New feature! From the Archives:
(click or tap to jump down the page to listen to Sunday Services from Connexion for 7th Sunday of Easter 2020)
Sunday Service from Hillside Circuit for May 21st 2023:
Lectionary Theme: Together as One
Occasion: 7th Sunday of Easter
Lectionary readings:
Psalm 68: 1-10, 32-35b
Acts 1: 6-14
1 Peter 4: 12-14; 5: 6-11
John 17: 1-11
[Click or tap on a Bible reference above to jump down the page to the Bible reading to 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.
All creatures of our God.
He gave me beauty for ashes.
Father make us one.
To be in your presence.
O heavenly King.
Fight the good fight.
Christ from whom all blessings flow.
My peace.
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:
From the archives: Sunday Services from Connexion on the 7th Sunday of Easter 2020:
Memorial Service on May 21st 2023 from the 32nd Youth Conference of the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe:
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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 & 5
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.
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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[Did you miss last week’s Sunday Services? They can now be found at Worship Archive – May 14th 2023.]
Methodist Church: Hillside Circuit 
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