This short act of worship has been prepared for you. I invite you to share in a few moments with God knowing that other people within Paulton, Trinity and Chew Stoke Methodist Churches are sharing this act of worship with you.
Revd Martin Slocombe
Chew Stoke Methodist Church
Covenant Service
THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
Hymn: 514 – Sweet is the work, my God, my King
1 Sweet is the work, my God, my King,
to praise your name, give thanks, and sing;
to show your love by morning light,
and talk of all your truth at night.
2 Sweet is the day of sacred rest,
no mortal cares disturb my breast;
O may my heart in tune be found
like David’s harp of solemn sound!
3 My heart shall triumph in my Lord,
and bless his works, and bless his word:
your works of grace, how bright they shine!
How deep your counsels, how divine!
4 Then shall I bear a glorious part,
when grace has well refined my heart,
and fresh supplies of joy are shed,
like holy oil to cheer my head.
5 Then shall I see, and hear, and know
all I desired or wished below;
and every power find sweet employ
in that eternal world of joy.
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)
Prayer of Adoration
God of Love,
you created us;
you continually preserve and sustain us;
you love us with an everlasting love
you give us the light of the knowledge of your glory
in the face of Jesus Christ.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus,
you were rich, but became poor for our sake,
you were tempted as we are, yet without sin,
you preached the good news of the kingdom
and were obedient to death, even death on a cross.
You were raised from death and are alive forever.
You sit at God’s right hand in glory
and will come again to judge us.
Glory to you, Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the Giver of Life.
By you we are born into the family of God
and made members of the body of Christ.
Your witness confirms us;
your wisdom teaches us;
your power enables us.
You will do for us more than we can ask or think.
Amen.
The Collect
God of grace,
through the mediation of your Son,
you call us into a new Covenant.
Help us to draw near with faith and join ourselves in a perpetual covenant with you.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
Reading
Jeremiah 31: 31-34 - A New Covenant
31 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. 33But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.
John 15: 1-10 - Jesus the True Vine
15‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
Reflection
I have especially asked that our gospel reading this week is read from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, rather than the Good News which you usually read from, as I want to think particularly about a word which is repeated 11 times, and that is the word, abide.
Good News verse 4 says, “Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you”. Remain united almost feels like a plea to desperate partners about to split up and go their separate ways, and I am not sure that was what Jesus was saying. NRSV replaces these words with the word Abide.
Abide is a much richer word, which brings with it an understanding of resting and contentment, celebrating and delighting in each other’s company, being an integral part of each other rather than the fusion of two separate beings. And this has a significant impact upon the understanding of our covenant relationship with God. Rather than being joined together, we exist and are nurtured by a mutual indwelling, where we acknowledge that God is integral to who we are, and that we are integral to who God is. One, without, the other, is incomplete, and cannot reach full potential.
Jeremiah records that God says, “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people”. This does not speak of a distant God for which we seek scientific explanation and reasoned argument but is a God that we can feel and know exists at the very root of our being. To deny the existence of such a God, is to deny part of ourselves.
This understanding of a God who exists at the very core of who we are, inevitably creates tensions between our personal decisions and preferences, and who we know God calls us to be. The words we are going to share as part of the renewal of our Covenant promises speak very clearly of that tension. We are reminded that a life guided by God calls for sacrificial living and for the placing of others needs before our own.
We reflect at this time that there are many others in our community who also live sacrificial lives but fail to acknowledge that it is God who calls them to these decisions, or that there is any connection between the decisions that they make and organised religion, and certainly would not acknowledge a Christian faith at the root of their being. That, I fear, is a problem for organised religion, rather than a failure of society, or of God.
And so today, we come to face these hard promises, knowing that in our own strength we will fail to live up to many of them. But thankfully we do not have to rely upon our own strength, but in the assurance of the eternal love of God, who writes on our hearts as we abide in Him, and He in us.
Amen
Hymn: 665 – Abide with me
1 Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
when other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
help of the helpless, O abide with me.
2 Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
change and decay in all around I see;
O thou who changest not, abide with me!
3 I need thy presence every passing hour;
what but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.
4 I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
5 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;
heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me!
Henry Francis Lyte (1793–1847)
THE COVENANT
God made a covenant with the people of Israel, calling them to be a holy nation and to obey his laws.
Our Lord Jesus, by his death and resurrection, has made a new covenant with all who trust in him.
In this covenant God promises us new life in Christ. For our part we promise to live no longer for ourselves but for God.
We meet today, as generations before us have done, to renew the covenant which bound them and binds us to God.
Let us, then, humbly seek forgiveness for the sin by which we have denied God’s claim on us.
Prayer of Confession
God of mercy, hear us as we confess our sins.
Your showed us how to live in the life of Jesus. We confess that we have been slow to learn from him, failed to follow him and showed our reluctance to carry the cross.
Lord have mercy.
Lord forgive.
We confess the poverty of our worship, our neglect of fellowship and the means of grace, our evasion of responsibilities in your service and our imperfect stewardship of your gifts.
Lord have mercy.
Lord forgive.
Have mercy upon us, O God, through your constant love.
In the fulness of your mercy, blot out our offences.
Wash away all our guilt and cleanse us from our sin.
Create in us a new heart and renew a right spirit within us.
Amen
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Therefore to all who truly repent this is his gracious word:
“Your sins are forgiven.”
Amen
Hymn: 649 “Come, Let Us Use the Grace Divine”
1 Come, let us use the grace divine,
and all, with one accord,
in a perpetual covenant join
ourselves to Christ the Lord:
2 Give up ourselves, through Jesu's power,
his name to glorify;
and promise, in this sacred hour,
for God to live and die.
3 The covenant we this moment make
be ever kept in mind:
we will no more our God forsake,
or cast his words behind.
4 We never will throw off his fear
who hears our solemn vow;
and if thou art well pleased to hear,
come down, and meet us now.
5 To each the covenant blood apply,
which takes our sins away;
and register our names on high,
and keep us to that day.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
The Promise
Sisters and brothers in Christ,
let us again accept our place within this covenant
which God has made with us and with all who are called to be Christ’s disciples.
This means that, by the help of the Holy Spirit,
we accept God’s purpose for us,
and the call to love and serve God
in all our life and work.
Christ has many services to be done:
some are easy, others are difficult;
some bring honour, others bring reproach;
some are suitable to our natural inclinations and material interests, others are contrary to both;
in some we may please Christ and please ourselves; in others we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves.
Yet the power to do all these things is given to us in Christ, who strengthens us.
Therefore let us make this covenant of God our own.
Let us give ourselves to him, trusting in his promises and relying on his grace.
Eternal God,
in your faithful and enduring love you call us to share in your gracious covenant in Jesus Christ.
In obedience we hear and accept your commands;
in love we seek to do your perfect will;
with joy we offer ourselves anew to you.
We are no longer our own but yours.
I am no longer my own but yours.
Your will, not mine, be done in all things,
wherever you may place me,
in all that I do and in all that I may endure;
when there is work for me
and when there is none;
when I am troubled
and when I am at peace.
Your will be done
when I am valued
and when I am disregarded;
when I find fulfilment
and when it is lacking;
when I have all things,
and when I have nothing.
I willingly offer
all I have and am
to serve you,
as and where you choose.
Glorious and blessèd God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you are mine and I am yours.
May it be so for ever.
Let this covenant now made on earth
be fulfilled in heaven. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
Lift up your hearts
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
All powerful and ever living God,
it is indeed right, it is our joy and our salvation
always and everywhere to give you thanks and praise
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
You created all things and made us in your own image.
When we had fallen into sin, you gave your only son to be our Saviour.
He shared our human nature and died on the cross.
You raised him from death and exalted him to your right hand in glory where he lives forever to pray for us.
Through him you have sent your Holy Spirit
and made us your people, a royal priesthood,
to stand before you to proclaim your glory and celebrate your mighty acts.
We praise you, lord God, King of the Universe,
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who, on the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying,
‘Take this and eat it. This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’
In the same way, after supper, he took the cup,
gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the new
covenant, poured out for you and for many, for the
forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it,
in remembrance of me.’
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
As he has commanded us we do this in remembrance of him, and we ask you to accept our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving,
Grant that by the power of the Holy Spirit, we who receive your gifts of bread and wine may share in the body and blood of Christ.
Bring us, with those who have done your will in every age,
into the light of your presence and the joy of your kingdom.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
in the power of the Holy Spirit,
we worship you in songs of everlasting praise.
Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours for ever and ever. Amen.
The bread we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body
because we all share in one loaf.
Jesus said: ‘I am the bread of life.
Those who come to me shall not hunger
and those who believe in me shall never thirst.’
Receive with faith.
Those who are to receive the bread and wine do so now.
Prayer
Faithful God,
with these holy gifts
you have fed and strengthened us
in Jesus Christ your Son.
Guide us on our way,
that with all your faithful people
we may come to share the feast
of your eternal kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Hymn: 438 – Father hear the prayer we offer
1 Father, hear the prayer we offer:
not for ease that prayer shall be,
but for strength that we may ever
live our lives courageously.
2 Not for ever in green pastures
do we ask our way to be;
but the steep and rugged pathway
may we tread rejoicingly.
3 Not for ever by still waters
would we idly rest and stay;
but would strike the living fountains
from the rocks along our way.
4 Be our strength in hours of weakness,
in our wanderings be our guide;
through endeavour, failure, danger,
Father, be there at our side.
Love Maria Willis (1824–1908
Blessing
The blessing of God,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.
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