A Message of Thanks to Revd Ian Forsyth
This week marks a very special milestone as we share Revd Ian Forsyth’s 57th and final Worship at Home service. Since 2022, Ian has faithfully prepared and led these reflections, offering comfort, encouragement, and spiritual guidance.
As Ian prepares for his forthcoming retirement, we want to express our deepest gratitude for his dedicated ministry, insightful words, and unwavering support of our online worship.
We wish Ian every blessing, peace, and joy in this next chapter of life.
A call to worship:
“Loving God, we give you thanks for those early Methodists who, “obsessed with salvation” and Spirit-filled, felt compelled to share with others the message of your transforming love. Equip us by the power of the Spirit that we may not only be involved in practical and charitable action, but also be able to speak of the transforming love we have experienced.”
Amen.
O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder StF 82
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:
Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur, And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:
Refrain
And when I think how God, his Son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in; That on the cross, my burdens gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin:
Refrain
When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation, To take me home, what joy will fill my heart! Then I will bow in humble adoration, and there proclaim, my God, how great thou art!
Bible Readings
Nehemiah 8
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen! Amen!’ Then they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites – Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah – instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’
11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, ‘Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.’
12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.
13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered round Ezra the teacher of the Law to give attention to the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month 15 and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: ‘Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and other leafy trees, to make temporary shelters’– as it is written.
16 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.
18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither –
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Reflection:
Nehemiah 8 occurs after the Jews returned from Babylonian exile, rebuilt the Temple, and restored Jerusalem’s walls under Nehemiah’s leadership. Picture the scene the people of Israel had returned to Jerusalem, the walls had been rebuilt, and they are now living in their homes. Ezra, a priest and scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, arrives in Jerusalem to teach the people God’s commandments.
Nehemiah 8 v1-8: Understanding God’s word.
Ezra brought out the Book (the first five books of the Pentateuch), this event taking place and is recorded that they understood and listened intently. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground before standing up praising God, lifting up their hands saying Amen which means, so be it. This was a recognition of the Word of God being brought into the public arena.
Nehemiah 8 v 9-12: Rejoicing in the Word
Here we see the people weeping and grieving and yet Nehemiah says, ‘This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” The Jews had just observed the annual day of atonement, and the Lord had dealt with their sins, so they should have been rejoicing in His forgiveness. On the Jewish calendar the feast of tabernacles follows the day of atonement giving God’s people an entire week of celebration. The secret of Christian Joy is to believe what God says in his word and act upon it. We are called to rejoice in God’s word.
Nehemiah v 13 – 18: Obeying the Word
We will see three responses to God’s Word, to grow up in the Lord is to respond to His Word. The Power of the Word: The chapter shows revival starting through public reading and teaching of Scripture. The Levites helped translate and explain the Law, so the people understood it, not just heard it. The people responded with worship (raising hands, bowing) and immediate obedience to the command to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Someone asked evangelist Billy Sunday if revivals lasted and he replied No, neither does a bath; but it’s good to have one occasionally!’
God wants each of us to connect with Him through reading the Bible, Praying and meeting together for worship.
A Prayer for the spirit of evangelism:
Loving God, We give you thanks for those early Methodists who, “obsessed with salvation” and Spirit-filled, felt compelled to share with others the message of your transforming love and to demonstrate this good news in practical ways to the poor and needy. Lives were transformed as thousands believed.
Speak to us again, we pray; inspire us afresh, that members of congregations in the Methodist Church in Ireland may once again be compelled by the love of Christ to share the good news throughout the island of Ireland. Equip us by the power of the Spirit that we may not only be involved in practical and charitable action, but also be able to speak of the transforming love we have experienced.
Amen.
Elaine Barnett, Lay Leader of the Conference, Methodist Church in Ireland
A prayer of thanks to God
Receive, O God, our sacrifice of praise; that of thanksgiving for your mercies, that of prayer for your grace, that of penitence for our sins, and that love for your love, being the only gift that you seek or desire. Amen.
John Donne (1572-1631)
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 440 - Amazing Grace my chains are gone
Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind, but now I see
God’s grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
Through many dangers, toils ad snares
I have already come;
God’My chains are gone
I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures
My chains are gone
I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace
My chains are gone
I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace
The Earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, Who called me here below
Will be forever mine
Will be forever mine
You are forever mine
A prayer of blessing:
May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you, wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
Amen.
