From 29 March 2020 recordings of Sunday services can be viewed on Otley Parish Church YouTube Channel
God and the Big Bang – Thursday 13 February 2020
Click Here to view Dr Matt Pritchard’s talk from this thought-provoking evening (32 minutes)
Sunday 12 January 2020 10am – Theme: The Baptism of Christ
Readings: Acts 10: 34-48 and Matthew 3: 13-17
Graham speaks about the Baptism of Christ as being a Messianic fulfillment of the Old Testament in which Jesus identifies closely with us as he begins his earthly ministry. At the start of a new year with all its uncertainties and challenges, how can we better walk with God, listening to him and offering ourselves in his service?
Duration: 29 minutes
Sunday 27 October 2019 10am – Theme: Our Calling
Readings: Romans 12: 1-8 and Luke 4: 14-24
Canon Derek Walmsley is the Diocese of Leeds Director of Ordinands & Vocations. Following the 2 readings, he encourages us to consider the extraordinary love of God shown in Jesus and, in response, seek what he is calling us to do with our lives.
Duration: 23 minutes
Sunday 26 May 2019 10am – Theme: Paul is Called to Macedonia
Readings: Acts 16: 6-15 and John 14: 23-29
Jimmy considers how Paul was called to go to Macedonia and what we can learn about the ways in which God may be guiding us:
– Keep trying different routes until you find the way God is calling you
– God does guide us!
– When God is map reading, detours are NEVER detours
– If God can guide Paul to cross the known world for Lydia, he can guide you
Slides to illustrate the talk: Paul is called to Macedonia
Duration: 27 minutes 28 seconds
Sunday 12 May 2019 10am – Theme: Where your Treasure is, Your Heart is Also
Readings: Acts 9: 36-43 and Luke 12: 22-34
Based on these readings, Graham encourages us to:
- Consider Life – what should be important?
- Seek Him – what do we set our heart on?
- Take Action – reshape our life and invest in the Kingdom of God
Duration: 29 minutes 42 seconds
Sunday 28 April 2019 10am – Theme: Stop Doubting and Believe
Readings: Acts 5: 27-32 and John 20: 19-31
Jimmy says we should not be surprised, worried or confused when someone expresses doubt. He then asks us to recognise and consider honestly the factors which influence our own doubts and faith – see Venn diagrams below:
Duration: 27 minutes 25 seconds
Sunday 31 March 2019 10am – Theme: Mothering Sunday
Readings: Exodus 2: 1-10 and John 19: 25-27
Based on the account in Exodus, Jackie speaks about how our actions might reflect those shown by the 4 women in the account of Moses in the Bullrushes:
- Midwife: Subversive goodness
- Mother: Prioritising another’s need above her own
- Sister: Caring community
- Pharaoh’s Daughter: Choosing to intervene and rescue
These 4 show how we can all be involved in “mothering”
Duration: 28 minutes 24 seconds
Sunday 13 January 2019 10am – Theme: The Baptism of Christ
Readings: Isaiah 43: 1-7 and Luke 3: 1-6, 15-17 & 21-22
Jimmy talk about the Baptism of Jesus with 3 key points:
- Public – John the Baptist calls for a public (corporate) act of repentance
- Powerful – The Spirit of God empowers Jesus for ministry
- Personal – Jesus is accepted and affirmed by God
These can also be words for us today, speaking louder than the critical voices around us.
Duration: 27 minutes 48 seconds
Sunday 25 November 2018 10am – Theme: Christ the King
Readings: Daniel 7: 1-14 and Mark 14: 53-65
Jimmy illustrates this difficult passage from the book of Daniel with a poster from The Bible Project giving an overview of the whole book and then focusing on chapter 7. Daniel’s dream is about “super beast” kingdoms fighting, but ultimately brought down by God’s Kingdom. Jimmy then shows how this ties in with the reading from Mark’s Gospel and asks “What sort of King is Jesus?”
Duration: 20 minutes 16 seconds
Sunday 11th November 2018 10am – Theme: God’s Kingdom of Peace
Readings: Micah 4: 1-5 and Mark 1: 14-20
On this significant Remembrance Sunday, Graham speaks about how God is always on the side of justice and peace – looking for the restoration of relationships. God’s Kingdom of Peace is not established through domination and control, but through self-giving and sacrifice – following the example of Jesus.
Duration: 26 minutes 34 seconds
Sunday 4 November 2018 10am Baptism Service – Theme: All Saints
Reading: Revelation 21: 1-6
Jimmy explains that the account in Revelation 21 is the dramatic climax of the BIG STORY of the Bible. A story which starts in Genesis where people have peace with themselves, with one another, with creation and with God. These 4 important peace relationships have become fractured and broken, but Jesus came to mend those relationships. Baptism marks joining the big family of God where “All things are being made new!”.
Duration: 9 minutes 37 seconds
Sunday 14 October 2018 10am – Theme: Jesus meets a Rich Young Man
Readings: Hebrews 4: 12-16 and Mark 10: 17-31
Based on the account in Mark’s gospel, Jackie speaks about how being part of God’s Kingdom is not related to what we do, but recognising that all we have is a gift from God. Our response should be generosity, being aware that following Jesus can be costly.
Let us have a vision for building the Kingdom of God in this place and review our giving so that the vision can be fulfilled.
Duration: 27 minutes
Sunday 10 June 2018 10am – Theme: A Place for Everyone, with Christ at the Centre
Readings: 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27 and Mark 3: 20-35
Graham speaks about the Otley Parish Church mission statement and how that might work out in our lives, both individually and as a church. We are encouraged to:
- SHARE – Share the Vision
- BEAR – Bear the cost
- WEAR – Wear the T-shirt
Duration: 29 minutes 36 seconds
Sunday 8 April 2018 10am – Theme: Thomas Doubts Jesus’ Resurrection
Readings: Acts 4: 32-35 and John 20: 19-31
Jimmy considers the issues of Doubt and Faith highlighted in the Gospel reading, looking at the evidence for the resurrection and and encouraging us to critically examine this. He then considers 5 different aspects of faith:
- Faith as trust (relational)
- Faith as allegiance (to King Jesus)
- Faith as ascribing to a set of truths
- Faith as taking action
- Faith as an invitation to cross over the line
Duration: 30 minutes
Sunday 11 February 2018 10am – Theme: Transfiguration
Readings: 2 Kings 2: 1-14 and Mark 9: 2-9
Jimmy considers the Transfiguration in the context of the whole of St Mark’s Gospel
- Mark chapters 1 to 7: God’s Kingdom demonstrated for the crowd
- Mark chapters 8, 9, 10: God’s Kingdom defined for the disciples
- Mark chapters 11 to 16: God’s Kingdom displayed for all the World to see
Duration: 30 minutes
Sunday 28 January 2018 10am – Theme: The Baby Jesus is Taken to the Temple
Readings: Malachi 3: 1-5 and Luke 2: 22-40
Graham speaks about the great significance of the baby Jesus being presented in the Temple:
- The Gospel is for everyone
- There is a ‘promise’ that there are going to be struggles
- The call is for us to trust God for all that lies ahead
Duration: 28 minutes 48 seconds
Sunday 14 January 2018 10am – Theme: Jesus Picks His Team
Readings: 1 Samuel 3: 1-10 and John 1: 43-51
Jimmy speaks about the call to be disciples:
- Jesus calls each of us to be his disciples
- Jesus calls us as a team
- Jesus repeatedly calls us to discipleship
Duration: 27 minutes 5 seconds
Sunday 26 November 2017 10am – Theme: Christians for the World
Readings: Psalm 104: 1-31 and Matthew 25: 31-46
Graham considers three aspects of what it means to be ‘World Christians’:
- Our care for creation
- How we continue the mission of Jesus – drawing alongside people
- Recognition that we are part of the worldwide family of God
Duration: 17 minutes 18 seconds
Saturday 25 November 2017 – Otley Prayer Day
Two short talks by Jimmy Lawrence introducing sessions at the Otley Prayer Day
Talk 1: As we think about prayer for our world / God’s world, can we recognise that “the whole world becomes our home” and we have the authority of Christ to pray for it.
Talk 2: Jimmy discusses the relationship between our prayers and our actions in the world
- Prayer and Action
- Prayer as Action
- Prayerful Action
Duration: 20 minutes
Sunday 12 November 2017 10am – Theme: Remembrance
Readings: Amos 5: 18-24 and Matthew 25: 1-13
Referring to the 2 bible readings, Jimmy suggests that remembrance is much more than just looking back. It is being aware that we are part of a much bigger (God’s) story which has a past a present and a future. He urges us to be rooted in the present, acting wisely as the people of God, having learnt lessons from the good and bad in the past but moving into the future with wisdom, humility and peace and with hope.
Duration: 24 minutes 34 seconds
Sunday 29 October 2017 10am – Theme: The Reformation
Reading: Romans 3: 21-24
To mark the 500 year anniversary since the start of the reformation, there is a dramatised account of the early life of Martin Luther and how he came to see the significance of God’s grace as described in the Bible reading from Romans. Graham then reflects on how we can respond to that grace and finally the need for the Church and our own lives to be constantly reformed by God.
Duration: 18 minutes 28 seconds
Sunday 22 October 2017 10am – Theme: The Golden Calf
Readings: Exodus 32: 1-14 and Matthew 22: 15-22
From the Exodus reading Roger speaks about how the Children of Israel lost focus on living as the community of God and worshiped a golden calf instead. In the face of increasing secularisation in society today, how do we, as a Christian community remain focused and show to the World that a direct relationship with God is possible and he can be trusted to walk with us in all things.
Duration: 24 minutes
Sunday 8 October 2017 10am – Theme: The Wicked Tenants
Readings: Isaiah 5: 1-10 and Matthew 21: 33-46
From these readings Graham speaks about God preparing his people so they can show the world what the Kingdom of God is like. We are challenged to be people who serve others in the power of the Holy Spirit and to demonstrate the Kingdom values of Justice, Righteousness and Love.
Duration: 28 minutes 10 seconds
Sunday 1 October 2017 10am – Theme: Harvest
Readings: 2 Corinthians 9: 6-15 and Luke 12: 13-31
From the gospel reading (Parable of the Rich Fool) Jimmy asks us to examine the desires of our hearts. Like the rich fool, do we seek self-sufficiency and security with power and control over our lives? Instead, Jesus encourages us to seek God’s Kingdom, characterised by generosity, gratitude and a new perspective.
Duration: 29 minutes 18 seconds
Sunday 10 September 2017 10am – Theme: Forgiveness
Readings: Exodus 12: 1-14 and Matthew 18: 21-35
Jimmy tackles the difficult subject of “Forgiveness” looking at these questions:
- What is forgiveness?
- Why should we forgive?
- How do we forgive?
Duration: 31 minutes
Sunday 3 September 2017 10am – Theme: Moses and The Burning Bush
Reading – Exodus chapter 3, verses 1 to 15
From this passage, Jimmy brings out 5 points which apply to us today:
- God shows up
- God knows our name
- God draws near
- God sends out
- God comes with us
Duration: 15 minutes
Sunday 28 May 2017 10am – Theme: Jesus Ascends to the Father
Readings – Acts 1: 1-11 and John 16: 12-15
John celebrating 10 years of ministry at Otley Parish Church as he now looks forward to retirement.
Duration: 19 minutes
Sunday 23 April 2017 10am – Theme: The Risen Lord
Readings – Acts 2: 14a, 22-32 and John 20: 19-31
