蜜芽传媒

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Good morning, and welcome to Sunday Worship from St. Aphrahat the Persian Sage Church, in Stockport.

We are gathered today with Farsi-speaking Christians here in the United Kingdom, to share in prayer, scripture, and song.

This service is a chance to listen to voices that have travelled a long way鈥攂oth in miles and in faith. Many Persian Christians have come to the UK from Iran, often leaving behind homes, families, and familiar ways of life. Their journeys carry both sorrow and hope: sorrow for what has been lost, and hope for the new life God is shaping among us.

We are here to celebrate that witness, and to give thanks for the living faith of Persian Christians, who in the midst of trial and displacement have discovered the promise of Christ鈥檚 welcome. Their story is not only a story of exile, but of belonging鈥攐f finding a home in the household of God.

Wherever you are listening this morning鈥斺�攜ou are invited into this fellowship of worship. Together, across languages and cultures, we offer ourselves to the God who makes one family from many peoples, and who calls us to live as witnesses to his love.

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MUSIC: Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness (Bernadette Farrell) 鈥� St Martin鈥檚 Voices

Almighty and everlasting God,
we come before you this morning with grateful hearts.
We thank you that, wherever we are gathered鈥�
in Iran, in Britain, or in any part of the world鈥�
you draw us together as one people in Christ.

We praise you for the witness of Persian Christians,
for faith that endures through trial,
and for the hope of new life you give in Jesus your Son.
Send your Holy Spirit among us now:
open our lips to sing your praise,
our ears to hear your word,
and our hearts to be renewed in love.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

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Our theme this morning is faith under trial, and the hope that God gives in the midst of suffering.

For many Farsi-speaking Christians, this is not an abstract idea but a lived reality. The Letter of Peter speaks of a 鈥渇iery trial鈥� that comes to test believers, not to destroy faith but to purify it. That word rings true for countless Persian Christians who have faced hardship, isolation, and even persecution because of their faith in Christ.

And yet, alongside the pain of exile, there is joy: the joy of finding welcome in Christ, the joy of belonging to his people across nations and languages, the joy of discovering that no border, no government, and no human power can separate us from the love of God.

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MUSIC: Purify my heart (Refiner鈥檚 Fire) - Brian Doerksen

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This service is an opportunity to listen to the voices of those from our church community who remain hopeful in the face of trial, and to stand together as one family in Christ. As we worship today, may we be reminded that the cross and resurrection of Jesus continue to shape our story, giving us courage for the present and hope for the future.

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Our reading this morning is from 1 Peter 4 beginning at verse 12, read by one of our congregation.

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READING: 1 Peter 4. 12-19

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MUSIC: Ey yare jon feshan - (Jesus Lover of My Soul)

We hear now from a member of our church community who can relate deeply to the words of Peter. 听

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SERMON

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MUSIC: Lighting the Way (Will Todd) 鈥� Vasari Singers

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Let us bring our prayers before the God who gathers us from every nation and language into one family in Christ.

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MUSIC: Jahan ashofteh va darham 鈥� Farsi Prayer

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PRAYERS

Loving Father, we thank you for your Church throughout the world.
We pray for all who proclaim the gospel in word and deed,
and especially today for Persian Christians in Britain and in Iran.
Give your people courage to witness to Christ with gentleness and with love.
Response:听Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer (in Farsi)

God of compassion, we pray for those who suffer for their faith,
for all who are displaced, exiled, or separated from family and homeland.

We pray for all victims of violence, especially those affected by the Synagogue Attack in Manchester.
Be their strength in weakness, their hope in despair,
and surround them with your peace.

Response:听Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer (in Farsi)

God of justice, we pray for the nations of the world,
for leaders and governments in Iran, the United Kingdom, and across the earth.

We pray for those who lead in the church 鈥� and for the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
Give wisdom to those in power, that they may seek peace,
protect the vulnerable, and work for the good of all.

Response:听Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer (in Farsi)

God of love, we pray for our communities,
for neighbours, friends, and all who welcome strangers.
Bless especially those who offer kindness to refugees and migrants,
that your Church may be a true home for all people.
Response:听Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer (in Farsi)

Gathering all our prayers into one, we join together in the prayer Jesus taught us, saying:

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The Lord鈥檚 Prayer

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As our service draws to a close, we give thanks for the voices and stories we have shared today. We are grateful for Bishop Guli鈥檚 words, and for the witness of Persian Christians here in the United Kingdom, whose journey of faith speaks to us all of God鈥檚 faithfulness in times of trial and in times of hope.听 Wherever you are listening from this morning, may the fellowship we have shared remind you that in Christ we are one body, called to walk together in love and to bear one another鈥檚 burdens,

and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.

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MUSIC: Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Faithfulness) 鈥� The Daily Service Singers

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