17 Apr Online worship resources 19 April 2020

Welcome to Richmond Uniting Church’s Worship resources for Sunday 19 April.

We are currently not worshipping as a gathered community due to the COVID–19 pandemic – but we are still worshipping together in new ways. Below you will find a brief film introduction to the online worship, as well as an audio recording that you can be used for worship at home that includes prayer, the bible readings for 19 April and discussion. You can listen to this with others or on your own.

This Sunday in our audio worship we engage in prayer and wrestling with sacred text, as we reflect on Psalm 16, John 20.19-31 and 1 Peter 1.3-9. In particular, we are invited us to lean into the letter of 1 Peter and its astonishing claims about experiencing the gift of joy in the midst of suffering. We unpack what experiencing joy does not mean, and explore how we might cultivate new practices that create space for joy to be received.

Listen to this week’s service using the embedded player below. You can also copy this link into your podcast player of choice if you would like to receive updates as they are released: https://anchor.fm/s/c70d97c/podcast/rss

Suggestions for Music for worship

Hallelujah Chorus by Handel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PQYVbd1Gwg

Spring 1 Vivaldi Reimagined by Max Richter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaCib0B8T24

Hallelujah! We sing your praises (Together in Song 541)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIJE3XFEgpw

Wondering Questions for this week

Do we dare to imagine experiencing joy – not as a luxury when things are ‘better’ – but as gift from God in the here and now amidst the messiness?

What practices might we engage in to cultivate being open to joy?