Welcome to Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches, and to our service of worship for Sunday 12^th September. As we worship, either at home or together in a church building, may we be drawn closer to each other and to our Lord.

Call to Worship (Psalm 19: 1-4)
The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
Let us worship God.

HYMN 172 – Sing for God’s glory

(from the Cantus Firmus Trust)

Prayer:

You, God, are the creator of heaven and earth.
All that is, seen and unseen, is the work of your hand.
Today we come before you in awe.
In the vastness of all there is
you reach out to each of us,
and so we look upon you in wonder.
This day, touch us by your spirit
uniting us in your praise
guiding us in your wisdom,
leading us in your love.

When we are tempted
to turn away from creation
to deny the gifts we bring to make life abundant
to lie and join in with greater lies;
help us, our God,
to hear your call in the street,
to heed your voice in our lives,
to respond to your prodding for us to change.
Hear us, God of creation
as we come to worship you this day,
as we seek refreshment in our spirits and
nurture for our lives,
that as we meet you in word and song,
and in each other,
we may turn back to You in creation
to use the gifts you give us to nurture the earth,
and to speak the truth, whatever the cost.

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
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.

Scriptures:

Proverbs 1: 20-33
Wisdom cries out in the street;
in the squares she raises her voice.
At the busiest corner she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
‘How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
Give heed to my reproof;
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
I will make my words known to you.
Because I have called and you refused,
have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,
and because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you,
when panic strikes you like a storm,
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.
Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
would have none of my counsel,
and despised all my reproof,
therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way
and be sated with their own devices.
For waywardness kills the simple,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
but those who listen to me will be secure
and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.’

Mark 8: 27-38
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’

HYMN 510 Jesus call us here to meet him (verses 1-3 only)

(from Upper Clyde Parish Church)

Reflection:

What’s your definition of an emergency? Is it something that needs addressed right this moment, or can it be something that may be tackled at a somewhat slower pace? In part, it may depend on the context. If the situation is one of a road traffic accident then we may want that addressed immediately. If it’s a political situation then the timetable for action may be both slower and longer. But what if the emergency is concerned with the climate, with issues such as melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and quickly reducing levels of natural resources? What if it is a ‘climate emergency’?

For the last few years the church has been observing the month of September, and the first few days of October, as a time to consider creation. We are encouraged to focus not just on its joys, but our responsibility both as a part of the created order and as God’s appointed stewards of it. So why is this relevant to us? Well, not only are we stewards pf creation, something we read of in Genesis, but the wisdom passages of the Bible also point us in this direction. Our call to worship today is just one example of such a reading.

To the world of ancient Israel and its neighbours wisdom writings were something that they held almost in common. Wisdom was seen as a universal, and a constant. Contrary to some modern understanding wisdom is not about being able to answer all the questions on Mastermind or University Challenge; neither is it about being able to solve all the puzzles on Only Connect or the Krypton Factor. Rather, wisdom is about knowing how to live rightly. It’s about how to live a peace-filled and just life. That is what makes it relevant to us. Don’t we want to live a life where everyone knows peace, and that justice flows?

In our passage from Proverbs we find ourselves introduced to the personification of wisdom. There are three stands shown to us. Firstly, wisdom speaks out in public. She is no secret and is available to all, even those who have no time for her. From a spiritual perspective this means that God’s love is freely available to everyone. This also means that his guidance is freely available to each and all of us. This freedom, though, also means that we are in the position of having to choose whether to accept wisdom or reject it.

The second strand is that there are consequences for ignoring the wisdom of God. The consequence is disaster. For the ancient Israelites this meant subjugation by foreign kingdoms and exile to distant lands. These may be punishments, but they are consequences of failing to choose wisdom. Sometimes the consequences are quick to appear while at other times a far longer waiting is seen. As we see the state of the world are we beginning to see the consequences of humanity’s failure to act in accord with divine wisdom? Is environmental disaster the consequence of generations of foolishness?

The third, and final, strand is that wisdom makes clear the stark reality of the choice in front of us all. From their earliest days the people of the scriptures were given a choice; they could choose to go their own way, the path that leads to death, or they could choose to follow the path of God, the path of wisdom. Scripture always encourages the latter, urging us to choose life.

Before us today we have a straightforward choice. We can choose to continue along the path that humanity currently follows, or we can choose life. If we choose the latter then we are choosing wisdom, choosing love, choosing justice. In other words, we are choosing God and His wisdom. Sometimes it takes a crisis or a moment of special revelation to see or understand wisdom; this is something we see often in the Gospel stories of the twelve disciples. Our role, as stewards of the world that God created, is to stand up for creation. It is to be good stewards, caring for creation as we would steward any other gift we were called to nurture.

As Pope Francis put it a couple of years ago:

“This is the season for letting our prayer be inspired anew by closeness to nature…to reflect on our lifestyles…for undertaking prophetic actions…directing the planet towards life, not death.”
Amen

HYMN 534 Make me a captive, Lord

Prayer:

God, we turn to your with our concerns for the world.

As the Church, the body of Christ, proclaims the message of the Gospel
may we remain true to his words and example
and so bear witness to your eternal truth.
May the Church bear its cross just as he did his.
May it choose not the way that leads to death,
but the wisdom that leads to life.

May your wisdom be heard by those in authority.
May governments and parliaments choose paths
that lead to peace and justice for all.
May power be wielded to strengthen the weak,
give a voice to the oppressed, and hope to those who struggle.
May all people look beyond self and to their neighbour.

Grant us your wisdom that we may choose life.
In times of challenge make us both patient and courageous.
In times of weakness may we find the strength to share.
Make us ready to deny self,
and to carry our own cross
and so bless your creation.

For those in sickness or sorrow;
for those dying or bereaved,
may their load be lightened
and may they know your love.
May all who struggle this day
know your peace and strength.

We remember those gone form among us,
the saints of our day and before.
May their example guide and inspire
pointing us toward your wisdom.
May we look forward to the coming day
when all are one in your kingdom.

These prayers we bring in the name of Jesus,
the one in whom faith is life eternal.
Amen.

HYMN 512 To God be the glory

Benediction:

May the One who gave creation voice,
give you a voice to proclaim justice for the earth,
that we may find ways to live with our new realities
and seek justice for all of humanity.
And the blessing of Almighty God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you, now and always.

Sung Amen:

Acknowledgements:
Bible Quotations taken from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

English translations of The Lord’s Prayer, © 1998, English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC), and used by permission. www.englishtexts.org

Confession and Blessing based on resources from Eco-Congregation Scotland

Welcome & Intimations

Call to Worship:
In the beginning, God was.
Here and now, God is.
In the future, God will be.
God was; God is; God will be.

Let us worship God.

HYMN 19 – Ye gates, lift up your heads – Alleluias – Amens (Ps 24)

(from St. Peter’s Free Church, Dundee – ‘Sing Psalms’ version)

Prayer:

You made the world and called it good.
You made humanity and called it very good.
When we wandered away from you
you sent Jesus to bring us back,
to bring out the good you planted in us.
And so we proclaim: Blessed be our God.

When we were in darkness you gave us light.
When we were angry you offered us love.
When we were lost and weary
you sent Jesus as our guide,
to restore us and renew.
And so we proclaim: Blessed be our God.

When we were deaf you heard us.
When we were blind you saw us.
When we needed healing and wholeness
you sent Jesus to be our salvation,
to make us your image anew.
And so we proclaim: blessed be our God.

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
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.

Scriptures:

Isaiah 35:4-7
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
‘Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.’
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.


Mark 7:24-37
From there he [Jesus] set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ But she answered him, ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ Then he said to her, ‘For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.’ So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus^[c] ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’

HYMN 463 – Fairest Lord Jesus

(Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California)

Reflection:

I imagine you will have heard of the church mouse; it’s a quiet, poor creature that’s is often unseen. But have you heard of the church elephant? In almost every kirk in Edinburgh today there is an elephant. It may be acknowledged but it may not be. It won’t be seen but it is there. The elephant in the room is the up-coming Plan for Presbytery and all that means for the structures of the Kirk as we look at being more missional in our ways. It’s an elephant that brings about a certain degree of anxiety, of fear. The Bible, though, tells us that “perfect love drives out all fear”. If love is truly a matter of the heart, then is that where the antidote to fear may be found?

In the Bible, “heart” means the inner self – our being, our essence, our spiritual centre. It’s the seat of our thoughts, decisions, and will. For the Bible, the condition of our heart matters as much as anything. The Bible often describes the human heart in negative ways: hard, callous, fat, proud, puffed up, deceitful, made of stone. We could also say “closed heart.”

Every one of us has experienced the effects of a closed heart. At times we may even be proud of having a closed heart. It’s a way to protect ourselves. Early in our lives we learn to separate ourselves and to focus on ourselves – that’s often closing or hardening our heart. Of course, there are degrees of being closed and hard. We don’t all shut off in the same way or to the same extent over the same things.

A closed hard doesn’t have to exhibit itself in extremes. Rather it can mean judgmentalism; insensitivity; self-centeredness; self-interest. These are things with which we can identify. We can begin to see that hearts may be closed in more ways and at more times than we perhaps first thought.

Following Jesus will involve a more open heart. Spiritual growth is about the heart becoming more open. The heart of Jesus – is the open heart, the pure heart, the heart exposed, vulnerable, and available – it’s the compassionate heart.

So what then can we make of today’s gospel? What does it have to say about this matter?

A woman, a pagan foreigner, approached Jesus. She accosts him, ignoring both etiquette and social grace. Women don’t approach strange men. Gentiles don’t approach unknown Jews. She fell at his feet because she wanted something. Jesus seems annoyed by her, but his response is what is shocking. He not only refused her, but he compared her to a dog. That’s bad enough in our world. It was even worse then. Dogs weren’t cute, cuddly, amusing pets; they were filthy scavengers. Jews considered them unclean. It was like calling her a rat, a cockroach, subhuman, Untermensch.

But she didn’t back off. “The dogs get the children’s scraps” she says. Jesus does an about-face. Her heart was breaking over her dying child, and her intelligence, her faith, her strength of character so impresses Jesus, that it makes him re-evaluate his response. Then we get the care and compassion we expect from Jesus. He heals her child.

At the beginning, it doesn’t look like he has an open heart. The way he changed his treatment of her, however, is a sign of an open heart. An open heart can learn, can adjust attitude and behaviour, can break the barriers of tradition and habit. The woman helped Jesus understand his call more fully, what God wanted him to do.

Perhaps Jesus had an epiphany. He seems to have realised that God’s children are all of humanity. God’s care and compassion are for all people. The love of God has no limits, no borders. The first part of today’s gospel is a healing story, but it is also a moment of transformation for Jesus. He has a change of heart, even a type of healing for him and all of us. The healing is not only individual, but communal. From his table God feeds all. All are his children. Everyone has equal status as loved and cherished by God. Some aren’t better than others.

In the second half of the gospel, Jesus heals a deaf man. In the ancient world, many would have attributed his impairment to sin, that in some way he deserved it.. The deaf, the blind, the lame, the poor, the orphaned, the mentally ill, the foreigner were all on the margins; women also had little public status. People on the margins were restricted from community activities, and people feared them. Jesus heals man. He made him a full member of the community. People will be less fearful of him. They won’t avoid him. He’ll have similar status with other people.

Both healing stories today are good news not only because people have been physically healed, but we see God acting contrary to our hierarchies of preference and status. All people are his children. All are to be welcomed, accepted, fully part of the community. Good news.

We are facing a time of great change and challenge. It will mean joining with others, perhaps here, perhaps elsewhere. We will have to learn to accept each other, and the values, traditions and habits that go along with that. Like Jesus in today’s Gospel, we will have to learn. Like Jesus we will have to open our hearts, perhaps even further than we have done before.
Amen.

Prayer:

Let us pray that the Kingdom of God will come among us.

You call us to trust in you through in all things;
show us how to hold on to you and your word
that your kingdom may come in us this day.

You call us to turn from the ways of war;
show us how to be peacemakers
that your kingdom may come in us this day.

You call us not to worry over what to eat or wear;
show us how to share that the world may be fed and clothed
that your kingdom may come in us this day.

Where governments claim your blessing,
may they work for the poor and the powerless
that your kingdom may come in them this day.

Where the church seeks to build a kingdom made in its own image
transform it that it may break down barriers
that your kingdom may come in it this day.

Where people are marginalised because of gender, sexuality, or race
send your Spirit of truth and justice
that your kingdom may come in all this day.

The word declares that the kingdom is in our midst’
may it be made manifest that the whole earth may cry “glory”!
May your kingdom come on earth this day.
Amen.

HYMN 562 Through the love of God, our Saviour

Benediction:

Go from here,
from what you are to what you will become;
from what you know to what you will learn;
from the good you know to the love you will share.
And as you go,
may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
go with you now and always.
Sung Amen.

Acknowledgements:
Bible Quotations taken from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

English translations of The Lord’s Prayer, © 1998, English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC), and used by permission. www.englishtexts.org