As the Church of Scotland in Bellshill we extend a warm welcome to any of our activities. People have been coming to this building to worship God for over a hundred years. While our town has journeyed through many changes over those years, the constancy of the witness of the “Church at 346 Main Street” has remained uninterrupted. The mission of any Church is to reflect through its presence, its music, its fellowship and its beauty the greatness of God, and we seek to do that here in all that we share.
We hope that everyone who enters these doors will find an encouraging, friendly group of people. While we are far from perfect, we are regularly discovering truths that are changing us individually and enriching our lives as a church community. As we worship together, learn from the Bible, and pray for one another, we are strengthened in our commitment to Jesus Christ as well as to each other. If this is your first time here, we welcome you, and invite you to share the joy that we have found.
Leader: Welcome to this time of prayer All: May it be a home to all today Leader: Loving God of our whole world All: Open our hearts to Your presence Leader: Touch us with Your loving hand All: And bring peace to us and between us. Amen
Scripture Sentence
2 Corinthians 3:18
18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Prayer of thanksgiving and confession
God of the ordinary and extraordinary, in a world where money counts, where awful things happen, where power is abused. It’s hard sometimes to see beyond it all and sing Your praise for the blessings we have. But we persist because You have promised to care for the humble to love us in our confusion to come to meet us in the silence or the surprising moment of joy or the quiet comfort of friendship With the Church around the world this evening we join our voices together in praise and keep silence in prayer. Forgive us for the times this week when we’ve not done well when we’ve struggled to say the right thing or go the extra mile. When we have looked arrogantly at others and forgotten to open our souls to Your gaze. Help us to hope and to share Your love with all around us in Your name and with your blessing, Amen
Prayers of Intercession
Loving God we pray for our world for all the millions of people whom You know, though we do not. We are blessed that we can worship in peace and safety.
We pray for Christians especially today in The Ukraine, North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, Eritrea, Yemen, Iran, Nigeria, and India. Give comfort and strength to those who try to make peace and justice and turn the hearts and minds of those who work against them to good, not evil.
We pray for our own leaders especially at this time when wise leadership is so much needed. Help them to see beyond immediate concerns and think, above all, of those who are most vulnerable in our communities.
We pray for our work here in Scotland. For all those who try to fill the gaps and give hope in dark places.
We ask Your blessing on Viewpark, Bothwell, Burnhead and St John the Baptist Churches who are opeing their doors for a place of warm in this difficult time in our community.
Here in our own church community, we pray for those sick and in difficulty. May they know the comfort and gentle touch of Your love, the love that calls us by our names and says, “You are mine”. Around us here are things that remind us of the people of the past who have worshipped and worked in our midst. In a moment of silence, we remember those we love who have died
We miss them, and remember them even as we take comfort that they are in Your care. God of light and love You created us for both joy and suffering You came into the world as our Brother and Saviour You abide with us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Be with us in our speaking and our thinking and our hearts and souls today and this week in Jesus’ name Amen
Benediction/Closing prayer
L: May we find a place All: For love to belong in the world L: May we make a welcome for the lost All: On the paths of our lives L: May we find in each place All: God already waiting for us L: May God be our vision and may Christ be our pattern, may the Spirit be our energy, and may the love of God Creator, Saviour and Holy Spirit, be with us, and those we love today and always. Amen
Don’t worry if you missed worship yesterday, or if you’ve worshipped elsewhere and want to worship again, our edited service is now available. We’re blessed you’ve chosen to worship with us.
Welcome & Church News Stanley Cook INTROIT Restore O Lord the honour of your name HYMN 469 Call to worship We each have a right to be here, a right not based on our righteousness but on God’s free grace. O give thanks to our God who is good, whose saving love endures forever. Let those who are redeemed by God declare it, rescued from trouble and gathered from many lands; From the east and from the west, from the north and from the south, give thanks to God who is always good! HYMN 624 In Christ there is no east or west (tune 69) Prayer and Lord’s Prayer Young and Young at Heart MP 49 Be bold Be strong! Scripture Genesis 4:1-12 Stanley Cook HYMN When Cain killed Abel in a fight (tune 527) Sermon “Sins shows its face – powerlessness and unbelief” HYMN 587 Come, gracious Spirit, heavenly Dove (tune 718) Offering & Dedication Prayers for others HYMN 555 Amazing Grace how sweet the sound Benediction and Spoken Amen MP 460 May God’s Blessing
BELLSHILL: CENTRAL PARISH CHURCH OF SCOTLAND 