The Body of Christ

(1 Corinthians 12.12-27)

Welcome and Introduction

A special welcome to the newest members of our church.

Song: 734 We really want to thank You, Lord

The Lord is here.

His Spirit is with us.

We ask God's forgiveness for our sins

O King enthroned on high, filling the earth with your glory:

holy is your name, Lord God Almighty.

In our sinfulness we cry to you to take our guilt away

and to cleanse our lips to speak your word,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Absolution:

May almighty God have mercy on us,

forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Collect of the day

What an Assortment!

Ask some children to come out to the front and give them an unusual kitchen utensil. Ask them what they think it's for.

When we want to do something we need the right piece of equipment. Ever tried opening a tin of beans with a garlic press? Or whisking eggs with a corkscrew?

No, but when we want to be creative in the kitchen we know we have to use the right equipment for the right job.

Now, God is very creative too. There's an important job to be done, and he has made the right tools for the job. Each one is different. Can anybody see them?

Explain that we are God's tools, and he has given each of us some gifts.

St Paul says that some are apostles, ...some prophets, ...some teachers, ...some have gifts of healing, ...some are able to help others, ...some have gifts of administration, ...and so on.

And just as I've tried to illustrate the fact that we are all different with this collection of kitchen utensils, so Paul gives us a visual aid.

He says that if you're a Christian, it's like you're part of a body. And that all Christians together, make up the Body of Christ.

Songs: 1 A new commandment I give unto you

151 For I'm building a people of power

Reading: From 1Co. 12.12-27

Sections of the congregation to read the parts of the foot, ear, eye, and head. (See service sheet FAMILY08.WPS for a full script).

Many parts - One body

All Christians together form the Body of Christ, and if you're a Christian you are part of that body, (whether you like it or not).

So, if you're a Christian, what part are you?

The point he's making is that all the parts of a body are there for a purpose, ...they have an important role to play. (The eye is for seeing, the foot is for walking).

And so it is in the Body of Christ, ...we are each here for a purpose, ...we each have an important part to play.

So the question can be put rather more pointedly: if you're a Christian, what part are you playing?

Now by that I'm not necessarily asking, "What do you do for the church?" For the part that God wants you to play may have it's focus at home, or at work, in a school, with a voluntary organization, or somewhere else.

A few weeks ago I was talking with someone whose felt very strongly about this. Now Jim felt that his God given focus in life was to help people through his work. ...and he reached the position where he had a tremendous influence over the lives of hundreds of people.

Jim felt that God wanted him to give that job his full attention, ...and by doing so he was able to show a great deal of love to many people who needed it.

That was his part in the body of Christ, ...to show compassion on those in need.

What Jim really needed was a church that could support him in what he was doing outside the church.

Ask someone to come and hold an ARM.

And you too may feel the same, ...that your role in the Body of Christ is not something that's directly connected with the church, ...but something you're already doing outside the church.

Can I ask you to turn to the blue leaflet which was given out with the service sheets.

If you are in that situation, and like Jim you would value some support from the rest of the Body of Christ, could you please tick the top box.

I will then send you a leaflet with one or two ideas about how we might go about arranging that.

Hold up another ARM

On the other hand, your role in the body of Christ may well be connected with something we do as a church.

On the sheet I've listed a few things for which we particularly need more help at the moment. It's not an exhaustive list, ...and there are several other areas of church life where we also need more help, ...but these are some areas which have recently come to my attention.

There's the area of bereavement visiting. David and I visit all bereaved families before the funeral, ...but we rarely have the time to visit people afterwards. It would be great if some people were able to call round a few weeks later to see how they are getting on.

And similarly with baptism families. Our baptism team does a wonderful job of preparing people before their service, ...but it would be great if others could call round after a few months just to let them know that we haven't forgotten them.

Hand out the other ARM

Then there's cleaning the church. There are a couple of faithful ladies who clean the church every Thursday morning. There are a few others who help out when they can, and that makes all the difference. Would you be happy to help out now and again?

Or could your gifts be used to support overseas mission and ministry? A small group of people in our church feel particularly drawn to this, ...they want to support Derek and Gill Blundell from APF, they've also suggested that we might like to sponsor a child in the third world, ...and they've had many other good ideas. Is that an area you feel drawn to?

Hand out a FOOT

Or for something nearer home, what about our Sunday School? ...or working with our teenagers? These are two vital areas of ministry for which we desperately need more help.

Hand out other FOOT

And there are many ways in which you can help with our Sunday Services.

Last October we mentioned that the PCC have been looking at ways of developing our Sunday worship, and we asked you for your comments. Having listened carefully to what you said, we have a revised proposal which we want to tell you about at our AGM (which is a week on Thursday). So please come along to that.

Put if we go ahead with that proposal, we are going to need many more people to help with being sidesmen, singing and playing music, reading from the Bible, and so on. Could you help with any of these?

Hand out HEAD

But as I said, this is not an exhaustive list. And it may be that you don't feel drawn to any of these areas.

Well there are many other areas where you can help.

Hand out BODY

Now these blue sheets are not for everybody. But if you would like to play your part in the Body of Christ, but you're not sure what that part is, then this sheet is for you.

There are a number of boxes on the sheet, and if you tick one I'll send you an information leaflet for you to think and pray about. You won't be committing yourself to do anything, ...but it's a chance for you to find out what might be involved.

I know for some people the thing that holds them back is a shortage of time, ...but for most of the things on this sheet, if you were able to give only an hour a fortnight, it would make a tremendous difference.

For others the thing that holds them back is doubts as to whether they have the necessary gifts, ...well the sheet that I send you will explain the sort of gifts you need.

So we're now going to have a few moments in which you can think about your response. If you want to find out more, can I suggest that you now fill in the sheet. And while you're thinking about that, I'm going to ask the children to see what they can make with these parts.

Ask children to make put pieces into a body, (staple them). Hold up the whole body.

Paul says, "All of you are Christ's body, and each one is a part in it".

Song: 456 Make me a channel

We affirm what we believe about God

Let us declare our faith

in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Christ died for our sins

in accordance with the scriptures;

he was buried;

he was raised to life on the third day

in accordance with the scriptures;

afterwards he appeared to his followers,

and to all the apostles:

this we have received,

and this we believe. Amen.

The Prayers

Song: 428 Lord, for the years

May Christ's holy, healing, and enabling Spirit give you the gifts you need to play your part in the Body of Christ, ...and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ. Amen.