Today's Service: 18 October
Our services continue with "visiting" preachers.
Today's service is by Dot Thomson.
This is best viewed in Landscape orientation
You will appreciate the sound better if you use earphones or an external loudspeaker, whatever type of device you view on.
Sunday 18th October 2020
Welcome to 'church' this morning; for those not able to join our Facebook hymn sing with Zöe, I pray that you may be blessed by the words of this service.
Last Sunday we said our farewells to Stephen and Hilary, who have now retired. Not the conclusion of nearly 80 years' service between them that they had anticipated but, nevertheless, a heartfelt thanks given from the congregations they have served for the past 7 years. We wish them well as they settle into retirement in York.
We have been blessed with written services from Stephen and Hilary for 7 months, the mantle for this now falls on the many friends and church family who graciously filled our pulpit on the weeks when our Ministers were elsewhere. Thanks go to Maranny for finding and booking the 'preachers'. We hope that the services will continue to be a blessing for as long as it takes to get back to face-to-face worship.
Prayer:
Gracious Father we thank you for the ministry of Stephen and Hilary amongst us and pray that as they move into the next phase of their walk with You, they may be richly blessed. We pray for our church family as they cope with different ways of worship and pray the each may be blessed through the reading of word, "singing" of hymns or the many online services that can be tapped into. Amen
As we "sing" together may the words of the hymn reach our hearts and minds and truly be able to say "all my hope in God is founded he doth still my trust renew"
Hymn 586: All my hope on God is founded
tune: Michael, with Intro.
1. All my hope on God is founded;
he doth still my trust renew,
me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.
2. Pride of man and earthly glory,
sword and crown betray his trust;
what with care and toil he buildeth,
tower and temple fall to dust.
But God's power,
hour by hour,
is my temple and my tower.
3. God's great goodness aye endureth,
deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light and life attend him,
beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore
from his store
new born worlds rise and adore.
4. Daily doth the almighty Giver
bounteous gifts on us bestow;
his desire our soul delighteth,
pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand
at his hand;
joy doth wait on his command.
5. Still from man to God eternal
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ, his Son.
Christ doth call
one and all:
ye who follow shall not fall.
Robert Bridges (1844-1930), based on Joachim Neander (1650-80)
Our reading is from the Book of Exodus Chapter 16. I encourage you to read the whole chapter, although I have selected some verses to concentrate on:
Heavenly Father, the situation we find ourselves in today, as a result of the pandemic, can feel a little like being in the desert. The things we held familiar and not so anymore, plans are changing daily, the things we used to do we find difficult to do, shopping, meeting others, being together. We too find ourselves grumbling - and yet we are reminded that "me through change and chance he guideth, only good and only true". And "Daily doth the almighty Giver bounteous gifts on us bestow; his desire our soul delighteth, pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand
at his hand; joy doth wait on his command."
We pray this morning for those finding life a challenge at the moment,
for those feeling isolated surround them with your presence.
for those feeling anxious about monies, the future, health, each other - may your peace fill their hearts.
For those mourning lost ones, may your comfort enfold them.
For those working through these difficult times, may your strength uphold them.
May we trust in that you will "lead me all my journey through;
strong Deliverer, be thou still my Strength and Shield. "
In Jesus name Amen
God guided the people safely through the wilderness, they didn't always agree with their leaders and found plenty to complain about and yet despite their complaints, God continued to guide and provide.
LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.
Hymn 345: Guide me oh thou great Jehovah
tune: Cwm Rhondda, with Intro.
1. Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
pilgrim though this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
hold me with thy powerful hand;
Bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore.
2. Open now the crystal fountain,
whence the healing stream doth flow;
let the fiery cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through;
strong Deliverer,
be thou still my Strength and Shield.
3. When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside;
bear me through the swelling current,
land me safe on Canaan's side;
songs of praises,
I will ever give to thee.
William Williams (1717-1791), tr Peter Williams (1727-1796) and William Williams (1717-1791) or John Williams (1754-1828)
Reflection
v2 - The whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron
How familiar is that? There is so much grumbling about so many things today.
v3 - how much better off were we in the past
it is all too easy to look back and think things were so much better, but we cannot live in the past we must move forward and sometimes that feels really hard work.
v4 and v7 God answers their grumbles (even though they didn't ask him)
God hears our grumbles and provides our needs (not necessarily our wants). He knows what we need and is ever generous in providing this for us.
v9 The Lord hear your grumbles
How reassuring is that? It is Ok to grumble, God acknowledges our grumbles (he prefers our praise and thanks) but hears our grumbles.
v10 amidst all their troubles and grumbles they saw the glory of the Lord
If we look, we may just see God's glory in places we least expect (like a cloud). Let's allow ourselves time to look about and see God's glory. Notice the people were looking towards the desert (towards the difficult time) and it was there that they saw God.
v11- 12 meat at night, bread in the morning - God recognised their need and provided
how reassuring is that? We can trust God. It's not always easy and often we struggle to recognise God's provision, maybe even complain it's not what we wanted and yet it is what we need.
v13-14 it happened just as God said it would
How encouraging is that? Trust and God will be there. Something we can rely on - God always keeps His side of the bargain!!
v15 they didn't recognise it when it came - ''what is it''?
How familiar is that? We often miss God's blessing because we don't recognise it as such. I pray that this week we all experience, and see, God's blessing in our lives
We can learn much from the experiences of the time Moses and God's people wandered in the desert. We know the story is
In John's gospel chapter 6 Jesus tells us he is the bread of life. This triggers the question from those with him "what must we do" His reply believe!
To me believing is not about knowing everything, not about seeing God everywhere, not about singing God's praises all day every day, it's about being open to allow God to lead, guide and provide
We can rest assured that those before us grumbled.
Those before us didn't understand what had happened.
Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians 4 v 7: "but to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned." Claim that Grace today, live believing and even when it feels like it's all going wrong trust in Christ alone for He is your light, your strength your solid cornerstone.
The words of this hymn put it well - we can be "firm through the fiercest drought and storm"
Hymn - In Christ alone
tune of the same name, with Intro. (piano accomp.)
1. In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
2. In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
3. There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
4. No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.
Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Blessing
May God guide you and keep you safe
May God’s provision be enough for you; and
May God’s love go with you wherever your journey takes you.
Amen, Amen, Amen.
❖❖❖ Next week's service will be provided by Revd Ruth Crofton ❖❖❖
Don't forget the live streamed hymns on Sundays at 10:45 a.m. from Zöe (via Facebook)
These are available to view later as well. (via YouTube, for those without Facebook, and also Facebook)
The streamings are proving to be a great success - well done, Zöe!
The recorded streamings are now, thanks to Harry Marshall, available to all on YouTube - search for 'Northgate URC Darlington'.
Ask Harry to invite you to the Northgate Facebook Group
and you will get a notification of the live stream.
- Or you can just search for 'Northgate URC Darlington' in Facebook.
The URC denominational church audio Services (podcasts) at https://devotions.urc.org.uk/ are excellent, with well-delivered prayers and readings using a selection of voices and well-presented hymns.
Do give these a try - they are excellent.
(Just start the sound playing and scroll down to the written words)
Why not put the time aside for Zoe at 10:45, Stephen's service after that and follow up with the podcast - you will feel as if you had been IN church, as well as WITH church.