Welcome to our morning service led by Rev Stephen Haward.

The theme is The road less travelled.

The hymns are available on YouTube

HYMN Mission Praise 564 ‘Praise to the Lord the almighty’ 
Joachim Neander (1650-80) tr Catherine Winkworth (1829-78)

Welcome and call to worship, prayer and introduction to theme

Call to worship, please respond with the words in capitals.
In wonder at the beauty of the world, 
GOD OUR CREATOR, WE WORSHIP YOU.
To honour your love in Jesus,
GOD OUR SAVIOUR, WE WORSHIP YOU.
That we may meet in the beauty of holiness,
GOD, HOLY SPIRIT, WE WORSHIP YOU.
AMEN.

SONG Mission Praise 881 ‘Lord I lift your name’
Rick Founds @1989 Marantha! Music/CopyCare

Church News, Bible Readings 1 Kings 22:10-17, Matthew 7:7-14

HYMN ‘I must tell Jesus’
Mary Barrett

Sermon, Prayers and Act of Dedication, Blessing

Prayer, please respond with the words in capitals
Search us, O God,
AND FIND THE SECRETS THAT WE HIDE;
Ask us, O God,
AND RECEIVE THE BURDENS THAT WE BEAR;
Keep knocking at the door of our lives
UNTIL WE BECOME OPEN TO YOUR GOODNESS AND YOUR WILL.
Make us more brave to speak for you when it would be easier to stay silent;
Make us more humble to admit when we have been walking the wrong way;
MAKE US MORE WISE TO PLACE OUR LIVES IN YOUR HANDS AND OUR HOPE IN JESUS.
With these gifts and prayers we dedicate ourselves today,
AMEN.

HYMN Mission Praise 1259 ‘Bless the Lord O my soul’
Matt Redman, CCL 53960

1 Kings 22:10-17

¹⁰ Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing-floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. ¹¹ Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, ‘This is what the Lord says: “With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.”’
¹² All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. ‘Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,’ they said, ‘for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.’
¹³ The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, ‘Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favourably.’
¹⁴ But Micaiah said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.’
¹⁵ When he arrived, the king asked him, ‘Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?’
‘Attack and be victorious,’ he answered, ‘for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.’
¹⁶ The king said to him, ‘How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?’
¹⁷ Then Micaiah answered, ‘I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, “These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.”’

Matthew 7:7-14

Ask, seek, knock
⁷ ‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
⁹ ‘Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
The narrow and wide gates
¹³ ‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.