Worship for Trinity Sunday, 30 May 2021
by Phil Royle 30 May 2021
Call to Worship
The Trinity protecting us; the Father be over us; the Saviour be under us; the Spirit be within us. The Holy Three enfolding us and evermore around us. Amen
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hymn: Father of Everlasting Grace - This version is played on the organ, so you may like to sing using the words below. (The screen is dark for approx 20 seconds before the organist begins to play)
YouTube shows adverts which may not be appropriate to the video we have selected.
Father Of Everlasting Grace,
Thy Goodness And Thy Truth We Praise,
Thy Goodness And Thy Truth We Prove;
Thou Hast, In Honour Of Thy Son,
The Gift Unspeakable Sent Down,
T
he Spirit Of Life, And Power, And Love.
Send Us The Spirit Of Thy Son,
To Make The Depths Of Godhead Known,
To Make Us Share The Life Divine;
Send Him The Sprinkled Blood To Apply,
Send Him Our Souls To Sanctify,
And Show And Seal Us Ever Thine.
So Shall We Pray, And Never Cease,
So Shall We Thankfully Confess
The Wisdom, Truth, And Power, And Love;
With Joy Unspeakable Adore,
And Bless And Praise Thee Evermore,
And Serve Thee As Thy Hosts Above:
Till, Added To That Heavenly Choir,
We Raise Our Songs Of Triumph Higher,
And Praise Thee In A Bolder Strain,
Out-Soar The First-Born Seraph’s Flight,
And Sing, With All Our Friends In Light,
Thy Everlasting Love To Man.
Charles Wesley
Reading: John 3:1-17.
Reflection
Trinity Sunday seems to be the service most dreaded by preachers, but I`m afraid I cannot see why. The idea of one being divided up into three but still remaining as one seems to be very complex and difficult to understand. Being “a bear of very little brain,” like my hero, Winnie the Pooh, I tend to try to make things simple so that I can understand them. I think of the aspects that I have been in my lifetime; a son, a brother, a grandchild, a husband, a father, a grandpa, a preacher, a teacher and so on. I`m sure that if I can manage all this then God can cope with three!
The idea of the Trinity makes me think of our changing and growing relationship with God, both historically as humankind, and as individuals.
The starting point comes when we realised that there was something greater than ourselves, a being beyond our imagining which, nevertheless was looking after us and caring for us. We regard this being as God the Father, but somehow a bit remote and needing a “go-between” in the form of a priest or a mentor to try to bring us close to the unreachable.
The next stage comes with the arrival of Jesus into the world or into our lives. Here we encounter God in human form. Jesus not only tells us about God but actually shows us, in the way that he lived and interacted with others. Immanuel – God with us. For many, this was, and still is, enough for us. We have an example of this in the story of Nicodemus (the only Irishman in the Bible?). He could not understand that an encounter with Jesus meant that we have to change our ways and become something more than we were before.
This brings us to the Holy Spirit. A vast change in our understanding, as God is no longer something external to us but becomes a part of us – God within us. If we accept that this is so, we cannot continue our lives as they would otherwise have been. God is now a part of us and we must give the Spirit the opportunity to not only work within us but through us. We have a great responsibility to be God`s agents through which He carries out the mission of caring.
God IS love – a love which is for each of us, but also a love which should be within us and inspiring us to spread that love to those with whom we share this world.
Amen
Prayers of Intercession
In our prayers today we think of all those in need. Those known to us and those we may see in news broadcasts and in our newspapers, together with the many who are unknown to us, but still in need.
We pray for the leaders of the world`s nations that they may govern with wisdom, justice and selflessness. We ask that nations and people will learn to live together in peace and with regard for the needs and beliefs of each other.
We think of those who are ill in mind, body or spirit. Those who have been affected in so many different ways by the global pandemic, giving thanks to those who have worked tirelessly alongside the sick and dying and the scientists and volunteers who have developed and deliver vaccines. We pray for wisdom as we emerge from the effects of the virus and ask that there will be an equitable sharing of medications throughout the world.
We pray for those areas of the world affected by natural disasters or warfare. Help us all to play our part in bringing relief and peace to our world.
We pray for ourselves that we should have the discernment to know how we can best bring God’s love into the lives of those with whom we share this planet.
These prayers we ask in the name of the one who shared His life with us. Amen
Hymn: O Thou Who Camest From Above
YouTube shows adverts which may not be appropriate to the video we have selected.
The Blessing of God, Father, Son and Spirit, be with us all, evermore. Amen