Welcome to ROOTS at home for adults
Worship-at-home resources to help you read and reflect on this week's Bible passages
ROOTS is a partnership of denominations and other Christian organisations and has been publishing lectionary-based worship resources online and in print since 2002.
Copyright
You are welcome to copy this material for use in your own resources e.g. printed sheets or web pages including audio/video recordings. If you do so, please include this acknowledgement to ROOTS:
© ROOTS for Churches Ltd (www.rootsontheweb.com) 2002-2020.
Reproduced with permission.
Opening prayer
God the Holy Trinity,
three in one, one in three,
ever-present mystery,
be present in our midst
as we offer you our worship,
our wonder and our praise. Amen.
Introduction
The understanding that God is Holy Trinity means that God lives as a community, with Father, Son and Spirit in loving harmony and interdependence, each being distinct and doing distinctive things. We are made in God’s image; and so we too are made to be in community and are only truly ourselves as we live that out. This challenges the notion that faith is solely a personal matter. We have to live out our faith together with our fellow-believers. In the same way, we need to seek unity in diversity in our domestic and social lives. This also challenges the individualism that dominates our culture in the West and that needs to be replaced by an understanding that what is good for everyone is also best for the individual.
The understanding that God lives as community also means that God is dynamic – that within the Trinity there is constant movement and change. Some theologians describe this as being like a dance; the three persons of the Trinity affect and change each other like partners in a dance. And as we are made in God’s image, movement and change will always be part of our lives too; as individuals and as the Church, we develop and grow. Change is both desirable and inevitable and we are called to play a part in it. And in society, we are part of a flowing stream of change and have hope for the future.
This week's Live your faith sheet
(Bible notes, prayers, a picture and questions for reflection, a live your faith action)
Activity
Make Trinity bracelets
An activity for all-age individually or in groups.
Take the friendship bracelet idea and plait together three strands of different-coloured wool to form a bracelet that reminds us of God’s presence with us. Think carefully about the colours you choose to represent the three persons of the Trinity. Why those colours? And be prepared to explain your thinking to someone who asks! If you can, safely, give your finished bracelet to a friend.
Prayers
A prayer of praise
God, holy, blessed and glorious Trinity,
you dwell in unapproachable light
and yet invite us to be guests at your table.
You are the creator of the universe,
yet love each one of us with a love that is without limit.
You are mystery,
yet call us to seek you and find you.
Pour out on this assembly the gifts you are always waiting to give us,
and call us into communion with one another and with you,
through your Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. Amen.
A personal prayer
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be my strength, wherever I go;
may the love of God be my joy, whatever my circumstances;
and may the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be my inspiration, whatever I do.
Amen.
A meditative prayer inspired by Matthew 28.20
Lo I am with you always, to the close of the age.
But what shall I do? Where shall I go?
I'm not even sure what you want me do!
I won't know what to say…
And God says: Lo I am with you always to the close of the age.
Don't send me out there…
So much poverty, so much sickness, so much hunger, so much injustice.
I can't possibly tackle all that…
And God says: Lo I am with you always to the close of the age.
I'm not even sure what I think or feel or believe.
So much to think about.
So many alternatives, voices, ideas…
And God says: Lo I am with you always to the close of the age.
What if people laugh?
What if they ignore me?
What if they think I'm mad?
And God says: Lo I am with you always to the close of the age.
Use me after I've lived my life a bit,
when I've made some money, had some fun…
next week…
next year maybe?
And God says: Lo I am with you always to the close of the age.
Keep a minute of silence
But…
Okay, here I am, send me….
And God says: Lo I am with you always to the close of the age.
Celtic Caim Prayer – a way into prayer
The ancient Celtic Christians were very aware of God’s presence all around them. To help them remember this, they performed a type of prayer called ‘The Caim’. They stood with one arm outstretched and, turning slowly, they traced a circle in the air around them. They may have said a prayer, or simply pictured in their minds the people and things they wished to encompass in God’s presence. Wherever you, at home or especially outdoors, you can do that too!
Listen and sing
Preview songs on YouTube, buy online and download.
Mistakes, Unspoken on Just give me Jesus
Let it be known, Worship central on Let it be known
Go light your world, Chris Rice on Short term memories
Traditional hymn(s): Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness
Don’t forget that, as subscribers,
all the normal weekly and issue-based materials are available to you: |
|
|
- In conversation with the Scriptures
|
- A range of adaptable prayers and activities
|
|