Opening music – Uyai mose (come all you people)
On Zoom we will be listening to this in the original language. It reminds us that we are part of more than just the local church
Uyai mose,
tinamate Mwari,
Uyai mose,
tinamate Mwari,
Uyai mose,
tinamate Mwari,
Uyai mose zvino.
Come all you people,
come and praise your Maker,
come all you people,
come and praise your Maker,
come all you people,
come and praise your Maker,
come now and worship the Lord.
Alexander Gondo From Psalm 100 Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 22 Words: © Alexander Gondo, World Council of Churches Call to worship This is the day that the Lord has made We will rejoice and be glad it Come now all you people and worship God We come with open hearts and minds.
HYMN: O for a thousand tongues to sing
- Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer’s praise, The glories of my God and king, The triumphs of His grace!
- My gracious Master and my God, Assist me to proclaim, To spread through all the earth abroad, The honors of Thy name.
- Jesus! the name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease— ’Tis music in the sinner’s ears, ’Tis life, and health, and peace.
- He speaks, and, list’ning to His voice, New life the dead receive, The mournful, broken hearts rejoice, The humble poor believe.
- He breaks the pow’r of canceled sin, He sets the pris’ner free; His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood availed for me.
- See all your sins on Jesus laid; The Lamb of God was slain; His soul was once an offering made For every soul of man.
- Glory to God, and praise and love Be ever, ever giv’n By saints below and saints above, The church in earth and heav’n.
Prayer of adoration – (Psalm 145: 1 – 8, adapted)
Let us pray
We will extol you, our God and King, and bless your name for ever and ever.
Every day we will bless you, and praise your name for ever and ever.
For you are great O LORD, and greatly to be praised; your greatness is unsearchable.
Every day we will bless you, and praise your name for ever and ever.
One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendour of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, we will meditate.
Every day we will bless you, and praise your name for ever and ever.
The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed, and we will declare your greatness. So that all shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
Every day we will bless you, and praise your name for ever and ever.
For you O LORD are gracious and merciful, Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Every day we will bless you, and praise your name for ever and ever.
Amen
Prayer of thanksgiving
Pause for a moment and think about things that you want to give thanks to God for:
Silence
For the love of family and friends
We give you thanks and praise
For those who care for others
We give you thanks and praise
For those who do the unglamorous jobs that make life better for others
We give you thanks and praise
The beauty and wonder of creation
We give you thanks and praise
For the coming of your Kingdom
We give you thanks and praise
For love shown to us in Jesus Christ
We give you thanks and praise
For the gift of your Spirit
We give you thanks and praise.
Amen
Reading: Jonah 3: 10 – 4: 11
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it. But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. He prayed to the LORD and said, ‘O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.’ And the LORD said, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?’ Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.
The LORD God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.’
But God said to Jonah, ‘Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?’ And he said, ‘Yes, angry enough to die.’ Then the LORD said, ‘You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labour and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?’
Reading Philippians 1: 21-30
For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
HYMN: When I Survey
1 When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.
2 Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast save in the death of Christ my God ; all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood.
3 See from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down ; did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown ?
4 Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.
Isaac Watts (1674–1748) Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 287.
Gospel Matthew 20: 1-16
‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard.
When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went.
When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage.* Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’
HYMN: Behold the servant of the Lord
1 Behold the servant of the Lord ! I wait thy guiding eye to feel, to hear and keep thy every word, to prove and do thy perfect will, joyful from my own works to cease, glad to fulfil all righteousness.
2 Me if thy grace vouchsafe to use, Meanest of all thy creatures, me, the deed, the time, the manner choose ; let all my fruit be found of thee ; let all my works in thee be wrought, by thee to full perfection brought.
3 My every weak though good design o’errule or change, as seems thee meet ; Jesus, let all my work be thine ! Thy work, O Lord, is all complete, and pleasing in thy Father’s sight ; Thou only hast done all things right.
4 Here then to thee thine own I leave ; mould as thou wilt thy passive clay ; but let me all thy stamp receive, but let me all thy words obey, serve with a single heart and eye, and to thy glory live and die.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788) Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 546 .
Prayer of confession
In the stillness and the silence, we seek God’s forgiveness, let us pray.
Silence
For the times when we have ignored your call, and gone our own way
Loving God, forgive us
For the times we have not seen your grace at work in other people
Loving God, forgive us
For the times we have let envy and greed blind us to your generous, forgiving love.
Loving God, forgive us
Silence
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, hear then his gracious words: “your sins are forgiven.
Amen.
Thanks be to God
Prayers of Intercession
Let us pray
We pause to think of our special concerns
Silence
We pray for the leaders of the nations, for all who have power and influence, that they may hear the cries of the poor and the needy and act with justice and with mercy.
Silence
We pray for all who are marginalised and excluded, because of their race, sexuality, age, health or economic circumstances. Remind us that you include them in your kingdom and help us to hear and listen to their voices.
Silence
We pray for the Church, that as Christ’s disciples we may have the courage to speak truth to power, to work for justice and reconciliation. Help us to recognise you in friend and in stranger, as we work together for the coming of your kingdom.
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever.
Amen
Prayer of dedication
Gracious and loving God you have bestowed on us so much. We know that even the whole realm of nature is too small an offering, but in humility we offer to you our gifts, of money, time, creativity and service. Take these gifts, take our all and let our lives be consecrated to you, in Jesus Christ or Lord,
Amen.
HYMN: I’ll Go In the Strength Of The Lord
1 I’ll go in the strength of the Lord In paths He has marked for my feet; I’ll follow the light of His word, Nor shrink from the dangers I meet. His presence my steps shall attend, His fullness my wants shall supply; On Him, till my journey shall end, My unwavering faith shall rely. I’ll go (I’ll go,) I’ll go in the strength, I’ll go in the strength of the Lord, I’ll go, (I’ll go,) I’ll go in the strength, I’ll go in the strength of the Lord.
2 I’ll go in the strength of the Lord To work He appoints me to do; In joy which his smile doth afford My soul shall her vigour renew. His wisdom shall guard me from harm, His power my sufficiency prove; I’ll trust His omnipotent arm, And prove His unchangeable love. Refrain
3 I’ll go in the strength of the Lord To conflicts which faith will require, His grace as my shield and reward, My courage and zeal shall inspire. Since he gives the word of command, To meet and encounter the foe, With his sword of truth in my hand, To suffer and triumph I’ll go.
Refrain
Words and Music: Edward Turney
Blessing
Now unto him who is able to present us faultless before his presence, with exceeding joy, be all glory, majesty, dominion and power, now and forever.
Amen.
And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be up on us all now and always.
Amen.
