United Covenant Service & Holy Communion
- Occurring
- for 1 hour, 15 mins
- Venue
- St Oswald's, Durham
- Address Church Street Durham, DH1 3DQ, United Kingdom
On the Second Sunday of Epiphany, we will be joined at St Oswald's by our friends from Durham City Methodists (Elvet Methodist Church and North Road Methodist Church) for a special United Covenant Service & Holy Communion, marking the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) 2026, followed by refreshments in the Institute across the road. All are very welcome to come and join us.
Preacher:
The Reverend John Squares, Methodist Superintendent Minister for Durham and Deerness Valley Circuit
Special readings will be used at this service. The Gospel Reading for this Sunday is John 1:29-42.
Hymns:
508 (t. 507)
SP* 152
581 (t.i)
538 (t. Day of Rest)
Psalms:
40:1-12
And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’
(John 1:32-34, New Revised Standard Version - Anglicized Edition)
The Collect of the Day:
Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
(Common Worship, the Church of England)
The Post Communion:
God of glory, you nourish us with your Word who is the bread of life: fill us with your Holy Spirit that through us the light of your glory may shine in all the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
(Common Worship, the Church of England)
The Covenant Prayer:
I am no longer my own but yours.
Put me to what you will,
rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing,
put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you
or laid aside for you,
exalted for you
or brought low for you;
let me be full,
let me be empty,
let me have all things,
let me have nothing;
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things
to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you are mine and I am yours.
So be it.
And the covenant now made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
(The Covenant Service, the Methodist Worship Book 2022, The Methodist Church in Great Britain)
Prayer Intentions for the Day from the Durham Diocesan (Church of England) Monthly Prayer Cycle:
Our Archdeacons -
Rick Simpson (Auckland), Katherine Bagnall (Sunderland), and Libby Wilkinson (Durham)
Anglican Communion -
Province de L'Eglise Anglicane Du Congo: The Most Reverend Georges Titre Ande
Durham Diocese (Church of England) Deanery Prayer Intention for January 2026 -
Easington Deanery
The theme for this year's WPCU is 'There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling', from Ephesians 4:4.
The Bible Verse for WPCU Day 1 - Our Calling:
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called
(Ephesians 4:1, New Revised Standard Version - Anglicized Edition)
The Prayer for WPCU Day 1 - Our Calling:
God of light,
you have called us out of darkness into your light.
May our response to your call lead us to actively seek reconciliation
and share your light in the world.
Amen.
Preserve me from my calling's snare,
and hide my simple heart above,
above the thorns of choking care,
the gilded baits of worldly love.
(Forth in Thy Name O Lord I Go, Charles Wesley * 1707–1788, Common Praise - A new edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern, #430, Verse 3)
Today also marks the Commemoration of Amy Carmichael, Founder of the Dohnavur Fellowship, Spiritual Writer, 1951.
***Unless otherwise stated, all hymns are from Common Praise - A new edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern; *SP = Sing Praise - Hymns and Songs for Refreshing Worship (the supplement to Common Praise). Further musical information for January 2026 can be found by clicking on the attachment below.***
***Please click on 'MORE INFO' below for further details of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.***
