There was a good congregation for our annual CELEBRATION OF YOUTH SUNDAY. Lou and Dan’s youngest added much to the occasion! And that was good and we are so pleased that he made his presence felt.
More than one hundred and seventy years ago during the ministry of the Revd Mr William GOTHARD – Mr Gothard was also the minister at Preesall – and in a Mr AUGHTON’s joinery workshop over a guano warehouse in what is now Aughton Street, a Sunday school was formed. Today’s youngsters who we count as part of our church family, and the hundreds and hundreds from Lord Street, where the Twenty-One store is; in London Street, now ‘The Thomas Drummond’; the two houses on the Shakespeare estate in which a Sunday school was held; the barracks; at Beach Road on the corner of Lonsdale Avenue; and, here at Agnew Road are witness to the success of the work and witness amongst children and young people. We are mightily proud of what has been achieved and give thanks for all who contributed to laying down good foundations in the lives of so many children and young people.
WORDS ON WHICH TO MEDITATE AS WE PREPARE FOR WORSHIP
Praise be to you,
loving God,
for you lavish care on creation:
bring order to chaos,
light to darkness,
life to emptiness.
Praise to you,
redeeming God,
for you lavish love on all people:
bringing forgiveness for sin,
belief for doubt,
wisdom for uncertainty.
Praise be to you,
inspiring God,
for you lavish breath on all being:
bringing hope to the dispirited,
trust to the despairing,
faith to the fearful.
AMEN
GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
THE CALL TO WORSHIP
God is the source of our life:
He journeys with us in love.
God is the giver of good:
He journeys with us in love.
God is the sower of grace:
He journeys with us in love.
God is our strength and our hope:
He journeys with us in love.
2 AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW (Tune: Camberwell. Music: Michael Brierley. Words: Caroline Maria Noel.)
We remain seated as we come to God in prayer as we sing the following songs
4 HE’S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HAND (Tune: Traditional. Music: Traditional melody arranged by Christopher Tambling. Words: Traditional.)
5 IT’S ME, O LORD (Tune: Spiritual. Music: Spiritual arranged by Keith Stent. Words: Spiritual.)
6 JESUS, FRIEND OF LITTLE CHILDREN (Tune: Derwent. Music: Charles Legh Naylor. Words: Walter John Mathams.)
7 KUM BA YAH (Tune: Spiritual. Music: Spiritual arranged by Andrew Moore. Words: Spiritual.)
We stand to sing
8 O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED TO SERVE YOU TO THE END (Tune: Day of Rest. Music: James William Elliot. Words: John Ernest Bode.)
NOTICES FOR THE COMING WEEK AND THE ELDERS WAIT ON US FOR OUR MORNING GIFTS
We remain seated as we bring our gifts to be dedicated to God’s work and witness through this church.
3 SONG: HEAR THE PENNIES DROPPING (Tune: No Name. Music: Wm J Kirkpatrick. Words: Mrs FH de Witt.)
OFFERTORY PRAYER
God,
our strength and our hope,
you have given to us more than we can say.
As we offer you these gifts we dedicate to you are work,
our dreams and our lives.
May we open our eyes,
our ears and our hearts to your presence.
Touch our lives and help us to grow in the kingdom you have established in our hearts and in the world.
MINISTRY OF THE WORD
We remain seated as we sing the following reminders of from where our authority as God’s people lies.
1 ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL (Tune: Royal Oak. Music: Traditional English melody arranged by Adrian Vernon Fish. Words: Cecil Frances Alexander.)
14 WHO PUT THE COLOURS IN THE RAINBOW (Tune: No name. Music: Paul Booth arranged by Keith Stent. Words: Paul Booth.)
12 WHEN A KNIGHT WON HIS SPURS IN THE STORIES OF OLD (Tune: Stowey. Music: English traditional melody harmonised by Erik Routley. Words: ‘Jan Struther’.)
10 TELL ME THE OLD, OLD STORY (Tune: Tell me. Music: William Henry Doane. Words: Katherine Hankey.)
OUR RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD
We remain seated as we sing
11 THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE (Tune: Traditional. Music: arranged by Keith Stent. Words: Traditional.)
We stand to sing
9 ONE MORE STEP ALONG THE WORLD I GO (Tune: Southcote. Music: Sydney Carter arranged by Colin Hand. Words: Sydney Carter.)
12 WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE (Tune: Armageddon. Music: German melody adapted by John Goss. Words: Frances Ridley Havergall.)
- PRAYER OF DISMISSAL
Go in the blessing of the Creator:
We go to live to the Creator’s glory.
Go in the blessing of Christ:
We go to follow in Christ’s footsteps.
Go in the blessing of the Holy Spirit:
We go to act in the Spirit’s power.
We are blessed on our way:
we are blessed indeed!
All who attended left tapping toes, with sore throats and remembering the times we joined with so many others to sing songs of our youth. And our singing was helped so much by the playing of John Gibson assisted by Jonathan Davies.
For those who asked, “Where was the prayer time?” The hymns and songs provided for prayer time. And those who looked for scripture readings again they were included in the hymns and songs.