Sunday Service from Hillside Circuit for May 17th 2026:
Lectionary Theme: The importance of unity in God’s mission
Occasion: Ascension Sunday
Lectionary readings:
Psalm 68: 1-10,32-35
Acts 1: 6-14
1 Peter 4: 12-14, 5: 6-11
John 17: 1-11
Additional reading for Hillside 9.30am service:
2 Corinthians 9: 6-15
Theme: Giving as the act of worship.
[Click or tap on a Bible reference above to jump down the page to the Bible reading to read it for yourself (and/or to listen to it) 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.
Praise my soul.
Bless the Lord (10 000 reasons).
Agnus Dei (Alleluia).
Christ from who all blessings flow.
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus.
O God our Father.
May the Lord.
Prayers:
You can 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:
Sermon:
Bible readings:
Psalm 68
1 Do something, God! Scatter your hateful enemies.
Make them turn and run. 2 Scatter them like smoke!
When you come near,
make them melt like wax in a fire.
3 But let your people be happy
and celebrate because of you.
4 Our God, you are the one who rides on the clouds,
and we praise you.
Your name is the LORD,
and we celebrate as we worship you.
5 Our God, from your sacred home
you take care of orphans and protect widows.
6 You find families for those who are lonely.
You set prisoners free and let them prosper,
but all who rebel will live in a scorching desert.
7 You set your people free,
and you led them through the desert.
8 God of Israel, the earth trembled,
and rain poured down.
You alone are the God who rules from Mount Sinai.
9 When your land was thirsty,
you sent showers to refresh it.
10 Your people settled there,
and you were generous to everyone in need.
32 Now sing praises to God!
Every kingdom on earth, sing to the LORD!
33 Praise the one who rides across the ancient skies;
listen as he speaks with a mighty voice.
34 Tell about God’s power! He is honoured in Israel,
and he rules the skies.
35 The God of Israel is fearsome in his temple,
and he makes us strong. Let’s praise our God!
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Acts 1
6 While the apostles were still with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, are you now going to give Israel its own king again?”
7 Jesus said to them, “You don’t need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. 8 But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” 9 After Jesus had said this and while they were watching, he was taken up into a cloud. They could not see him, 10 but as he went up, they kept looking up into the sky.
Suddenly two men dressed in white clothes were standing there beside them. 11 They said, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here and looking up into the sky? Jesus has been taken to heaven. But he will come back in the same way that you have seen him go.”
12-13 The Mount of Olives was about half a mile from Jerusalem. The apostles who had gone there were Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon, known as the Eager One, and Judas the son of James.
After the apostles returned to the city, they went upstairs to the room where they had been staying.
14 The apostles often met together and prayed with a single purpose in mind. The women and Mary the mother of Jesus would meet with them, and so would his brothers.
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1 Peter 4
4: 12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire. 13 Be glad for the chance to suffer as Christ suffered. It will prepare you for even greater happiness when he makes his glorious return.
14 Count it a blessing when you suffer for being a Christian. This shows that God’s glorious Spirit is with you.
5: 6 Be humble in the presence of God’s mighty power, and he will honour you when the time comes. 7 God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.
8 Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. 9 But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the LORD’S followers are suffering just as you are. 10 But God shows undeserved kindness to everyone. That’s why he had Christ Jesus choose you to share in his eternal glory. You will suffer for a while, but God will make you complete, steady, strong, and firm. 11 God will be in control forever! Amen.
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John 17
1 After Jesus had finished speaking to his disciples, he looked up toward heaven and prayed:
Father, the time has come for you to bring glory to your Son, in order that he may bring glory to you. 2 And you gave him power over all people, so that he would give eternal life to everyone you give him. 3 Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. 4 I have brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, give me back the glory that I had with you before the world was created.
6 You have given me some followers from this world, and I have shown them what you are like. They were yours, but you gave them to me, and they have obeyed you. 7 They know that you gave me everything I have. 8 I told my followers what you told me, and they accepted it. They know that I came from you, and they believe that you are the one who sent me. 9 I am praying for them, but not for those who belong to this world. My followers belong to you, and I am praying for them. 10 All that I have is yours, and all that you have is mine, and they will bring glory to me.
11 Holy Father, I am no longer in the world. I am coming to you, but my followers are still in the world. So keep them safe by the power of the name that you have given me. Then they will be one with each other, just as you and I are one.
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2 Corinthians 9
6 Remember this saying,
“A few seeds make a small harvest,
but a lot of seeds make a big harvest.”
7 Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don’t feel sorry that you must give and don’t feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give. 8 God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others. 9 The Scriptures say,
“God freely gives his gifts to the poor,
and always does right.”
10 God gives seed to farmers and provides everyone with food. He will increase what you have, so that you can give even more to those in need. 11 You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift.
12 What you are doing is much more than a service that supplies God’s people with what they need. It is something that will make many others thank God. 13 The way in which you have proved yourselves by this service will bring honour and praise to God. You believed the message about Christ, and you obeyed it by sharing generously with God’s people and with everyone else. 14 Now they are praying for you and want to see you, because God used you to bless them so very much. 15 Thank God for his gift that is too wonderful for words!
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[Did you miss last week’s Sunday Services? They can now be found at Worship Archive – May 10th 2026.]
Methodist Church: Hillside Circuit 
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