NOTICES
A special welcome to people from the Methodist Church – so great to be able to worship together this month. According to Government and Church guidelines our 10am services on Sunday require a vaccination pass.
For all services the vestry asks for you to please continue to wear a mask on arrival and departure and during singing. Please use the contact tracer and hand sanitiser as you arrive at church. And if you are not well to please stay at home. There are zoom links to services if you are not able to leave home.
Our Wednesday services start this week on January 19th at 10am
Vicar: Val Riches 078880878 or 027 444 8286
Lance 027 555 3286
If you have a key to the church or Hub please let Chris Hutching know so he can update the register hutch5@xtra.co.nz or 889 7170
The newsletter can be opened as a PDF from the Weekly Service Sheets page and can be requested to arrive in your email box by filling in the form in the Subscribe to Newsletter page.
Loaves and Fishes can be opened on the Loaves and Fishes page
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A special welcome to people from the Methodist Church – so great to be able to worship together this month. According to Government and Church guidelines our 10am services on Sunday require a vaccination pass.
For all services the vestry asks for you to please continue to wear a mask on arrival and departure and during singing. Please use the contact tracer and hand sanitiser as you arrive at church. And if you are not well to please stay at home. There are zoom links to services if you are not able to leave home.
Our Wednesday services start this week on January 19th at 10am
Vicar: Val Riches 078880878 or 027 444 8286
Lance 027 555 3286
If you have a key to the church or Hub please let Chris Hutching know so he can update the register hutch5@xtra.co.nz or 889 7170
The newsletter can be opened as a PDF from the Weekly Service Sheets page and can be requested to arrive in your email box by filling in the form in the Subscribe to Newsletter page.
Loaves and Fishes can be opened on the Loaves and Fishes page
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January 16th, 2022
Abundant Love
Readings: Isaiah 62:1–5 Psalm 36:5–10 John 2:1–11
Sentence: How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7
Collect: O God, your desire for creation is abundance. Elevate our vision and give us faith broad and wide enough to see your plenty. Amen.
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Abundant Love
Readings: Isaiah 62:1–5 Psalm 36:5–10 John 2:1–11
Sentence: How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7
Collect: O God, your desire for creation is abundance. Elevate our vision and give us faith broad and wide enough to see your plenty. Amen.
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Preparation for Sunday from “Love to the World”
Isaiah 62:1–5
Question: Recall times when you have lived with unfulfilled hope. How have you coped? Was your faith a significant factor in the experience?
Prayer: Loving God, in you I place my trust, now and always.
Psalm 36:5–10
Question: The Psalmist states that “all people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings” (v7). In a world of hurt, how can this claim become incarnate? Can you help in some way?
Prayer: O God, I pray for the refugees and displaced in this world, that they can find refuge in you.
John 2:1–11
Question: You have not seen Jesus, yet you believe. Can you reflect on why this is so? How were you nurtured in your spiritual journey?
Prayer: Loving Lord, may I always be alert to the signs of your transforming presence.
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Isaiah 62:1–5
Question: Recall times when you have lived with unfulfilled hope. How have you coped? Was your faith a significant factor in the experience?
Prayer: Loving God, in you I place my trust, now and always.
Psalm 36:5–10
Question: The Psalmist states that “all people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings” (v7). In a world of hurt, how can this claim become incarnate? Can you help in some way?
Prayer: O God, I pray for the refugees and displaced in this world, that they can find refuge in you.
John 2:1–11
Question: You have not seen Jesus, yet you believe. Can you reflect on why this is so? How were you nurtured in your spiritual journey?
Prayer: Loving Lord, may I always be alert to the signs of your transforming presence.
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Focus
This week we look at scriptures that expound on the love God has for all creation and for his people. In Isaiah, God's people are restored to relationship with their God. The psalmist offers praise for God's unconditional love and in the Corinthians verses we are reminded of the abundance of love poured out in the gifts of the Spirit - each unique - each for the common good. Finally in the story of the wedding in Cana, Jesus performs his first miracle and the disciples believe. In each love shines through.
How can we respond with abundance and abundant love to the needs of our neighbours and community?
How might we practice faith like Mary and trust in God's abundance when there is a need?
Prayer: Forgive us for the times we doubt the abundance of the gift, the power of trust and the breadth and magnitude of the love. Amen
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This week we look at scriptures that expound on the love God has for all creation and for his people. In Isaiah, God's people are restored to relationship with their God. The psalmist offers praise for God's unconditional love and in the Corinthians verses we are reminded of the abundance of love poured out in the gifts of the Spirit - each unique - each for the common good. Finally in the story of the wedding in Cana, Jesus performs his first miracle and the disciples believe. In each love shines through.
How can we respond with abundance and abundant love to the needs of our neighbours and community?
How might we practice faith like Mary and trust in God's abundance when there is a need?
Prayer: Forgive us for the times we doubt the abundance of the gift, the power of trust and the breadth and magnitude of the love. Amen
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SPECIFIC PRAYERS FOR THIS WEEK
GIVE THANKS
- Pray for the people in the USA who have lost family, friends and possessions in the destructive tornadoes.
- Pray for our government and the decisions they have to make for our well being because of the pandemic and its new variant, and pray for us to remember to be kind to others even when we don’t agree with them.
- Pray for drivers to be concentrating on their driving and consider others to prevent more road accidents.
- Pray for those who are sick, especially Craig, Sandra, Norm, Lynda and Caleb and others we may know. Janet Gray, she is in hospital with a suspected mini stroke. Lois Edmonds (one of our Artists) is awaiting surgery.
- Pray for those who are mourning the loss of a loved one
GIVE THANKS
- For our families and friends who gave us their loving companionship over the holiday period.
- For the work of the food banks and the generosity of the givers.
- For the lovely sunny weather we have had to enjoy our activities.
- For the many ways God speaks to us in our prayers and guides us through the Holy Spirit.
Prayer is sitting in the silence until it silences us, choosing gratitude until we are grateful, and praising God until we ourselves are an act of praise. Mature prayer always breaks into gratitude. —Richard Rohr
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Please give careful thought to your support through donations:
If you are able to make your donations through internet banking it would be very much appreciated. You could use your name or your envelop number for reference and our recorder will include it with your total giving.
With cheque's no longer being accepted at a lot of banks, please consider Direct Giving for your donations to St Matthews Church, BNZ Morrinsville 02 0368 0027228 00.
We rely on your giving for all our expenses. We are a registered charity and so tax can be claimed back. When you are in the service you can use one of our purple cards to put in the offertory plate in recognition of the donation.
Any questions – please talk to our treasurer – Rodney McKenzie
If you are able to make your donations through internet banking it would be very much appreciated. You could use your name or your envelop number for reference and our recorder will include it with your total giving.
With cheque's no longer being accepted at a lot of banks, please consider Direct Giving for your donations to St Matthews Church, BNZ Morrinsville 02 0368 0027228 00.
We rely on your giving for all our expenses. We are a registered charity and so tax can be claimed back. When you are in the service you can use one of our purple cards to put in the offertory plate in recognition of the donation.
Any questions – please talk to our treasurer – Rodney McKenzie
