On Sunday, 10th May at 4pm (GMT) we will gather on Facebook Live (or on YouTube) with interactive discussions afterwards in Zoom. You can follow along with the running order below and find any links that you need.

We’ll be doing an online worship gathering every Sunday at 4pm we are also meeting for a weekly online prayer gathering Wednesdays at 7:30 via Zoom. If you would like to ALSO connect with one of our mid-week Zoom Community Groups email newchurchbirmingham@gmail.com.

When we gather in person we always have cake and a creative/ mindfulness area with activities. You’ll have to grab your own snack this time, but if you fancy doing some mindfulness colouring as you watch/ listen/ engage with our worship gathering, you can download and print this to put in your window. Here’s what else to expect:

Welcome (Danielle)

Song (David)

The Lord’s My Shepherd

Prayer (Joel)

God, help us to imitate you as we feed those who hunger for bread, for justice, for companionship, for forgiveness, for alternate ways of living in this world. Give us your words, equip our hands, and guide our feet. Sustain us, Lord, with your healing love. Amen.

[From Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals]

Question for Sharing (Julia & Sam): Is there something that is particularly causing you worry or concern this week?

Song (Ellie & Ali):

Be Still

Set a Fire/ I am Here

Story: Coronavirus Community Volunteering (Nettes) –Read more about the Potato Project here.

Scripture Reading (Danielle):
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light.  But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. ” Matthew 6:19-34 (from Jesus’ first big speech – The Sermon on the Mount)

Reflection (Ash & Anji Barker from Newbigin Community Trust in Winson Green): What’s better than money in these times?

Love Feast (Naomi & Lizzie)

Song (IGB Band): Lord I Need You

What’s Coming up (Danielle)

Blessing: “May we live fully, love wastefully and have the courage to be all that God has created us to be.”

*If you’d like to find out more about Newbigin Community Trust or make a donation toward their work, go to www.newbigintrust.uk.

*If you are part of our community and would like to make a gift toward Inclusive Gathering Birmingham, you can do that here. Anything you give helps to support the costs of making church happen and allows us to be generous as a community. There’s no pressure to give!

After our Worship Gathering, at 5:15 we will move over to Zoom to chat about how we’re doing and discuss some of the themes from today. If you are in a regular Inclusive Gathering Community Group, please join your regular group. If you are not, please pop in to any of the groups below by clicking the link. If you enjoy the chat, you are very welcome to meet up with your group again, later in the week. If there isn’t a group near you, that’s okay – join whichever one. You can read more about Community Groups here:

Edgbaston Community Group (Pete & Eunice – also meets Mondays – FULL)

Coventry Community Group(Ali & Ellie – also meets Mondays)

Moseley Community Group(Danielle & Joel – also meets Tuesdays)

Summerfield/ Winson Green Community Group(David & Nettes – also meets Tuesdays)

West Brum Community Group – (Adam & Rachel – also meets Thursdays)W

Here’s the questions the groups will be discussing this evening:

• Where have you seen glimpses of beauty this week?
• If you feel comfortable sharing, what have been the difficult moments this week?
• Was there anything that stood out to you from the reflections today? What challenged you? What encouraged you?