Sing to the Lord, and praise him! Proclaim every day the good news that he has saved us (Psalm 96.2, GNB).

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Opening

Speak these words out loud:

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.

Jeremiah 17.7 (NIV)

Today’s Proverb

Read the proverb through three or four times, slowly. Pause in-between, maybe write it out by hand – savour the words, let them speak deeply to you.

Proverbs 20.19

Most people love a secret to be shared with them; most people think they can keep a secret; most people can’t.

It goes like this: a secret is shared with you. You tell someone else ‘in confidence’ (because it’s a secret). They share it with someone else – ‘but don’t tell anyone else’. That person tells the story about a friend of a friend to another friend – there’s no harm in it, after all. And so it goes – a secret shared ‘in confidence’ is suddenly something the whole community knows.

Being able to share secrets is important in our key relationships. People need to be able to share things that are deeply important / difficult / painful – and we need to be able to do so in a safe environment, knowing we won’t be betrayed. Solomon’s advice? Choose those people very carefully. And, if someone shares a secret with you, don’t pass it on, even ‘in confidence’!

Secrecy, however, is bad – because it’s about hiding the truth not sharing it, it’s about being secretive not honest. When you find yourself trying to hide something you are doing or saying from the people you know and love – that isn’t good, and it needs to be dealt with. If you need to speak to someone from the church – man or woman – please let me know. Talking about secret sins, bringing them out into the open – even if that is only with one person – is a vital step in dealing with them and getting rid of them.

Please be careful whom you talk to – but make sure you talk to someone!

Prayers

Pray for Five – pray for your five friends / family from Thy Kingdom Come.

Our daily prayer sheet includes the names of everyone for whom we have a signed church family directory form – and local parishes and senior church leaders. Today we are praying for:

Young Family (Blithe, Mo, Quincy, Richard)

Father, please bless them with your peace, and a deep awareness of your presence with them, every day and in every way.

We also pray for: Church Wardens (Carol & John)

Please pray for our leaders and healthcare workers, and all those working to keep us safe, well, and fed. Please pray that people would unselfishly put others before themselves.

Church Family Prayer

Come Holy Spirit,
and make us one in heart and action,
so that we can serve God faithfully:
abounding in love,
maturing in holiness,
and seeking out the lost.
Help us grow as disciples of Jesus –
in commitment, in depth, and in number –
that we may be a blessing to Amington;
to the glory and praise of God the Father.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

Closing Prayer

Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labour in vain.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus
the only way to the Father.

Psalm 127.1, Hebrews 12.2 & John 14.6

May Christ our Saviour give us peace.
Amen.