Opening Prayer Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. A Thought for today Today, we remember that on the Sabbath day Jesus’ body lay in the tomb. We also reflect on the Creed of the Church, which says that on this day that Jesus descended into hell. But why? Hear a reply from an ancient homily for Holy Saturday which says: “Today a great silence reigns on earth because the King is asleep”. It also says “I order you sleeper to awake. I did not create you to be a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead”. As Christians it is our belief that on this Holy Day that Jesus opened up the gates of hell for us to be let out.Holy Saturday Prayer Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we may reign with him in glory by becoming dead to sin and alive in Jesus. AMENPrayer of blessing May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and evermore. Amen.Closing Note This message is sent to you with love and prayers as: a word of encouragement and a sign of hope in these quite extraordinary times.
Opening Prayer Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. A Thought for today Today we recall Jesus’ last words from the cross before he died:• Father forgive them; for they know not what they do• Today you will be with me in paradise.• Woman, behold, thy son! Son, behold, thy mother!• My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?• I thirst.• It is finished.• Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.Ponder and learn from what Jesus prays for, what Jesus offers to a sinner, what Jesus provides for those He loves, what He says to the world and His Father.Good Friday Prayer Grant, Lord, that we who are baptized into the death of Jesus Christ may continually put to death our evil desires and be buried with him; and then pass to our joyful resurrection through the grave and gate of death; through the merits of Jesus, who died, was buried and rose again for us. AMENPrayer of blessing May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, now and evermore. Amen.Closing Note This message is sent to you with love and prayers as: a word of encouragement and a sign of hope in these quite extraordinary times.
Holy Week - Maundy ThursdayOpening Prayer Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Welcome & Opening Prayer On Maundy Thursday when we remember that when Jesus ate his last meal with his disciples and instituted the memorial of His Last Supper; he also washed the disciples’ feet and gave them a new commandment.Maundy Thursday Prayer: God our Father, you have invited us to share in the supper which your Son gave to his Church to proclaim his death until he comes: may he nourish us by his presence, and unite us in his love. AmenHear what happened from John 13 v3- 5 & v12-15 & v34-35A Thought for today Today we recall Jesus’ last meal with his friends. A meal at which he asked us to remember him. A meal at which he served his friends by washing their feet. A meal at which he broke bread and drank wine saying that they were his body and blood that would be given up for us to save us from our sins. A meal at which he commanded his friends to love one another as he had loved them. Then, when the meal was finished, Jesus went out to pray and prepare for all that was coming. He prayed that he would be spared from the suffering that was to come. Then gave himself over to God's will. After this he was arrested, falsely accused, convicted and condemned to death, tortured and tormented. Even though he was innocent and without sin.Let us pray: God our Father, you have invited us to share in the supper, that your Son gave to his Church, to proclaim his death until he comes: may he nourish us by his presence, and unite us in his love. AmenLords’ 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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. AmenPrayer of blessing - May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and evermore. Amen.Closing Note This message is sent to you with love and prayers as: a word of encouragement and a sign of hope in these quite extraordinary times.Thank you for joining us today. I hope you can join us again for Good Friday as we continue our Holy Week journey.
Spy WednesdayWelcome & Opening Prayer Today is Spy Wednesday when we remember that Jesus knew that he was being plotted against and going to be betrayed by one of His own disciples.Let’s hear about this from Scripture John 13 v 1-2(NRSVA) Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. & at his last meal with his disciples said in John 13v21 – 27(NRSVA) Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After Judas received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him and Jesus said to him, ‘Do quickly what you are going to do.’ ‘SilenceLet us pray: Almighty Father, look with mercy upon us your creation, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was content to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; for we are all sinners in need of your mercy and forgiveness. AmenLords’ 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. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. AmenThe Grace May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, now and evermore. AMENThank you for joining us today. I hope you can join us again on Thursday as we continue our Holy Week journey.
