大象传媒

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It may contain gaps to be filled in at the time so that prayers may reflect the needs of the world, and changes may also be made at the last minute for timing reasons, or to reflect current events.

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Continuity announcement

大象传媒 Radio 4.听 鈥淔aith in God鈥檚 plan鈥� is the theme for Sunday Worship now, celebrated by the staff and students of South Wales Baptist College.听 The preacher is the principal, the Rev鈥檇 Dr. Peter Stevenson.听 The service, which comes live from Albany Road Baptist Church, Cardiff, is led by the Rev鈥檇 Dr Craig Gardiner, and begins with music on a celebratory note 鈥� 鈥楬allelujah, Praise the Lord鈥�.听

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ITEM 1听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 MUSIC 1听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CHOIR/PIANO/BASS/DRUMS听听

Gospel Mass : Hallelujah Praise the Lord (Robert Ray)

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ITEM 2听听听听听听听听听听 INTRO 听听听听听听听听 REV. DR. CRAIG GARDINER听听听听

Good morning and welcome to Cardiff.听听 For over 200 years the Baptist College here has been training people who鈥檝e served as ministers and missionaries in the UK and in many other parts of the world.听听 As well as teaching in Cardiff University our 4 tutors seek to equip men and women for effective Christian service听 in a changing world; and at heart we鈥檙e a community of disciples helping people to explore the nature of their Christian calling.

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ITEM 3听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Verses from Psalm 121 WAYNE听 & NICOLA

NICOLA - I lift up my eyes to the hills鈥�

from where will my help come?

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WAYNE 鈥揗y help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

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NICOLA He will not let your foot be moved;

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WAYNE - he who keeps you will not slumber.

He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

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NICOLA - The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

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WAYNE - The LORD will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time on and forevermore.

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ITEM 4听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 MUSIC 2听 听听听听听听听听听听听听 CHOIR/PIANO/BASS/DRUMS

(Richard Smallwood) - Total Praise

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ITEM 5听 听听听 OPENING PRAYER听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CRAIG听听

听Let us pray:

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Lord, as we greet this new day,

We lift our voices to you in praise;

For you are the living God;

the one who neither slumbers nor sleeps,

who lovingly watches over us day and night.

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Lord, as we think about the struggles we鈥檙e facing,

and wonder what the future may bring,

We lift our voices to you in praise;

For you are the eternal God,

the one who keeps guard over our lives

How majestic is your name in all the earth. Amen

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And now, our College Principal, Peter Stevenson, introduces this morning鈥檚 theme.

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ITEM 6听 ADDRESS PART 1 听听听听听听听听听听听 REV DR PETER STEVENSON听听

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 It was about this time of year, 40 years ago, that I packed my bags, got on the ferry at Belfast and made the overnight crossing to Liverpool.听 The next morning, very much looking forward to going to theological college, I boarded a train at Lime Street heading for Oxford.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Not surprisingly, I was excited about the opportunity to discover more about the heart of the Christian faith 鈥� but thinking about it now I realise that back then I鈥檇 no real idea where it was all going to lead.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 But over the next couple of years I began to sense that I should find the courage to take the plunge and test out whether or not God might be calling me to become a Baptist minister.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Now I have to confess that there wasn鈥檛 a loud voice from heaven telling me what I had to do, but over a number of months it felt as if God was placing the challenge of ministry in front of me. And after a lot of prayer and heart-searching I felt that I鈥檇 always regret it if I didn鈥檛 have the faith and the courage to say 鈥榊es鈥� to that challenge.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Taking that step of faith was an important turning point in my life 鈥� but little did I imagine that one day I鈥檇 find myself working in a theological college, walking alongside people who鈥檙e exploring the shape of God鈥檚 call upon their lives, And it鈥檚 a really great privilege for me to do that. Of course God鈥檚 call comes in many different ways and in Genesis chapter 12 we encounter one famous story of faith which speaks about the patriarch Abraham responding to God鈥檚 call

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ITEM 7听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 READING 1听听听听听听听听听 REV. DR. KAREN SMITH听听听

[Genesis 12:1-9]

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听Now the LORD said to Abram, 鈥淕o from your country and your kindred and your father鈥檚 house to the land that I will show you. 2听I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3听I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 4听So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5听Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother鈥檚 son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, 6听Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7听Then the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, 鈥淭o your offspring I will give this land.鈥� So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8听From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and invoked the name of the LORD. 9听And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb.

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ITEM 8听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 LINK听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CRAIG GARDINER

We sing now of the God who guided Abram and who also guides us on our journeys of faith: Guide me O thou great Jehovah

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ITEM 9听 MUSIC 3听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CHOIR/CONG/ORGAN/VIOLIN

Guide me O thou great Jehovah ( Cwm Rhondda) William Williams/John Hughes

Arranger Jeffrey Howard

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ITEM 10听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 LINK听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CRAIG GARDINER

Our New Testament Reading from Hebrews chapter 11, beginning at verse 8,听 portrays Abraham and Sarah as people who lived by faith.

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ITEM 11听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 READING 2听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 MICHELLE

[Hebrews 11:8-16]

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8听By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9听By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10听For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 13听All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14听for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15听If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16听But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

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ITEM 12听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 LINK听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CRAIG GARDINER

Those verses from Hebrews chapter 11, were intended to encourage weary believers, and to inspire them to continue living by faith.

And so we affirm and celebrate that invitation to 鈥榳alk by faith and not by sight鈥� as the Cambrensis choir sing: 鈥楤y faith we see the hand of God...

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ITEM 13听听 MUSIC 4听听听听听听听听听听听 CHOIR/BASS/DRUMS/VIOLIN听听听听听 DUR:

By faith, we see the hand of God

(Stuart Townend , Keith Getty & Kristyn Getty / Thankyou Music )

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ITEM 14听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 ADDRESS PART 2听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 PETER STEVENSON

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 A few months ago, Michelle Obama gave a speech to university students in Alabama. And during that Commencement Address, America鈥檚 First Lady was very open and honest about what she felt had been very personal attacks directed at her by various sections of the press.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淎ll of this used to really get to me鈥�, she said.听听 鈥淚 had a lot of sleepless nights, worrying about what people thought of me, wondering if I might be hurting my husband鈥檚 chances of winning his election, fearing how my girls would feel if they found out what some people were saying about their mom.鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Having survived those personal attacks, she said 鈥楨ventually, I realized that if I wanted to keep my sanity and not let others define me, there was only one thing I could do, and that was to have faith in God鈥檚 plan for me.鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Now we鈥檙e all familiar with the idea that most public figures in the UK don鈥檛 officially 鈥榙o God鈥� 鈥� so it鈥檚 very interesting to hear such a high profile person explaining how having faith in God鈥檚 plan has been such a source of strength

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 And in the extract, which we heard, from Hebrews chapter 11,听 it鈥檚 clear that Abraham was someone who certainly had faith in God鈥檚 plan for him.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 For in response to the call and promise of God; by faith Abraham was willing to leave behind family, friends and familiar surroundings, in order to set out on a journey to somewhere new, and remarkably, 鈥榟e set out not knowing where he was going.鈥� (Hebrews 11:8)

By faith Abraham鈥μ�听听听听 But what is faith鈥�?

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 At times I wonder if some of us think about faith, in the kind of way that one of the characters in Lewis Carroll鈥檚 book Through the Looking Glass talks about it?

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 For at one point in the book we find the White Queen talking with a certain officiousness, asking Alice 鈥榟old old are you?鈥� To which the little girl, politely replies, 鈥業鈥檓 seven and a half exactly.鈥�

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ITEM 15听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 EXTRACT听听听听听听听听听听听听听 LESLEY

You needn't say "exactly,"' the Queen remarked: 'I can believe it without that.

Now I'll give YOU something to believe. I'm just one hundred and one, five months and a day.'

'I can't believe THAT!' said Alice.

'Can't you?' the Queen said in a pitying tone.

'Try again: draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.'

Alice laughed. 'There's no use trying,' she said: 'one CAN'T believe impossible things.'

'I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen. 'When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

ITEM 16听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 PETER CONTINUES 鈥�.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 For some perhaps, faith is hard to take seriously because they feel that faith means making a superhuman effort to force yourself into believing things you just know aren鈥檛 true?

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 But when we turn to the experience of Abraham, we can see that faith is not about believing six impossible things before breakfast 鈥� because, faith means trusting and obeying God.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Even if Abraham didn鈥檛 know all the details about where he was going, he reckoned that God was faithful, that God was trustworthy.听听 And so when God called Abraham to set out on his risky pilgrimage, he trusted Him enough to obey -听 he embarked on his travels trusting that the God who鈥檇 called him would never leave him or forsake him.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 And the living God still today calls us to trust and obey听 Him听 鈥� even if we haven鈥檛 got all the answers.听听 And we have so much more reason to trust God than Abraham ever had.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The book of Hebrews calls Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, whose death and resurrection, Jesus show that God鈥檚 love is stronger even than death.

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听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Earlier this year, my wife Susan and I booked a week鈥檚 holiday in Cyprus. And so on the Wednesday after Easter Sunday we flew out from Cardiff to Paphos.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 On the way out to dinner we spotted a notice about a trip to a local Orthodox church鈥檚 Easter celebration.听

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 But as we were starting to feel sorry that we鈥檇 missed that opportunity we remembered that the Orthodox Christians听 use听 a different calendar听 and their Easter Celebrations would actually take place in just a few days鈥� time.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 And so on Saturday night we found ourselves in a church jam-packed with people

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 We squeezed our way in and then just before midnight all the lights went out. After a moment or two the priest emerged from behind the screen holding a candle, and the church began to fill with light as people lit their candles from the priest鈥檚 candle and then shared the light with one another.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 They processed outdoors to carry on with their Easter liturgy, and Christ is risen was the message that came through over and over again.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 each time the priest announced that Christ is risen - everyone raised their candles to celebrate that the Lord is risen 鈥� he is risen indeed.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 So having celebrated Easter in Cardiff we got a double dose of Easter in Cyprus.

A double-dose of Easter鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 I suspect that our hopeless world needs a double dose of Easter 鈥� that it needs to know the good news that Christ has conquered death 鈥� that he鈥檚 alive for evermore.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 None of us knows what the future will bring, but we believe that whatever the different seasons of life throw at us, the living Christ is able to keep his promise never to leave us or forsake us.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 It鈥檚 because Christ is Risen, - because the living Christ is with us, that it鈥檚 possible to trust God in the good times and in the difficult times too as we follow God鈥檚 calling to faith. And the trustworthiness of God is the message we declare as we sing 鈥楤less the Lord O my soul.鈥�

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ITEM 17听听听听 MUSIC 5听 CHOIR /CONG /PIANO/BASS/VIOLIN

Bless the Lord O My soul (10,000 reasons)

(Graham Maule & John L. Bell. Copyright 漏 1987 WGRG, Iona Community)

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ITEM 18听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 ADDRESS P3听听听听听听 PETER STEVENSON听听听 DUR:

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 In that Commencement Address back in May, Michelle Obama not only mentioned how important having Faith in God鈥檚 plan is in helping her navigate choppy waters 鈥� but she also offered that insight as a resource to those young people who鈥檙e wondering what the future鈥檚 going to bring their way.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 And it鈥檚 interesting to notice how she unpacked that idea for them, by talking to them about the importance of fulfilling their duty towards others.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 She said 鈥樷�� if you rise above the noise and the pressures that surround you, if you stay true to who you are and where you come from, if you have faith in God鈥檚 plan for you, then you will keep fulfilling your duty to people all across this country.鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 And I鈥檓 glad she said that because it鈥檚 a healthy reminder that when Christianity invites us to trust in God鈥檚 purposes, that the desire of God is to work in us and through us in order to bring blessing to others.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 For that鈥檚 the idea we see emerging in our earlier reading from Genesis chapter 12.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Because God doesn鈥檛 call Abraham to move out of his comfort zone just to make him feel homesick or uneasy. As we follow the story it鈥檚 very clear that God calls Abraham to leave familiar things behind, and to step out in faith, so that through him all the families of the earth will be blessed.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 As we follow the biblical narrative we begin to see that being called by God isn鈥檛 about getting special privileges 鈥� it鈥檚 much more about accepting special responsibilities.

Whatever path of life He calls us to God invites us to co-operate with His loving purposes in order that others will be blessed.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 And that鈥檚 not surprising when we realise that another dimension of trusting God鈥檚 plan is to recognise that the divine intention is to make people more and more Christ-like.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Recently I was reading a book by the Rector of St Martin in the Fields in London 鈥� Dr Sam Wells, - who鈥檚 becoming a familiar voice on Radio 4. He was writing about that famous passage in Romans chapter 8 which says that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 He writes about his initial fear that those verses might be used as a sort of pious sticking plaster which ignores the harsh realities of life. But then he began to see things from a different perspective, and realised that the apostle Paul had a very specific definition of 鈥榞ood鈥�, because 鈥榟is definition鈥� of good 鈥榠s 鈥渓ooking like Jesus鈥�.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 All of which leads him to suggest that 鈥榯he whole purpose of God among human beings (was) making and remaking us to look like Jesus.鈥�

And those comments help me to see that trusting God involves recognising that God鈥檚 intention is for us to be conformed to the image of His Son 鈥� to be like Jesus Christ

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 And as Sam Wells helpfully explains: 鈥榝aith means cooperating with that process鈥�.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Faith means co-operating with the Holy Spirit And that process takes place as we run the race of faith with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:1-3)

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 And today this living Jesus invites us to have faith in God鈥檚 good purposes and he says to you and to me 鈥榃ill you come and follow me.

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ITEM 19听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 MUSIC 7听 CHOIR/CONG/ORGAN/VIOLIN

Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?听 (John L Bell)

ITEM 20听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 LINK听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CRAIG GARDINER

We respond to the God who calls us to follow as we pray together

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ITEM 21听 PRAYERS听听听听听听听听听听听 WAYNE听 & NICOLA 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 DUR:

NICOLA听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

Lord Jesus Christ,

You call us by name,

inviting us to live by faith.

But with so many voices clamouring for our attention,

we confess that we are easily distracted.

Open our ears to hear your voice.

Move us by your Spirit to trust and obey your commands.

And help us to follow wherever you may lead us.

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WAYNE

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Lord, we pray for those thousands of people, made in your image, who鈥檙e on the move today, seeking a safer homeland, not knowing if they鈥檒l survive,听 or where their journey will end.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 We pray for wise and compassionate responses to those seeking refuge and shelter.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 We pray also for real efforts to address the underlying causes of the poverty and conflict which drive people from their homes, leading them to risk everything on such a desperate search for places of peace and justice.

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ITEM 22听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 LORD鈥橲 PRAYER听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CRAIG & ALL听

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Faced with such complicated situations we hardly know how to pray. But we can pray for the coming of God鈥檚 kingdom.

For God鈥檚 will to be done here on earth.

We pray as Jesus taught us to pray:-

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Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins听 as we forgive those听 who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation听 but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours

now and for ever.听 Amen.

听

CRAIG

Craig Gardiner - We gather up our worship this morning as we sing: 鈥楤e thou my vision鈥�.

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ITEM 23听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 MUSIC 8听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CHOIR / CONG /ORGAN听

Be Thou My Vision

Tr. Mary E. Byrne & Eleanor H. Hull

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ITEM 24听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 BLESSING听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 PETER STEVENSON

1听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 May the strength of God pilot us,听听听听

May the power of God preserve us,

May the wisdom of God instruct us,

May the hand of God protect us,

May the way of God direct us,

May the shield of God defend us,

May the host of God guard us

Now and always. Amen

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听

2听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Faithful God, so unchanging,

grant us grace to live by faith,

trusting and serving you day by day,

building for your coming kingdom,

looking forward to the victory of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

听

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3听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 May the Lord bless you and take care of you;

May the Lord be kind and gracious to you;

May the Lord look on you with favour and give you peace.

Amen

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ITEM 25听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 ORGAN PLAYOUT听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 JONATHAN DAVIES

Nun Danket Alle Gott Op 65 / Sigrid Karg-Elert

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BACK ANNO:

Albany Road Baptist Church in Cardiff was the host to staff and students of South Wales Baptist College in this morning鈥檚 Sunday Worship.听 The service was led by the Rev鈥檇 Dr. Craig Gardiner and the address was given by the Principal, the Rev鈥檇 Dr. Peter Stevenson.听听听 Cambrensis was directed by Anne Brown, and the accompanist was Jonathan Davies.听 The producer was Karen Walker.听 Anticipating the beginning of the Rugby World Cup, next week鈥檚 Sunday Worship comes live from the chapel of Rugby School and takes the life and sayings of Jesus as an example for when to make, bend, and even break the rules!