Welcome Service 

 The Methodist Church – Stoke-on-Trent (South)
The Welcome Service for Rev Pam Roberts
Thursday 3 September at 7.00pm by Zoom
 
THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
 
Opening sentence – Rev Linda Catlow
Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
 
Hymn: StF 481 The Lord’s My Shepherd – Rachel Parkes
 
Opening prayer – Rev Linda Catlow
Let us pray.
God of truth,
you are worthy of higher praise than we can offer,
and of purer worship than we can imagine.
By your Holy Spirit,
assist us in our prayers
and draw us to yourself,
so that what is lacking
in our thoughts and actions
and in our words and music,
may be supplied by your overflowing love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Silence
 
Confession
Gracious God,
when we do not listen for your word in the words of others,
forgive and renew us.
When we do not use the gifts you have bestowed on us,
forgive and renew us.
When we do not love one another as sisters and brothers in Christ,
forgive and renew us.
When we do not serve our neighbours in their need,
forgive and renew us.
When we do not share the Good News with those around us,
forgive and renew us.
Silence
God calls us to serve,
forgives us in Christ,
and renews us by the Spirit.
Amen. Thanks be to God.
 
Collect
God of all grace,
you call your Church to be a holy people
to the praise of your name.
In the power of your Spirit,
fill our hearts with your love
and our lives with your glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
Epistle – Rev Stuart Hickerman
Ephesians 4.1-16
1I, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
7But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it is said, ‘When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.’9 (When it says, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
 
Gospel Reading – Chris Thompson
A reading from the Gospel according to St Luke.
Hear the Gospel of Christ.
Glory to Christ our Saviour.
 Luke 4:14-21
 14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
 This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ our Lord.
 
Sermon – Rev Helen Kirk
 
Hymn: Cornerstone – Rachel Parkes
 
THE PRESENTATION, PROMISES AND WELCOME
Rev Helen Kirk, presiding minister, says to the people:
Sisters and brothers, I present to you Pam, whom the Conference has appointed to serve in this Circuit.
The presiding minister says to the newly-appointed probationer for presbyteral ministry:
Pam,
will you hold before us
the story of God's love and mercy,
above all, the Gospel of our Saviour Jesus Christ,
and will you be among us
as one who preaches the word of God,
administers Baptism,
presides at the Lord's Supper,
teaches the faith,
and cares for the flock?
Pam Answers: I will.
I ask God to help me,
and I invite you all to join with me
in proclaiming the Gospel of life and hope.
 
Will you hold before us
God's call to holy living
and be among us
as one who awakens the careless
and strengthens the faithful?
Pam Answers: I will.
I ask God to help me,
and I invite you all to join with me
in commitment to the way of Christ.
 
Will you hold before us
God's commitment to human community,
to our neighbourhoods
and all who live within them,
and to the world that God has made?
Pam Answers: I will.
I ask God to help me,
and I invite you all to join with me
in sharing God's all-embracing love.
 
Congregational Response
Through Christ, we have Good News to share.
May we reveal Christ's way
through our words and example.
May we respond to Christ in all we meet.
 
Glenn Parkes, a Circuit Steward says to the people:
Sisters and brothers,
will you welcome Pam
and will you offer her
your friendship, support and prayers
as we join together in the work
to which God has called us
Please repeat after me
With God’s help, we will.
 
Rev Linda invites circuit and ecumenical representatives, and other appropriate persons to welcome Pam
Pam may reply briefly in her own words and/or as follows:
I thank you for your welcome.
I will work with you and pray for you.
 
Intercession followed by The Lord’s Prayer – Rev Jeff Short
Let us pray.
In faith we pray to God,
who is more ready to hear than we are to ask.
Let us pray for the whole Church of God,
that, rejoicing in our richness and variety,
we may seek peace and unity
and be constantly renewed for mission and service.
Silence
The Lord hears our prayer.
Thanks be to God.
Let us pray for the churches of our Circuit and District
and for other churches in this area,
that, rejoicing in our common heritage,
we may strengthen each other and be built up in love.
Silence
The Lord hears our prayer.
Thanks be to God.
Let us pray for the life of the world,
that, rejoicing in our common humanity,
we may reject the ways of war and conflict
and work together for justice and peace.
Silence
The Lord hears our prayer.
Thanks be to God.
Let us rejoice in the communion of saints,
that, strengthened by their faithful example,
we may follow the way of Christ
and live to God’s praise and glory.
Silence
The Lord hears our prayer.
Thanks be to God.
Give us wisdom, Lord, to know your will,
and courage to do it.
May our words declare your love
and may our compassion give substance to our words;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
The Lord's Prayer
We say together the prayer that Jesus gave us:
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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
 
Thanksgiving – Rev Linda Catlow
Let us pray.
Gracious God,
we thank you that in every generation
you reveal your love for the world,
and set before your people
your word of life and hope.
We thank you for Jesus Christ your Son,
in whom you have made known
your way of perfect love,
and in whose dying and rising
we see your final purpose.
We thank you for your Holy Spirit,
who leads your people into all truth;
for the service and witness of your Church;
and for the preaching of the word
and the celebration of the sacraments,
through which you renew and strengthen us.
All honour and glory be yours,
in the Church and in the world,
in time and in eternity;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Hymn: StF 15 The Splendour of the King – Rachel Parkes
 
Blessing – Rev Helen Kirk
The presiding minister says:
May the God of love
stir up in us the gifts of his grace
and sustain each of us
in our discipleship and service;
and the blessing of God,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
remain with you/us for ever. Amen.
 
Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above):
Some material included in this service is copyright: ©  1989 National Council of Churches, USA
Some material included in this service is copyright: ©  1999 Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes