Sunday Focus

 

17th November 2024

 

 
Welcome to this weeks Sunday Focus, we pray you will be blessed.

 

   

Hymn -  Tell Out my Soul

 

Song -  Come Now is The Time

 

Heavenly Lord,

you long for the world's salvation:
stir us from apathy,
restrain us from excess
and revive in us new hope
that all creation will one day be healed
in Jesus Christ our Lord

Amen

 

Bible Reading

1 Samuel 2 1-10

Hannah’s Prayer

2 Then Hannah prayed and said:

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
    in the Lord my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
    for I delight in your deliverance.

2 “There is no one holy like the Lord;
    there is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.

3 “Do not keep talking so proudly
    or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
    and by him deeds are weighed.

4 “The bows of the warriors are broken,
    but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
    but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
    but she who has had many sons pines away.

6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive;
    he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;
    he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
    and has them inherit a throne of honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;
    on them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
    but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

“It is not by strength that one prevails;
10     those who oppose the Lord will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
    the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength to his king
    and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

 

 

Song -  There is none like you

 

Video - Hannah

 

Almighty and Everlasting God, we come to you with our concerns for the church, the world and ourselves.

Heavenly Father, as we come together in worship, fill us and all Christians across the world with your love, and protect the Church from false doctrine and all that is contrary to your word. Give us faith to take refuge in faith and mystery, as we have no clear answers to what the future holds. Protect and keep safe, all who work in dangerous places, who worship in fear and in secret, due to the threat of persecution, imprisonment or even death because they profess the name of Jesus. May we support them with encouragement, financial aid and faithful prayer.

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer

We come in the midst of a world fraught with troubles. Although the darkness is powerful, open our eyes to your presence. We pray for places where there is war or rumours of war, where there is violence, oppression or tyranny: for all places of unrest, crime or neglect. Strengthen all who work for freedom and justice and raise up leaders of integrity and faith who will fully embrace all efforts to care for their fellow man. May we learn to live in harmony and peace with one another.

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer

Give hope and strength to all who are caught up in disasters; all who are suffering from famine or flood, all who are caught up in storms or earthquakes. Help us all to take responsibility for events which happen due to climate change, for failure to manage the earth’s resources wisely. We pray for the countries which have been meeting at COP29 in Baku, that all will be committed to developing renewable energy for the benefit of all and that promises made for the future will come to fruition.

We pray for our community; for all without a home to call their own, for those without a proper wage or dependable income, for the overworked, for those who face discrimination. May those who hold authority in this community have strong moral principles and guard us from being involved with damaging gossip and all which is false. We give thanks for our homes and our loved ones and pray you will give to us the courage to stand for truth and to persevere in times of trouble.

Give grace to all who care for others in their daily work; for doctors, nurses and ambulance workers; for the fire brigade, the police and social workers. We pray for those who are unwell at this time and rely on those in the caring profession; for those in chronic pain, the disabled, for those suffering mental illness, those undergoing medical investigations and treatment, for those on waiting lists and those in hospital, hospice or care home, for all those whose sickness has no cure and are afraid for the future. Give them the reassurance of your presence with them and bring them your peace.

Lord, we thank you for your promise that Jesus will come back in glory and power. Help us not to focus our energy on looking for signs of exactly when, but to make sure we are ready, whether today, tomorrow or a thousand years. Help us to live each day as if it were the day of your return and by your Spirit, make us disciples of hope; inspiring others to know you more.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

The Lord's Prayer

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.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen. 

 

Hymn  -  Only A Holy God

 

 

BLESSING

May we hold fast to all we hope for
without wavering.
May we know God's promise of faithfulness
in all things.
May we continually provoke one another
to love and good deeds
and may the boundary lines fall in pleasant places
for us all,
this day and evermore,
Amen.