+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Prayer
Lord our God, through your Son Jesus Christ you assure us that he came not to condemn us but to bring us Life and Light –
+ Life worth living, that refreshes us with love and a spirit of service;
+ Light of Life, that enables us to see all that is good and worth living for.
Thank you for allowing us to share in his Life that has no end, and walk in his Light that pierces the darkness. Through Christ our Lord, who lives with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen,
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Reading: John 12:44-50 (NLT)
Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”
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Reflection & Prayer:
Heavenly Father: you sent us your only Son that we may see you in him.
+ Write every word he speaks in your name on my heart.
+ Satisfy the deep longing of my soul with his presence within me.
+ Enable me to view the world in which I live through his eyes.
+ Make me a bearer of Good News that the world may be saved through him.
Lord Jesus Christ: you are a faithful reflection of the Father. Fill me with your Life and Light that I may live faithfully and serve you only until my life’s end. You who lives with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“We Believe” – Newsboys
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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 67:4-5 (NLT)
Let the whole world sing for joy, because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world. May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentence and prayer:
Lord Jesus – You are the Way, the Truth and the Life, the one in whom we can place all our trust. If we have seen You, we have seen the Father. If we have placed our trusted You, we have placed our trust in Him.
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We have beheld your glory, O God, in the face of Christ Jesus, your Son. Enliven our faith, that through Christ we may put our trust in you. Deepen our faith, that in Christ we may serve you. Complete what You have begun in us, that one day we may live with you in that place which Christ prepares for us, where he lives with you now and always in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
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A Reading from the Book of Acts: Acts 6:1-7 (NLT)
But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.
So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”
Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.
So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19 (NLT)
Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord; it is fitting for the pure to praise him. Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp.
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For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does. He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth.
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But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.
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A Reading from the Letters: 1 Peter 2:4-9 (NLT)
You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.
And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say,
“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,
“The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.”
And,
“He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
A Reading from the Gospels: John 14:1-12 (NLT)
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”
“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father….”
Intercessions:
Gracious and Merciful God – You look on those who worship You and praise Your name. Hear my prayers on behalf of Your people:
+ For all those who serve Your people as deacons — that they may be filled with the Holy Spirit and with wisdom….
Lord, hear my prayer.
+ For all who work in the caring professions — that You Lord may heal people through them….
Lord, hear my prayer.
+ For people at risk, especially the homeless and the poor — that Your people may look after them….
Lord, hear my prayer.
+ For all believing families and children — that their faith may keep on growing….
Lord, hear my prayer.
+ For people anxious about death and dying — that the Your words may comfort and console them….
Lord, hear my prayer.
+ For all who have died and those who mourn their loss — that they may be reunited where Christ is, eternally….
Lord, hear my prayer.
Father in heaven, I place all my hope in You, as I entrust these prayers to Your love, confident that You will grant them, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Spiritual Song: “None But Jesus”
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+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
The Peanut Gallery 