Mr Robert Williams led our worship last Sunday morning. As Local Preacher’s Secretary for the Market Drayton Circuit Robert is well known to us at Ashley, and he is always most welcome. He reminded us that we are still in the Easter Season, and this was his theme for the service. For his call to worship he invited us to say alternate verses of Psalm 95, “A Song of Praise”. We sang a modern hymn “Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord, give praise to his name” to continue our worship. The organ was played by Rod Smith.
After our prayers of adoration and thanksgiving our two bible readings were from John, chapter 20 and chapter 21. These told of Jesus appearing to the disciples after his resurrection in the Upper Room and the doubts of Thomas who was not present and disbelieved. However, Jesus appeared to them a second time and this time Thomas believed. Subsequently Jesus appeared again to seven disciples as they were fishing by the lakeside, and they shared a meal together cooked over a charcoal fire.
In his prayers for others Robert remembered those who were bereaved, those suffering hardship of whatever kind, and for the mothers and children in Ukraine and all who are seeking to help in any way.
We sang another great modern hymn by Brian Wren “Christ is alive! Let Christians sing his cross stands empty to the sky” following which Robert spoke about to this Easter Season when we rejoice at the resurrection of Jesus from his death on the cross. Of his rising from the tomb there can be no doubt as he had various recorded conversations with his followers. All this Robert recounted under the heading “Time of Remembrance” reminding us that in times of great change God sustains us and never leaves us; and second “Trust” as Jesus trusted his disciples to continue to proclaim the gospel throughout the world, a task which befalls Christians throughout the world today. We are called to run a straight race, as Robert said, describing the runners in the Market Drayton 10k Race taking place at that time. “We stand firm in our faith and trust in our Saviour”.