St Michael's, Twerton » Worship

Seven

Rich — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:00:26 +0000

Coinciding with the New Year is a new book which we will be reading together as a church up to Easter. Written by Richard it’s about Discipleship. The main thing is to make the main thing the main thing. This may be hard, but it is not beyond us. The kingdom of God is available to every one of us. It is within reach. It is at hand. It is near. Practical and accessible, this book sets out a framework which will enable you to success in your desire to follow through on your commitment to being a disciple. Seven short chapters outline a rule of life that is easy to remember and possible to achieve. Jesus offered us life. Seven is about joining with others to experience it.

If you want to read it online you can click here Seven

Open publication - Free publishing - More discipleship

Christmas Services

Rich — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 20:14:12 +0000

Christmas service times over the next couple of days

Midnight Communion – 11pm

Christmas Day – Family Communion – 10.15am

New Year’s day – Rec House – 10.15am

Looking forward

Rich — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:32:05 +0000

Christmas means different things to each of us. For us as Christians we enjoy the whole season of celebration and festivity with an added pleasure. For in this season we look forward, not just back, to the day when the Prince of Peace will come and bring with him the reign of God over all creation.

Jesus’ name given to him at his birth was Immanuel – God with us – and it is this hope that gives us such hope and joy.

If you want to come along to services this Christmas you can be sure of a fantastic welcome. Look out for our services times.

Peace be with you.

Revolution

Rich — Wed, 25 May 2011 11:55:52 +0000

It was a fab weekend! Just getting together, sitting down in the sunshine, going for a gentle stroll, enjoying a cup of coffee, eating great food, were all fantastic, but it was the quality of the the teaching and the sense of what God was saying to us through each other that will really last. During the morning David and Myrtle Lawrence presented us again with the invitation and challenge of Jesus to join in his revolution of love. Once again we were moved and excited to see ourselves as change-makers, system-breakers, culture-shapers. We were encouraged once again to see how this revolution was always intended to extend to the edges of human life. God was coming to bring his kingdom of love and forgiveness and healing to a world longing for justice and freedom. Invited to take Jesus at his word and to believe in him, we have become his disciples. Like Peter, James and John (Jesus’ three closest disciples) we looked at how Jesus left us with some incredible resources for living in the kingdom and seeing this revolution through. Later in the afternoon, God seemed to speak in a different mode as we reflected together about what had been said and began to notice how central prayer was in this revolution of love. And so we committed ourselves to forming ‘houses of prayer’ right across the area as centres of blessing. The day ended with a Hog Roast and Ceilidh in the evening. And you can’t help smile whenever you think about it all… Thank you to everyone who helped with food, money, putting away, washing up, chatting… It was brilliant.

Houses of Prayer

Rich — Sat, 07 May 2011 12:36:04 +0000

A few years ago it seemed clear that god was reminding us once again about the centrality and importance of prayer in our lives. We talked together about how Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and went looking for the life of prayer displayed by the people of God at the time and how angered and disappointed he was with what he found. We also talked about the invitation god was offering us to participate in his mission to our loved world by joining him in prayer. This led us to latch upon the phrase ‘house of prayer’ and we were encouraged to both make our own homes ‘houses of prayer’ right across the community, and also to see our own church building as a ‘house of prayer’.

The heart of God has not changed and once again there is a call from God to meet him in prayer – either in our own homes or together at church. All over the country and the world we are seeing the blessing that comes when people pray and the church lives up to its calling as the renewed temple of God to be a house of prayer for all nations.

Join others on Tuesday evenings from 7-8, or set up your own ‘house of prayer’ at work, at home or at the weekends.

And remember – every prayer makes a difference.

Our Father 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 debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And 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

Dwell

Rich — Wed, 04 May 2011 20:09:14 +0000

At the same time that God is looking for a ‘house of prayer’ in which to dwell we find ourselves thirsty for the reality of his powerful and peaceful presence in our lives. Stepping out of the rush and noise of our lives we are launching a new service called DWELL. Our heart is to create a space and time which will enable us to dwell in God’s presence without distraction, to sense his nearness and to draw close to him. Using music, silence, images and prayer we are committed to finding God and finding ourselves in him.

So come. Come if you are thirsty and hungry for more of God in your life. Come ready to share and to believe. Come ready to love and welcome. Come as you are.

Entering his gates with thanksgiving

Rich — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:44:18 +0000

Our boiler is finally getting fixed and the sun is coming out and so we are all heading back to the main church building for our Sunday services. It’s been a great experience worshipping together in the school and we will continue to enjoy our first Sunday of the month services there. So this Sunday we are walking down the road from the school to the church to celebrate Palm Sunday and it will be good. Entering the ‘gates’ of the church and making sure that the place is filled with prayer for all peoples we will connect again with the story of Jesus’ last week.

It’s been a late Easter and we are ready to celebrate all that Jesus has done for us. Join us for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Come ready to leave behind the old and clothe yourself with the new. Jesus has died. Jesus is risen. Jesus will come again.

Back to school

Rich — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:46:37 +0000

It’s been an interesting month! On the first Sunday in February we launched a new service at our local junior school (St Michael’s) and it went down a bomb. Then the boiler at the main church building broke down for the umpteenth time this winter and was finally given the last rites. So it looks like St Michael’s Church has a new temporary home at St Michael’s School… at least for the time being. Many thanks to Dave Goucher and the rest of the School staff who always make us so welcome. We really appreciate it!

What’s interesting is how just moving building subtly changes other things – changes the way we relate, the way we sing, the places we sit, the way we connect with God, the way we welcome… May God continue to turn this challenge into an opportunity for us all as we journey together through this next month!

Everyone

Rich — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:06:18 +0000

It was a bolt out of the blue. One word. “Everyone” Nothing more, nothing less.

And I knew it was a God thing.

I am excited about our new series on Sundays called “EVERYONE”. I believe that God wants us to know something simple, but deep – that this thing is for EVERYONE, that he is for EVERYONE, that this gospel is for EVERYONE, that God’s love and blessing and presence is for EVERYONE. It sounds simple and sounds as if we already know it. Which we do. It’s just that we don’t always really know it – or live as though we know it. Somehow we have categories of who is in and who is out, who get’s good things and who is left out, who is blessed and who is not. God wants us to get this: It’s for EVERYONE.

Join us as we reflect, rejoice and explore this theme together.

Sundays to Easter

January

02 New Year
09 Everyone an image bearer
16 Everyone missed the mark
23 Everyone forgiven
30 Everyone a son

February

06 Everyone gifted
13 Everyone a disciple
20 Everyone a worshiper
27 Everyone a missionary

March

06 Everyone a priest
13 Everyone together
20 Lent 1
27 Lent 2

April

03 Lent 3
10 Lent 4
17 Palm Sunday
24 Resurrection Sunday

Happy New Year

Rich — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:56:37 +0000

New Year is often a time of reflection and anticipation. Our prayer is that God will go with us and that we will be obedient to him in the year to come. If you get a chance, grab a few minutes, be still, and pray. To help you in your prayers, here is an ancient blessing and a wonderful covenant. Don’t rush… take your time… God bless you.

A blessing
The Lord bless you and watch over you, the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you, the Lord look kindly on you and give you peace; and the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be upon you and remain with you, now and always. Amen.

A payer of commitment

Lord God, holy Father,
since you have called us through Christ
to share in this gracious covenant,
we take upon ourselves with joy the yoke of obedience
and, for love of you,
engage ourselves to seek and do your perfect will.
We are no longer our own but yours.

I am no longer my own but yours.
Put me to what you will,
rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing,
put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you
or laid aside for you,
exalted for you
or brought low for you;
let me be full,
let me be empty,
let me have all things,
let me have nothing;
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things
to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God,
Father,Son and Holy Spirit,
you are mine and I am yours.
So be it.
And the covenant now made on earth,
let it be ratiﬁed in heaven. Amen.

Silence is kept