Sunday Focus
30th August 2026
Come to Church Day!
Hymn - To God Be The Glory
Song - Sing t0 The Lord with All of Your Heart
Lord, we give thanks that You are a God of invitation and call.
As such, You invite us and call us to follow.
We are truly blessed.
Thank You that You are also a God who in Jesus chose the way of the cross.
To the cross therefore, we gladly bring our worship
and from it we will take our witness to our world.
Song - You Chose The Cross
Bible Reading
Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26,45
1 O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
5 Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and the judgements he has uttered,
6 O offspring of his servant Abraham,*
children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
23 Then Israel came to Egypt;
Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
24 And the Lord made his people very fruitful,
and made them stronger than their foes,
25 whose hearts he then turned to hate his people,
to deal craftily with his servants.
26 He sent his servant Moses,
and Aaron whom he had chosen.
45 that they might keep his statutes
and observe his laws.
Praise the Lord!
As we think about our 'Coming to Church Sunday' we look at Psalm 105. In Church today we will be looking at
Matthew 16:21-28 where Jesus starts to tell the disciples about what will happen to him and what it means to follow Him.
In this Psalm a new generation is struggling with how to live out their faith story and express their commitment to God in their own complicated world. This psalm comes to them as a powerful and timely reminder (just in case they had forgotten) about who God is, what God has done and is still capable of doing.
God is to be seen as abundantly faithful and powerful, and not just in the past. Historically, Moses was called to trust that God could and would change his future and that of the people he would lead. However, the people who first heard the words of this psalm were called to live, not in the past, but in the reality of their present set of circumstances. They are clearly and strongly reminded that God was, and God is, a God of wonders (vv.2,5).
The hearers are invited to be thankful to God as they look back to the historical origin of their faith. Surrounded, as they were, by people who were never going to have their best interests at heart, they were called to bear witness to the revelation of God's activity on their behalf historically and in the present day. They are called to live out their covenant with God (despite their many previous failures), to appreciate afresh God's power and presence, and to make real again in their hearts the story of God's marvellous interventions in the lives of God's chosen people.
We have no idea who reads this, but maybe you are being nudged to go to church, whether that is in Coldstream or elsewhere. We can all struggle to live out our faith in this ever changing and complicated world, by meeting together we can learn more about God and the sacrifice that was made for us when Jesus died on the cross.
Maybe you have never been to church and wonder what it is all about. You are welcome any Sunday, we would love to help you explore what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Song- Christ The True and Better
All powerful and compassionate God, Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him. We come to you now, turning our minds away from human ambitions and fixing our eyes on your kingdom. We bring the hurts of our world, the Church and our community to you.
Lord, strengthen your Church to be a people of genuine love, patience and compassion. Teach our leaders to serve with deep humility. Help us to rejoice in hope, remain faithful in prayer and serve one another with generous hearts. May our parish be a place where everyone is welcome, valued and cared for.
Merciful God, we pray for the people of Nepal devastated by the terrible floods. Comfort those who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods and bring hope to those who are missing and to their anxious families. Protect the rescuers and emergency workers and inspire governments and communities to respond with compassion and generosity. May those who are suffering know your presence, comfort and peace.
Following the events at Big Church Festival.
We pray for healing for those who have been injured.
for comfort and reassurance for their families and loved ones and for the family of the man who died.
We pray that those who witnessed the incident will know your peace.
We pray for wisdom and strength for the emergency services, medical teams, festival staff and volunteers.
…and for the whole Big Church Festival community in the hours and days ahead.
“God is our refuge and strength; an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
In moments when words can feel inadequate we hold on to that promise.
All powerful God, you called us to a different way of living and to follow the path of sacrificial love. Give us the grace to walk out of these doors today ready to lose our lives for the sake of the Gospel, knowing that in Jesus, we find eternal life. When we see those in need, do not let us look away.
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 - Before The Throne of God Above
May the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for you,
give you, in partnership with one another,
the courage to take up your cross and follow after him.
Amen