Opening Prayer:
Eternal God, the refuge and help
of all your children,
we praise you for all you have given us,
for all you have done for us,
for all that you are to us.
In our weakness, you are strength,
in our darkness, you are light,
in our sorrow, you are comfort and peace.
We cannot number your blessings,
we cannot declare your love:
For all your blessings we bless you.
May we live as in your presence,
and love the things that you love,
and serve you in our daily lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayer written by St. Boniface (ca. 672-754)
STF 247 – I danced in the morning
I danced in the morning when the world was begun, and I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun, and I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth. At Bethlehem I had my birth.
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
and I’ll lead you all in the Dance, said he.
I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,
but they would not dance, and they would not follow me; I danced for the fishermen, for James and John; they came with me and the Dance went on…
I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame,
the holy people said it was a shame.
they whipped and they stripped and they hung me high; and they left me there on a cross to die…
I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black.
it’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.
they buried my body and they thought I’d gone,
but I am the Dance and I still go on…
They cut me down and I leapt up high,
I am the life, that’ll never, never die.
I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me.
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he…
Sydney Bertram Carter
Words © 1963 Stainer & Bell
(admin. Hope Publishing Company)
CCLI Song Number: 78529
Bible Reading
Mark 1:14-20
The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
Time to reflect:
For those of you who are drivers, you might be familiar with the sensation of driving down a road, missing a turning, and then having to do a U-turn. Sometimes turning round can be quite an effort. Yet it is necessary to ensure that you are heading in the right direction.
The beginning of this week’s lectionary Gospel passage has Jesus following on from John the Baptist’s ministry in which he proclaimed repentance, a turning around from sin and a reorientation of our hearts and minds towards God. John has been arrested, for being a holy troublemaker, but now Jesus comes to fulfil what John has been announcing.
As Jesus is walking along the shore of Galilee he comes across a number of fishermen: Simon, Andrew, James, and John. They were busy undertaking their usual tasks; fishing on the lake and mending their nets. Yet when Jesus calls them to follow him, they immediately leave their nets, boats, and families to go where he is leading them.
Mark’s Gospel is fairly to the point here and we do not have much detail in the interaction between Jesus and the fisherman or between the sons and their father Zebedee. The text does not make it clear whether Jesus words came across like an authoritative command, a gentle invitation, or a rousing speech, yet they must have been sufficiently convincing for them to leave everything that they knew behind to take up a life of wandering with Jesus. Of course, whilst these were the first disciples there would be more; twelve apostles along with women such as Mary Magdalene. All of them make a radical decision to follow Jesus and leave their old lives behind for a new beginning with him.
As Christ’s disciples living today, we are also called to a radical leaving behind to follow Jesus. We are called to participate in his work of proclaiming the good news and seeing the world around us reshaped so that the Kingdom of God is experienced amongst us. This can involve difficult choices, yet the result is a community where the love of God is known, especially amongst those who need to know it the most: The poor, the vulnerable, and the dispossessed.
Therefore, as followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to changing our direction and going where Christ leads us through the Holy Spirit. May we see ourselves and the world around us transformed by the love of God who in Christ lived, died, and was raised for all people.
Prayers of intercession
You are invited to pray silently for:
The needs of the world…
The Church and its calling…
Loved ones going through difficult times…
For peace, justice, and reconciliation…
In Jesus name.
Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Please use the version that you prefer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who 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.
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
And deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours
Now and for ever.
Amen.
StF 673 – Will you come and follow me
Will you come and follow me
if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know
and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown?
Will you let my name be known?
Will you let my life be grown in you,
and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind
if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare,
should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer
in you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see
if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free
and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean,
and do such as this unseen?
And admit to what I mean in you,
and you in me?
Will you love the “you” you hide
if I but call your name?
Will you quell that fear inside
and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found
to reshape the world around
through my sight and touch and sound
in you, and you in me?
Lord, your summons echoes true
when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you
and never be the same.
In your company I’ll go,
where your love and footsteps show,
thus I’ll move and live and grow in you,
and you in me.
John L Bell and Graham Maule.
Words: © 1987 WGRG, c/o Iona Community, Glasgow, Scotland; Music: © 1987 WGRG, c/o Iona Community, Glasgow, Scotland. Admin: Wild Goose Resource Group.
CCLI Song Number: 4668756
Final Prayer
The buzz of the world interrupts our lives and fills our ears.
Call us into Your way of life, O God
The complaints of others settle in our mind and cloud our vision.
Lead us into Your vision of life, O God
The cries of the poor, the oppressed and the outcast pierce our hearts.
Guide us in Your example of living for others, O God
Fill our hearts, fill our eyes, fill our ears with Your love, O God.
Let us be Your hands and feet in the world, O God. Let us worship You together.
Amen.
Prayer by Revd Mindi Welton-Mitchell (http://rev-o-lution.org/) available at: https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2014/06/litany-call-us-lead-us-guide-us.html
