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.

The glory of young men is their strength, grey hair the splendour of the old. (NIV)

We admire the strength of youth and respect the grey hair of age. (GNB)

Proverbs 20.29

Old(er) people often say things like, ‘youth is wasted on young people’. They see young people waste their energy and strength – as of course they once did themselves…

It’s easy for young people to ignore the old, and for old people to despise the young. But disrespectful young people are no more a recent invention than grumpy old ones!

One of the aims of the Florendine Link, where older people from church and community go into a primary school once or twice a term, was to provide an opportunity for young and old people to meet and get to know each other.

It’s a valuable thing – and one that the church is rather uniquely in a position to do. There are few other settings in which young and old mix so readily and frequently.

One of the hard things is to make sure that both young and old are valued for what they uniquely bring. Older people tend to bring a bit of stability, consideration, and the wisdom that comes from seeing things come and go over the years. Young people tend to bring ‘a breath of fresh air’, energy and creativity. (Which is not to say young people can’t bring stability, nor older people creativity!)

Church families that get stuck in one or other of those modes will be unhealthy. So, whether you are young or old, what can you bring to and share with our church family?

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:

Ray & Jane Skarratt, Carol Chadwick

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: People moving in to Amington

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.