Welcome

Sunday 13th April 2025

“But Naomi replied, “Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? 12 No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? 13 Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord himself has raised his fist against me.” 14 And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. 15 “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.” 16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”” Ruth 1:11-17 NLT

Father God,

We are reminded that till Jesus comes again we will have trouble, sorrow, grief and suffering. Naomi suffered terrible grief, for her husband and sons and the hope of grandchildren. She suffered the loss of income and then where she lived there was famine. And she was a foreigner there without family. We are not immune from pain but we have You, Jesus.

You, God were with Naomi. Ruth saw that there was something worth sticking with in Naomi. Naomi’s witness of God’s care had been seen in her life and so Ruth decided to follow this God of Naomi’s too! Oh that my life would enable others to see your faithfulness Lord. Today we need You Lord to help us see how to witness by our lives and our testimony that You are the One God to follow and trust in and get to know. We do not want to appear religious and holier than thou and yet we do want to show Jesus in our lives.

Help us to shine Your light through us. Holy Spirit inspire us so we can speak Your truth with love and be heard. Help us to know when to help and where we can be Your hands and feet.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Sunday 13th April 2025


Make me a servant
Humble and meek
Lord let me lift up
Those who are weak
And may the prayer
Of my heart always be
Make me a servant
Make me a servant
Make me a servant today

Repeat twice . . .

Lyrics: Kelly Faye Willard

Saturday 12th April 2025

“Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children. 3 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. 5 For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” 6 So the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A Man of God came to me, and His countenance was like the countenance of the Angel of God, very awesome; but I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not tell me His name. 7 And He said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Now drink no wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’ ”” Judges 13:2-7
“So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.” Judges 13:24

Father God,

This passage always reminds me of your announcement to Zechariah father to be of John the Baptist. On both occasions the child was chosen to serve You before it was born and both parents were given instructions about keeping to the Naderite lifestyle.

But there the similarity ends. Both boys were born as promised, raised as requested but one chose to follow Your will and way when He was old enough to make his own decisions. The other followed the desires of his own will and caused himself, his parents and numerous others endless trouble. Yet Samson is a popular Bible character and I cannot but wonder what he might have achieved had he left the ladies alone? But then You knew him before He was in his mothers womb (Psalm 139)? Sometimes my questions just give rise to more questions. But we all have our own particular weaknesses.

Samson’s lust (for something other than God) and pride was deadly. You did give him a last chance and he used it. You, God continually give us opportunities. We cannot get everything perfectly right all the time, but we have Jesus who continually forgives and repurposes us as we go. Thank You God. We do not deserve Your grace, we cannot earn Your grace and are not good enough to warrant Your grace. It is a gift. Help us to grow in Your grace.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Who breaks the power, of sin and darkness?
Whose love is mighty and so much stronger
The King of Glory
The King above all kings
(Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh)

This is amazing grace
This is unfailing love
That You would take my place
That You would bear my cross
You laid down Your life
That I would be set free
Oh, Jesus, I sing for
All that You’ve done for me

Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder
And leaves us breathless, in awe and wonder?
The King of Glory
The King above all kings

Chorus

Lyrics: Josh Farro, Jeremy Riddle, Phil Wickham


Friday 11th April 2025

“Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon. 30 And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, 31 then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” 32 So Jephthah advanced toward the people of Ammon to fight against them, and the Lord delivered them into his hands. 33 And he defeated them from Aroer as far as Minnith—twenty cities—and to Abel Keramim, with a very great slaughter. Thus the people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.” Judges 11:29-33

Lord God,

The Spirit of the Lord, Your Spirit had come upon Jephthah regardless that he was the son of a prostitute’s liaison with Gilead and rejected by his brothers. You chose to use Him and allow him to know by Your Spirit You were with him. He was able to sent a clear historical argument against war to the King of the Ammonites. You also enabled him to raise an Army.

So why did he need to make a rash vow such as this. Surely he knew his family would rush out of the door to greet him. A wife a child . . . Did he feel the need to give an offering? Pay for Your support in some way?

It is like us when we try to barter with God. It is ridiculous. As if we could match his giving or give him anything that is not already his. Jephthah maybe did not really know You, God that well. But we do. We have seen and heard and known You through Jesus, Your Holy Spirit and Your written word. You would not want us to keep a vow that meant breaking the ten commandments. Perhaps the ‘and’ was an ‘or’ missed out of verse 31. His daughter mourned her virginity and not her death later on in the chapter. That would fit with her being given to serve You, God for the rest of her life rather than killed. Keep us from rash vows and trying to barter with You. We knowing You want our best, can answer prayers that are according to Your will, and will not answer ones that would do us harm.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Friday 11th April 2025

Though the nations rage, kingdoms rise and fall
There is still one King reigning over all
So I will not fear, for this truth remains
That my God is the Ancient of Days

None above Him, none before Him
All of time in His hands
For His throne, it shall remain and ever stand
All the power, all the glory
I will trust in His name
For my God is the Ancient of Days

Though the dread of night overwhelms my soul
He is here with me, I am not alone
Oh, His love is sure, and He knows my name
For my God is the Ancient of Days

Chorus

Though I may not see what the future brings
I will watch and wait for the Saviour King
Then my joy complete, standing face to face
In the presence of the Ancient of Days

Chorus

Lyrics: Jesse Reeves / Michael Farren / Rich Thompson / Jonny Robinson (Cityalight)