Jesus looks at poverty in Calderdale

Introit Jesu, Fill us with your love, Show us how to serve The neighbours we have from you.

Neighbours are rich folk and poor, Neighbours are black folk and white, Neighbours are nearby and far away. Jesu, Fill us with your love, Show us how to serve The neighbours we have from you.

These are the ones we should serve, These are the ones we should love, All these are neighbours to us and you. Jesu, Fill us with your love, Show us how to serve The neighbours we have from you. T S Colvin ( )

What Jesus did Hymns and Psalms My song is love unknown, My Saviour’s love to me, Love to the loveless shown, That they might lovely be. O who am I, that for my sake My Lord should take frail flesh and die?

2. He came from his blest throne, Salvation to bestow; But men made strange, and none The longed-for Christ would know. But O my friend, my friend indeed, Who at my need his life did spend!

3. Sometimes they strew his way, And his sweet praises sing; Resounding all the day Hosannas to their King. Then ‘Crucify!’ is all their breath, And for his death they thirst and cry.

4. Why, what has my Lord done? What makes this rage and spite? He made the lame to run, He gave the blind their sight. Sweet injuries! Yet they at these Themselves displease, and ‘gainst him rise.

5. They rise, and needs will have My dear Lord made away; A murderer they save, The Prince of Life they slay. Yet cheerful he to suffering goes, That he his foes from thence might free.

6. In life no house, no home, My Lord on earth might have; In death no friendly tomb But what a stranger gave. What may I say? Heaven was his home; But mine the tomb wherein he lay.

7. Here might I stay and sing, No story so divine: Never was love, dear King, Never was grief like thine! This is my Friend, in whose sweet praise I all my days could gladly spend. Samuel Crossman )1624 – 1684)

Prayers of Praise, Thanks and Confession Creator God, provider of life, merciful Father and all-wise judge: We praise and thank you. Jesus our Lord, born in poverty, who died and rose victorious to save us: We praise and thank you. Holy Spirit, our inspiration, guide and strength: We praise and thank you.

For Christ’s teaching and example on which we model our lives; and for your disciples down the years who have served and extended your Kingdom: We praise and thank you. But, Father we admit our frequent weaknesses. When we hide your light of truth when faced by challenging or difficult people: Father, forgive us.

For putting our comfort before others’ needs: Father, forgive us. For failing to oppose injustice: Father, forgive us. For not offering your teaching and love to those we meet: Father, forgive us.

Our silent confessions God of truth and love be merciful to us as we seek your promised forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord. God, who is faithful and just, assures us of pardon and peace. Amen. Thanks be to God. Our Lord’s Prayer

Reading Luke ch 4 vv Who are the “poor” in OUR community?

Our Methodist Conference in 2011 debated how we, as individuals and as a church, should respond to Poverty. These are a few quotations from people who know poverty.

1. Brother, sister, let me serve you, Let me be as Christ to you; Pray that I may have the grace To let you be my servant too. 2. We are pilgrims on a journey, And companions on the road; We are here to help each other Walk the mile and bear the load.

3. I will hold the Christ-light for you In the night-time of your fear; I will hold my hand out to you, Speak the peace you long to hear. 4. I will weep when you are weeping; When you laugh I’ll laugh with you; I will share your joy and sorrow Till we’ve seen this journey through.

5. When we sing to God in heaven We shall find such harmony, Born of all we’ve known together Of Christ’s love and agony. 6. Brother, sister, let me serve you, Let me be as Christ to you; Pray that I may have the grace To let you be my servant too. Richard Gillard © Kingsway’s Thank You Music

What Jesus said. Oh, yes he did! Oh, no he didn’t!

1. Will you come and follow me If I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know And never be the same? Will you let my love be shown, Will you let my love be known, Will you let my life be grown In you and you in me?

2. Will you leave your self behind If I but call your name? Will you care for cruel and kind And never be the same? Will you risk the hostile stare Should your life attract or scare, Will you let me answer prayer In you and you in me?

3. Will you let the blinded see If I but call your name? Will you set the prisoner free And never be the same? Will you kiss the leper clean And do such as this unseen, And admit to what I mean In you and you in me?

4. Will you love the ‘you’ you hide If I but call your name? Will you quell the fear inside And never be the same? Will you use the faith you’ve found To re-shape the world around Through my sight and touch and sound In you and you in me?

5. Lord, your summons echoes true When you but call my name. Let me turn and follow you And never be the same. In your company I’ll go Where your love and footsteps show. Thus I’ll move and live and grow In you and you in me. John L Bell & Graham Maule © WGRG Iona Community

A reflection on the Beatitudes (from “The Trampled Vineyard” by P Jacob 1992)

“This year I’m not coming” Translated from a poem written by 13yr old Massimiliano Tortis From Doing December Differently: An Alternative Christmas Handbook, by Nicola Slee and Rosie Miles, Wild Goose Publications © David Coleman

1. From heaven you came, helpless babe, Entered our world, your glory veiled, Not to be served but to serve, And give your life that we might live. This is our God, the Servant King He calls us now to follow him, To bring our lives as a daily offering Of worship to the Servant King.

2. There in the garden of tears My heavy load he chose to bear; His heart with sorrow was torn, ‘Yet not my will but yours’, he said. This is our God, the Servant King He calls us now to follow him, To bring our lives as a daily offering Of worship to the Servant King.

3. Come see his hands and his feet, The scars that speak of sacrifice, Hands that flung stars into space To cruel nails surrendered. This is our God, the Servant King He calls us now to follow him, To bring our lives as a daily offering Of worship to the Servant King.

4. So let us learn how to serve And in our lives enthrone him, Each other’s needs to prefer, For it is Christ we’re serving. This is our God, the Servant King He calls us now to follow him, To bring our lives as a daily offering Of worship to the Servant King. Graham Kendrick © Kingsway’s Thank You Music

Our offerings for the work of God This is our God, the Servant King He calls us now to follow him, To bring our lives as a daily offering Of worship to the Servant King.

Prayer of Dedication We pray: To those in need, may we bring your provision To those in distress, may we bring your comfort To those in sickness, may we bring your healing To those who have nothing, may we bring your abundance To those who are lonely, may we bring your fellowship To those who are far from you, may we bring your truth. AMEN

Our prayers of intercession The response is: Father God, may your kingdom come, here, as it is in heaven.

Hymns and Psalms The Church of Christ, in every age Beset by change but Spirit-led, Must claim and test its heritage And keep on rising from the dead. 2. Across the world, across the street, The victims of injustice cry For shelter and for bread to eat, And never live until they die.

3. Then let the servant Church arise, A caring Church that longs to be A partner in Christ’s sacrifice, And clothed in Christ’s humanity. 4. For he alone, whose blood was shed, Can cure the fever in our blood, And teach us how to share our bread And feed the starving multitude.

5. We have no mission but to serve In full obedience to our Lord: To care for all without reserve, And spread his liberating Word. Fred Pratt Green (1903 – 2000) © Stainer & Bell Ltd

Closing prayer of commitment We pray May we go as light in a darkened world And as salt in a corrupt world; May we be a city on a hill to those who seek And a star in the sky to those who are lost; May Christ’s presence shine wherever we go; May we be a living expression Of Christ’s love to all people. AMEN