Christ Church Stocksbridge

“Together at Home”with

Green Moor & Crane Moor

THE COST OF CARE 25TH APRIL

4th SUNDAY OF EASTERSunday 14th MARCH 2021Opening music - Taizé Stay with me

WELCOME

Call to worship: let us say this togetherThe Lord is my good shepherd – and yours. The Shep-herd knows you –and he knows me. Come and walk with him beside still waters. Come and have your soul restored. Safe in the knowledge that we are loved, we come to the Good Shepherd seeking succour for our souls. Let not the wolf snatch our thoughts and scatter them, for our minds belong to Jesus, and our hearts are open to him. Come, sheep, and gather: in the shep-herd’s embrace. Come, sheep, and gather: let us listen to his voice.

First Hymn StF no. 403 Percy Dearmer

God is love: his the care,tending each, everywhere,God is love, all is there!Jesus came to show him,that we all might know him!Refrain:Sing aloud, loud, loud!sing aloud, loud, loud!God is good! God is truth!God is beauty! Praise him!

None can see God above;we can share life and love;thus may we Godward move,finding him in creation,holding every nation. [Refrain]

Jesus lived on the earth,hope and life brought to birthand affirmed human worth,for he came to save usby the truth he gave us. [Refrain]

To our Lord praise we sing,light and life, friend and King,coming down, love to bring,pattern for our duty,showing God in beauty. [Refrain]

INTRODUCTION

The Theme - The Cost of Care and the Activity Sheet

Children's Story - The Lost Sheep. Rebecca and Hector

Blessing for the children - (and others ) if they are leaving to do their activity sheet. Let us say this blessing together, feeling the sense of commitment and responsibility we have, as one congregation, for the future care and spiri-tual development of our young people.

Lord we ask your special blessing on all our young children, their parents and grandparents and the leaders of the Sunday School as they all seek to guide them in your ways. And we pray that through the influence of good role models, they will come to know you for themselves. Amen

Meditation on the theme of The Good Shepherd Jan Fly

Prayer of Thanksgiving: Let us say this prayer togetherLord, a year ago your house was not a fold in which we could meet. Confined to our homes, we prayed as a silent wolf prowled the world, a pandemic that threatened us all. We thank you for watching over us, and for those of us who were safely delivered. It has been a testing time, Lord, but yet there was community. We thank you for the proof that your Church has no walls, as we learned to reach out to one another and still to worship – but in different ways. We thank you for those in our communities who had been taken for granted, overlooked, not considered of great importance, but on whom we came to rely to save lives. We thank you that our values were tested, and that we saw what really matters. Good Shep-herd, who knows suffering and sacrifice beyond our imagin-ing, we thank you that we are here today, enfolded in your love. Amen.

Christ at Gethsemane by Giovanni di Pietro (Lo Spagna) d.1529

As at communion, shape your handsinto a waiting cradle;the gift of Christ receive, revere,united round the table.

Put Christ into each other's hands, he is love's deepest measure;in love make peace, give peace a chanceand share it like a treasure.

WORD

Prayers of Intercession Dot Lunn & read by Mike

Final Hymn StF no. 82 Carl Gustaf BobergO Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonderConsider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,Thy power throughout the universe displayedRefrainThen sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,How great Thou art, how great Thou art.Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

And when I think of God, His Son not sparing;Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,He bled and died to take away my sin.[Refrain]

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamationAnd lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart!Then I shall bow with humble adoration,And then proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!" [Refrain]

Blessing

The Grace

Vesper Take Oh take me as I amTake Oh take me as I am; Summon out what I shall be; Set your seal upon my heart and live in me. X 2

Now let’s all enjoy a cup of coffee or tea together.

Closing Music A Gaelic Blessing John Rutter

The Lord's Prayer. Let us say this prayer togetherOur Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your 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 yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Offertory Prayer

Joys and Concerns

The Lectionary Readings:Acts 4.5-12; Psalm 23; 1 John 3.16-24; John 10.11-18

The Gospel Reading. John 10.11-18 Jenny

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf com-ing, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away be-cause he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Fa-ther loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Fa-ther.”

Second Hymn StF no. 712 Fred KaanPut peace into each other's handsand like a treasure hold it;protect it like a candle flame,with tenderness enfold it.

Put peace into each other's handswith loving expectation;be gentle in your words and ways,in touch with God's creation.

Put peace into each other's hands,like bread we break for sharing;look people warmly in the eye:our life is meant for caring.