Family Service Video
Order of Service
On the Second Sunday before Lent the Church celebrates God’s creation. We give thanks for its breath-taking grandeur, its intricate design and its abundant life – all signs of a wise and loving Creator. This earth is God’s gift to us, the ‘home’ which we share with all living creatures, and which we look after as God’s stewards, made in his image. Thank you to the family service team who have out this service together and the children and young people who have taken part.
HYMN All things bright and beautiful (John Rutter version)
THE GREETING
Grace to you, and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you
THE GATHERING
O God, immense like a desert plain,
we cannot see to the ends of you.
O God, tall like the mountains,
you rise beyond our limited vision.
O God, vast like the ocean,
we cannot plumb your depths.
O God, rich like the fertile soil,
we depend on your gifts.
O God, glorious like the flowers of the field,
we delight in the beauty of creation.
O God, giver of life to all creatures great and small,
we rejoice to share this vibrant earth with them.
O God, loving us more than any parent could,
we trust in your amazing grace.
O Lord,
open our eyes to see what is beautiful,
our minds to know what is true,
and our hearts to seek what is good,
for Jesus’ sake.
Amen.
CONFESSION
In a moment of quiet, let us think about the selfish ways in which human beings exploit the gifts of the earth.
We confess our sins to God our Creator:
For the greed and excess that deplete the natural resources of the world,
Lord, have mercy.
For the uncaring attitudes that allow pollution to spread relentlessly, even into the air we breathe,
Christ, have mercy.
For the arrogance that makes creation serve human desires without regard to the suffering caused, or the delicate balance of Nature,
Lord, have mercy.
The almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon and forgiveness of all our sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit. Amen
THE COLLECT
Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth
and made us in your own image:
teach us to discern your hand in all your works
and your likeness in all your children;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who with you and the Holy Spirit,
reigns supreme over all things,
now and for ever. Amen
HYMN: Across the Lands
READING
Read by Izzy
(at 12m 24s in the main video)
Genesis 1:26-31
Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’
27 So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.28 God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ 29 God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. 31 God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
TALK
With Chris Barrett, Dodo, Flora, Gus, and Maisie
(at 13m 43s in the main video)
SONG: Creation Song
Do you believe and trust in God the Father,
source of all being and life,
the one for whom we exist?
We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Son,
who took our human nature,
died for us and rose again?
We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit,
who gives life to the people of God
and makes Christ known in the world?
We believe and trust in him.
This is the faith of the Church.
This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
HYMN Think of a world any flowers
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
By Sara Mann
(at 36m 24s in the main video)
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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. Amen.
THE FAMILY PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we thank you for our friends, homes and families.
We ask that your love may surround us, your care may protect us,
and that we may know your peace at all times.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
PRAYER AND BLESSING
Blessed are you, Lord God,
for all living creation and all creatures you have made.
You keep them in your care
and not one is lost without your knowing.
This world glorifies you
and speaks to us of your beauty and love- teach us to respect it.
May we learn to cherish all creatures
for they are your gift to us
and through them may we come to know you better and praise you, their Creator.
This we ask through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
May Christ who gathers into his love
all things in heaven and on earth,
give you his peace.
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you now and forever.
Amen
HYMN – All creatures of our God and King
DISMISSAL
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ.
Amen.