God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5 NIV

Unfathomable love
Covers the skies.
All powerful love
Brightens our lives.
Ever present love
Holds us close.
Faithful love
In thee we trust.

Oh God of power,
Love and might,
Bless our lives
With heavenly light,
That we may spread
the eternal flame,
To the glory of Jesus,
Forever praise his name.

God of love, God of light, we praise you and reflect on your wonderful love for us…
As the nights draw in, we thank you that the brightness of your love cannot be dimmed, nor diminished.  Your love embraces, surrounds and sustains us. Nothing can separate us from you. We pray –
For anyone who experiences a low mood during the darker autumn and winter months…
For those who are worried about providing food, light, heating, warm clothes and a roof over their head…
For anyone with health concerns of any kind…
For those who do not feel accepted and welcome…
For all working and praying to alleviate suffering and improve the health and circumstances of others…
Merciful God, may we be aware of the needs of those around us and may the ever-present light of Jesus shine brightly in our lives. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

2 Thes 3:16 NIV

In the reflection of love,
The brightness of light,
The strength of the mountains,
Their towered might,
The calm of the sea,
And the fresh morning air,
Is the peace of God,
Beyond all compare.

In the reflection of love
Jesus shines.
His brightness fills
our hearts and minds.
His purity cleanses
Our innermost parts.
His gentleness heals
Our broken hearts.

In the reflection of love,
We live out our days.
Surrendered to God,
In all of our ways.
Blessed beyond measure,
By the Spirit above.
Steady and secure,
In Jesus love.

Gracious God,
Strong and true,
Bless our hearts,
With love for you.
May our lives,
Reflect your light,
Hold your peace,
In our clear sight.

Gracious God, in the quietness of the moment we lift our hearts to you. We ask you to bless this time with you, as we reflect, talk to you and listen to you…..

Loving God, may we follow the leading of your Holy Spirit today. May we reflect your love in all we think, say and do.  We pray for and ask you to bless anyone or any situation on our hearts.  We ask all this in the name of Jesus our Saviour. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

Text Box

Come, let us worship the Lord our maker; for he is our God and we the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

Psalm 95: 6-7 NIV

Glorious creation,
Wonderful world.
Sing praise to God,
By whom we are made.

Praise to the Father,
Praise to the Son,
Praise to the Spirit,
God, three in one.

We lift our hearts high,
In worship and praise,
Singing glory to God,
All of our days.

Infinite wisdom,
Glorious might,
God of creation,
Everlasting light.

Healer, restorer,
Making all things new,
To God of the universe,
Our praise is due.

Praise to the Father,
Praise to the Son,
Praise to the Spirit,
God, three in one.

Gracious God, out of love you formed a beautiful and perfect world for us to enjoy and care for.  Out of love, you made us in your image to walk closely with you.  Out of love, Jesus came and gave his life to restore us to you  Out of love your Holy Spirit is with us to guide us.  Out of love you tend and care for us every single day.

Gracious God, you are Lord of all, the whole of creation declares your power and your love. We offer you our praise and worship.

God of love, in these challenging days, keep us close to you.  Inspire us to care for our world and environment in new ways.  Encourage us to be your hands, your feet and your voice in your world.  Enable us to share your love, in practical and prayerful ways, that all may know the love, the hope and the assurance of Jesus in their lives. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

‘I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth’.
Ps 121 NIV

The mountains,
In their glorious majesty,
Speak of your generosity,
Through Jesus your son.

The mountains,
In the shimmering light,
Speak of your presence,
At day, noon and night.

The mountains,
In the quiet solitude,
Speak of your peace,
Far from the multitude.

The mountains,
In the paths they trace,
Speak of your guidance,
Your love and your grace.

The mountains,
In the protection they provide,
Speak of your caring,
Throughout all of our lives.

The mountains,
In the leisure they offer,
Speak of your rest,
In Jesus, our brother.

The mountains,
In their glorious majesty,
Speak of your capacity,
For love into eternity.

Gracious God, we take a moment to bring to mind a place or a scene where we have known the beauty and majesty of your creation and maybe felt the nearness of your presence….

Gracious God, creator of heaven and earth, we praise you for your love and your watch over us all of our lives. We lift our eyes to you, for you know the paths we should take. You will never let us slip and fall. You hold us securely in your hands. We praise you that we always have a way directly to you, loving God,  through Jesus our Saviour. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

Be still and know that I am God

Ps 46:10 NIV

Gracious God, we praise you. We come to you and take time to simply relax in the peace of your presence.

As we sit, we quieten our minds and bodies and become aware of the rhythm of our breathing…..

As we breathe in, we think of breathing in the peace of Jesus; the peace that passes understanding….

As we breathe out, we let go of any worries and commit them to Jesus……

We give this time over to you and listen for anything you may say in our hearts…..

In the dawn
In the light
In the darkness
Of the night
Jesus is here

In the clamour,
In the fears,
In the laughter
Joy and tears.
Jesus is here.

In the loving,
In the giving,
In the sharing,
In the caring.
Jesus is here.

In the stillness,
In the peace,
In the place
Where strivings cease,
Jesus is here.

In the calm,
In the quiet,
In the balm
Of your Spirit.
Jesus is here.

Jesus said “Peace I give to you; my own peace I leave with you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

Gracious God, you breathe life and love on us. You forgive when we get it wrong and always seek to draw us back to yourself.

Out of love you gave your life that we might live. Your love is constant, it knows no bounds, it can never be extinguished, it is freely available to everyone.

Living, loving God, we sit quietly in your presence. Breath of love, breath of life, we praise you. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

Lord Jesus,

“…I chose you and appointed you so that you might go out and bear fruit – fruit that will last…”
John 15:16 NIV

Loving God, we worship you, we praise you. We thank you for your loving kindness shown to us in Christ Jesus. We quieten our minds as we prepare to spend time with you…

We praise you for the harvest.  We thank you for the nourishment and sustenance it will bring to people close to home and throughout the world.  We thank you for those who share and distribute food and supplies to those in need.  We pray that no-one may go hungry.

We thank you too for your word in the bible, written to nourish us, to encourage and inspire us, to give us hope and a future, and to know you loving God, through Jesus.

We reflect on your words of love written in the book of Jeremiah…

Before I formed you in the womb
I knew you…
I called you…
I appointed you…
Do not be afraid…
I will be with you…
I will rescue you….
(From Jeremiah 1: 4-6)

Loving God, as we come to you this day, we ask that, by your grace, you would work out your loving purpose in us.  Even though we may never see  nor know the fruit you produce through us, may we have a willing and obedient spirit to trust and follow you. For Jesus sake. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’.
Phil 4:13 NKJV

The secret of being content
In every situation,
Whether in need, or replete,
Is knowing Jesus,
In him we are complete.

He gives the strength to face
Each new day ahead.
To know that we need not fear,
Succumb to worry or dread.

He heals the broken hearted,
And binds up all our wounds.
He gives a hope and a future,
And shares the good news.

He assures us that God loves us,
Our future is secure.
He will never leave us,
No matter where we are.

In Jesus we find peace,
In him we praise and rejoice.
In him we dwell on all that is good,
With one heart, one mind, one voice.

So let us commit to God
All we think and do.
God’s plans are good and perfect,
His mercy is faithful and true.

Gracious God, we praise you and thank you for this new day. Thank you that we do not face it alone, but in the knowledge of your presence with us, your love for us in Jesus, and in the power of your Holy Spirit.

We thank you, gracious God, that time spent with you is time well spent.  Help us to leave our anxieties with you.  Enable and strengthen us for the day ahead.  May we, and all those you place on our hearts, know your peace and the love of Jesus our Saviour.  Amen.

Ruth Rushworth