{"id":572,"date":"2021-05-30T09:41:03","date_gmt":"2021-05-30T09:41:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/?p=572"},"modified":"2021-05-30T09:41:03","modified_gmt":"2021-05-30T09:41:03","slug":"trinity-sunday-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/2021\/05\/30\/trinity-sunday-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Trinity Sunday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Worshipping Together \u2013Apart<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those of you still preferring to worship at home here, once again, a short \u2018Kitchen Table Communion\u2019 today\u2019s readings and some thoughts on them. Looking forward to seeing you in church when you feel safer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every blessing
Mary Tucker<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Service to say at home<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Call to Worship<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord be with you<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And also with you<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

God in Jesus has revealed his glory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Come let us worship together<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the rising of the sun to its setting<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord\u2019s name is greatly to be praised<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hymn<\/strong> – Sing something you enjoy!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prayer of Confession<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holy God we bring you ourselves<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that we are and all that we long to be<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our weakness, our failures, our sinfulness and our brokenness<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Son of Mary Have mercy on us<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carpenter of Nazareth Have mercy on us<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Healer of the sick Have mercy on us<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bringer of light Have mercy on us<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saviour of the poor Have mercy on us<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bread of life Have mercy on us<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You who call us sister, brother, friend<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have mercy on us<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your body and Spirit with us<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holy God we bring you ourselves<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that we are and all that we long to be<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our weakness, our failures, our sinfulness and our brokenness Have mercy on us<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bible Readings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isaiah 6:1-8<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 <\/strong><\/sup>Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 <\/strong><\/sup>And they were calling to one another:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHoly, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 <\/strong><\/sup>At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 <\/strong><\/sup>\u201cWoe to me!\u201d I cried. \u201cI am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 <\/strong><\/sup>Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 <\/strong><\/sup>With it he touched my mouth and said, \u201cSee, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 <\/strong><\/sup>Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, \u201cWhom shall I send? And who will go for us?\u201d And I said, \u201cHere am I. Send me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John 3:1-17<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 <\/strong><\/sup>He came to Jesus at night and said, \u201cRabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 <\/strong><\/sup>Jesus replied, \u201cVery truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 <\/strong><\/sup>\u201cHow can someone be born when they are old?\u201d Nicodemus asked. \u201cSurely they cannot enter a second time into their mother\u2019s womb to be born!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 <\/strong><\/sup>Jesus answered, \u201cVery truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 <\/strong><\/sup>Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spiritgives birth to spirit. 7 <\/strong><\/sup>You should not be surprised at my saying, \u2018You[<\/sup>c<\/u><\/sup><\/a>]<\/sup> must be born again.\u2019 8 <\/strong><\/sup>The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9 <\/strong><\/sup>\u201cHow can this be?\u201d Nicodemus asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10 <\/strong><\/sup>\u201cYou are Israel\u2019s teacher,\u201d said Jesus, \u201cand do you not understand these things? 11 <\/strong><\/sup>Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 <\/strong><\/sup>I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 <\/strong><\/sup>No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven\u2014the Son of Man 14 <\/strong><\/sup>Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 <\/strong><\/sup>that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16 <\/strong><\/sup>For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 <\/strong><\/sup>For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some Thoughts on the Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today is Trinity Sunday and in our Bible readings we are faced with a Trinity of transformations, with the possibility of transformation, of complete change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of us have lived lives of change especially recently, or if we have not it may be that we have lived a sort of \u2018if only\u2019 life – if only this were different hen everything would be all right. If only I had more money. If only I had a different job. If only I lived in a different place. If only this virus thing was over and done with. If only . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And for a few of us perhaps, some of these \u2018if onlys\u2019, these transformations may have come about. My experience however is that whatever the outcomes of these changes they are rarely if ever the total transformations, the complete answer to all life\u2019s problems, that we had hoped they would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So today we meet Isaiah and Nicodemus and with them we meet God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Isaiah we meet the almost terrifyingly holy and powerful Father Almighty whose mere presence shakes the doorposts of the temple, whose glory is so overwhelming that all who look on him, even angelic beings, are forced to cover their eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Nicodemus we meet God in his human form, we meet Jesus and possibly, along with this apparently learned and knowledgeable Jew, we are confused by the God we meet, we fail to understand what he offers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet both these encounters offer transformation and they offer it not just to the prophet, not just to the Pharisee but to us too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Isaiah, faced with the enormity of a totally righteous God, creator, sustainer and judge, we cry out in hopelessness, \u201cWoe is me, I am lost, I am a man\/woman of unclean lips\u201d and we might add, \u201cI can\u2019t cope with this, I shouldn\u2019t be here, I am a sinner and the righteous God will surely have nothing to do with me. I am lost!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Nicodemus, we hear the answer from the lips of God incarnate, come down to us as man in a form we feel we can bear. And yet we have no idea what he is saying to us. Perhaps we are still blinded by the fear of that smoke filled vision of total righteousness, holiness and glory we experienced with Isaiah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We hear the words from Jesus about being born again and with poor Nicodemus say, \u201cHow can this be?\u201d \u2013 \u201cWhat on earth are you talking about. I don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A trinity of transformation I said at the beginning but thus far this seems to be a trinity of fear, confusion and misunderstanding for Isaiah, for Nicodemus and for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would be tempting to give up at this point and admit that this is all beyond us but an amazing and unexpected thing is about to happen. As we stand with Isaiah, turning with him to run out of the temple, to escape from the presence of a God so mighty, so holy, so wholly \u2018other\u2019 that we cannot bear to be near him – God intervenes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not we who are to bring about transformation, he will do it. His angel approaches and touches us, bringing us to a standstill with his words, \u201cNow that this has touched your lips your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out\u201d – \u201cThis is a sign for you, you are forgiven, you are accepted, it\u2019s alright, it\u2019s OK.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as we stop in amazed incomprehension about to cry out with the prophet<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut how can this be true?\u201d when God himself speaks, and it\u2019s not roaring thunder and it\u2019s not with ear-splitting noise, it\u2019s a still small voice and it asks a question, \u201cWho shall I send? Who will go for us?\u201d And the answer, amazing and unexpected as it is, leaps to our cleansed lips before we realise it, \u201cHere I am \u2013 send me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have been transformed in an instant from quivering wreck to willing, if apprehensive, servant. Offering ourselves we know not how to the service of the Almighty. Knowing beyond all hope that he is to be with us, that it is he who will enable us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicodemus too may well have had such an epiphany for, though the gospel writer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

doesn\u2019t tell us exactly what happened to him next, we do come across him again later on. First, defending Jesus before the Pharisees (a dangerous thing to do), and at the very last assisting Joseph of Arimathea at Jesus\u2019 burial (an equally risky endeavour for a member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the temple to be involved in.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that was still to come, Nicodemus\u2019 first reaction was one of utter confusion, a complete inability to understand which was causing him, and with him possibly us, to want to walk away shaking our heads and saying, \u201cThis makes no sense. This is impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This time it is the still small voice of Jesus, with possibly the most famous and certainly the most significant words in the whole Bible, who stops him and us in our tracks with a picture of God and his Son still so holy, still so wholly \u2018other\u2019 yet, in this case, unbelievably amazing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGod so loved the world,\u201d he reminds us, \u201cthat he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today \u2013 this Trinity Sunday we are faced with a Trinity of transformations, the possibility of complete change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isaiah was changed, Nicodemus seems to have been changed and we can be changed all because God loves you so much that he has come to earth as a human being, has taken the punishment upon himself, to release us from the threat of death and to offer us an answer to all our \u2018if onlys\u2019 in a transformed life with his Spirit in and beside us now and into eternity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prayers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We pray to the Lord for courage and to give ourselves to him for transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give your Church the courage to give up her preoccupation with herself and to give time to your mission in the world. Lord, meet us in the silence, <\/strong>give us strength, transform us and hear our prayer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

May the blood and water flowing from the side of Jesus bring forgiveness to your people and help us to face the cost of proclaiming salvation as we work together in your damaged world. Lord, meet us in the silence, <\/strong>give us strength, transform us and hear our prayer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give your world the courage to give up war, bitterness and hatred, and to seek peace and healing for each other. Lord, meet us in the silence, <\/strong>give us strength, transform us and hear our prayer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

May the shoulders of the risen Jesus, once scourged by soldiers, bear the burden of our times. Lord, meet us in the silence, <\/strong>give us strength, transform us and hear our prayer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give us the courage to give up quarrels, strife and jealousy in our families, neighbourhoods and communities. Lord, meet us in the silence, <\/strong>give us strength, transform us and hear our prayer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

May the presence of the risen Jesus, his body once broken and now made whole, bring peace and direction as we live with one another. Give us the courage to give up our selfishness as we live for others, and to give time, care and comfort to the sick in ways that are safe for them and for us. Lord, meet us in the silence, <\/strong>give us strength, transform us and hear our prayer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

May the wounded hands of Jesus bring his healing touch to all who suffer, and the light of his presence fill their hearts and homes. Lord, meet us in the silence, <\/strong>give us strength, transform us and hear our prayer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give us the courage to give up our fear of death and to rejoice with those who have died in faith. May the feet of the risen Lord Jesus, once nailed to the cross, walk alongside the dying and bereaved in their agony, and walk with us and all your Church through death to the gate of glory. Lord, meet us in the silence, <\/strong>give us strength, transform us and hear our prayer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Home Communion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take bread and wine or juice and pray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blessed are you O God<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For you have brought forth bread from the earth<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blessed are you O God<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For you have created the fruit of the vine<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here at your table<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You offer us light, bread and wine for the journey<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To nourish us as sons and daughters<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus took bread, and having blessed it<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He broke it and gave it to his disciples saying<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the same way after supper, he took the cup of wine<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And gave you thanks, he gave it to them saying<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drink this all of you, this is my blood of the new covenant<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So now, following Jesus\u2019 example<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We take this bread and this wine and pray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord Jesus Christ, present with us now<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathe your Spirit upon us and upon this bread and wine<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That they may be heaven\u2019s food for us<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Renewing, sustaining and making us whole<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That we may be your body on earth<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Loving and caring in the world<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look \u2013 The bread of heaven – The light of the world<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is Christ, coming to us in bread and wine<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gift of God for the people of the world<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The table of bread and wine is now made ready<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is the table of company with Jesus<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, come to this table, you who have much faith<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you who would like to have more<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You who have been to this sacrament often<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you who have not been for a long time<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You who have tried to follow Jesus<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you who have failed<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Come \u2013 it is Christ himself who invites us to meet him here<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eat your bread and sip you drink and take a moment of quiet before praying<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concluding Prayer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holy God, we have seen with our eyes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And touched with our hands the bread of life the light of the world<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strengthen our faith<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That we may grow in love for you and for each other<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And may the blessing of God Almighty the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be with us all, those we love and those we pray for. Amen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Worshipping Together \u2013Apart For those of you still preferring to worship at home here, once again, a short \u2018Kitchen Table Communion\u2019 today\u2019s readings and some thoughts on them. Looking forward to seeing you in church when you feel safer Every blessingMary Tucker A Service to say at home Call to Worship The Lord be with … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Trinity Sunday”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=572"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/572\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":574,"href":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/572\/revisions\/574"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}