Welcome to a time of Reflective Worship

This week our reflection centres upon the call to pray which our Bishops, Martyn and Guli, have issued to the Diocese of Leicester. So, apart from the hymns and prayers of intercession, most of the resources are drawn from the Church of England's Common Worship and the diocesan website, where you can also find more information and material to aid your personal prayer and reflection.

We begin with an opening prayer:

Be with us, Spirit of God; nothing can separate us from Your love. Breathe on us, breath of God; fill us with Your saving power. Speak in us, wisdom of God; bring strength, healing and peace.

Lord, we are clay and You are the potter.  We are all the work of Your hand; do not remember our sins for ever. Look upon us in Your mercy, for we are Your people.        cf Isaiah 64.8,9

Keep a moment of silence...

The Lord is here. His Spirit is with us.

We say sorry to God and receive His forgiveness...

Jesus saw the city and wept over it, because it did not recognize the time of God’s coming.  (Luke 19.41)          We confess our part  in the self-centredness, blindness and sin of the life of our community.   

In a dark and disfigured world we have not held out the light of life: Lord, have mercy.

In a hungry and despairing world we have failed to share our bread: Christ, have mercy.

In a cold and loveless world we have kept the love of God to ourselves: Lord, have mercy.

May God who loved the world so much that He sent His Son to be our Saviour, forgive us our sins and make us holy to serve Him in the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Let's say or sing prayerfully...

Speak O Lord, as we come to You
to receive the food of Your holy word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;
shape and fashion us in Your likeness,
that the light of Christ might be seen today
in our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfil in us
all Your purposes, for Your glory.

Teach us, Lord, full obedience,
holy reverence, true humility.
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
in the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority.
Words of power that can never fail;
let their truth prevail over unbelief.

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;
help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us.
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time
that will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we'll stand on Your promises,
and by faith we'll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built
as the earth is filled with Your glory.

Speak O Lord, as we come to You - recorded remotely by a soloist from St Martin’s Voices in their home, and edited together

Bible Reading

As we prepare to reflect on the Bible passage, let’s first pause to be still, to breathe slowly and to re-centre our scattered senses upon the presence of the living God...

1 Samuel 3: 1 - 10

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.  At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’ and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.  Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’

For the word of the Lord: thanks be to God

Reflection

Bishop Martyn and Bishop Guli are asking us all to pray at the start of a new process across the Leicester Diocese to learn from the experiences of recent months and seek to be Shaped by God Together. It is only as we listen to God in prayer that we can work out how to live out our Everyday Faith as God’s people in a world that continues to be changed by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. So please watch the Bishops’ video if you possibly can, and/or read the transcript, and make time to pray, not just today, but throughout the coming weeks, for the whole Church, the Body of Christ, and for our Bishops and others in Christian leadership.

The Bishops are also asking all of us to share stories of what we’ve been learning about everyday prayer, everyday witness and everyday action during the past, often very difficult, months. People of all backgrounds, all ages, all circumstances, everyone in our faith communities is invited to participate in 'Gathering Stories - Generating Insights' from now until the end of September 2020 (more details further down this page). You can find out how to do this by going to the relevant page on the Diocese of Leicester website.

https://www.leicester.anglican.org/about-us/sbgt/gathering-stories--generating-insights.php

If you or someone you know, want to share a personal story, but don’t have access to the internet or would just rather not do it directly, you can contact Josh CrickdeBoom, the Bishop’s Research Assistant, and he can arrange for someone to phone and collect the story. Please contact Josh on josh.crickdeboom@leccofe.org or 0116 270 8985.

All these stories will be collated and used to help generate insights about the future of the church - knowing that, while our core remains the same, the way we express our church life may need to look quite different in the future. As it’s explained on the diocesan website: “Influenced by everyone's stories and experiences, we will consider together how we care for our buildings, share financial resources and reshape our models of ministry. We anticipate that much of this wider work of discernment will happen next spring, leading to final decisions at Diocesan Synod in May 2021.”

First and foremost, we are all called to pray. As you do that today, you may find it helpful to use the following Guided Lectio and Meditation on Mary of Bethany - from Luke chapter 10 - offered to us here by Bishop Guli…

We only have three stories about Mary of Bethany:

The first one about her sitting at Jesus’ feet.

The second one about the death of her brother Lazarus.

The third one about her anointing Jesus’ feet.

Tapping into Mary’s story is a helpful place to stop and reflect in the current climate of anxiety.

Mary’s story that takes place in a home… it brings Jesus into the household…the domestic sphere…into the realities of day-to-day meals and chores and family relationships.

You are invited to read the Gospel a couple of times, slowly. And then to follow the guided meditation.

Gospel Reading - Luke 10: 38-42

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying.

40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks;

so she came to him and asked,

‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?

Tell her then to help me.’

41 But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things;

42 there is need of only one thing.

Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying.

40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks;

so she came to him and asked,

‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?

Tell her then to help me.’

41 But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things;

42 there is need of only one thing.

Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

Guided Meditation

We begin our meditation by imagining the welcome that Martha and Mary gave to Jesus.

The Gospel says that a woman named Martha opened her home to him…or welcomed him into her home.

Imagine that welcome, the expectation of his arrival…

The opening of the door…the greeting…the first steps of hosting and offering hospitality…

SELAH // A MOMENT OF SILENCE

Now take a moment to imagine opening your own home to Jesus…the expectation of his arrival…opening the door…the greeting…your first steps in hosting him and offering your hospitality.

What would you say and what would you do?

SELAH // A MOMENT OF SILENCE

Often when this story is preached, Mary and Martha are pitted against one another and compared favourably and unfavourably. A different way to read the story is to recognise that we all have Mary and Martha within us…

In our own personality we experience the tussle and the tension between,

listening and speaking,

prayer and service,

distraction and presence.

Listen again and reflect on where you are experiencing these tensions in your life right now…

39 Martha had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks;

SELAH // A MOMENT OF SILENCE

In the story Martha gets really worked up…she is seething with anger, but to her credit, she doesn’t bottle it up …she brings it out into the open, she expresses exactly what she is feeling and thinking…and directly to Jesus…it might not be a pretty picture, but she brings it to Jesus.

So Martha came to him and asked,

‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?

Tell her then to help me.’

What would you like to say to Jesus right now? Tell him how you are feeling about the pressures, the anxieties the tasks that you are carrying.

SELAH // A MOMENT OF SILENCE

Now listen to what Jesus says to Martha…he names what she is experiencing, he doesn’t offer judgement, but he invites her to consider a different way of being with him and working with him

But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing.

Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

How do these words touch you? Take time to notice how he speaks them and how you receive them. What might he be saying to you?

SELAH // A MOMENT OF SILENCE

Finally, I notice that the story stops really abruptly…we don’t get an ending, we don’t hear what happened next!

What did Martha do? What did she say?

What did Mary do…she hasn’t said a word yet!

How did the rest of the evening pan out…who cooked the food?

Were the sisters reconciled?

What was the atmosphere like by the end of the evening?

Allow your imagination to run on and see what might have happened next…

SELAH // A MOMENT OF SILENCE

Bishops launch Shaped By God Together process with a Call to Pray

Prayers of Intercession

Lord God, in these testing times for Your Church, we pray for Christian leaders and all Your people - that the word of Christ may dwell richly in our hearts and guide our decision-making and action-taking. Please be especially close to our sisters and brothers in Christ who face, not only the battle against coronavirus, but the on-going reality of severe persecution simply because of their faith. Lord, when it is hard to trust in You: strengthen our faith and hear our prayer.

Lord God, in these testing times for our world, we pray for the leaders of the nations - as they confront the evils of terrorism and violent conflict, of racism and prejudice, of poverty, economic difficulties, disasters and disease. Give to all in authority the gift of wisdom and a right discernment in all things - that they may lead with integrity and seek the good of all people.

In a moment of quiet, we hold before You now something from the world or national news this past week that has particularly troubled us…. Lord, when it is hard to trust in You: strengthen our faith and hear our prayer.

Lord God, in these testing times for our communities, we pray for regional cities and our town and villages - for farms and factories; for schools and colleges; for the emergency services, hospitals, health centres and care homes; for shops, markets and delivery companies; for all who work - as volunteers or paid employees - to facilitate our life together. And we remember in prayer now those known to us personally who are battling against physical or mental illness; or with devastating waves of grief and bereavement; with broken hearts or homes; or the loss of income or security…     Lord, when it is hard to trust in You: strengthen our faith and hear our prayer.

Lord God, in these testing times for us all, we pray for those who feel hopeless or fearful, cynical or world-weary, for those who have lost their faith or never yet believed in Your love and care for them. We name before You now, in the silence of our hearts, someone who we long for their ears to be opened to hear Your voice, their eyes to be opened to see and receive the gift of Christ’s peace … And we pray for one another…  Lord, when it is hard to trust in You:  strengthen our faith and hear our prayer.

Lord God, You give endurance and encouragement. Grant us to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together we may with one voice glorify You, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Let's sing or say...

God of grace and God of glory,
on Thy people pour Thy power;
now fulfil Thy church's story;
bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the facing of this hour.

Lo, the hosts of evil round us
scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways;
from the fears that long have bound us
free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the living of these days.

Cure Thy children's warring madness,
bend our pride to Thy control;
shame our wanton selfish gladness,
rich in goods and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
lest we miss Thy kingdom's goal.

Set our feet on lofty places,
gird our lives that they may be
armoured with all Christlike graces
in the fight till all be free.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
that we fail not earth nor Thee.

Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969)
© Stephen F Downs legal representative of Dr Elinor Downs

God of grace and God of glory - recorded remotely by the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields in their homes, and edited together

Closing Prayer

In darkness and in light, in trouble and in joy, help us, heavenly Father, to trust Your love, to serve Your purpose, and to praise Your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The Revd Dr Mary Barr   Melton Mowbray team Vicar

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