Week beginning 18th September

Song: Sing we the King who is coming to reign

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2VboZhk6rE

Reading: Psalm 34

Prayer:

All the way my Saviour leads me–
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Saviour leads me–
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for ev'ry trial,
Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see;
Gushing from the rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see.

All the way my Saviour leads me–
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.

Fanny Crosby

Taken from Hymnary.org

Reading: Book of Isaiah, chapter 49, verses 8 to 13

Song: Cause me to come to the river O Lord

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79lUSwtyITI

Reading: John’s gospel, chapter 4, verses 1 to 15

Solo: As water to the thirsty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79lUSwtyITI

Something stands out in the reading from St John’s gospel in the authorised version. Verse 5 refers to a “parcel of ground” which Jacob gave to Joseph. “Parcel” sounds like a gift or a present, something unexpected. The women went to the well and received a gift, something unexpected.

Wells are mentioned in many places in the scriptures, especially the old testament. It was at a well where Jacob first cast eyes on Rachel; and at a well where Moses rescued the daughters of Jethro.

It was at this well where the Samaritan woman met Jesus, a meeting of mercy. She had travelled to the well when nobody else was there, presumably because she had been made to feel unwelcome, perhaps her lifestyle had led to her being got at. She appears not to have led a good life, perhaps she had problems of some sort.

The last thing she expected was to see a Jew. But Jesus disregards prejudices, even though Jews and Samaritans did not associate. He was driven by a passion to communicate; he had no interest in why she was an outcast; she is His creation and he loves her.

She was a long way from understanding him. We can only speculate on how she knew He was a Jew, as far as we know they had never met. There must have been something about Him, manner of speech, style of dress, or just some sort of aura, that identified Him to her.

She must have been afraid, she was a Samaritan, He was a Jew, and a man.

The first thing He is recorded as saying is “Give me a drink.” It is hard to understand her feelings, it must have been mind-blowing for her.

Jesus asks us, just as He knew about her, He know about us. Everything about us!?, Yes, even that!

And yet, He comes to us, to me! He asks us for a drink, even though He knows all about us.

“But you can’t draw water” she said. “You have nothing to draw with.” Perhaps we say the same. “You can’t draw water from the deep, dark well that is me.” But Jesus doesn’t have to bring water down, nor to raise it up, He is the water, the Living Water.

Sometimes we are overwhelmed by God, He is bigger than we know, bigger than we can know.

If you receive the Living Stream which is Jesus, it is no use of you hang on to it. It is flowing, living water, which has to go out, it cannot be contained, it must be shared. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says that if you do things for one of His little ones, you are doing it for Him. Whatever you give, you are giving to the Lord.

At a communion service, a minister said “Come and see how friendly your God is”

In Matthew’s gospel, chapter 11, verse 28 Jesus says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”

Come to the waters

Come to the Father

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Song: Come to the waters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEYbWZyjcVk

Prayer:

ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men; We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we shew forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

General thanksgiving,

Taken from churchofengland.org

Song: Here is love, vast as the ocean

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbZeHNkT91c

or, if you prefer it in Welsh:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buts-X-Po74

Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.

Proverbs, chapter 25, verse 25