Worship Archive – November 12th 2023

Sunday Service from Connexion for November 12th 2023:

Connexional Service of Thanksgiving for Ministers on November 12th 2023.

Sunday Service from Hillside Circuit for November 12th 2023:

Lectionary Theme: Be wary of FALSE prophets.

Occasion: 4th before Christmas

Lectionary readings:
Psalm 43
Micah 3: 5-12
1 Thessalonians 2: 9-13
Matthew 23: 1-12

[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.

You have loved me.
Above all powers.
Purify my heart.
Love divine.
Speak O Lord.
Come Thou fount.
Be Thou my vision.

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:

Audio Children’s Address for Hillside Circuit on November 12th 2023 with Mr Arnold Mahonye.

Sermon:

Audio message for Hillside Circuit on November 12th 2023 with Dr Christine Tenga.

Bible readings:

Psalm 43

1 Show that I am right, God!
Defend me against everyone who doesn’t know you;
rescue me from each of those deceitful liars.
2 I run to you for protection.
Why have you turned me away?
Why must enemies mistreat me and make me sad?

3 Send your light and your truth to guide me.
Let them lead me to your house
on your sacred mountain.
4 Then I will worship at your altar
because you make me joyful.
You are my God, and I will praise you.
Yes, I will praise you as I play my harp.

5 Why am I discouraged? Why am I restless?
I trust you! And I will praise you again
because you help me, and you are my God.

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Micah 3

5 You lying prophets promise security
for anyone who gives you food,
but disaster for anyone who refuses to feed you.
Here is what the LORD says to you prophets:
6 “You will live in the dark, far from the sight of the sun,
with no message from me.
7 You prophets and fortunetellers will all be disgraced,
with no message from me.”

8 But the LORD has filled me with power and his Spirit.
I have been given the courage to speak about justice
and to tell you people of Israel that you have sinned.
9 So listen to my message, you rulers of Israel!
You hate justice and twist the truth.
10 You make cruelty and murder a way of life in Jerusalem.
11 You leaders accept bribes for dishonest decisions.
You priests and prophets teach and preach,
but only for money.

Then you say, “The LORD is on our side.
No harm will come to us.”
12 And so, because of you, Jerusalem will be ploughed under
and left in ruins.
Thorns will cover the mountain where the temple now stands.

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1 Thessalonians 2

9 My dear friends, you surely haven’t forgotten our hard work and hardships. You remember how night and day we struggled to make a living, so that we could tell you God’s message without being a burden to anyone. 10 Both you and God are witnesses that we were pure and honest and innocent in our dealings with you followers of the Lord. 11 You also know we did everything for you that parents would do for their own children. 12 We begged, encouraged, and urged each of you to live in a way that would honour God. He is the one who chose you to share in his own kingdom and glory.
13 We always thank God that you believed the message we preached. It came from him, and it isn’t something made up by humans. You accepted it as God’s message, and now he is working in you.

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Matthew 23

1 Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
2 The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are experts in the Law of Moses. 3 So obey everything they teach you, but don’t do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else.
4 They pile heavy burdens on people’s shoulders and won’t lift a finger to help. 5 Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels for everyone to see. 6 They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the meeting places. 7 And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers.
8 But none of you should be called a teacher. You have only one teacher, and all of you are like brothers and sisters. 9 Don’t call anyone on earth your father. All of you have the same Father in heaven. 10 None of you should be called the leader. The Messiah is your only leader. 11 Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others. 12 If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honoured.

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[Did you miss last week’s Sunday Services? They can now be found at Worship Archive – November 5th 2023.]