大象传媒

This service was built around an unscripted conversation between Father Martin Magill and Rev Steve Stockman. Consequently, we are unable to provide a full script.

听

Opening Announcement: At ten past eight It鈥檚 time for Sunday Worship on Radio 4 and 大象传媒 Sounds. Today - a Meditation for the Week of prayer for Christian Unity which comes from Northern Ireland, a place where Christians often have had to work hard to build relationships across historical, entrenched divisions

Rev Steve Stockman and Father Martin Mag听听听 Welcome

Music Let us build a house (Marty Haugen)

Prayers 听听Taken from material prepared 听by the Churches of the Middle East for The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on the theme 鈥淲e have seen his

Steve and Martin听 speak about how they met when Martin approached Steve abut using his church hall 鈥� they git it off immediately over a cup of coffee. They talk about their own backgrounds: Steve鈥檚 was one where attempts to reach out to 鈥渢he other鈥�; Martin grew up in a religiously mixed community where friendship was considered important.

Music 听听O Love that will not let me go.听 (AL Peace) by the Maranatha Praise Band

Steve and Martin听 听reflect on the factors that drew them into peace-making. For Martin, one was a comment he heard while he was a student In Rome that 鈥淏elfast was the place where Protestants and Catholics killed each other鈥�. He was also inspired by Jesus鈥� prayer in John鈥檚 Gospel 听that all his followers would be one.

Reading St John 17.20-25

Steve was a committed follower of the Beatles with their songs like 鈥淎ll you need is love鈥� and when he became a committed Christian he realised that Jesus too stressed the need for love- even to love your enemies as tells us in Luke鈥檚 Gospel.

Reading St Luke 7.27-36

Music听 Make me a channel of your peace (Sebastian Temple) by the Celebration Choir.

Steve and Martin reflect on what they have done together. One day when Steve he realised that he had never been in that part of Belfast before. From their conversation arose the idea of the 4 Corners Festival which has been now going for ten years. It allows people from all careers of Belfast to meet and hopefully become friends.

Music All for Jesus (Robin Mark) by Robin Mark with the New Irish Choir and Orchestra.

Steve and Martin stress the importance of relationships. In the Gospels Jesus formed relationships with a variety of people often sharing a meal with them. In this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity lasting friendships can also be made. God moved into relationship with humanity in the birth of Jesus and in His Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension. The journey of the Magi began with the first step-so should ours.

Music听听 Father Eternal, Ruler of Creation (Genevan Psalter 1551) by the Oasis Chorale

Prayer of Intercession

Steve and Martin Dismissal and Blessing

听

Music Will you come and follow me (John L Bell) by the Choir of First Plymouth Church, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Closing Announcement: That Meditation for the Week of prayer for Christian Unity came from Northern Ireland and was led by the Rev Steve Stockman and Father Martin Magill. The producer was Bert Tosh.听 And you can year the programme for a month on 大象传媒 Sounds.

Next week Sunday Worship will celebrate Chinese New Year from the Manchester Chinese Christian Church.