Worship for Sunday 05 04 2020
Our Circuit Team have been working hard again this week to provide ways in which we can share in Worship through technology during the coronavirus crisis.
The YouTube channel for Colchester Methodists continues to have videos uploaded regularly. If you follow this link, it will take you there: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy1Oj6Fjruf2Z8jhx_WMpyw
There is an initial video from Alan, explaining what’s planned.
There is the Worship Service for Mothering Sunday led by Joe on 22nd March 2020.
There is the Worship Service for Passion Sunday led by Alan on 29th March 2020.
There are a few other short videos by Alan, Ken and Paul with daily thoughts under the heading Taking Stock.
Alan is in the process of creating, editing and uploading a service for tomorrow, Sunday 5th April 2020, which will be Palm Sunday, the sixth Sunday in Lent. This should be available at a normal service time of around 11am.
Alan is also preparing a special set of videos for next week ready for each day in Holy Week. They will also be uploaded to the YouTube Site daily.
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the You Tube channels for Castle and Circuit, also click on the NOTIFICATION BELL ICON, then choose “all” as an option. Then you will receive an email notification each time a new video is uploaded. You can unsubscribe at any time, by clicking on the Subscribe button a second time, and it is all free.
To encourage our ministers, click on the Thumbs Up icon to give a like (or a thumbs down if you really didn’t like it) for each video.
You can also leave a message in the comments below each video, but PLEASE don’t forget that literally EVERYONE worldwide can see this, so don’t make any personal comments, or refer to people in a way that risks their privacy in any way.
Rev Joe Adams is again leading virtual worship at Wimpole Road on facebook live on Sunday at 11.00 am click on https://www.facebook.com/Wimpole-Road-Methodist-Church-Colchester-310296022510387
Alternatively, this page from the Methodist Church Website provides information about live-streamed services and has downloadable service sheets for this Sunday and the coming weeks for worship-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic. There is also a page specifically for Holy Week.
As other alternatives there are Live-streamed services available from:-
Wesley’s Chapel in London which will be available at: www.youtube.com/channel/UCUAUqhmhevz5sqhh72LIMxA Service times are Wednesday 12:45; Thursday 12:45; Sunday 9:45 and 11:00.
Swan Bank Methodist Church in Burslem will also live-stream worship on Sunday at 10:30 the service will be available at www.youtube.com/user/SwanBank and www.facebook.com/swanbank/
Birmingham Methodist District at 10:30 there is a service at https://www.facebook.com/Birminghammethodistdistrict/
Hong Kong International Methodist Church https://www.michk.com the 11.00 am service in English will be live streamed at 3am our time, but should also be available by 11 for us to watch.
You could also listen again to Rev Ken Chalmers’ sermon from Palm Sunday 2019 using this link.
There is a digital Sunday school at https://disorganisedsundayschoolblog.com/digital-sunday-school
Public Broadcasting:-
The BBC will be broadcasting a service on Sunday on BBC One at 10.45am. Palm Sunday : As Holy Week begins, The Dean of Hereford, The Very Reverend Michael Tavinor, leads a service for Palm Sunday from the city’s historic cathedral. The service features hymns recorded for Songs of Praise in 2017 and was filmed before the closure of all church buildings was announced. You can view the Order of Service here.
The BBC will be broadcasting Songs of Praise on Sunday on BBC One at 13.15am : Palm Sunday in Glasgow Songs of Praise – Sean Fletcher visits Glasgow Cathedral to talk about Holy Week and visits a mission where they put Christian faith to work helping others, recorded before the lockdown.
BBC Radio 4 always features a service on Sunday morning at 8.10. This Palm Sunday Dr Theodora Hawksley of the London Jesuit Centre at Farm Street, London will reflect on the way that Christians accompany Jesus spiritually, as Jesus accompanies them when facing times of trial, suffering and bereavement. The service marks the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, ahead of his trial and crucifixion less than a week later. Father Dominic Robinson SJ, parish priest at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street, Mayfair will lead the service behind locked doors and will reflect on the hope promised by Jesus, especially during these challenging times. Music will include Passiontide hymns, and anthems including from the Choir of Farm St Church. For more details see here.
Finally, a prayer from the President of the Methodist Conference, Rev’d Barbara Glasson
Loving God,
If we are ill, strengthen us.
If we are tired, fortify our spirits.
If we are anxious, help us to consider the lilies of the field and the birds of the air.
Help us not to stockpile treasures from supermarkets in the barns of our larders.
Don’t let fear cause us to overlook the needs of others more vulnerable than ourselves.
Fix our eyes on your story and our hearts on your grace.
Help us always to hold fast to the good,
See the good in others,
And remember there is just one world, one hope,
One everlasting love, with baskets of bread for everyone.
In Jesus we make our prayer,
The one who suffered, died and was raised to new life,
In whom we trust these days and all days,
Amen.
Above all, keep yourselves safe and well.
Let someone know if you are struggling, if you need a chat, or just some shopping. Do contact your pastoral leader, or send someone an email: you may be in isolation, but you are not alone.
