Watchword for the Week

God says, “I will seek the lost, and I will bring back

the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will

strengthen the weak.” (Ezekiel 34:16)

(Moravian Daily Texts 2017)

ORGAN PRELUDE

WELCOME and CALL to WORSHIP

(Psalm 100 – New International Version Bible)

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Serve the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the LORD is good

and his love endures for ever;

his faithfulness continues

through all generations.

Hymn 459 * Crown him with many crowns

People’s Choice Hymns are marked with an asterisk (*)

PRAYER of APPROACH

Come, let us bow down in worship,

let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

for he is our God and we are the people of

his pasture, the flock under his care.

Lord, we are here in this place to meet with you;

through the Holy Spirit lead us to encounter you

today, help us to know that you are God.

Through the news headlines of today,

we declare with faith that you are God.

Within our community and church,

we declare with faith that you are God.

Amid the unresolved fears of our lives,

we declare with faith that you are God.

We bring to you now the worship of our lives.

Come, let us bow down in worship,

let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

for he is our God and we are the people of

his pasture, the flock under his care.

Lord, like a shepherd, you never stop searching

for your people; your care for us anticipates our

need. Before we recognised we needed your

grace, in love Jesus gave his life for our

forgiveness. We confess that we need your

forgiveness, we confess our sins:

You are the shepherd and we are your flock, but

we admit the times we have tried to take your

place and take control ourselves.

We admit that we have not always trusted your

good news to be good for us. At times we have

pleaded with you to care for us, but we have

held back from caring for others and ignored

the needs of others.

Lord, have mercy upon us. Forgive us in the

name of Jesus. Loving shepherd, teach us by

the Holy Spirit to follow you in the days and

places of the weeks ahead.

Through Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Hymn 462 1-3* The King of Love…

DECLARATION of FORGIVENESS

However long we wander, however far we stray,

God’s steadfastness endures forever. Sisters

and brothers, be assured: in Jesus Christ we are

forgiven. Thanks be to God. Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

SHARING GOD’S PEACE

(Children may join the Kids’ Church programme)

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 OT p. 837

St. Matthew 25:31-46 NT p. 38

People may stand for the Gospel reading.

The word of God: Thanks be to God!

Hymn 279 * Make way for Christ the King

SERMON Rev. James Brown

Hymn 474 1-3+5 Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

(Offerings are gathered and brought forward)

(Tune: Moville – Hymn 450)

DEDICATION PRAYER (in unison)

In gratitude for the immeasurable gift of

Jesus Christ, we bring out tithes and

offerings to you, O God. Use us, and these

gifts, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked,

and honour your presence in all people;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS See Notices overleaf

PRAYERS for OTHERS

Sung response (Hymn 805):

Your Kingdom come:

Your will be done on earth, O Lord.

The LORD’S PRAYER

(Please pray in your own preferred language / version.)

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. Amen.

Hymn 283 * The voice of God goes out

(Tune: Woodlands – Hymn 622)

BLESSING and Threefold Amen (No. 819)

ORGAN POSTLUDE