Sharing Sunday services

[FerminRomeroDeTorres]

Thought I’d start a new thread where we can share what we’ve been impacted by in our Sunday services each week. Whether it’s something from the preach, a particular song sung, a word from God or a kind word from a fellow Jesus follower.

I know that for some getting out on a Sunday morning is tricky, for all sorts of reasons, and for others Sundays are anything but a day of rest, either because they are serving in the church, or because they are constantly wrangling little ones and struggle to engage, so thought this might be a nice place to share encouragement with one another, and might be a particular help to those for whom Sunday mornings aren’t always a blessing - a way to share the faith of others as it were, when our own is struggling.

I’ll be leaving shortly to get down to church - I’m preaching this morning on the beauty of God.

]]

We heard Luke 8:43 about the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years and also Jairus's daughter who had passed away, but whom Christ restored to life then told them to get her something to eat (I really like this little inclusion).

Our sermon was on surrender today and the gift of surrender which allows us to fully experience the goodness of God as He meets all our needs. I missed a lot of it as I was in and out serving in different ways this morning so only caught about half of it, and to be honest wasn’t really concentrating on the half I did hear. I’ll
watch back on YouTube later this evening with DH who was also serving this morning.

This morning was also our once a month communion service and because we were all serving in different ways (our teens were out with the kids this morning too) we all missed it. One of the things we struggle with is that our church only serves communion once a month and because we serve so often we often miss it - I really miss celebrating communion every week as we did in a previous church. It’s such a beautiful practice and I loved ending each service focused on Jesus, no matter what the sermon had been on.

Today we started a new sermon series on Life's Unexpected Journeys, following Joseph (the OT one with the coat).
Thinking about how God's promises are always fulfilled (but not necessarily quickly! Joseph spent over a decade from his rashly recounted dream and the cistern incident to the cup in grain bag fulfilment of it).
God never said life would be without trouble, but promised He'd be with us through it all.
We had communion too, my church has several Sunday services with monthly communion so if you're serving at one you can take communion at another a different week to make up for it. We also bring in the Youth so they don't miss out on communion, and bring it out to the crèche and the Junior Church leaders (young children get sliced grapes and a blessing)

I love that you include the youth and children in communion. Our youth are only out once a month and it doesn’t fall on communion Sundays, but then you have the ones who are serving with the kids like my lot were today and they miss out. The kids are also never included. In our previous church, we celebrated communion every week and all kids from yr3/p4 and upwards were brought out to be with their parents and then it was up to the parents whether they participated or not, but either way they saw what was going on.

We’re low church though so no requirements such as confirmation/baptism to be permitted to participate in communion. My DC all received the elements from quite a young age - probably by about 4/5 years old anyway - we explained things to them in a way they could understand and they participated in a way which was right for them.

Early start for us today - DH is already away as he’s on PA today so got there to open up the building at 8am.

I am hosting the service today which is one of my favourite ways to serve so need to be down there for 9.30am to liaise with the worship team and preacher before we gather to pray at 9.45am.

DC have their youth group this morning during the service, but one of them is doing a kids address first so they’ll all come down with me early.

For once I am actually organised and dinner was made yesterday and just needs to be chucked in the oven and the timer set - looking forward to a relaxing afternoon with no rushing about after a busy morning.

I'm waiting for the washing machine to finish so I can hang up the washing and then I'll go to my church and set up a PowerPoint that will run automatically welcoming everyone and giving a few bits of information.
I'll then drive for ten minutes to a different church and lead worship before returning to my church to lead worship again. I might be five minutes late for the second service, but the PowerPoint should keep people interested.

Wow! That’s a lot @OldJohn. Is that a normal Sunday morning for you? Are you in a parish church with shared responsibilities across the parish?

We’re non-denom but several members of our church help out other churches on a regular basis - a couple regularly lead worship in a CofI church locally which only has one or two people interested/capable of leading worship and a couple of us also
preach in other churches when asked. There is generally really good connection between churches in our town and we work together well across the denominations with regular town-wide prayer events etc

@FerminRomeroDeTorres I am a lay-preacher in the URC. I usually only take one service per Sunday

It's safeguarding Sunday here in the c of e, date chosen many months ago (well same each year) and this year we have the bombshell that is the archbish resigning ... glad I'm not the vicar! (I have just set up the tech etc ready)

DH is running the livestream this morning so we got to church for 830.
I spent my time usefully, tidying the church library.

Yesterday I had the main service at the biggest church which was focused on safeguarding Sunday as we are C of E. I wasn't going to do that but with the week's events I couldn't avoid it. Then it was the care home service where the residents really enjoyed singing hymns. Finally we had an All Souls Service at one of the village churches. We lit candles and remembered those we love who have died.

I have four churches so it is rare that I get just one service to plan and deliver.

I have attached my sermon from church this week as an image. This was from a 1st December Holy Communion service. The Readings were from 1 Thessalonians 3 :9-13Psalm 25:1-9, Gospel Luke 21:25-36.

This week began the Advent sermon series.
This year the focus is on "coming home", and the sermon was about inviting people to church and making people welcome.
Not as many Christmas Carols as I'd have liked, just one congregational and a background music during communion.
Apparently it's "too early" for Christmas Carols.
I like to hear Carols as an antidote to all the crass consumerism the rest of the week. Hopefully next week will be open season on Carols.

First week of advent series here too. This week was a really encouraging message on Jesus being the fulfilment of prophecies in the OT, and how the Israelites would have heard those prophecies at the time they were given (in exile/time of suffering/time of waiting etc), and how we can cling to the truth of the incarnation, even while we are in seasons of waiting and suffering etc.

I really loved it - we’re very low church, with only really the most minor nod to the liturgical calendar during advent and then Easter - (only really Good Friday and Easter Sunday though - no lent or anything), and while I love our church and it is similar to the tradition I grew up in, I am deeply formed by the liturgical calendar and the ancient practices of the church, in my personal life and I would love to see more of an acknowledgment within corporate worship. I’m looking forward to leading our small group through a guided contemplative mediation about preparing for Advent this coming Tuesday night.

I am in agreement that it’s too early for carols during corporate worship though!

From today service. Today on the 8th December the sermons was (Malachi 3: 1-4), (Luke3: 1-6). I have uploaded and attached it.. Hopefully this is helpful to someone who cannot get to a pyscial church and with the run up to Christmas to follow this way as well.

Hi everyone. I wasn't well last week so wasn't able to attend Church. I have attached though the sermon from this Sunday the 23rd below.

The Gospel was Luke 1: 39-55. The reading was from Micah 5 2:5a. The Psalm 80 1-8. This is such a powerful psalm and said when in great need to see God.

Over the weeks leading up to Christmas I have shared some of the selected passages have made me sit up and wonder especially at this time of year speaking about the return of Christ. I think many Christians are tired now with the past few years and have been through a lot in the world. We just need to keep on holding on.

I wish everyone well.

I love Dr. Luke’s gospel.So many women! And the care our Lord took with each of them- beautiful! 💕

Hi people, waves as usual.
Anyway, I have uploaded the sermon sheet for today's service I attended at church on the 29th December 24, Today the reading was from Colossians 3.12-17. The Psalm 148 and the Gospel was from Luke 2, 41-52 about passover and Jesus going missing 3 days to be taught in the Temple.

Hi everyone this is from today the 5th January 2025, the Reading thiis week from( Isaiah 60 v 1-6), The (Psalm was 72 v 10-15) and the Gospel was from (Matthew 2v 1-12).
I have uploaded it as an attachment.

This week we did the one about Jesus lost in the temple, tied in with New Year's resolutions and developing good spiritual habits this year.

Hi everyone, if able I have been sharing the sermon sheet on the Sabbath, a Sunday. I am going to do it today as I have the sermon sheet ahead of tomorrow service. For tomorrow the sermon will be Gospel Luke (3 :15-17, 21-22) Psalm 29, Reading will be from Isaiah 43 1-7.

I'm leading worship twice tomorrow. I decided not to leave out the three verses (18-20) from the Luke gospel reading. I'll preach on Luke 3: 15-22. I'll also mention Acts 8: 14-17. The Old Testament reading is Isaiah 43: 1-7.

That is really good to see OldJohn, seeing all this this makes me want to get to church on time please and be seated to be ready to enjoy the service and worship. It is strange how similar the sermons wil be at both of the church's we attend. I attend an Anglican church as a non demontional christian.

I must say I am looking forward to the service this week and wouldn't miss it for the world. Hopefully I will be well enough to attend..
The Reading this week which I really want to listen to is (1 Corthtians: 12 1-11). I will probably take a pen and paper with me as well. Pretty soon now we will be at Penetcost the mention of the Holy Spirit gifts made me think of that. I always love that event in the calendar. The Psalm for this week is (36: 5-10). I have not read this psalm so that is a new psalm for me as well. The Gospel is from John 2: 1-11)

About spiritual gifts, some people ask what is the difference between our talents and spiritual gifts and I usually just say there are 9 spiritual gifts in the book of Corithinans (1 Corinthians 12) that are meant for the body of Christ-the Church usually but can extend in aim to support vulnerable communities also. The church I attend do use these today, there are healing and wholeness once a month that do take place and the rector has spoken about them hearing healing stories occuring through it and prayer. They use holy oil to anoint and I have receieved a few times and during so the Holy Spirit is being given to monthly. It shows they are still going on and this is an Anglican church which I am delighted to see.

I sometimes see teaching and adminstration listed as a spiritual gift, which I do think is a great gift of service, I am not quite certain why some people list it and some people don't.

Romans 12 mentions more about talents and gifts.Some wonder about their natural talents and I think when inspired these can also be used by the Holy Spirit. It can quite challenging for some people to find their talents as well when they have not been nutured to do so.
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012&version=NIV