DIY Sunday Service Kit 04/09/22 - The Company Christians Keep

 

Hello and welcome to the DIY Sunday Service Kit September 4th 2022.

Somehow it seems to have a bit of a 'back to school' feel about it!

As we worship the Lord here today, let's remember the young people going bak to school today, recall how we felt about the challenges of the ourselves and pray thoughtfully for the young people in that position this week.

Let's pray

As we come to you today Lord to worship you and learn your ways and your wisdom through your Spirit from your Word, we ask the you would teach us plainly and clearly so that we might understand, inspire our hearts to want to walk with you in the light of your Word and shape us into the people you want us to be.

And at this time we remember before you those young people also setting out on a path of learning in the fresh academic year who will no doubt be exposed to many good things in school but also to many things that their youthful critical awareness will not entirely equip them to evaluate.

Please protect our children from the word excesses of our age, from ideologies that it will not help them in life to embrace and may the next generation of our people be led into the ways of righteousness and truth.

In Jesus' Name.

AMEN.

Today we pray for our prized and valued national institutions

For our schools, colleges and universities

Father we give thanks today for the free, universal system of education that we have in our land and pray for the prospects of our people as we look towards the equipping and the well-being of our future generations.

Please protect the academic and intellectual integrity of our education system from top to bottom.

May every decision made about its work, its subject matter and its delivery of content match your desires ad aspirations for our land.

Particularly we pray for school leaders, teachers and pupils who will be tackling the challenges of moving our secondary schools onto a new and very different curriculum this autumn, which is unique amongst the countries of the UK. We ask especially that next steps from secondary to tertiary education for pupils heading into this new educational programme will be smooth and that their education will deliver what they need for their next steps in life.

For our National Health Service and Social Care System

For our NHS, currently stretched by the ongoing impact of the COVID epidemic and struggling to find essential staff to continue to maintain the service, we also pray.

For junior doctors who are now leaving the NHS in significant numbers because of changes in their terms and conditions of service and low pay ... many of them having trained here therefore moving overseas rather than remaining inside our own health service. 

For demoralised ambulance staff waiting in long queues outside hospital A&E departments while calls go unanswered for their help elsewhere.

For the new incoming Health Secretary in Westminster due to be appointed in the coming week and for the method and means to be found to ensure that all who need health and social care in our land to be afforded it according to their need not their income.

For our Emergency Services and Security Services

For our Fire, Police, Ambulance and Air Ambulance leaders and staff we pray the tools and the wherewithal to get satisfaction from being able to do a good job.

For our specialist coastguard, search and rescue, mountain rescue and nuclear police organisations ... we pray safety in their service and satisfaction in their work.

For a sense amongst them that they are appreciated and valued, and for wisdom in the sometimes rushed but responsible decisions they have to make.

For justice and for security tone e the characteristics of our nation because of the service they offer.

For our armed Forces and Civil Service

For those who make up our full time airforce, navy and army, and for the naval, Air Force and Army Reservists who train to fight alongside the full-time service personnel when the situation requires it.

May they be well led.

May they be well equipped.

May they be cared for not only in their service but also after it, particularly when their service has left them wounded in mind or in body.

Enable our armed and security services, our civil service and all with whom they work to be cared for and equipped for all they do to keep us safe.

In a time of national insecurity and challenge we pray for those who serve our state and its institutions, asking that righteousness might characterise the work they do and that this righteousness will exalt ournation, according to the promise of your Word.

We ask all this for Jesus' sake.

AMEN.

Click on this little guy for the sermon

The video cam from the sermon recording is here:

Let's pray

Dear Lord and Father we thank and praise you for the way the you apply your Word to our hearts by your Holy Spirit and speak to us clearly to reveal your heart and your inspiring passions to us.

May your passion for lost people fill us this week.

May your deep desire to see 'black sheep' brought into your sheep fold by repentance and faith drive us this week from our comfort zone and into the experience of your preserving and empowering grace while you bring us into times of far greater spirit fruitfulness.

And may your gracious ways be more widely known as your voice is heard ... your saving grace to all peoples and nations.

We ask for Jesus sake.

AMEN.

As usual we're posting a link for those who wish to join us in worshipping by giving. Please click the graphic below to go to our giving page. Thanks.

There is no DIY SSK next week, but we look forward to joining with you again in a fortnight.

Pob bendith!