|
Vocations Sunday 2006
DISCOVERING THE PLACE
THAT GOD HAS IN MIND FOR YOU
INTRODUCTION
These materials are part of the response of the
Leadership Development Group of Thames North Synod to concerns about the
reduction in the number of younger people responding to a call to the
Ministry of Word and Sacrament.
Recognising the variety and breadth of vocations
in the service of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, we are nevertheless
anxious to encourage church congregations to consider whether they are
open to the possibility that young people, even the youngest children,
may be experiencing a call to ordained ministry. We need to be open to
discerning that this is happening, and ready to respond positively by
nurturing not only their faith development, but also their call to
ministry.
One of the limitations of the Revised Common
Lectionary is that John 21 only appears every three years, and we are
also aware that not every church uses the RCL as the basis for their
preaching and teaching.
We wanted to take this passage of scripture as our
main text, and also to offer the possibility that the third Sunday in
January may not be the most appropriate time for this service to take
place. By basing our materials on scripture which is not linked to any
particular Sunday in the year, congregations are free to consider when
in the liturgical year they might wish to focus the minds of the
congregation on the subject of vocation in its broadest sense. For
instance, Lent might be a more appropriate time as we examine our
Christian life and witness, or perhaps immediately after Easter, as we
seek for ways to respond to the Resurrection experiences of the
disciples and how they might be reflected in our own lives. And of
course Pentecost offers us the chance to link vocations with the coming
of the Holy Spirit empowering the disciples to take the Gospel message
into the world.
The central feature of the materials this year is
an extensive dialogue under the title of ‘A Galilean Tale’ with
illustrations, using The Message version of John’s Gospel.
We would encourage congregations to use this in a
flexible way. It is possible to dip into the material and extract parts
for use in different services. You might wish to use the dialogue as a
framework to help the congregation or worship team to develop their own
service materials and structure. Liturgy is the work of the people, and
we hope that churches will find these materials a catalyst for
imaginative and creative worship.
Revd June Colley
Revd Anne Sardeson
Revd Neil Thorogood
Anne Sardeson is minister of Trinity Walthamstow
URC in East London. The church is very much grounded in community work,
and aims to make God known in the local community through its work and
worship. In 2004 Anne was awarded a Creative Scholarship by the Thames
North Synod to enable her to further her work as a liturgist and
composer. She writes liturgies for all ages and all occasions, and
spends a lot of time exploring how music is used in worship. She has
published hymns and prayers along with other music and words for use in
worship.
Neil Thorogood was ordained in 1992 having trained
at Mansfield College. He first ministered in the Halifax Group, where
in addition to the full range of church activities, they ran a charity
which trained unemployed people in an area hard hit by mill closures. In 2000 he was called to the Free Church in Welwyn Garden City, but in
September 2005 he moved to Westminster College to be Director of
Pastoral Studies. One of his greatest passions is the use of visual
arts in worship.
June Colley ministers in the Forest Group of
United Reformed Churches and is based at St. James’ URC in Buckhurst
Hill, Essex. Following a long career in education, June completed her
ministerial training at Mansfield College and was ordained in 2000. She
is a member of the Synod Leadership Development Group, and uses her
experience in the training of education managers to lead conferences and
discussion groups.
VOCATIONS SUNDAY 2006
A Galilean Tale:
Voices from our church and voices from John’s
Gospel
GATHERING (based on John 1: 29-44)
Voice 1: Here I am again, back in
church. It’s been a long week! I’ll just settle down here in my familiar
place and catch my breath. I wonder what the service will be like today?
Did I put the oven on? Why are that couple chatting so loudly? Don’t
they know this is a church? Who are they anyway? Come on now, try to
concentrate! Stop all that wandering and let’s focus on God. What on
earth are they doing with that bag of sweets?
Voice 2: John the Baptist saw
Jesus and yelled: “Here he is! Here’s the one who forgives the sins of
the world! This is the man I’ve been telling you about, the one who’s
far greater than me. He’s the one I wanted you to meet. He’s the one I
wanted to prepare you for by baptising you in the River Jordan. He’s
alive with God’s Spirit. Follow him!”
Voice 1: I love this moment as our
service begins. It’s like a deep breath on a still morning as the sun
comes up. It’s good to be here again. It’s good to see the familiar
faces. It’s good to share the expectancy. God is here. We’re here to be
his people all over again. I’m sure he’s got things to say to us. I
wonder if I’ll hear?
Voice 2: Two of John’s followers
heard John speaking like this about Jesus. They were curious. So they
followed him, keeping their distance. But Jesus turned and waited for
them to catch up. “What are you looking for?” he asked. “Teacher,” they
said, “where are you staying?” “He replied, “Come and see.” So they went
with him, and spent the day talking with him. One of them was Andrew,
Simon Peter’s brother. He went off to find Simon and told him, “We’ve
found the Messiah!” Simon went with him to Jesus, who saw him coming and
said, “You’re Simon aren’t you. From now on your name is Peter.” Peter
means “rock.” The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee, where he ran
across Philip and said, “Come, follow me.”
HEARING (based on John 4: 1-23 and 6: 1-15)
Voice 1: Thank goodness I’m not up
at the front with those others! I can’t imagine how they lead worship.
I’d much rather keep to myself here at the back. I’ve never really
wanted to get too involved with this church. I wonder why? I suppose
it’s because everyone else seems so much more Christian than I am. But
the story of that woman at the well won’t get out of my head. Jesus
wants her to have “endless life.” What does that feel like? What I am
and the way I live “count before God,” Jesus says. Doesn’t that mean God
wants to use me? What does God want to use me for?
Voice 2: Jesus came to Sychar, a
Samaritan village. Worn out, Jesus sat down at Jacob’s well. It was
noon. A woman, a Samaritan, came to draw water. Jesus said, “Would you
give me drink?” The Samaritan woman, taken aback, asked, “How come you,
a Jew, are asking me for a drink? Jesus answered, “If you knew the
generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and
I would give you fresh, living water.” Everyone who drinks this water
will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I will
give will never thirst - not ever. The water I give will be an artesian
spring within, gushing fountains of endless life. It’s who you are and
the way you live that count before God.”
Voice 1: Isn’t it funny how the
big people look so bored in church! It is boring, though, sometimes.
Remember that minister with the big black cape who mumbled so much even
John didn’t know when to start playing the music? But I love it when we
hear the stories about Jesus and how he made things different. I think
he wants to make me different sometimes. Maybe he wants me to be a
minister. Or maybe, if I keep learning the piano, Jesus wants me to play
in church. I’d play a loud dance really fast so everyone wanted to
laugh! I bet Jesus would love that!
Voice 2: When Jesus looked out and
saw that a large crowd had arrived, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy
bread to feed these people?” Philip answered, “Two hundred silver pieces
wouldn’t be enough to buy bread for each person to get a piece.” Andrew
said, “There’s a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two
fish. But that’s a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this.” Jesus
said, “Make the people sit down.” They say down, about five thousand of
them. Then Jesus took the bread and, having given thanks, gave it to
those who were seated. He did the same with the fish. All ate as much as
they wanted.
STRUGGLING (based on John 16: 12-18 and 18: 17-27)
Voice 1: There’s been this nagging
thought I’ve had for weeks now. It won’t go away. I keep coming back
to it over and over again. It’s exciting and terrifying at the same
time. Part of me hope’s it’s true and part of me wants to find out I’m
wrong. Sometimes it feels like God is playing with me, like a kitten
chasing after a piece of string. But I have this feeling that God is
calling me. I have this feeling that God wants me to give more of myself
and more of my life. Following Jesus can’t be a side line. If I’m going
to follow him then it’s going to change everything for me, and for those
around me. And I’m scared and excited. God’s got hold of me.
Voice 2: Jesus said, “I still have
many things to tell you, but you can’t handle them now. But when the
Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and
guide you into all the truth there is. He will make sense out of what is
about to happen. In a day or so you’re not going to see me, but then in
another day or so you will see me.” That stirred up a hornet’s nest of
questions among the disciples: “What’s he talking about? What is this
‘day or so’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”
Voice 1: We’ve drifted along these
past months. Funny how the time passes and being busy hides a lot. But I
can see, now, how we’ve lost something dear to us. We’ve stopped getting
together as a congregation to really seek God’s will for us here. We’ve
barely opened the Bible together. We’ve got into a rut. And then came
that communion last week. Old Elizabeth was leading. She must have lost
count of the communions she’s presided over. And she stopped after she’d
read the words of Paul about doing this in remembrance of Jesus. And
there were tears in her eyes as she stared at us all. And she said, “I
think we’ve not really been remembering him at all. I think we’re taking
him for granted. I think he wants so much more for us, and so much more
from us. Don’t you?” And we simply stopped. And she prayed. What a
prayer it was, from the heart.
Voice 2: The young woman who was
the doorkeeper at the home of Annas said to Peter, “Aren’t you one of
this man’s disciples?” He said, “No, I’m not.” The servants and police
had made a fire because of the cold and were huddled there warming
themselves. Peter stood with them, trying to get warm. The others there
said to him, “Aren’t you one of his disciples?” He denied it, “Not me.”
One of the Chief Priest’s servants said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden
with him?” Again, Peter denied it.
CONSEQUENCES (based on John 21: 1-17)
Voice 1: This is what God wants
from me. I can feel it now. The further I’ve explored it the more I’ve
become sure of it. God wants me to do this as my way of belonging to the
Church. This is the little bit that I can bring to complete the picture.
I’m ready for it now. There’s still plenty that unnerves me about it,
but I know what’s right now. This is going to be my bit of the ministry
of our church. I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be. And I feel closer
to God now than I’ve ever felt before.
Voice 2: The disciples caught
nothing that night. When the sun came up, Jesus was standing on the
beach, but they didn’t recognize him. Jesus said, “Throw the net off the
right side of the boat and see what happens.” They did what he said. All
of a sudden there were so many fish in it, they weren’t strong enough to
pull it in. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the
Master!” Peter dove into the sea. The others came in by boat. They found
a fire laid, with fish and bread cooking on it. Jesus said, “Bring some
of the fish you’ve just caught. Breakfast is ready.”
Voice 1: “You’ve got to know that
I love you.” You said it, Peter! I know
how you felt; standing on that beach, looking into
his eyes, letting his words hit you like the crashing waves. You were
being called, just like me. And Jesus knows that calling costs. So he
peels back the layers of faith and doubt that we weave around ourselves
and gets to the very heart of it all: “Do you love me?” You want a love
so deep it will be like that well of everlasting life bubbling into
eternity. You know that’s what obeying your call will take. To give and
give of your love to others I’m going to have to receive and receive of
your love through others. I’m going to have to truly love you if I’m
going to love your Church and your world. What an answer you came up
with, Peter! “You’ve got to know that I love you.” And Jesus knew,
didn’t he. With all my heart, and all my life, I want to give Peter’s
answer too.
Voice 2: After breakfast, Jesus
said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more
than these?” “Yes, Master, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my
lambs.” He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love
me?” Yes, Master, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.”
Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, so he answered,
“Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I
love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”
BLESSING (based on John 8: 12-14, 10: 11-15 and
16: 23-33)
Voice 1: Sometimes I don’t feel
very blessed! It’s a long haul ministering here. There are times when I
feel like giving up. And I don’t really like you then, Lord. I wish you
would just change people, make them more open, bring them alive. I want
to see such big things happen here. I want it for your Kingdom, and I
want it for me. And then I remember…
Voice 2: Jesus said, “I am the
world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in darkness.
I provide plenty of light to live in. You can depend on my word being
true. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before
himself. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. I put the sheep
before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary.”
Voice 1: It’s staggering.
Loneliness is gone. Brokenness is mended. Emptiness is filled. I am
blessed! We are blessed! All the world is blessed! Everything is made
new in that one word. It trips off the tongue so fast and so simply as
our worship ends. It’s the little instinctive response to a sneeze when
we say “Bless you.” But what it means is so big, so wonderful; a prize
beyond price, a power beyond our control. We’re blessed and that means
there’s no gap between us and God because God simply doesn’t allow it.
We’re blessed and that means there’s no force in the universe great
enough to break us. And I’m blessed. I’m totally caught up in the story
God is writing and the dance God is staging. I’m not a bystander. I’m
not lost. I’m at the heart of the action, playing my part, sharing my
piece of God’s Kingdom burden. And whilst it isn’t easy, it is truly
awesome. What greater thing could there be than to serve God, and know
it?
Voice 2: Jesus said, “This is what
I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the
things I’ve revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and
he’ll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river
overflowing its banks! The Father is with me. I’ve told you all this so
that trusting, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In
this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But
take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”
© Neil Thorogood 2005
All Age Worship Suggestions
Something to take away
Photocopy enough of the pairs of pictures in this
pack to give one pair to each member of the congregation. Have pens and
pencils available in the church. Hand out the pictures towards the end
of the service, just before the last of the five Galilean Tales is read
out. Invite everyone to be still for a moment to look at their picture
and think about what it means to them. Make the point that we’ve been
hearing part of the story of Jesus because we believe that Jesus wants
each one of us to be part of his story today. Invite everyone to turn
over their picture and write on it their answers to this question: What
do you think Jesus wants you to do for him with your life? Give people
time to think and write (perhaps with gentle music played in the
background). Offer a prayer for everyone present, asking that each of us
will discover what our calling is. Invite people to take their picture
and answer home and to put it somewhere where they’ll see it and think
about it during the week.
Vocations Big Box
In the biggest box you can find put a Bible, a
passport, a map, a compass and a train/bus/plane ticket. Wrap the box up
in bright paper. Have the box prominently displayed throughout the
service. When you want to talk about Vocations Sunday point to the box
and ask people to guess what’s inside. After getting some answers, tell
the congregation that this box is going to help us explore what a
vocation is. Get volunteers to help you unwrap the box and take out the
contents. Explain these contents:
-
The Bible is the story of God working with
many people, and promises us that God wants to work with each of us too.
-
The passport, map, compass and ticket are
all used for journeys. Our vocations are the journeys we take with God
as God shows us what we’re to do with our lives. The journeys can be
small as God shows us how to help someone, or huge as God shows a church
how to change something big in its life (use illustrations from your
church to bring these ideas alive)
DISCOVERING THE PLACE THAT GOD HAS IN MIND FOR YOU
Sermon Notes – Theme 1: Resurrection and Moving On
top
An exploration of how God offers us new
beginnings, and the different ways in which Jesus Christ calls people to
new tasks in God’s service.
Readings: John 21: 1-19 Acts 9:
1-19 Romans 6: 6-14
-
Moving on from death to new life
-
Jesus response to Peter – helping Peter to move on – releasing him from his guilt and sense
of failure
-
Jesus not avoiding the
issue – giving Peter purpose in his life
-
The fishermen caught
nothing – futile activity – working in the wrong direction
-
Firstly no recognition of
Jesus – how did the beloved disciple recognise Jesus – what he said,
his voice, or by what happened?
-
Do we recognise God by his
voice in scripture (call and response) or by our experiences which
are a sign of God working in our lives and in our world?
-
Paul goes through a ‘little death’ before
his calling is revealed to him.
-
It is the risen Christ who
confronts him.
-
Some have a Damascus
experience – some more gradual in revelation of God’s purpose
-
God takes the initiative –
somewhere, somehow, something will happen.
-
Paul becomes vulnerable and
is forced to step into the unknown
-
He turns his back on the
past – turned around by the experience
-
Paul enters into the
‘darkness’ of uncertainty and disorientation – having to be led by
others, with the consequent loss of authority.
-
When previous certainty is
gone – the opening up to different possibilities in life
-
The role of Annanias and
others – support and encouragement.
-
Dying and rising to Christ
in Baptism - waters of birth and rebirth. [Peter goes through the
water to come to Jesus.]
-
In the acceptance of a
calling the relationship to Christ changes – not better or superior,
just different – causing a reassessment of that relationship, a new
stage of the journey.
DISCOVERING THE PLACE THAT GOD HAS IN MIND FOR YOU
Sermon Notes - Theme 2: Discernment and
Collaboration
A challenge to church congregations to be open to
God’s call to make disciples, to recognise spiritual gifts and not to
put barriers in the way of the ministry of all believers, from the very
youngest to the most elderly.
Readings: Exodus 18: 13-27 1
Samuel 3: 1-9 Acts 9: 1-19
-
Discernment of the church – to search out
and recognise gifts and calling.
-
Sowing seed for future
growth. The idea is planted – it will need nurture; food for
thought and the warmth of encouragement.
-
The seed is sown and the
person is now more receptive and ready to answer God’s call. A
dialogue has begun between that person and God.
-
Plant the seed at an early
age –God is not ageist – just as God spoke to Samuel so he could be
speaking to a little child in your midst
-
God does not call only
those in the church – just as he spoke to Paul so he could be
speaking to somebody on the fringes of our church life, or even
somebody hostile to our traditions and beliefs
-
We need to be open to the
unexpected and be ready to work together to support and encourage
vocations in even the youngest child, and in people who might be
‘disturbed’ by experiences and feelings which don’t fit into our
existing pattern of church life.
-
The church’s role is discernment and
encouragement – approaching those with the gifts appropriate to
different kinds of ministry – ‘have you thought/have you considered’
[rather than ‘you should’!].
-
God takes the initiative –
somewhere, somehow, something will happen.
-
Annanias and others played
an important part in Paul’s preparation for ministry –offering help
where and when it was needed
-
God does not call us to
work on our own
-
Moses and the elders –
collaboration – called for a purpose – ministering together –
sharing the burden – in fellowship.
Compiled by Revd June Colley with Revd Kevin
Swaine (Minister at Woodford United Free Church and Convener of the
Thames North Leadership Development Group)
Suggested Hymns
top
Gathering
Great God your love has called us here (R&S 339)
I come with joy to meet my Lord (R&S 447)
As we are gathered, Jesus is here (R&S 469)
Come all you people (CG 18)
Hearing
Before the world began (R&S 180)
Not far beyond the sea (R&S 318)
Thanks to God whose Word was spoken (R&S 319)
Will you come and follow me if I but call your
name (CG 148)
I will make you fishers of men (JP 123)
Responding
Dear Master, in whose life I see (R&S 493)
Hushed was the evening hymn (R&S 526)
I, the Lord of sea and sky (CG 50)
Lord, you have come to the lakeside (CG 79)
Thuma Mina (Send me Lord) (CG 129)
Be bold, be strong (JP 14)
Consequences
Brother, sister, let me serve you (R&S 474)
Go forth and tell! (R&S 574)
God’s Spirit is deep in my heart (R&S 576)
Lord, you give the great commission (R&S 580)
Sent by the Lord and I (CG 105)
Tree of life and awesome mystery (CG 136)
Blessing
You shall go out with joy (R&S 415)
May the Lord, mighty God, bless and keep you
forever (CG 83)
Lord we ask now to receive your blessing (JP 301)
R&S Rejoice and Sing : Oxford University
Press (1991)
CG Common Ground : Saint Andrew Press
(1998)
JP Junior Praise : Marshall Pickering
(1986)
Word of life and wisdom pure,
Found above and yet below,
Calling to our deepest selves,
Redefining all we know.
In a room, in deepest night,
asking what the way may be:
“Look again at all you are,
and be born again in me.”
Thirsting at the noon of day,
from the well your water draw:
“I may know your deepest fears,
yet with me you thirst no more.”
Upper room, and silent awe,
Breaking bread and pouring wine,
Word made flesh and reaching out:
“Share in this, for you are mine.”
So we wonder where we go,
and we ask what company.
Then the wise and daring word
simply answers: “follow me”.
John ch. 1, 3, 4, 13-17, 21
(c) Anne J. Sardeson “Out of the Box” publications 2005
We Gather To Worship The Giver Of Life
A word in the desert,
Makes way for The Word
that called creation into being.
Listen
- what do we hear?
Look
- what do we see?
The way of God
- what way is that?
The life of God
- what life is that?
Come, let us worship:
The way, the truth, the life
That is God.
A hymn of approach and praise may be sung
We Gather
To Hear The Call
A word in the desert,
Makes way for The Word
that called creation into being.
Listen
- what do we hear?
Look
- what do we see?
The way of God
- what way is that?
The life of God
- what life is that?
Come, let us listen:
The way, the truth, the life
That is God.
The scripture may be read
We Gather
To Offer Our Lives
A Prayer of confession
One Word of God:
Powerfully creative,
we have silenced you
because we have become self sufficient, and found
ways
of being creative for ourselves,
forgetting that you
are the source of all creativity.
All Forgive us,
let us know the light of your
grace and truth.
One Word of God:
Your home is among us
but we have not known you.
We have not reached out
to those beyond our knowledge.
We have turned our back
on your persistent challenge.
We have shut the door
to your uncomfortable presence.
All Forgive us,
let us know the light of your
grace and truth.
One Word of God
you shine in the darkness,
we try to put you out
but you persist.
Meet us here,
in our weakness and uncertainty
that we may embrace anew
the truth of your being among us.
All Forgive us,
for you are grace.
Lead us to new life,
for your way is truth.
Let us know again the glory
of your presence,
In this place,
and this time,
and forever more.
Amen.
We Gather
To Receive From God
An approach for communion
In your grace O God, you invite us to your table
You walk with us,
But we do not know it is you
You teach us,
But we do not hear your truth,
So here you sit with us and break bread
That we might know the truth
That you are here
That your spirit is with us.
So we come, and receive your bread
at our table, which you make your own.
We are not perfect,
but we are forgiven
We do not have to come,
but we choose to.
We do not come alone
We come with others, from near and far
That we may share with each other,
and celebrate the with the risen Christ
The power of the love of God,
for us and all people.
A hymn may be sung
A prayer of thanksgiving:
All glory be to you O God,
For out of the richness of your creation we have so much!
We offer you now all we can that you may transform our offerings to
you into signs of your presence and power.
We have heard the story, so many times, the story of the last supper,
where Jesus, at supper with his closest friends, shared bread and wine,
and transformed the ordinary and familiar into signs of God’s presence
and work in the world.
For he took bread, and he gave thanks, and then he broke it. “This is
my body” he said, and offering it to them, he invited them to eat saying
his body would be broken.
Then he took wine and gave thanks, then, offering the cup to them, he
said it was his blood. He invited them to drink, saying his blood would
be shed.
And we have heard so many times, the stories of his life, of his
sharing, of his giving, of his making the Word of Life flesh and blood.
And for all this we give thanks to you, O God for the gift of Jesus
Christ. For his life, death and resurrection. For the hope he brought to
all who met him, for the hope he brings now to our world, that the one
who gave us life has made you known in all your power and weakness.
We take now this bread, and pray that you will transform it into a
sign of Christ’s presence with us. As we break it may we know that we
your people, and as we eat it we may know it to be the bread of life.
We take this wine, and pray that you will transform it into a sign of
Christ’s life in us. As it is poured, may we remember his self giving
love, and as we drink it may be for us a taste of the glory of your
kingdom.
All glory be to you, O God, our strength and our salvation. Now and
for ever. Amen!
Sharing of bread and wine
A prayer after sharing:
Holy God,
Maker of heaven and earth
Here, in this place,
We have shared your gifts
And received your blessing
May we, who have known your grace
- leave this place to share your hope with the world.
May we, who seen your liberation
- tell your story to the world in our actions.
We offer ourselves to you
This day and all days
In the name of Christ,
- who died and rose and lives in us and with us
Amen!
We Leave
To Follow The Way
We have gathered
and we have listened,
and it may be that God has spoken,
and it may be that we have heard.
Let us go now, for this time is over.
Let us go and live as people of The Word.
Let us go and live our lives.
Let us go, and let us bid God bless us:
The blessing of God,
Our maker, our liberator and our sustainer,
Is our this day, and always.
Amen.
Anne Sardeson
Prayer
A Prayer of Dedication (said by all)
For your Kingdom to come,
for your will to be done,
for our prayers to be true
we need to follow you.
So we will.
We will follow you as you change our lives,
we will follow you as you change our church,
we will follow you as you change our world.
For we are committed to being and becoming your
children,
sharing your work as we seek to obey your will,
discovering your will for each one of us.
Just as Jesus was committed, and obeyed, and
discovered.
Amen.
© Neil Thorogood 2005
top
|
