On Sunday 13th March Mrs Sheila Hendy was formally admitted into membership and welcomed into our fellowship by Rev. Mark Lawrence.
Rev. Mark led our service, making the second Sunday in Lent. Rod Smith played the organ. The service opened with some words from Matthew 26 (Jesus sharing bread and wine with his disciples) and a money bag was placed on our Lenten cross to represent the payment Judas Iscariot received for betraying Jesus. Our worship began with the hymn: With gladness we worship. The reading was taken from the beginning of Isaiah 55, which speaks of God’s abundant generosity in supplying all our needs, his promise to care for us and his desire for us to forsake sinful ways and seek his ready forgiveness.
Prayers were said for Ukraine and its people, for the power of prayer where healing is needed.
Mark continued his examination of the Beatitudes, this week looking at the fourth: blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled – a text which echoes the promises made to Isaiah. Both passages illustrate God’s immense grace and mercy and the compassion of Jesus.
Rev. Mark, assisted by Jill Harrison, invited the congregation to Holy Communion and the service concluded with the hymn All for Jesus.