Worship
Please find below details of Service times, prayer groups and the prayer for the month.
There is also the Order of Service for this Sunday to enable those who are unable to attend the service to follow and share in our worship.
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Prayer Meeting
Everyone is welcome to join together for a time of prayer in the church vestry at 10.00 before the morning service.
Remember that prayer requests can be made in the book at the church entrance or placed into the box by the church door.
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Order of Service
This Sunday's Order of Service for Morning Worship and Evening Worship (when it is happening) with activities for the week and beyond.
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Discussion Groups
We regularly hold a discussion group or Bible Study on the 1st Sunday of the month on zoom. You will find the link in the What's On this week section at the side of the Home Page.
Do come and join us – everybody is welcome!
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Focus on Easter
Our cross will be outside the church from Palm Sunday and palm crosses will be available to place in it as a public testimony to the darkness of betrayal and crucifixion to which Jesus was heading.
At 6.30pm on the evening of Sunday 28 February we will begin our 2021 Lent Course on Zoom, using the ‘Holy Habits Following Jesus' resource.
This is open to everyone from Braishfield and Abbey URCs – and indeed anyone else who would like to join in! If you would like to take part either on Zoom or at your leisure in your own time, please let Revd Mike know and he will get a booklet to you so you can follow the course. The Zoom link is ID: 864 1780 6994, Password: learning
In the United Reformed Church, we are more likely to refer to that last meal that Jesus took with his apostles in the upper room as the Last Supper than any other of the titles which refer to the same event. Holy Communion is another title and the celebration we hold every third Thursday of the month is called Short Communion. Short Communion because it is an opportunity to meet with our Lord over bread and wine for half an hour. Half an hour during which we can remember that the Son of God offered himself on the cross and took upon himself, who was sinless, the atonement for the sin of humankind.
In the face of such suffering and sacrifice Isaac Watts responded with:
‘Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.’
We remember, because that is what Christ asked us to do – “Do this in remembrance of me” – words repeated in reverence and thanks whenever and wherever the Last Supper is celebrated. But that is not all, we also gain strength and support to live our Christian lives. When asked, ‘Which is the greatest commandment of all’, Jesus replied, ‘Hear O Israel: The Lord is one, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength… You shall love your neighbour as yourself’. Jesus was reminding us of our commitment as Christians but through the bread and the wine he is giving us the fuel to follow his way.
The next Thursday Communion will take place at 10.30 on 17 September. Join the Zoom link HERE (Meeting ID: 852 4443 7619 and Password: bread).
We look forward to sharing with you!
In February the Explorers explored the Lord's Prayer and on they shared their thoughts with the congregation. They realised that, although they said it every week, they did not know what it all meant. Once they had worked it out, they decided to write it in simple language and rearrange it a little so it made sense to them. Since prayer is a conversation with God, they wanted to sound friendly. Here is their version.
"Dear God - wow, even your name is special
You are everywhere and everything belongs to you
Please make sure we have what we need to survive
We will try to live the way you want us to
but please forgive us when we get it wrong
We will forgive people for what they have done wrong
Help us to make the right choices and keep us safe
You are the ruler of the world, and you are in charge.
Thank you always and forever.
I agree, the end."
Now they understand what they are saying, but they like the traditional version used in church because it is special and it joins them with friends across the world when they say it.
It was lovely the support we had for Carol Singing at local Care Homes and Nursing Homes. Carols were selected by residents from the Bethlehem Songsheet. We sang for about 30 minutes, this was followed by an opportunity to give Christmas greetings to the residents.