United Reformed Church

Worship Notes

Worship Notes is a free resource for anyone who leads and plans worship. We offer prayers for Sunday Services, thoughts on the readings, and hymn suggestions.

Each issue of Worship Notes includes:

  • A call to worship
  • Prayers of approach, confession and a declaration/assurance of forgiveness
  • A prayer for illumination
  • An all-age activity or introduction
  • Readings and notes on these readings that could be built into a sermon
  • Prayers of intercessions
  • An offertory Introduction and prayer
  • A blessing
  • Hymn suggestions for local churches sourced from Rejoice and Sing, Church Hymnary 4, Singing the Faith and Combined Mission Praise.
Open Bible

Every month there will be at least one Holy Communion prayer and an Affirmation of Faith.

Intercessions for this week are included within the Worship Notes.

Worship Notes for June 2024

Worship notes for Sunday 2nd June, have been prepared by the Revd Andy Braunston, the URC's Minister for Digital Worship.

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Overview

Andy explores Samuel's call to be a prophet, the Psalmists certain faith that God knows us through and through and the pharisees' squabble with Jesus about law breaking weaving these into a consideration of how we understand call.  As well as the usual prayers you'd expect Andy offers an Affirmation of Faith, and a Communion prayer weaving threads together from a Catholic Eucharistic Prayer and our own Basis of Union.  There's an all age activity, a wide range of hymns, suggestions of two hymns not in the normal books we use and ideas about a Queen song to open worship with and a Leonard Cohen to close.

Worship notes for Sunday 9th June, have been prepared by the Revd Dr John McNeil Scott, Principal of the Scottish College.

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Overview

John explores Jesus' words about family.

The worship notes for Sunday 16th were written by the Revd Dr Elizabeth Welch.

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Overview

Elizabeth offers a range of prayers, an all age activity, notes on the readings and a  range of hymns exploring the idea of Christ the sower.

Worship Notes for Sunday 23rd June were prepared by the Revd Dr Nick Jones

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Overview

Nick explores the David and Goliath story alongside a story of Jesus calming a storm.  He offers a wide range of hymns alongside all the prayers you'd expect and some excellent sermon notes and all age activities.

Worship Notes for July 2024

Worship notes for Sunday 14th July , have been prepared by the Revd Wayne Hawkins

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Overview

Wayne looks at the story of the beheading of John the Baptist, offers the normal range of hymns and prayers and includes some all age activities.

Worship notes for Sunday 21st July have been prepared by the Revd Dr Adam Scott, Principal of Northern College

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Overview

Adam explores the 23rd Psalm in a range of ways - and also gives notes on today's Gospel Reading.  There's a good range of hymns, some lovely prayers and an all age activity to help understand this most famous of the Psalms.

The worship notes for Sunday 28th July have been prepared by the Revd Andy Braunston, Minister for Digital Worship.

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Overview

Andy explores the idea of heroes and villains - remembering the recent General Election and the one before that where we're given choices to make between those who think they are heroes and who portray their opponents as villains.  Andy suggests that whilst heroes might be interesting they don't always make the best leaders.  He develops his theme looking at that hero of the Bible, King David - the hero who slew Goliath and secured the Kingdom but also the villain who usurped his way to the throne, and raped and murdered when it suited him.  Andy explores the OT, Psalm and Epistle in his prayers, hymn choices and sermon notes.

Useful websites

Talking Absolute Worship

Talking Absolute Worship

Talking Absolute Worship is a weekly panel discussion about how the week’s lectionary readings can inspire our preaching and worship-leading

Politics in the Pulpit podcast

Politics in the Pulpit is a lively discussion linking justice, current affairs and the Lectionary readings for the coming Sunday. Available as a podcast or video

United Reformed Church