoy this wonderful Jamaican Gospel version from the Grace Thrillers:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=npCYDBfYD1U
Let us pray together
Eternal God,
We worship you, creator and sustainer of the universe, and we praise you for the gifts of life, health and strength.
Lord Jesus,
We worship you, Saviour and Lord of the world, and we praise you that you have found us, washed us, forgiven us and given us a place in your church.
Holy Spirit,
We worship you, sanctifier of the people of God, and we praise you that you have renewed us and blessed us with your gifts. Amen.
Prayer by Revd. Aian Ferguson from the Methodist Prayer Handbook 2014-15 p4
Old Testament Reading Isaiah 40.12-17,27-31
Gospel Reading: Matthew 28.16-20
Time to Reflect
How do you explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to a child? The answer of course is that you don’t – there’s no need!
Of course, it’s correct that the word ‘Trinity’ can’t be found in the Bible. That’s because it is a summary of the whole of Scripture. It’s about trying to capture in a simple way the mystery and awe of passages like our Isaiah reading today.
How do you imagine God? I’m sure it varies widely according to context. God reveals something of what God is like through Scripture, through Jesus, through God’s Spirit in us. God reveals the God-self to the world through the church; through people like you and me. We even (especially?) see something of what God is like through the eyes of a child.
In your baptism, you were baptised as Jesus commanded, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. You didn’t need to hold a master’s degree in Systematic Theology to understand that. As you grew up, you simply needed to know that this mysterious God is love, that you are loved, and that God loves us all in many ways, especially through the witness of the church – the body of Christ on earth. Just love – with no strings attached.
It’s so easy, a child could get it.
Take a time to sit quietly
A time of prayer
Father, in whom we live, In whom we are, and move,
Glory and power and praise receive
Of thy creating love.
We pray for your church throughout the world, continually exploring new ways to be in fellowship and to offer worship. Unite us by your creative power across earthly boundaries of time and space to bring you our united voices of praise and glory.
Incarnate deity, Let all the ransomed race
Render in thanks their lives to thee,
For thy redeeming grace.
We pray for all those who have revealed Christ to us in past months. For key workers, carers, intercessors and strangers – we give you our thanks, and pray that we in our turn might reveal Christ to our neighbour too.
Spirit of holiness, Let all thy saints adore
Thy sacred energy, and bless
Thy heart-renewing power.
We pray for all those who need the comfort of your Holy Spirit today. The lonely, the anxious, the bereaved; the sick, the distressed, the dying; those facing difficult decisions and those forced to make new beginnings – bring your peace to them.
Eternal, triune Lord! Let all the hosts above,
Let all the sons of men, record
And dwell upon thy love.
We bring all our prayers to you, O God our Father, in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
This week’s intercessions based on the hymn
(StF No. 5) by Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn: Listen to StF 15:
The Splendour Of The King
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBD18rsVJHk
The splendour of the King, clothed in majesty;
let all the earth rejoice,
let all the earth rejoice.
He wraps himself in light
and darkness tries to hide,
and trembles at his voice,
and trembles at his voice.
How great is our God, sing with me,
how great is our God, and all will see
how great, how great is our God.
And age to age he stands,
and time is in his hands;
beginning and the end,
beginning and the end.
The Godhead, Three in One, Father, Spirit, Son,
the Lion and the Lamb,
the Lion and the Lamb.
How great is our God, sing with me,
how great is our God, and all will see
how great, how great is our God.
Name above all names, worthy of all praise;
my heart will sing: how great is our God.
Name above all names, worthy of all praise;
my heart will sing: how great is our God.
How great is our God, sing with me,
how great is our God, and all will see
how great, how great is our God.
Chris Tomlin (b. 1972), Ed Cash and Jesse Reeves
A prayer of blessing based on Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit; and the Blessing of God, the Holy Three-in-One, be with you, and all those whom you love, and all those who love you, today and always. Amen.
Original Materials by Revd. Stephen Froggatt