Morning Worship for Church Anniversary

by Graham Penny 13 September 2020

Our first hymn is ‘You Are Amazing God’.

Prayers of Adoration, Confession & Intercession led by Andy Cokayne

Last January 1st we had no idea of what the year would hold…. No idea of new words and phrases that would become part of our everyday vocabulary—

Self isolating

Furloughed

Social distancing

Lockdown

Shielding

Asymptomatic …..

We’ve become familiar with them! It got me thinking about a spiritual context…..

Self isolating - Increasingly the ‘church’ is often seen as in a bubble, remote, unconnected and removed from our society and culture. Look at Acts 2 and the end of 4 – there was no social distancing with the early church! – ‘the Lord’s message rang out from you…. your faith in God has become known everywhere.’ (1 Thess. 1.8). What a testimony!

Lockdown - How many churches are in this – generally, not just right now! Stifled by long-held assumptions and traditions…. God can only do things in the way we’ve always done them. The Holy Spirit blows like the wind (see John 3.8…) wherever it pleases, it’s not constrained. Are we fixed in our attitudes?

Furloughed - No Christians ever are, yet many want the benefits without the work/contribution! ‘we are God’s fellow workers’ (1 Cor. 3.9).

Asymptomatic - You know if someone has eaten a strong curry last night! They have that aroma! (but often they are unaware). By the work of the Holy Spirit we have Christ living in us. His fragrance/beauty should exude and get passed on without us knowing – or should be – because ‘we are the temple of the living God’ (2 Cor 6.16) We should be His imitators (Eph. 5.1)

This is the sort of believing people God wants.

This is the sort of church God wants.

This is the sort of church I want to belong to!

This is the sort of church I pray Newmount is!

Birthday wishes…..


Our final hymn is ‘May the fragrance of Jesus fill this place.’

​We join together with other congregations in sharing the UK Blessing