A Message

Ruth 1:1 – 18, Ps 146 Ps. 119:1 – 8, Heb. 9:11 – 14, Mark 12: 28 – 34             Whenever a government changes, or and election is about to happen, we find politicians promising much, a good living, luxuries, security and everything to be new and all this to make living comfortable and easy. And so all are looking forward for change and everything to be new and different and to let go of the past. Only after an election is over that we realize that heaven was promised but what we experience is actually hell.             Today we are called to meditate upon the theme “a new heaven” . Heaven the dwelling place of God, a place which is being prepared for the saints. It is a place which gives us an identity – an identity that we do not belong to this earth, but to a much better place. A place where what is promised will be received.       ...

Hebrews 5:1 – 10, Mark 10:35 - 45 Teaching, medicine - doctors & nurses, police are commonly called government service. These were one time called vocations but have now turned professions. All those who work in the government ministries, offices, projects are called government servants. These government servants and these services are there for the benefit of the common people in a country. They are there to serve. However today when we look at most of them we find that the aspect of service has come out and they are more concern about comfort, facilities, money etc. So we find that doctors and teachers would not go into the remote areas to serve. Teachers fail to teach in the classroom but do so in the tuition class. Doctors will look after you well when you go to them in a private hospital. But you wont find them at the government hospital during the weekend. Politicians come bent in two and three when asking for votes making promises, but once they are given the opport...

“The Lord of life”   2 Sam 1:1, 17 – 27 / Ps 130 Ps 30 / 2 Cor 8:7 – 15 / Mk 5: 21– 43 I wonder how many of you cry. Cry when hurt and in pain, in distress and not knowing what to do, in sadness and loneliness, in sorrow and bereavement. While some try to hold back tears because of fear, shame others are stopped from crying. However tears are a result of emotion. It invites sympathy , a loving embrace, and a response from an onlooker. It is also a sign of desperation . Our gospel reading has two miracles. Both of people in desperation for healing and restoration. One a woman subject to bleeding and the other a father who wants his daughter to be healed. We have a woman who is desperate for healing.   She is desperate because she has gone to all the possible doctors spent all her money and all that was left was the life in her. With every moment and day she was getting bad. Social and religious stigma prevented her from mingling and standing with the crowd. Her despe...

Theme: “The Lord of life” The Gathering             Leader                           Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Let us worship God. Response                     In the name of Christ. Amen. Hymn                                                   Introductory    Sentence               And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall   never perish, neither shall any man ...

Proper 5, Environment Sunday  Theme:                “Two irreconcilable ways – Jesus and Evil” Greeting Leader                   Come and worship the Creator, who gently cares for the land. Response             Come and worship Jesus who calms the waters. Leader                   Come and worship the Spirit who blows through the trees. Response             Come and worship God the source of life Hymn                     264 Introductory  Sentence   Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord yo...

The church receives it’s names from the greek word ecclesia, which means assembly. An assembly of believers who are the body of Christ. If the believers are the body, Christ is the head. Hence the church is led by Christ, follows Christ, imitates Christ, possesses the attitude of Christ, it breathes Christ and lives Christ. This body of Christ is driven by the vision and mission that Christ the head has for his church. The best example we have of the body of Christ is in the book of Acts. A church that lived Christ; a radical group of people, living contrary to the ways and the culture of the world. Yet, were drawing people to it daily. It was a church that gave importance to teaching, prayer, worship and the breaking of bread. It was a church which shared, sacrificed and was open to all. It was a group of people who had committed themselves to living as Jesus lived on this earth. A church, Christians, who had fixed their eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith (Heb 12:...

The Gathering             Leader              Christ is risen.   Response          The Lord   is risen indeed    Hallelu Yah!       Leader               Christ has ascended on high. Response          He reigns for ever. Alleluia. Leader               Lift up your hearts. Response          We lift them to the Lord. Alleluia. Hymn                 388 Introduction Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, for forty days we have been celebrating with joyful hearts the resurrection of our Lord J...