1. Worship with the Northumbria Community
WELCOME TO ST PETER’S CHURCH
Worship with the Northumbria Community

2. We pause – and then we say:
To whom shall we go
you have the words of eternal life
and we have believed and have come to know
that you are the Holy One of God.
Be with us now as we stand on our own Holy Ground
and help us to seek you in your temple with no walls…

3. Hymn – Be Still for the Presence of the Lord 
Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here,
Come bow before him now , with reverence and fear.
In him no sin is found, we stand on holy ground.
Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around,
He burns with holy fire, with splendour he is crowned.
How awesome is the sight, our radiant King of Light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around.
Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place,
He comes to cleanse and heal, to minister his grace.
No work too hard for him, in faith receive from him;
Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place.

4. Opening Prayer: 
God is here with us, and within us.
Let us dwell for a moment in God’s life-changing presence and, as we stand here, let us ask for his presence in our hearts and lives.
God in Christ has revealed his glory.
All Come let us worship.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
All The Lord’s name is greatly to be praised.

5.   Saying Sorry… 
The grace of God has dawned upon the world with healing for all. Let us come to him, in sorrow for our sins, seeking healing and peace.
Lord, have mercy.
All Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy.
All Christ, have mercy.
  Lord, have mercy.
All Lord, have mercy.
May the Father forgive us by the death of his Son and strengthen us to live in the power of the Spirit all our days Amen.

6. Hymn – Just as I Am
Just as I am, without one plea but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidst me come to thee, O lamb of God, I come,
Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O lamb of God, I come.

7. Hymn – Just as I Am
Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve: because thy promise I believe, O lamb of God, I come. Just as I am, of that free love the breadth, length, depth, and height to prove, here for a season, then above, O lamb of God, I come.

8. ‘We are a Way to express the Way’
Opening Canticle:
Teach us, dear Lord, to number our days; that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Oh, satisfy us early with Thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all of our days. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish Thou the work of our hands. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish Thou the work of our hands, dear Lord (Celtic Midday Prayer)

9. Old Monasticism – New Monasticism

10. Nether Springs, Croft Cottage
Acton Home Farm
Felton
Northumberland NE65 9NU

11. ‘We are a Way to express the Way’
‘As a Community we are bound together in a common vocation: to seek God and know self so as to better live with others and serve the world of our influence be it great or small.’

12. What is a Rule?
A Rule is an orderly way of existence but we embrace it as a way of life not a list of rules.
‘Being bound to our Rule of life is a voluntary and purposeful restriction. It excludes other possibilities in order to be focused on what is chosen. There are new and demanding priorities, but there is also much joy.’ Andy Raine (abridged)
The word for Rule has a double root-meaning; one is that of a ‘signpost’ - pointing away from itself so as to inform the traveller that they are going in the right direction.
The other root-meaning is that of ‘a banister railing’ which is something that gives support as you move forward, climbing or descending on your journey.

13. The Rule:
A Rule of life helps us to stay connected to God in the present moment by noticing the now – not by adding disciplines to an already busy life but by becoming conscious of God in what we are already doing.
Our part is to remain available, to listen, to observe, to act, to be. This enables us to remain spiritually alive – mindful of God’s presence with us.

14. Our Rule of Life is at the heart of who we are’
‘The Rule we embrace and keep will be that of AVAILABILITY and VULNERABILITY.
Our Rule of Life is at the heart of who we are’
Northumbria tells us that:
A Rule develops in response to a life already being lived – what is central to your hopes and dreams, what are the values and emphases that reflect the character and ethos of your way for living?
We are not a Community because of physically living close to each other (although some do) but because we live close to our chosen way of living, which unites us at a heart level. As a monastic Community, we are consecrated to God in our way for living and the vows – of availability and vulnerability – are taken seriously.

15. Our Rule of Life is at the heart of who we are’
‘The Rule we embrace and keep will be that of AVAILABILITY and VULNERABILITY.
Our Rule of Life is at the heart of who we are’
We are called to be AVAILABLE to God and to others:
Firstly to be available to God in the cell of our own heart when we can be turned towards Him, and seek His face;
then to be available to others in a call to exercise hospitality, recognising that in welcoming others we honour and welcome the Christ Himself;
then to be available to others through participation in His care and concern for them, by praying and interceding for their situations in the power of the Holy Spirit;
then to be available for participation in mission of various kinds according to the calling and initiatives of the Spirit.

16. We are called to intentional, deliberate VULNERABILITY:
being teachable expressed in: a discipline of prayer; in exposure to Scripture; a willingness to be accountable to others
speaking out when necessary or asking awkward questions
embrace the challenge to live as church without walls, living openly amongst unbelievers and other believers in a way that the life of God in ours can be seen, challenged or questioned. This will involve us building friendships outside our Church

17. We are called to……
…. call people back to a relational God, seeking Him daily, as the one thing necessary, in the cell of our own hearts.
… believe that we have been called, as a new monastic movement to seek to find a different way, in a different culture, to be faithful to the gospel.

18. We are called to……
… look to God to help us interpret our culture in order to understand how to be church.
… see ourselves as being both catholic and apostolic in the task of re-imagining the Church.
be part of the wider Church but also an expression of church as, for many Companions, the Community is their only expression of belonging to a church.
If you feel a sense of resonance, or ‘home’, with the Northumbria Community, there are two ways to be in Community with us, as a Companion or as a Friend

19. ‘….prayer is life, life is prayer….’
Praying and Interceding……
‘….prayer is life, life is prayer….’
‘Praying and Interceding’ - not all are called to be intercessors but all are called to pray.

20. Contemplative Prayer……
This is being ‘unbusy’ with God instead of being busy with other things.
Jesus urges us to “come and spend some useless time with me; come and waste time with God.” This is the practice of contemplative prayer, the prayer of quiet.

21. Worship…… Some reflections about worship at Nether Springs
It’s beauty lies in valuing formal monastic liturgy that can be nurtured in the home.
It is simple – accessible and fresh
less narrative - more an expression of desire to seek a God who we already know is glorious and gracious.
there is ‘a sense of rapid and natural descent into depth and stillness’ within the chapel walls – the liturgy is slow, with conviction – rustic, simple – almost with the gravitas of plainsong chant.

22. © Northumbria Community

27. The Supremacy of Christ
Scripture Readings: Colossians ;
The Supremacy of Christ
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers —all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

28. Scripture Readings: Luke 10.38-42 Jesus Visits Martha and Mary
Scripture Readings:
Luke
Jesus Visits Martha and Mary
38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ 41 But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

31. Pause and Ponder to Pray…..

34. NOTICES

35. Hymn – Take My Life And Let It Be
1 Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee. Take my moments and my days; let them flow in endless praise, let them flow in endless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love. Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee, swift and beautiful for thee.

36. Hymn – Take My Life And Let It Be
3 Take my voice and let me sing always, only, for my King. Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from thee, filled with messages from thee.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store. Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for thee, ever, only, all for thee.

38. May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever
May the peace
of the Lord Christ
go with you, wherever
He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you
through the storm.
May He bring you
home rejoicing
at the wonders
He has shown you.
once again into our doors.

39. Northumbria Blessing May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you,
may He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm, 
may He bring you home rejoicing, at the wonders He has shown you may he bring you home rejoicing, once again into our doors.
Please join us for cake and coffee in the Leverton Hall 