DIY Sunday Service Kit 28/05/2023 - Colossians 1:18 ... The Solution to All our Soul-Ills

 

Welcome to Pentecost Sunday 2023 with y GRWP and the DIY Sunday Service Kit!

Let's face it, some of us have been around in church for quite a few Pentecosts now, and crucial though Acts chapter 2 is ... there can be a certain sense that we've been here a few times before1

I thought this year that this video from Wycliffe Bible Translators gave us a fresh angle ... what do you think?

(Click below).

Let's pray

Father, help us to grasp again we pray the importance to your purpose of bringing all things and all people together again under the Headship of Christ and fixing the brokenness born of the Fall.

And to that end, help us to reset our own priority and resolution that all people should hear the message of the Bible in the language of their own culture and of their own heart.

Help us to be part of putting your message where people can most readily and most thoroughly receive it, starting right where we are today. We ask for Jesus sake.

Amen.

The Holy Spirit inspires prayer and worship in the people of God ... let's seek His presence as we sing this well-prove old hymn given fresh life with Celtic Worship

Here's a trailer for where OUR Bible ministry is going today for Pentecost ...

Let's pray

Llandovery and 'the Urdd'

Next week, the Urdd Eisteddfod comes to Llandovery and whilst I am pretty disappointed, to be honest, that we still don't have a place or opportunity to be reaching out to eisteddfod goers ourselves it is GREAT that Memorial Chapel are doing this 👇

There's no website as such for this but I grabbed this screenshot from their Pastor, Rob,'s own Facebook profile so ... sorry for the poor quality! 

Let's just pray for them and the big effort they are making?

Ukraine

It looks pretty much as if things are hotting up in Ukraine with gentle warnings being put out by the Ukrainian Army to Russia that they are about to start their delayed Spring offensive.

I can only imagine they are letting the Russian Army know what is coming in the hope that the Russians won't do anything disproportionately ... precipitous! We know the Russian state has got access to doomsday weapons, and I'm sure we are all praying that no-one does anything catastrophic with them during this conflict.

Let's also pray for the Ukrainians who have this war in their towns and cities, who are bearing terrible things already due to the conflict.

And let's pray for those inside Russia who also suffer very badly and unwillingly from this war. The Lord has His people deployed in both countries involved in this conflict and brethren on both sides can be innocently and unwillingly caught up in violence.

Bala

(Yup ... north Wales ... Bala!)

It's an honour to have been asked to be a speaker at the Bala Ministers' conference next week and to speak there about mission in Rural Wales.

Normally they have people filing the conference's missionary slot who are doing exciting sounding things in exotic places around the world. Normally, too, mission in rural Wales is not really on the radar in conferences like this.

Would you pray that I don't muck it up, that God gives rise to a real concern for the Gospel in rural Wales and that it leads to fresh prayer, and for both practical help and personnel coming forward to strengthen the things we are doing here? 

I'd also love to know if there's anyone anywhere else doing anything like the stuff we are doing, because it currently seems to be a fairly lonely 'gig'!

(Obviously, I'll be asking them to pray too about somewhere for us to meet ... aargh!)

So ... there are some prayer points. Let's pray, as the Spirit leads!

When you've prayed, please click the traditional Pentecost hymn in the box below ...

Click the Bible below to be taken to today's Bible reading

Click here for this sermon on the StudioCam

It always feels a bit dangerous to finish with a new song, but this one seems to fit ... so here it is!

(And as usual, the giving link is on the next button below. Thanks.)

Now let's pray

Our Lord and Father we thank you for every reminder of the Glory and the Supremacy of the One Who is OUR Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

As you know the inner depths and the deepest thoughts of our hearts, please would you apply to our hearts today the things that we have seen in your Word, and cause us to lean more heavily day by day on the grace of your Spirit's strength to walk more closely with our supreme Saviour in His ways.

We ask for Jesus' sake and for His greater Glory ...

AMEN.

DIY Sunday Service Kit - 21/05/2023 - It's going to be ok ... and here's why. Colossians 1:16-17

 

Welcome to the DIY Sunday Service Kit for May 21st 2023 with goodies from the livestock mart, Colossians 1 and a bunch of good worship songs (FREE!) straight off YouTube.

I'm gradually improving in health and have been back doing outreach in marts this week, but haven't been able to get to Poland as I was supposed to this week to represent y GRWP at the European Leadership Forum ... which would be a disappointment but for the things we're looking at in Colossians 1 today. (Colossians 1 is powerful stuff ... don't miss it!)

There's a trailer for it here:

So without any more chatter, let's get to worshipping the One Who sorts it all out ...

Here's the Word for the Week video 

... who might you be able to share it with?

Now let's pray

Sudan

Please continue to pray for the situation in Sudan. there has been no progress towards peace and news reports speak of devastation being caused in the capital, Mogadishu, as close quarters hand-to-hand fighting has been taking place through the streets of the city for some time.

People are still living in these areas and the effects on the civilian population must be severe.

Let's pray for international efforts at reconciliation to prevail and for peace to break out.

Northern Ireland

Quite a major shift in power towards the Nationalist party, Sinn Fein, took place in the local elections in Northern Ireland this week. Sinn Fein now have majorities across Local and National Government.

Please pray that the men of violence will not find occasion in this to resort to violence again, and that peace, justice and freedom for all will pervade the experience of all the people of the province, and that the gospel will have free course and bring life changing spiritual freedom to many there.

War in Ukraine

The conflict in Ukraine seems to be ratcheting up ahead of the long-awaited Ukrainian spring offensive. President Zhelensky has been successfully touring the capitals of the free world securing promises of enhanced weapons and Russia has been threatening those nations offering them.

Please pray for the people of Ukraine and for the peace and security of Ukraine and of the West as a whole.

The Station Café

Following up on the rather negative developments last week with regard to our renting the Station Café we have been pursuing two other organisations who may be about to take over responsibility for it in place of the company that held that responsibility but is now winding itself up.

In the course of the week, both those organisations have decided which one of them is going to be responsible for the administration of the building in future, and that organisation has decided which of their employees will be speaking to us about the matter (when she returns from her annual leave!)

We had negotiated a deal we could afford with the last company, but it is by no means clear that the new deal will work out as well for us, or even if we'll be offered one at all. Please would you continue to pray? It ain't over 'til it's over and our God is Almighty so He can do anything He pleases!

When you've prayed, please click the link below to join in 

worshipping our Living God

Click the Bible below for today's reading

Celtic Worship will lead us in singing God's praise ...

The sermon is on the studiocam video here

If the ministry has affected you today or left you with questions to resolve, please feel free to be in touch.

There is a link on the offering bag below to take you to our giving page, and if you feel you can support the work of y GRWP please click on that.

But now let's close our time together in prayer.

Lord and loving Heavenly Father we thank you that you feed our bodies with food and our souls through our minds with the spiritual food of your Word.

Feed our minds and our souls this week with thoughts of your Word to the Colossians about the awesomeness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and inspire us to walk more closely with Him.

We ask for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

DIY Sunday Service Kit 14/05/2023 - 'I don't know which way to turn!' - Colossians 1:15

 

Welcome to the DIY Sunday Service Kit for May 14th. 2023.

Today we'll be praying for some not so well known issues for our fellow believers in India, Sudan and Llandovery and we'll be looking at what Colossians 1 can teach us about how to 'hold it together'.

But first let's come with gratitude to our God ...

Let's pray

Lord of love, mercy and grace we bring you thanks and praise for watching over our lives in every detail of our experience in the last week.

When things haven't gone as we wish and we haven't trusted you ... we ask your forgiveness ... your mercy by your grace.

When we've felt things were against us, we thank you that your love has upheld us.

As we have become conscious of needs that we had you have been gracious and shown us the care of an outstanding Father.

Please re-focus out hearts and minds and the privileges we have in you and the blessing we have received from you, drive bitterness and regrets from us and build gratitude and graciousness in us ... we pray for Jesus sake.

Amen.

Here's a trailer for the sermon that's coming soon ...

(Click the pic.)

Let's intercede in our prayers for ...

India

Violence has erupted in Manipur, in Northeast India, claiming 60 lives, burning and destroying 50 churches, and displacing tens of thousands of people. Most of the dead are believed to be Christians.

According to Indian media, 10,000 troops have been brought in to restore order. At the same time a hearing of India’s Supreme Court claims there is no persecution against Christians in the country.

Indian media reports that violence erupted in several states, focused mainly in the Imphal Valley and Churachandpur.

Soldiers have been sent in with orders to shoot on sight to restore order and curfews have been imposed.

Reports coming from India say Christians have been attacked in 27 villages, sometimes in plain sight of state police and military, while mobs roamed the streets.

Meanwhile the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) and other parties have filed a petition at the country’s Supreme Court, calling for an agency to be set up to monitor attacks against Christians in the country.

The EFI, along with Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore and the National Solidarity Forum have brought the petition to try to halt what they claim are widespread attacks against Christians in the country.

In response, the government has denied that any persecution is taking place against Christians in India.

Instead, the government claims that any trouble Christians face is from personal disputes rather than communal crimes.

The Evangelical Fellowship of India has pointed out to the court that the government itself has disclosed that political groups linked to the ruling party have been involved in communal crimes.

They say that ultra-nationalist right-wing organisations such as the ‘Hindu Sangathan, Hindu Vadi Sanghatan, Hindu Jagran Manch, members of RSS, Bajrang Dal, VHP’ have been involved in the attacks.

The petitioners claim a rising tide of violence against Christians in the world’s largest democracy. They report 505 instances of assault in 2021, rising to 598 in 2022. And they say that in the first two months of 2023, there have been 123 assaults.

Let's pray for our brethren seeking to serve God faithfully in India, often described as the world's largest democracy, but where Christians face harsh daily opposition.

Sudan

After South Sudan won its independence from Sudan, Christians in Sudan suffered. Pastors were arrested. Other Christians were denied their basic rights as citizens. Church properties were closed or taken by people linked to the government system.

Now Christians in Sudan are just trying to survive the fighting ... Until this week, most of them lived in Khartoum ... but for many the quest for survival means that they are simply on the run in a dysfunctional country where you can't access money and very many people are like them totally displaced.

They’re fleeing a rapidly deteriorating situation. Khartoum’s morgues are full, dead bodies lie in the streets, and the healthcare system is collapsing. Electricity and running water are often unavailable, food is growing scarce, and the internet is unstable.

And amongst the sea of refugees is a small band of marginalised and unpopular Christians. There weren’t many to begin with. Sudan is mostly Muslim; Operation World estimates just 2.5 percent of the population are evangelical Christians. On top of that, Sudan’s ethnic and religious persecution was so severe that in 2011, the majority-Christian South Sudan broke away to form their own country.

That didn’t make things safer for Christians left in Sudan. Christian women and girls are in danger of rape and forced marriage. Christian men and boys have been beaten and imprisoned. In 2023, Sudan ranked in the World Watch List’s top 10 hardest places in the world to be a Christian.

Let's pray for our brothers and sisters fleeing, and living life on the edge.

Llandovery

On Friday I received a very disappointing email from the company I've been dealing with for over 18 months trying to get them to agree to rent us the Station Café in Llandovery, with which we'd hoped to be able to replace Ty'r BUgail.

In the last two weeks things have moved very fast, involving a lot of extra work to try to sort things out, but the efforts of quite a few months seem close to being frustrated altogether. The last resort now for us if we're to get this place seems to be to go back to square one to try to persuade  from scratch the freeholders (a large corporation as you might imagine) that they could rent the place to little old us. 

I'll be giving it a go early this week, but for a number of reasons this currently looks like a rather long shot.

This is a battle we've been fighting for a while, and these latest developments are a bit confusing, so please pray that if this is what the Lord wants He will sort it out, and that if He has other plans He will show us what we need to do about that very soon?

Thanks.

Lord we commit these issues that tug at our hearts to you in the pursuit of your Sovereign purposes. Intervene we pray in your world, with its troubles ... and show your greatness and your Glory, for Jesus' sake.

AMEN.

Let's read God's Word, 

please click on the Bible below to be linked to the reading

Our friends at 20 Schemes lead our hearts out in worship

Click on the little man below for the sermon recording

Here is the studio cam video of that sermon

Let's think the sermon over as we sing ...

Finally now, let's pray

Father, we thank you that we have all we need by virtue of the faith you give us to stand fast in the Gospel and walk with the Lord Jesus by His Spirit, according to your Word.

Clear the clutter in our lives we pray that keeps us from knowing Him more.

Watch over us this week in our thoughts and our reactions, ad keep us close to the Saviour as we face the challenges and the blessings that the next week brings.

We ask for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Thanks for being here today.

Please pray for us as we seek to put things in place this coming week that may be important for the future direction of the work of y GRWP, and also continue to hold one another up before God in prayer.

If we can pray for you or be of help to you please contact us by email or by texting, WhatsApp or Signal on 07748 644958 ... where it's appreciated if you can text to see we're not dealing with something or somebody else before phoning - thanks for your understanding.

As ever, our giving link is on the offering bag below.

May God bless you with His felt presence in the coming week.

DIY Sunday Service Kit - 07/05/2023 - Colossians 1:13-14, The Centrality of Jesus

 

Hi guys

It's been a rough few weeks health-wise and I'm just trying to get back into work, with varying success!

I'm very grateful for the progress made but this will be a very 'cut-down' DIY Sunday Service Kit this week I'm afraid.

Let's just take a moment for gratitude to God for His perpetual goodness, whatever the situation, as we start ...

Let's pray

Lord and loving Heavenly Father, we thank you for the kindness and the love that we experience from our Father's hand day by day.

We thank you for the beauty of creation, for the warmth of love we sense from others who was with you and for the many material and spiritual blessings that we enjoy.

Please focus our hearts and minds this and every day on the supremacy and the centrality of the Saviour, the eternal love of God our Father and the sufficiency of the Spirit's help with each fresh challenge of every day.

And take us deep into a fresh understanding of you from your Word today we pray.

In Jesus' Name ... Amen!

Many thanks for your patience while I've been unwell.

Please continue to pray for a return to better things!

As ever the giving link is on the offering bag pic below, and your support for the on-going work is as ever much appreciated.

Now may the God of peace - the God of rescue, repatriation and redemption - grant us all joy and peace in believing, that we may live by His grace to His Glory.

For Jesus' sake.

Amen.