(All our songs this morning are from Singing the Faith (StF) numbers will be given where available)
Welcome to our Sunday Service, this week comes courtesy of The Vine at Home and Twelve Baskets
Click on the blue links to follow them for bible readings and associated links
Opening Prayers
Lord of my life,
Lord of every life,
I give you thanks for this world,
the beauty that is all around me,
the people with whom I share my life.
Let my soul sing out in awe and wonder,
Let me give thanks.
Lord of all life,
I know, though, that sometimes I forget the wonder of your world.
I don’t respect and protect the beauty that surrounds me, everyday.
I can be unthinking and uncaring towards the people with whom I share this world.
I am sorry for the harsh words, the unsaid words, the times when my actions have caused
pain.
I ask for your forgiveness.
Breathe new life into me, this day, I pray.
As you breathe that new life into me, show me how to breathe deeply.
Giving thanks,
Appreciating all I have.
Amen.
You may now wish to say the Lord’s Prayer in a version or translation with which
you are familiar.
Reading:
John 14:1-14
Reflection on the reading:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.”
Jesus speaks these words at a moment of deep uncertainty. The disciples can sense that
something is ending: the future feels unclear, fear is close to the surface.
And into that space, Jesus does not offer a detailed plan or easy answers. He offers
presence and trust.
“Trust in God; trust also in me.”
Then come the familiar words: “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places…”
These verses have often been interpreted as a promise about heaven, and it seems likely
this is what they are about, but they also speak to something more immediate. They speak of belonging, of spaciousness, of a God whose presence is wide enough to hold all of who we are.
Jesus is not describing a narrow path that only a few can find. He is revealing a relationship: a way of being rooted in love.
When Thomas asks, “How can we know the way?” Jesus responds:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
For many, this has sounded exclusive. But perhaps Jesus is not drawing boundaries so
much as offering direction. The “way” is not a set of doctrines, it is a way of living shaped
by love, justice, compassion, and truth. Jesus is a direction of travel: it is more important
which way you are facing, than how far you have come.
To follow “the way” of Jesus is to walk the path he walks: welcoming the outsider, challenging injustice, embodying grace. Then Jesus says something astonishing: “The one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these.”
This is not about power or prestige; it is about participation. Jesus invites his followers not
just to admire his life, but to continue it, to become vessels of healing, reconciliation, and
hope in the world.
For those of us navigating faith today, this passage offers both comfort and challenge:
– Comfort, because we are reminded that we are not alone, there is space for us in God’s presence.
– Challenge, because we are called not just to believe, but to live in a way that reflects that love.
So today, reflect on this:
– What does it mean for you to trust, especially in uncertain times?
– How might you follow “the way” of Jesus in your relationships, your work, your community?
– Where are you being invited to take part in the “greater works” of compassion and justice?
Jesus does not give us a map. He gives us himself: a way to walk, a truth to embody, a life
to share. May you walk that way with courage, trust the truth that sets you free, and live
the kind of life that brings hope to the world.
Song – 665 STF – Make us your prophets Lord
Blessing
Lord of life,
Giver of hope,
Bringer of light,
Healer of rifts,
May I see you with me on the journey this day, this week, and beyond.
Amen.
