[Did you miss last Sunday’s services? They can still be found at Worship Archive – February 14th 2021.]
Sunday Services from Connexion for February 21st 2021:
Sunday Services from Hillside Circuit for February 21st 2021:
Theme: Jesus breaks the power of death
Occasion: First Sunday in Lent
Psalm 25
Old Testament: Genesis 9: 8-17
New Testament: 1 Peter 3: 1-22
Gospel: Mark 8: 31-38
[Click or tap on a Bible reference above to jump down the page to the Bible reading to listen and/or read it for yourself and then click or tap on Back to top to come back here.]
Songs:
Here are the songs for Sunday morning service. Click or tap on a song to open it in YouTube, or go to the Songs for worship webpage to find them embedded.
Fight the good fight.
Above all.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
O love that will not let me go.
How deep the Father’s love for us.
Prayers:
Heavenly Father, you’re the Almighty & Ever-living God. During this time of Lent, you invite us to come deeper into your world.
Look with favour Lord, that as we fast with the body, let us also fast in spirit. Help us to fast from judging others, from fear of illness, from unkind words, from anger, from pessimism, from bitterness, from suspicion, from gossip, from anxiety. Help us to enjoy purposeful silence. Help us to feast on Faith – and your Healing Power.
As Women’s Association our call to worship is to make the WA Promise:
I accept the call to Christian womanhood & promise by God’s help to serve the Lord Jesus Christ; to make my home a place where He is loved, my church a place where He is worshipped, & my country a realm where He is honoured.
The WA Prayer:
Grant us O Lord, that because we meet together today, the lonely may find friendship, the sad may find happiness, the sick may find healing, the troubled may find help, the tempted may find strength & each may find that You are able to supply her own need. We ask these blessings in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
AMEN.
You can also listen and join in with prayers from the English Methodist Service Book. They can be found at the Prayers for worship webpage.
Children’s Address:
Sermons:
Bible readings:
Psalm 25
1 I offer you my heart, LORD God, 2 and I trust you.
Don’t make me ashamed or let enemies defeat me.
3 Don’t disappoint any of your worshippers,
but disappoint all deceitful liars.
4 Show me your paths and teach me to follow;
5 guide me by your truth and instruct me.
You keep me safe, and I always trust you.
6 Please, LORD, remember,
you have always been patient and kind.
7 Forget each wrong I did when I was young.
Show how truly kind you are and remember me.
8 You are honest and merciful,
and you teach sinners how to follow your path.
9 You lead humble people to do what is right
and to stay on your path.
10 In everything you do, you are kind and faithful
to everyone who keeps our agreement with you.
Genesis 9
8 Again, God said to Noah and his sons:
9 I am going to make a solemn promise to you and to everyone who will live after you. 10 This includes the birds and the animals that came out of the boat. 11 I promise every living creature that the earth and those living on it will never again be destroyed by a flood.
12-13 The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be my sign to you and to every living creature on earth. It will remind you that I will keep this promise forever. 14 When I send clouds over the earth, and a rainbow appears in the sky, 15 I will remember my promise to you and to all other living creatures. Never again will I let floodwaters destroy all life. 16 When I see the rainbow in the sky, I will always remember the promise that I have made to every living creature. 17 The rainbow will be the sign of that solemn promise.
1 Peter 3
1 If you are a wife, you must put your husband first. Even if he opposes our message, you will win him over by what you do. No one else will have to say anything to him, 2 because he will see how you honour God and live a pure life. 3 Don’t depend on things like fancy hairdos or gold jewellery or expensive clothes to make you look beautiful. 4 Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.
5 Long ago those women who worshipped God and put their hope in him made themselves beautiful by putting their husbands first. 6 For example, Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her true children, if you do right and don’t let anything frighten you.
7 If you are a husband, you should be thoughtful of your wife. Treat her with honour, because she isn’t as strong as you are, and she shares with you in the gift of life. Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers.
8 Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. 9 Don’t be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God’s chosen ones, and he will bless you.
The Scriptures say,
10 “Do you really love life? Do you want to be happy?
Then stop saying cruel things and quit telling lies.
11 Give up your evil ways and do right,
as you find and follow the road that leads to peace.
12 The Lord watches over everyone who obeys him,
and he listens to their prayers.
But he opposes everyone who does evil.”
13 Can anyone really harm you for being eager to do good deeds? 14 Even if you have to suffer for doing good things, God will bless you. So stop being afraid and don’t worry about what people might do. 15 Honour Christ and let him be the Lord of your life.
Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope. 16 Give a kind and respectful answer and keep your conscience clear. This way you will make people ashamed for saying bad things about your good conduct as a follower of Christ. 17 You are better off to obey God and suffer for doing right than to suffer for doing wrong.
18 Christ died once for our sins.
An innocent person died for those who are guilty.
Christ did this to bring you to God,
when his body was put to death
and his spirit was made alive.
19 Christ then preached to the spirits that were being kept in prison. 20 They had disobeyed God while Noah was building the boat, but God had been patient with them. Eight people went into that boat and were brought safely through the flood.
21 Those flood waters were like baptism that now saves you. But baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience, because Jesus Christ was raised from death. 22 Christ is now in heaven, where he sits at the right side of God. All angels, authorities, and powers are under his control.
Mark 8
31 Jesus began telling his disciples what would happen to him. He said, “The nation’s leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make the Son of Man suffer terribly. He will be rejected and killed, but three days later he will rise to life.” 32 Then Jesus explained clearly what he meant.
Peter took Jesus aside and told him to stop talking like that. 33 But when Jesus turned and saw the disciples, he corrected Peter. He said to him, “Satan, get away from me! You are thinking like everyone else and not like God.”
34 Jesus then told the crowd and the disciples to come closer, and he said:
If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. 35 If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me and for the good news, you will save it. 36 What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself? 37 What could you give to get back your soul?
38 Don’t be ashamed of me and my message among these unfaithful and sinful people! If you are, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Methodist Church: Hillside Circuit 