Full Service Resources for the Three Year Lectionary

If you need worship resources for services, complete service outlines with hymns, prayers and sermon ideas are available by going to https://www.theworshipcloud.com/search?search=Full+service&type_id=2 This link and then enter ‘Full Service Pratt’ into the search. This will bring up resources by myself and Majorie Dobson

Using Vintage Hymns in Worship – a new book by Gillian Warson. You may find this interesting…

The publisher says –

For Christian believers, hymns offer an opportunity to bear witness to their faith and lift their voices in praise of God with their fellow worshippers. Hymns, even those dulled by familiarity, far from being trite and complacent, have the power to alert us to grave dangers facing the world today, and even to move us to decisive action.

Tempting though it is to disregard older hymns thinking of them as past their sell-by date, for many of the faithful, these traditional texts form the bedrock of worship and liturgy. Yet, what can be done if treasured hymns express social attitudes we no longer share, for example with regard to gender or colonialism?

Gillian R. Warson blows the dust off unfashionable texts and argues that they can now be regarded as “vintage”. She argues that hymn singing can continue as a flourishing tradition with old and new coexisting comfortably alongside each other, and suggests that vintage hymn texts should be lovingly preserved so that they can be enjoyed for generations to come.

You can see more at Gillian R. Warson News or buy the book here .

Praying for our planet – faith and climate change – Bramhall Methodist Church

Seven scientists through seven seminars offer perspectives on a faithful response to climate change.

A series of free webinars. Beginning 12th May 2021

Find out more here

Face masks – UK

The BBC has announce that

The government is adding museums, galleries, cinemas and places of worship to the list of places where face coverings should be worn in England.
It is currently a recommendation, but will become law on 8 August.
It has been compulsory to wear them in shops since 24 July.

Let wearing of masks in Church be a sign of love of our neighbour. Unusual for Government of any shade to insist on loving neighbours…one small step…

Here we will meet to praise – as congregations gather again in whatever way in COVID-19

Here we will meet to praise, with hesitation,
while conscious of our frailty and fear.
Here we will meet for prayer and meditation,
God, Spirit, ever-present, come, draw near.

Here we will raise our eyes to things above us,
while needy people break our sense of peace.
We recognise, O God, that you still love us,
but also those who clamour for release.

Here we will meet in unity of purpose,
enable us to find you in our hearts,
that we might be alive, not just a carcass,
a living, thriving body where love starts.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2014 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, http://www.stainer.co.uk.Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Metre: 11 10 11 10
Tunes: HIGHWOOD; O PERFECT LOVE
As published on worship Cloud (www.worshipcloud.com)