While we are very sad not to be able to worship face-to-face,

we have some suggestions about how we might continue to gather for worship while staying in our own homes.

1. Have a look at our Worship at Home booklet. See below for the latest music and worship.

2.  On Sunday at 10.30am we could each light a candle, say some prayers, read a bible passage.

Then offer quiet prayers for the world, the church, the community, those in need and those who've died. And end with the Lord's prayer and blow the candle out.

Sunday 21st March - 5th Sunday of Lent

I was lucky enough to join this week's Lent group, so the music is based around the themes we explored and today's Gospel reading. Let's open with a song we'll all know. We've had this one before, but it's such a great performance, why not again...

Today's Old Testament Reading: 

Jeremiah 31 : 31-34
31:31 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.

31:32 It 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.

31:33 But 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.

31:34 No 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.

Today's Gospel: 

John 12 : 20-33
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
"Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say--' Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.
Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."
The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

This week's words from Charis:

In this week's Lent discussion we also touched on the scripture 'could ye not watch with me one brief hour'. As last week included, 'God So Loved the World', here's another extract from the Crucifixion'...

And this week I'll resist the temptation to include the Spice Girls, or anyone similar. A rousing hymn that fits with this week's Gospel rather nicely:

As always, do keep safe and hope to see you all very soon. 

(If you'd like to see some of our previous Worship at Home pages, do have a look at the reflections from Revd Charis on Youtube)