Make Us One in Hope and Vision As We Gather in This Place

AMERSHAM FREE CHURCH
Sunday 24thFebruary 2013 Lent 2
MORNING WORSHIP
led by The Revd Ian Green

GOD INVITES US TOWORSHIP
We stand at the entry of the Bible
Introit: “Living God, your word has called us”
John Berry
Living God, your word has called us, summoned us to live by grace,

Make us one in hope and vision as we gather in this place,

Take our searching, take our praising,
take the silence of our prayer,

Offered up in joyful worship, springing from the love we share.

Living God, your hope has called us
to the world that you have made,

Teaching us to live for others; humble, joyful, unafraid.

Give us eyes to see your presence, joy in laughter, hope in pain;

In our loving, in our living, give us strength that Christ may reign.

Call to Worship
Minister: The Lord be with you
All:and also with you.

Hymn560: Glorious things of thee are spoken(Tune: Austria R&S 98)
Prayers of Praise, Confession
and Lord’s Prayerback cover of hymn book
Welcome and Notices
The Offering and Prayer of Dedicationall standing
WE LISTEN FOR THE WORD OF GOD
All Age Talk
Hymn: God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name
1. God forgave my sin in Jesus' name.
I've been born again in Jesus' name
And in Jesus' name I come to you
To share his love as he told me to.
Chorus:
He said 'Freely, freely you have received;
freely, freely give.
Go in my name, and because you believe
others will know that I live.
2. All pow'r is giv'n in Jesus' name
in earth and heav'n in Jesus name
And in Jesus' name I come to you
To share his pow'r as he told me to.
Chorus
3. God gives us life in Jesus' name
he lives in us in Jesus' name
And in Jesus' name I come to you
To share his peace as he told me to.
Chorus
Carol Owen © 1972 Christian Music Publishing
CCL 257120

Children and young people leave for their Junior Church groups.
Babies and toddlers are welcome in The Crèche.
Anthem: “Hide not thou thy face from us, O Lord”
Psalm 27.10 Music: R Farrant
Hide not thou thy face from us, O Lord,

And cast not off thy servants in thy displeasure.

For we confess our sins unto thee
and hide not our unrighteousness.

For thy mercies sake deliver us from all our sins.

Readings:Genesis 15.1-7(O.T. p.11)
Luke 13.31-35(N.T.p.65)
This morning’s reader is Margaret Lambert
Reader: In this is the word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God
Hymn511: O love that wilt not let me go
Sermon: “Struggling with where we are.”
Sermon notes are available as you leave and on the church website
OUR RESPONSE
Silent Reflection
Hymn: Forty Days and Forty Nights
1. Forty days and forty nights
you were fasting in the wild;
forty days an forty nights
tempted and yet undefiled.
2. Burning heat throughout
the day,
bitter cold when light had fled;
prowling beasts around your way,
stones your pillow, earth your bed.
3. Let us your endurance share
and from earthly greed abstain,
with you watching unto prayer
with you strong to suffer pain.
4. Then if evil on us press,
flesh or spirit to assail,
Victor in the wilderness,
help us not to swerve or fail. G.H.Syttan (1822-70)
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
concluding with this Invocation for Lent from the Iona Community

All: Into a dark world a snowdrop comes
a blessing of hope and peace carrying within it a green heart
symbol of God’s renewing love.

Come to inhabit our darkness Lord Christ
for dark and light are alike to you.
May nature’s white candles of hope remind us of your birth
and lighten our journey through Lent and beyond. Amen
Hymn 496: Fight the good fight
Dismissal and Blessing with sung AmenAll Standing
Join us for coffee, tea or a cold drink in the
Alfred Ellis Hallwhere the Fairtrade stall is open.