Thank you for joining us today, we meet in person and over the internet united in worship.

This Sunday is one of our watchword services, Giving thanks always and for everything to God, this month the theme is Thankful and Encouraged.

The hymns for this morning are all available on YouTube.

This is our last service in the church for at least four weeks, our services will be online on Sunday mornings for us to share together.
Please do get in touch with Stephen if you want to talk to him.

HYMN ‘I come before you today’
Don Moen, CCL 53960

Welcome and Call to Worship, Prayer and Introduction to Theme

Watchword Call to Worship
I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart
AND COME INTO HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE.
I will give thanks in the name of Jesus,
ON THE EASY AND THE HARDER DAYS.
For the love of God has made me glad
AND I HONOUR HIS WORDS AND WAYS.
WE GIVE THANKS ALWAYS AND FOR EVERYTHING
TO GOD THE FATHER
IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 
AMEN.

HYMN Mission Praise 394 ‘Jubilate, everybody’
From Psalm 100, Fred Dunn ©1977 Thankyou Music

Church News, Bible Reading – Acts 9:19b-31

SONG ‘Come to the table’
Dave Frey, Ben Glover, Ben Mcdonald, CCL 53960.

Sermon Prayers, Act of Dedication and The Grace

O God of hope and kindness, we thank you so much for the Barnabas people in our lives – the ones who have encouraged and welcomed and accepted us when we were newcomers and strangers. 
GIVE US GRACE TO DEVELOP IN OUR OWN LIVES THIS LOVELY MINISTRY OF TRUST AND ACCEPTANCE,
HEALING OLD WOUNDS OF REJECTION AND HELPING YOUR KINGDOM TO GROW. 
FOR WE ASK IT IN JESUS’S HOLY NAME, AMEN.

HYMN Mission Praise 171 ‘Give to our God immortal praise’
Isaac Watts (1674-1748) altd.

Acts 9:19b-31

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰ At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹ All those who heard him were astonished and asked, ‘Isn’t he the man who caused havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?’ ²² Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
²³ After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, ²⁴ but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. ²⁵ But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. ³⁰ When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

As part of the service this morning, Joyce talked about our friend Monica who died earlier in the year and one of her paintings which has been given to the church.