Welcome to our Sunday service online. Please click on the items below to follow the service at your own pace.
You may like to have a candle ready to light with John.  There is audio or video accompaniment to hymns, readings and prayers. At the end of our service, you may wish to watch the video in which Bishop Martyn speaks with Carolyn Lewis, Diocesan Director of Education about her role in supporting teachers, head teachers and governors in the lead-up to schools extending classes.
Our opening hymn is 'Thy hand, O God, has guided.'
1       Thy hand, O God, has guided
          thy flock, from age to age;
          their wondrous tale is written,
          full clear, on every page;
          our fathers owned thy goodness,
          and we their deeds record;
          and both of this bear witness;
          one Church, one faith, one Lord.

2       Thy heralds brought glad tidings
          to greatest as to least;
          they bade men rise, and hasten
          to share the great King's feast;
          and this was all their teaching,
          in every deed and word,
          to all alike proclaiming
          one Church, one faith, one Lord.

3       Through many a day of darkness,
          through many a scene of strife,
          the faithful few fought bravely,
          to guard the nation's life.
          Their Gospel of redemption,
          sin pardoned, man restored,
          was all in this enfolded:
          one Church, one faith, one Lord..

4       Thy mercy will not fail us,
          nor leave thy work undone;
          with thy right hand to help us,
          thy victory shall be won;
          and then, by men and angels,
          thy name shall be adored,
          and this shall be their anthem:
          one Church, one faith, one Lord.
 Edward Hayes Plumptre (1821-1891)
Reflect on the last week and on your relationships.
  • -  What good things have come from God last week?
  • -  Where have I fallen short?
  • -  What might I do next week?
You may wish to say or pray:
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
The special prayer for this Sunday.
O God the King of glory,
you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ
with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:
we beseech you, leave us not comfortless,
but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us
and exalt us to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone before,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Our next hymn is 'God moves in a mysterious way'.
The Bible reading for today is from Acts 1.6-14.
6 While the apostles were still with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, are you now going to give Israel its own king again?”
7 Jesus said to them, “You don’t need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. 8 But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” 9 After Jesus had said this and while they were watching, he was taken up into a cloud. They could not see him, 10 but as he went up, they kept looking up into the sky.
10 Suddenly two men dressed in white clothes were standing there beside them. 11 They said, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here and looking up into the sky? Jesus has been taken to heaven. But he will come back in the same way that you have seen him go.”
12-13 The Mount of Olives was about half a mile from Jerusalem. The apostles who had gone there were Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon, known as the Eager One, and Judas the son of James.
After the apostles returned to the city, they went upstairs to the room where they had been staying.
14 The apostles often met together and prayed with a single purpose in mind. The women and Mary the mother of Jesus would meet with them, and so would his brothers.

Paul will now share some thoughts on this passage.
 We now have our next hymn, 'Make me a channel of your peace'.  after which Paul will lead us in our intercessions.
Our intercessions include 'Lord, in your mercy' to which the response is 'Hear our prayer'
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
We say together the prayer of General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you most humble and hearty thanks
for all your goodness and loving kindness.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ,
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And give us, we pray, such a sense of all your mercies
that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful,
and that we show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up ourselves to your service,
and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be all honour and glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Before John closes our service, we join Chester cathedral to sing 'O worship the Lord' .
You may like to watch and listen to 'Pachabel Canon performed at St Ann's church, Manchester by Jonathan Scott.
This week Bishop Martyn speaks with Carolyn Lewis, Diocesan Director of Education about her role in supporting teachers, head teachers and governors in the lead-up to schools extending classes.