Welcome to Barrowby Church Good morning Were glad

Welcome to Barrowby Church

Good morning We’re glad you could join us for our Mothering Sunday service. Although we are scattered instead of gathered, we are all together in the presence of God, and so even under these unfamiliar circumstances, we do indeed ‘meet in His name’. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are asking everyone to place a lighted candle in their window at 7. 00 p. m. today as a sign of solidarity and hope in the light of Christ that can never be extinguished. Let’s light up the village!

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and also with you. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v= WLkc. Xs. K 2 IZg

We have come together in the name of Christ to offer our praise and thanksgiving, to hear and receive God’s holy word, to pray for the needs of the world, and to seek the forgiveness of our sins, that by the power of the Holy Spirit we may give ourselves to the service of God. Jesus says, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. ’ So let us turn away from our sin and turn to Christ, confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and keep us in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Blessed is the Lord, for he has heard the voice of our prayer; Therefore shall our hearts dance for joy and in our song will we praise our God

Reading Colossians 3: 12 -17

God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together. Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful. Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.

As water to the thirsty https: //www. youtube. com/ watch? v=3 R-Piz 9 opb. E

Address The first months of 2020 can’t be said to have been best start to a year ever! First there were floods and storms – from which many people have barely started to recover, and now, overshadowing all that, coronavirus, which has even caused us to stop meeting together for worship in our church building – a situation we could hardly have imagined a few weeks ago. And today is Mothering Sunday – which is meant to be a bit of light relief before the really serious stuff as we head for Passion Sunday, Palm Sunday, and Holy Week. We should all be together. Children should be handing over little bunches of daffodils and primroses to their mums. Sunday lunch with family should be on the agenda. Instead, there is anxiety, isolation and uncertainty, all things which sit uncomfortably with our expectations of today. But actually, this week – Mothering Sunday, couldn’t come at a more opportune time, because the quality of mothering, which is at the heart of today, is needed now, more than ever.

If you’re not a mum, don’t think this has nothing to do with you! It surely goes without saying that mothering is a term which embraces far more than the simple biological status of having produced another human being. So although today we are of course, and quite rightly, giving thanks for our mums, showing them our appreciation, or remembering them with love - and celebrating the gift of being a mum, if we are one– this is a day for everyone, regardless of age, status or gender. Mothering is something we can all do, and something we all need. We’re facing up to exceptional circumstances right now, and that means a lot of worry – maybe for our own health, but also for people we know and love who may be at risk, or whose lives are already, or will be, particularly impacted by the restrictions in place, or which may still be to come, as well as those whose jobs and financial security are threatened. And of course those we know working in areas where they are likely to become overstretched in the coming months, where frustration and tiredness will be a major issue.

When times are tough, when we’re poorly, or frightened, or exhausted, or the world just doesn’t feel like a very friendly place any more – then, if we can, we instinctively turn to someone who can mother us. It might be our actual mum –or it might be someone else – or a number of people – who help to fill that place for us. Someone to speak words of comfort and reassurance. Someone to give us a (metaphorical, for the moment) hug. Someone to make things better if they can, and be there with us, even when they can’t make the difficult thing go away. Someone to notice when all is not well with us. Someone who will always remember us in their prayers. And sometimes, someone to tell us that there’s things we need to do about it ourselves. We’re in a rapidly changing situation, and that’s something mums understand very well too. It’s a given of the job that just when you think you’ve got it sussed, the nature of the game changes, and you have to adapt, learn new things, and let go of things that aren’t relevant any more.

From caring for a tiny and seemingly fragile newborn, to caring for a not so tiny and (seemingly) less fragile teenager is a big journey – and even then, there’s a long way still to go. As individuals and as a church family, we’re going to need to learn, and adapt, and offer, and serve, and be flexible, just as mums do. Right now, we are beginning to see the ways we can offer the gifts of mothering in this present crisis. And thank you, everyone who has already offered help and support to our community. It’s going to require commitment to being good friends and good neighbours; it already means learning to do some things differently, in order to care for each other, and remain faithful in worship. It will certainly mean continuing to look outside ourselves to see how we can be of service. We heard in our reading Paul’s call to be ‘gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. ’ and to’ Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you’. We’re going to need to remember

We will get tired. We won’t get everything right. We won’t always agree on the best way forward. People won’t always appreciate our attempts to help, or may expect more of us that we can reasonably give. That’s the reality of mothering too. But we needn’t be afraid; we of all people are well equipped to do these things – because the God who blesses and upholds us embodies all the qualities of mothering in His nature, even though our tradition is simply to call him ‘Father’. How could it be otherwise, when mothering is based on love, and all love is of God. So as He fills us with the Holy Spirit, He also gives us the strength to mother His people in love, and: ‘Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together’. So, today we thank God, more than ever, for the gift of mothering. As we light our candles this evening, let’s remember that we are called to be salt and light for our world, and then go do some mothering ourselves – each of us in the way that’s given to us to do it, so that God’s love will be shown and known even more clearly in the difficult days ahead. Amen.

Great is Thy faithfulness https: //www. youtube. com/ watch? v=0 k 1 Wh. Ft. Vp 0 o

The Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers

The Collect (A prayer for this Sunday) God of compassion, whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary, shared the life of a home in Nazareth, and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself: strengthen us in our daily living that in joy and in sorrow we may know the power of your presence to bind together and to heal; 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

Let us pray to the Lord, who is our refuge and stronghold. For the health and well-being of our nation, that all who are fearful and anxious may be at peace and free from worry: Lord, hear us, Lord, graciously hear us. For the isolated and housebound, that we may be alert to their needs, and care for them in their vulnerability: Lord, hear us, Lord, graciously hear us. For our homes and families, our schools and young people, and all in any kind of need or distress: Lord, hear us, Lord, graciously hear us. For a blessing on our local community, that our neighbourhoods may be places of trust and friendship, where all are known and cared for: Lord, hear us, Lord, graciously hear us.

As we remember, and give thanks for all those who are like mothers to us, show us how to give that gift of mothering to our families, our friends, and our neighbours. Lord, hear us, Lord, graciously hear us. We commend ourselves, and all for whom we pray, to the mercy and protection of God. Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

As our Saviour has taught us, so we pray: 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

Now thank we all our God https: //www. youtube. c om/watch? v=HGMu. J 4 U 7 z. T 8

Almighty and everlasting God, we thank you that you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day. Keep us from falling into sin or running into danger, order us in all our doings and guide us to do always what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to himself, may the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in his service; may the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our hearts, and may the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among us and remain with you always. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. Amen.

Thank you for joining us in worship this morning. Please now go and make yourself a drink, and enjoy a slice of calorie and fat free ‘virtual cake’ which this week is…… Simnel Cake The traditional choice for Mothering Sunday. Enjoy!