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Sunday 26th June 2022

Welcome
This Sunday has been set apart as Sanctuary Sunday and so in our intercessory prayers at the end of the service we will lift up those who are in need of sanctuary and refugees!

Call to Worship (Adapted from Ephesians 1):
Merciful God,
we come before You with praise and thanksgiving!
Through Jesus Christ,
you have lavished on us every spiritual blessing
we could possibly imagine!
Before the world was created,
you already knew us and loved us.
You adopted us as your own children,
and redeemed us through the blood of Christ.

Even more, you have made us your heirs,
and given us your own Spirit as a sign and guarantee.
O How we praise you!

Open our hearts and minds to your presence among us here.
May our worship this morning bring you honour and glory,
for you alone are worthy of our praise. Amen.

HYMN 202 Stand up and bless the Lord

Prayer

God of earthquake, wind, and fire,
God of healing touch and uniting love,
God of our ancestors, neighbours, and grandchildren,
God of deafening silence and quiet harmonies –
We are drawn by Your Spirit
calling out to our own souls,
for You are the source of all life,
the home to which we will return.
In You we find strength and comfort,
safety and courage.
May all that is in us, praise You, O God!
We are created in Your divine image: we rejoice;
we fall short of Your perfect love: we lament;
we contribute to the pain of others: we confess;
we fear what we do not understand: we repent.

In our return to You, merciful God,
we seek Your healing, transforming touch,
knowing You will not withhold it from any,
not now, not ever: praise be to You, O God!

Knowing all this we pray the words You taught
Your friends, saying:
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:

Ephesians 6:10-20
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. ¹¹Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For our^[^a^] struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. ¹⁵As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. ¹⁶With all of these,^[^b^] take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
¹⁸Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. ¹⁹Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,^[^c^] ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

John 17:1-17
After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, ²since you have given him authority over all people,^[^a^] to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. ⁵So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

⁶‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; ⁸for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. ⁹I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. ¹⁰All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. ¹¹And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

¹²While I was with them, I protected them in your name that^[^b^] you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost,^[^c^] so that the scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves.^[^d^] ¹⁴I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁵I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.^[^e^] ¹⁶They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁷Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

HYMN 606 Lord, you sometimes speak in wonders

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWj_6zB248Q

Reflection:

Today we conclude our short series on the book of Ephesians, focussing primarily on three prayers, remembering that the whole of chapter one, two and three could be seen as prayer and worship. Last week it was stressed that Spiritual growth as Paul sees it is firstly a growth in love and worship of God not moralism. Further that growth does not take place in isolation but in the fellowship and dynamics of a church community. Paul in Ephesians uses numerous analogies to explain, the church, such as a building, a family, a body, all which have many parts that form a whole, but which are intrinsically linked to and dependent on the different parts. All pointing to belonging, security and being part of something far greater than ourselves. The prayers in Ephesians should bring us comfort and at the same time challenge our thinking and understanding. As you come to worship corporately each week are you open to be challenged cognitively?

The challenge two weeks ago was, when last have you prayed to God asking that you may be taken deeper in your understanding and experience of God. Simply praying “I want to know you more”. Praying not that God would change your circumstances but rather that you would know Him more. In Chapter one, Paul prayed specifically that they would know the Hope, Inheritance and Power that is theirs in Christ Jesus. That prayer was echoed at the end of chapter three. It is all about knowing our identity, position and power in Christ Jesus.
The world over the last few years has been challenged by an unseen enemy. This enemy has changed the way we do many things and has impacted negatively on our social interactions. Many have lost out on opportunities, joys and the vital necessity of human interaction due to this unseen enemy. As the media and even specialists spoke about the battle, it sounded like it was alive, a conscious, devious enemy, trying to infect and disrupt lives. The world tried wrongly or rightly, you decide, to confine the enemy by wearing masks, washing hands and social-distancing. That became the battle -cry! Then after many months of waiting we had a vaccine, a new weapon in our armoury. If you like me, I am sure there were many times that you thought I wish we could just see this virus so we could avoid it and not have to be alert all the time but only when in potential danger. Some decided to deny the existence or dangers of the virus, others have gone to radical extremes to avoid it. I am sure most of us have seen pictures or representations of that enemy, we have seen the impact it has had even although most of us may never see it.

Paul outlines our identity and all the blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus, in chapters one, two and three. In Chapters four, five and the beginning of six, Paul goes on to explain how we should live this out in the context of a faith community, our family relationships and even our work space. Paul then changes tact and before his final prayer, in a real sense, commands and encourages those of faith to be alert and prepared for battle. Could part of prayer be the preparing for battle? “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. ¹¹Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11). Note, the starting point, that phrase from week one “In Christ” or “In Him” or “In the Lord”, those who believe have strength and power because His strength and power is theirs. Secondly, we are told to put on the full armour so that we can stand. I am not sure if you have thought of this but standing is not passive. Just to stand physically takes a whole lot of processing in our brains and muscle activity all often subconscious. If someone tries to push you over or dislodge you from your position you soon become aware that standing is an active process. On three occasions we have that word, “stand” in this last chapter of Ephesians. Standing firm seems to be the primary object, not being swayed from your position. Primarily this is not standing for something or against something this is standing in Christ and all that we are in him and all he has blessed us with through the work of the cross and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

This is an awesome text to teach children because which child does not like dressing up and even more so if it is for battle: The Breastplate of Righteousness, The Helmet of Salvation, The Shield of Faith. The challenge is to do justice to this text in the context of an adult western world because Paul says we need “…to stand against the wiles of the devil,” and to a large extent the modern western world view has downplayed any immaterial realm and definitely does not believe in a devil. From birth we have been inculcated into a worldview based on logic and reason where “seeing is believing.” There is no room for a spiritual realm and definitely not for evil forces. The evil in the world is argued away by broken systems or lack of knowledge. Paul however continues “For our^[^a^] struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”(Ephesians 6:12) Not only does Paul seem to affirm that there are forces that are not seen but that those forces are at play in the material world. In our world largely the battle between good and evil, light and dark has been relegated to art and entertainment where even children’s books are full of darkness. There is no harm in it surely if it is not true and it is good for imagination and creativity.

Many theologians even argue it away, claiming Ephesians chapter six is referencing human power structures that when in place bring destruction and heartache. The gospel of Luke and Matthew however both have Jesus being tempted by the devil, the evil one in the desert before he starts ministering. Tempted to deny his identity, position and mission. When the disciples however ask Jesus to pray, we pray it each Sunday, Jesus includes, “…but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:13) At the end of his ministry when the disciples could not keep watch and pray because their minds were willing but their flesh was weak. One of the prayers Jesus prays in what is known as his priestly prayer: “I am not asking that you take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.” (John 17:15) In both instances some English translations only have the word “evil” but it seems that Jesus had a worldview where there was a battle with an unseen enemy.
Certain Christian traditions have taken the spiritual and evil to the extreme and this too is dangerous because it can do more harm than good as:

1. It can negate responsibility, “the devil made me do it”.
2. It can take our focus of God and glorifying him.
3. Fear can cause us to become paralysed in our witness.

Will you consider that you may have an unseen enemy and that they’re planning and scheming to trip you up. If they can cause you to doubt God’s love, they have achieved their goal. If they can cause you to rely on your own strength and wisdom, they have achieved their goal. If they can cause you to question all you are and the blessings you have “in Christ” they have achieved their goal. I want to stress for Paul the objective is to keep standing in all we are in Christ. It is not about standing against others. Paul in addressing those in Corinth wrote:^“Indeed, we live as human beings,^[^b^] but we do not wage war according to human standards;^[^c^] ⁴for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human,^[^d^] but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments ⁵and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) We wonder why Paul mentions the belt of truth first in his list of armour, it is because ultimately it is about knowing and believing what God says about me. The belt stops us from being tripped up. When the boys were growing up, for a long time I would teach them not to tell lies, to speak the truth; it even became part of our early morning prayer time, “Please help us not to tell lies”. Then one day I had a revelation, it is just as important not to listen to lies than it is not to tell lies. With the rise of Facebook and Fake News we need to be really vigilant, not only careful about what we believe but also about what we share. Truth on one level speaks of honesty and integrity but at a deeper level truth is God’s wisdom and revelation. “In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, …” (Ephesians 1:13) Throughout this letter you find the word truth and we all know that it is only when we face the truth that we can grow. You also know however that humanity has a great propensity to self- deceive. In a world bent on creating and living their own truth are you willing to take a stand and find your identity in Christ Jesus.

Paul ends this letter by encouraging them and I believe us to pray in every situation, to keep alert and persevere.^“Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18) Prayer for Paul seems to have that element of battle, keeping alert and persevering could be battle language. As you pray for yourself and for those who believe; are your prayers of supplication focussed on knowing who you are in Christ and asking God to protect the faith of those who believe? Praying for others in our faith community reminds us that we are not alone and that God intended for us to grow spiritually not in isolation but in deep connection with others of faith. Praying for the faith of others helps us to reflect rightly on our faith journey. Our lives should be lived in deep communion with God. Paul says we are to pray in all situations, in other words our lives should be lived in prayer, not just in the morning, evening or meal times but all the time, protecting faith and truth. Enabling you to live from all that God has done for you, even when your circumstances deny the reality of resurrection power.

Paul started in Ephesians chapter one by praying that those of faith would know the Hope, Inheritance and power they have in Christ Jesus. Paul ends in a deep sense in a full circle asking those he has prayed for to know God deeper to pray for him that he may make Christ known. Paul ends by asking for them to pray that God would give him the words and the boldness to share the gospel, the Good News. If there is one area, where we can all agree there is a battle it is when we are asked to share our faith. Paul ends with this vital appeal because it is the primary purpose of the church, those who represent Christ. ^“Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,^[^c^] ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak” (Ephesians 6:19-20). You may not agree with all I have said and that is alright but I want you to consider your prayers. Are you willing to pray prayers like Paul? Firstly, that you and those you love would be taken deeper in their knowledge and experience of God. Secondly that you and those you love would stand firm in the blessing of who you are in Christ. Lastly will you pray that you and those you know of faith will have the boldness and words to make Christ known.

HYMN 405 We sing the praise of him who died

Prayers

Eternal defender and protector of the weak,
we give thanks for Your universal love,
which sees beyond our human labels and divisions,
rejoicing even more in Your preference for the outcast and oppressed.

We give thanks for everyone in the church
who works tirelessly, and often in confidence, to keep others safe;
we pray for all children and vulnerable adults who engage with our mission:
may they know Your love and protection.

We give thanks for the shelter and protection of our homes;
we pray for all people who are homeless, for whatever reason,
including refugees and victims of trafficking:
may they know Your love and protection.

We give thanks for the range and quality of food around us;
we pray for each person who is hungry,
whether they be across the world or on our doorsteps:
may Your love be shown in practical ways.

We give thanks for easy access to clean water;
we pray for all who are parched with thirst,
especially where the decision is dirty water or none:
may Your love be shown in practical ways.

We give thanks for the relative peace and security we enjoy:
we pray for all places of war and violence,
whether the aggressor be in the home or another nation:
may Your peace be known in our time.

We give thanks for all the bits of our life that bring us joy and contentment;
we pray for the broken-hearted, bereaved, and lonely,
and for all who have lost faith or purpose in life:
may Your peace be known in their hearts.

Healing, liberating, transforming God,
in amongst our shouts and songs of thanksgiving,
may we hear Your still whisper in the midst of pain and suffering,
and may we respond with courageous tenderness
to the needs around us,
as we follow the example of Christ Jesus, our teacher and Lord, AMEN.

HYMN 465 Be thou my Vision

Benediction:

“Return home, and declare how much God has done for you.”
And the blessing of our ever-loving God,
Creator, Christ and Spirit,
rest upon you and all whom you love,
this day and forevermore, AMEN.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 19th June 2022

Welcome:
Welcome to our joint service of worship. In our reflections this week we turn to the second part of our brief journey through Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. This time we focus on the subject of spiritual growth and blessing.

Call to Worship (based upon Isaiah 41:10)
Do not fear, for the Lord is with you,
     We will not be afraid, for He is our God.
He will strengthen you, He will help you.
     He will uphold us with His victorious right hand

HYMN 110 Glory be to God the Father

(from St. Machar’s Cathedral, Aberdeen)

Prayer with Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray.

God, Our Father,
we honour your name and thank you
for you have greatly blessed our lives.
We praise you for your favour that has no end;
we praise you for the blessings of eternity.

Forgive us, Father, for not always remembering;
for not remembering that you love us;
for not remembering that you know all our ways;
for not remembering that you will fulfil your purpose in us.

Lord, grant us the wisdom we need this day.
Let us hear your voice.
Make us instruments of your peace
and make us a blessing upon your world.

We give thanks that you are with us today.
We give thanks that we may honour you with our works.
May all that we do bring you glory and praise.
Hear us, merciful one,
as we come together in the words of Jesus, saying:

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:

Numbers 6:23–27
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Ephesians 3: 14-21
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

HYMN 484 Great God, your love has called us here (St. Petersburg)

(from Hobkirk with Southdean and Ruberslaw Churches)

Reflection:

Today, we progress to the second of our three studies in Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. As we do our thoughts are turned to the subject of spiritual growth. Although it may not be the most popular topic in the Kirk today, the story is different when we consider further afield. Four years ago it was noted that there were around thirty-thousand Christian books in English considering it. Sadly, many of these books are driven by a sense of moralism, with few focussing on worship or adoration. It is as if only behavioural outcomes matter rather than the aims of the heart. Saint Paul, though, shows us that our duties must always be founded on the love of Christ. Note that this passage is not a series of commands but a blessing and prayer. It is a prayer for the church to grown in love in Christ.

Paul begins by declaring that he ‘bows his knee’. In his time the usual stance for prayer was standing, with both hands held out palm upwards. Only rarely would prayer be done from a kneeling position. This happened only when the prayer was especially earnest or important. What Paul is doing is showing that what follows is vitally important. What follows are a series of points that are meant to both encourage the believer and challenge him or her to go further in their faith. As we look at some of these details it is vital to observe where all that he says originates. He is telling us that all that is good and right comes from God. As with our reading from Numbers it is seen that God originates the spiritual life, making it good through blessing.

Genealogy was important in Paul’s time. It was held that true blessing came only through having the right family line. Those who were born outside of this heritage were seen as dirty. The only exception that could be made was if the outsider was to be somehow grafted in. To some extent they would continue to remain impure as family name had come through only by adoption. Although now blessed, they would not therefore receive full blessings from God. The importance of this mattered on a cultural level too. Some roles in the community were open only to those of certain family lines. Yet here Paul challenges this, telling us that every family in heaven and earth derives its name from God. It is no longer about bloodline, not just about a few special ones, but anyone may be in the family of God. In other words, anyone could live a spiritual life, and be able to receive the full blessing of God.

Paul has set out to whom he is praying, the importance of his prayer, and for whom he is praying. He now changes tack, turning back to spiritual growth. Often, we may be tempted to see spiritual growth as based upon how well we behave according to a set of rules. Yet this is not what we see here. Instead, what is present is a focus on blessing originating in God, with our role being to live out this blessing as shown in Christ Jesus. Morality has a place, but the good news of God is not moralism. If you are not sure about this just look at some of the heroes of the Bible, especially from the Old Testament. Thinks of some ill-tempered Patriarchs; think also of the immature, selfish, and spoiled Samson; then there is David, who seems to readily roll into one the image of both saint and sinner. These conflicted kinds of character are there, too, in the New Testament. With all of them before us in Scripture do not be surprised to find them also here in the church. What is clear is their love of God, and earnest desires to worship and honour Him. If it was up to us, they would be failed from the outset. If we are honest, so too would we fail. Paul’s words make it clear that it is not we that are the initiators of spiritual growth; it is God.

Now that we may be starting to accept that it is God who originates faithful life, and blessings, we need to consider where this spiritual growth may best be cultured. The answer provided by Paul is that it needs to take place within the church. Yes, the church; the same place that we have just heard may be full of the imperfect folk we meet in scripture! The overarching theme of the writings of Paul is his profound desire to see us grow in the love of Christ. The context of this growth, in those same writings, is the company of the ‘saints’. That is, for this growth to occur, we must be among the body of the saints, the church. God can speak to us outside of the church, and the Bible can be read outside it too, but it is within the fellowship that real growth comes.

We may be wondering who it is that must do all this work to enable spiritual growth. In some parts of the church eyes naturally turn to the visible leader. It may surprise some, but it is not the role of the minister or priest or pastor to do this. Or, rather, at least not on his or her own. It is our place as the whole church to aid each other grow in the love of God in Christ. We also need to remember that when a need arises for discipling that it, too, must be carried out in the love of Christ. Remember that spiritual growth is initiated through God’s love in Christ, for God’s glory and our good. The natural habitat of that love is the community of the faithful.

Paul begins this passage by proclaiming how limitless is God. Only he can truly strengthen us and enable us to grow. Paul concludes in words of blessing. Here, again, he is proclaiming the goodness and greatness of God, echoing the words of our reading from Numbers. There is the sense in the original words that what God is doing is giving a sense of place, of belonging to the one being blessed. Further, there is also the sense in which the one being blessed is being made secure also. It is in this that we find the true end of spiritual growth, belonging and security. Such can only come from God. It is God, after all, who reaches out to us and blesses doing for us that which we cannot do for ourselves.
Amen.

HYMN 188 Thou hidden Love of God, whose height (Melita)

(from the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London)

Prayers:

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father,
we pray for the world that you created.
We pray for the inner strength to make a difference,
to see this world transformed in your name.
We pray for those who feel sapped of strength;
the sick, the tired, and those with too many burdens
upon their shoulders.

Living Lord,
we pray that you would dwell in all hearts.
We pray for your peace to spread
that the world may know rest and healing.
We pray for those whose hearts are empty,
who feel neither love nor meaning.
We pray for those who need joy.

Merciful God,
we pray that your love would be known.
we pray that each life would be touched,
being enriched by your presence.
We pray for those searching for purpose,
seeking a means to serve their neighbour.
We pray for those in need of roots.

Merciful God,
we pray that your power would flow.
We pray that people of power
would act in the interests of all peoples.
We pray that people of influence
would advocate for justice throughout the world.
We pray that Christ would reign.
Amen.

HYMN 624 In Christ there is no east or west (Kilmarnock)

(from St. Martin in the Fields, London)

Benediction:

Now to him who by the power at work within us
is able to accomplish abundantly far more
than all we can ask or imagine,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, for ever and ever.
Amen

Sung Amen

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Sunday 12th June 2022

Welcome
This Sunday is traditionally known as Trinity Sunday and over the next three weeks we will be delving into some of Saint Paul’s prayers as expressed in the book of Ephesians.

Call to Worship: based on Psalm 8
O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
You have set Your glory above the heavens.

When I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars that You have established;
what are human beings that You are mindful of them,
mortals that You care for them?

O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

HYMN 111 Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty

Prayer:

Merciful God, we come before You with praise and thanksgiving!

Give us knowledge and understanding of Your goodness that we might once again be overawed by Your greatness; Let us draw near with confidence knowing that in Christ you have not only forgiven us but blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Open our hearts and minds to your presence among us here. May our worship this morning bring you honour and glory, for you alone are worthy of our praise!

Heavenly Father, we thank You for all You have done for us in Jesus. We thank You for all You have given us in Him. We thank You that You have blessed us in Him with every spiritual blessing. Through faith, we are made your children who have been blessed by You to be a blessing to all. Help us Lord to realise that this world is not about us, but that it is all about You and Your glory. Forgive us when we make our time of worship about ourselves. Coming with our own preconceived ideas and not expecting You to change and change us. Remind us again that it’s about Your purpose to bless the world with Your love, mercy and presence. As recipients of Your love, we thank You that we have the wonderful privilege and responsibility of being Your instruments of love and blessings to others in this world.
Grant us the wisdom to know Your will and the power, so that we might fulfil Your purpose for us. And forgive us when we resist the working of Your Holy Spirit, relying on our own understanding and strength.

Heavenly Father, we thank You that in Your plan and purpose for this world You enabled us to hear and respond to the gospel message of salvation. We thank You that as You did so, You poured out on us the Holy Spirit to seal our relationship with You so that we might inherit all the blessings You have given us in Christ Jesus. Enable us, by Your Spirit, to become more and more a people of praise reliant on your presence and power so that You may be glorified in and through our lives. We ask these things in Jesus’ name.

We pray the words You taught Your friends, saying:
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:

Ephesians 1:15-23
¹⁵I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love^[^a^] towards all the saints, and for this reason ¹⁶I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. ¹⁷I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, ¹⁸so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, ¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. ²⁰God^[^b^] put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. ²²And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

John 16:12-15
‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵All that the Father has is mine. For this reason, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

HYMN 457 All hail the power of Jesus’ Name!

Reflection:

A few weeks ago the family and I were privilege to see a show at the Usher Hall (theatre). As we were being shown to our seats, I could not believe the seats we had, six rows from the stage and pretty much in the centre. I was surprised and at the same time unbelieving and hesitant, could these possibly be our seats? I even confirmed with my wife: are you sure we are in the right seats, she was adamant, adding that we had bought these tickets a few months prior. I was still not fully convinced. The seats, our position was just too good to be true. So, every time an usher started walking in our direction followed by someone holding a ticket, I was sure that we would be asked to move. I only really fully relaxed when the theatre was full and the show had begun, a full orchestra and rock band right in front of me, what a powerful sight and sound. Have you ever felt that way? Or is it just my insecurities being explained to all publicly? Are there perhaps times that you feel out, like you seated in the wrong seat, the position or privilege is just too much to believe.

Over the next few weeks, we are going to delve into three prayers in what is known as the book of Ephesians. It must be noted that in the original form, written as a letter by Paul it was not divided into chapters and verses as we have today. It has been argued that the whole of chapter one, two and three, are praise and prayer, doxology and intercession interwoven for the first time in one of Paul’s writings. Some even argue that it could have been taken from or reflect words which formed part of the liturgy in Paul’s time. From these prayers we can gain both theory and praxis, theology and liturgy. There is a campaign I am sure you have seen the banners around “TryPraying” with the subtitle “There is hope” or “It is easy”. In reality though prayer is often complicated and I am sure many may feel that they are unworthy or inadequate to pray at times. It may be that you have stopped spending any time in prayer because you feel your prayers do not make a difference. My prayer is that we will all be inspired and informed by Paul’s prayers.

Some argue that as Paul writes this letter, he is not only addressing the church in Ephesus but the broader church in the region. This letter seems to be different and does not address a particular argument or wrong teaching and therefore we get a clearer understanding of Paul’s belief/ theology. The first half gives a clear belief of God and the Church and the second part gives practical examples of how to live out this belief. We cannot delve into all the detail but verses three to fourteen of chapter one in the Greek is one long sentence, no full-stops, not good grammar. It is Paul so excited, overwhelmed by God’s greatness, goodness and grace on our behalf and he is expressing it back to God. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,” (Ephesians 1:3). Verses three to six describe how we have been blessed through the Father. Verses seven to twelve how we have been blessed through the Son, Jesus. Verses thirteen and fourteen how we have been and continue to be blessed by the Spirit. Paul lists a vast array of Blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus. The work of Christ on our behalf, his death and resurrection are appropriated to us through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The evangelical church has emphasized for generations the notion that at the point of conversion or faith, a convert receives Christ, that in essence God by the presence of the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. This understanding or notion is born out in many scriptural texts: “Christ in you the hope of Glory.” (Colossians 1:27 ). Paul however in Ephesians and elsewhere flips the language. Salvation is about you and I being “in Christ”. In the Greek form we have that phrase, “In Him” or “In whom” or “In Christ”, eleven times in eleven verses. In Paul’s view we are caught up into Christ and made one with him. On a side note: if this is prayer, Paul is repeating to God in a way of thanksgiving all God has done for him and those who would choose to believe. Does your prayer time start with thanking God for all he has done, in a real way reflecting the basis of your relationship with God? Paul uses this notion of us being “In Christ” or “in the Lord” about 164 times in his letters. It is a really difficult but vital notion to wrestle with and to come to some understanding. We have a saying in the English language “living in the past” normally expressed “stop living in the past” meaning that one must not allow some past hurt, experience or outdated overhaul world-view to dictate how one is experiencing, negotiating or relating to the present circumstances. In other words, although in a different time and place the past is what is profoundly impacting the present perception of or reaction to current circumstances. In a similar way living or being in Christ means who Christ is and what he has accomplished impacts the way we live and relate to others and our circumstances in the present. All that is true of Christ becomes true of us if we are “in Him”. It should inspire and inform our lived reality more so than our circumstances.

“15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and for this reason 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him,” (Ephesians 1:15-17) Here we get an insight into the focus of Paul’s prayers for fellow believers and it is different I am sure to a lot of our prayers. Firstly, he is not praying for himself and he may even be praying for people who he is yet to meet. Secondly, his focus is not on requesting God to lessen the burden or remove difficult circumstances or even bless with physical blessings but rather for enlightenment and understanding of their position, their blessings “in Christ”. Paul’s primary prayer is that the Holy Spirit would open their eyes, hearts and minds to the fullness of all that we have “in Christ.” Our human wisdom and understanding will never get us to an intimate knowledge of God, we need the Spirit to do that. It reminds me when Peter was the first one to proclaim that Jesus was the Messiah as Matthew puts it Jesus responded “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17). How should this change our prayers? This should excite us because not only can we pray that God would reveal himself to our family, friends and neighbours but we can also pray and ask God to take us deeper into an intimate knowledge of God. Simply put we can pray “I want to know you more”. When last have you prayed a prayer like that? Irrespective of what you believe or how close you think you are to God.

The English word “Know” does not do justice to the Greek word used in Ephesians – EPIGNOSIS – which is a real deep, full knowledge, a thorough, life-changing knowledge of Christ. It is not just head knowledge it is experiential knowledge. It has with it a sense of relationship, not ritual or religion. The word can be used in a way a man knows a wife and they have a baby, not in a sexual way but intimacy. And if anyone knew Christ in a life changing way it was Paul and yet a fuller knowledge of Christ was his desire for himself and others.

“18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power” (Ephesians 1:18-19). Paul wants then to know three main things that they have in Christ Jesus – Hope, Inheritance and Power. In a sense he wants them to know the kind of seat they are sitting in, their position. He wants them to know so that they live from that reality even though at times their lived experience may be a vastly different reality. It reminds us that Jesus opened the eyes of the blind, pointing to a deeper enlightenment that was needed about God’s relating to mankind. Hope: they say that we can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air but only a few seconds without Hope. Not just a hope that things may possibly change and get better but a hope that there is a different reality that the victory has already been won and the end is determined. Paul goes on to root this hope we called to in Christ’s resurrection and in Pentecost. Hope for a better outcome because death, sin and evil have been defeated. Hope was a rare commodity in the first-century world Paul addressed and I am sure that many will agree hope is a rare commodity today. If, evil is dealt with and sin is defeated and we are assured of a future where all will be made new then there is hope to live in the present. Hope to work towards and usher in the way things should be. In a real sense we are living from the future not for it. God’s work in Christ addresses our meaninglessness and positions and empowers us to be instruments of change and Hope. This leads to the second thing that Paul wants us to know not only at a head level but at a lived experience level, inheritance. Initially when we read about inheritance in the context of faith, we presume it speaks of what we will receive one day. A closer analysis of this text shows that we who are “in Christ” are God’s Glorious inheritance, in other words we are the apple of His eye. Can we even comprehend that God’s glory is present most profoundly when God inherits his own people of faith? We have a hope beyond this life. Although this body may die, we live forever! Paul does not just want us to believe in the hereafter, he wants us to know it and experience it now.

Paul prays that they would know and experience the Hope they have in Christ and that they are and will be God’s Glorious inheritance. Lastly, he wants them to know and experience power that is theirs in Christ. “..and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,” (Ephesians 1:19-20). The minute I mention power, I am sure many may get hesitant and sceptical some may even switch off because firstly our world is filled with examples of how power corrupts and subjugates. Secondly in our scientific world which denies anything that cannot be explained by empirical studies we question what kind of force are you talking about. On the other hand, I am sure not many will deny they need strength, power from beyond themselves to be all they know God desires them to be. In the context of Ephesians Paul is not talking about power to perform miracles but rather the power needed for transformation. Paul goes on to insist that all powers and principalities have been defeated at the cross and Christ is seated in victory. Again, we could argue away spiritual notions by describing those in power as earthly dominions or governmental structures but it seems that Paul is talking about spiritual forces. It is important that we do not get hung up on this but focus on what we need to know and that is that every power has been defeated. Further as we are in Christ, what is true of Christ is true of us.

There is a story told of a mother approaching her young daughter’s room only to over hear her beginning to pray as it was almost bedtime. The door was slightly ajar so she listened in not wanting to disturb. As she listened more closely all she could hear was her daughter reciting the Alphabet – a, b, c, d, e etc this went on and on with an occasional pause. The mother hesitated in interrupting not wanting to disturb but finally she just had to as she could not make any sense of her daughter’s prayers. The mother asked darling why on earth are you praying the alphabet. The daughter without hesitation responded because God knows better the words that are needed so I am just giving him the building blocks. Prayer often seems so difficult and yet it is foundational in growing our faith, a vital spiritual discipline. May we know that God has opened the way so that we may humbly enter the throne of grace and glory. As we gather to worship today death is defeated, Jesus rose and sent the Holy Spirit. Paul as he prays wants all to know the unique position they are in as they are united with Christ, “in Christ” all that is true of Christ is true of them. Sometimes we look from a distance hoping there is more when God has made a way that we can be seated with him.

Today’s topics are huge and complex – Hope, Inheritance and Power, some would even say divisive. You may not agree with all I have said today but I want you to consider one thing: your prayers. Are you praying that God would take you deeper in your understanding? Wherever you are in your faith journey, you can not only thank God for what you believe he has done but you can also ask him to take you deeper? Are you willing to pray a similar prayer to that of Paul, for yourself and for your family and friends – for wisdom and revelation that they may know the hope, inheritance and transformative power which is ours in Christ?

HYMN 500 Lord of creation, to you be all praise

Prayers:

O Lord God,
we praise You that in all things
we can know the guiding and comfort of Your Holy Spirit.
Give us, we pray, not our own weak desires
but Your power through Your presence,
for this is the surest way to live in the truth.

Save us from all that hinders,
from being content with too little of Your presence,
from thinking that You are still far from us.
When we feel our lack of You, inspire your Word to us
and remind us of resurrection and Pentecost.
Teach us over and over again not to rely on our
human wisdom and understanding.
Teach us each day to find and know fullness of Your Holy Spirit
given freely in Christ Jesus.

Lord God,
we lift before You those who carry heavy burdens,
those who find each day a challenge,
those who struggle to see hope for the future.
Lord, we thank You that You are the ultimate source of all hope,
and we ask that You would use Your people, Your Church
to bring hope, healing and light into the darkness today.

Lord, we lift before You those who carry heavy burdens of
responsibility –
for our leaders: local, national and around the world,
for those whose decisions will affect the lives of many,
give wisdom and compassion we pray.

Lord, we give You thanks for those who carry burdens of
responsibility in our Church –
locally, nationally and globally.
May the spirit of truth and wisdom guide and protect all who serve,
in whatever capacity, that You might be glorified in all our world.
For we ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ
Amen

HYMN 441 Blessing and honour and glory and power

Benediction

May the God of all creation watch over all your ways.
May the Holy Spirt lead you in the paths of righteousness.
May the Christ who gave Himself for you, imbue with you all wisdom,
and may we all be bound together in eternal fellowship,
as we serve and glorify our God – this day and for ever more.
Amen

Sung Amen

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Sunday 5th June 2022

Introduction:
Welcome to our joint service of worship for Pentecost. As we celebrate this festival we consider two well-known Bible stories that speak to us of language and our relationship with God.

Call to Worship (Psalm 104: 24, 31, 35)
O Lord, how manifold are your works!
     In wisdom you have made them all
May the glory of the Lord endure for ever;
     may the Lord rejoice in his works
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord!

HYMN 436 Christ triumphant, ever reigning

(from Westminster Presbyterian Church, Buffalo)

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer:

Let us pray:

Holy God,
you spoke the universe into being,
and saw that it was good.
Holy God,
you created humanity in your image,
and saw that we were very good.
Holy God,
as we come to you on this day of celebration
may we proclaim that you alone are truly good.

At Babel you frustrated the people,
punishing their wickedness
and confusing their language.
In Jerusalem you united you people.
calling them to your kingdom,
and making them one.
Today, turn us from our egos,
give us humble hearts,
and make us work for your kingdom.

Holy God,
we gather today in worship,
in fellowship, and in prayer.
Holy God,
we gather to sing your praise,
and to hear your Word.
Holy God,
speak to us and let us hear
that we may know that you are near.

These things we ask, in the power of your Spirit,
and in the name of Jesus.
in whose words we say together …

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:

Genesis 11:1-9:
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly. ’And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, ‘Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech. ’So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Acts 2:1-21:
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power. ’All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean? ’But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
“In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

HYMN 598 Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlG9GwOFu-A

(from Troon Old Parish Church Virtual Choir)

Reflection:

This Sunday the church celebrates Pentecost. Some regard it as the birthday of the church. Others view it as the empowerment of the disciples and other believers. Some believe it was a one-off event; for others it is something that can be experienced on any day. However we interpret Pentecost it is often seen as a time for bright colours, upbeat songs and hymns, and a cause for celebration. Maybe it is even a time to dance! These things are both good and welcome. The joyfulness of the celebration does, however, cause us to sometimes overlook the real power and import of the festival. Our festivities may distract us from more serious dimensions of the feast.

Both of today’s readings from scripture speak to us of tongues. These are not incomprehensible utterings that may only be interpreted by a few. Rather, they are the human languages of many groups and nations.

Out on the plain the people gathered. They are there not on the whim of a few but as the focus of the many. United by both one language and purpose they sought to make a name for themselves. They decide to build a tower. This was no minor project but one that would reach to the heavens and so proclaim their greatness. It would proclaim their wonder and majesty, declaring that they had come of age. They would proclaim their equality with the gods!

In their pride they had clearly forgotten the stories of Noah and his time. They had forgotten the potential of humanity for wickedness. They had forgotten the tendency to look in the mirror and see not a creature but a creator. In past times God had almost wiped-out humanity as punishment for its collected wickedness; he vowed, though, not to do so again. This time, instead of destruction, God chooses to frustrate their plans, confusing their one language into many. With no-one to interpret communication failed. Without good communication the building of the tower failed. And so the peoples were scattered.

The story of the Tower of Babel sounds as a warning even to us today. It is a warning to seek a life of humility rather than self-aggrandisement. Yet there are many in our communities that would not listen to this warning. In this Platinum Jubilee weekend how many seek the grandeur of the days of old empire? On a darker front we see the attempts of some in Russia to rebuild their empire of old. Even the Kirk is not alone in longing for days past when it had power, influence, and a position in society; I even know a few who would like to return to those times. Yet the world has moved beyond the days of empire, Soviet Union, and a national church even if some people have not. The Tower of Babel should serve as a warning to all.

But there is another story to tell. It is the one from the book of Acts. Here again we read of many languages but this time it is not a story of pride or frustration. Instead, it is a story of wonder and amazement. The gift of these tongues is a mystery, and it is glorious. Here, in Acts, God equips the people in each of their tongues to serve the purposes of the Gospel. But rather than being to frustrate the construction of a tower it is to serve the building of a Kingdom. The disciples are struck by both awe and wonder as they hear other followers turn and praise God each in their own language. At Babel languages caused division but here in Jerusalem they bring unity. Here is the wonder of Pentecost. In this single occurrence we hear loudly and clearly that the Gospel is not just for a small, select, ethnic group, but for all people. Race, colour, and gender no longer matter.

As we celebrate Pentecost let us remember the warning of Babel. As we celebrate, though, let us also rejoice and give thanks to God for his mercy and grace as shown at Jerusalem. His gifts will not build and empire, nor even will they build a church. The gifts of God at Pentecost will, rather, build a kingdom. It is a kingdom not of pride nor ego but humility. It is a kingdom not of power or influence but of justice. It is a kingdom that will not pass like the empire, the USSR, and others, but will be eternal. This is the joy and wonder of Pentecost, a kingdom where all are welcome, and all are one.
Amen.

HYMN 668 According to thy gracious word

(from First Baptist Church, Pacific Beach)

Prayers:

Let us pray:

On this day of Pentecost let us pray by the power of the Holy Spirit;
let us pray to God our Father in the name of Christ Jesus,
raising our concerns for the church, the world, and for all people.

A brief silence

Come Holy Spirit!
Set our hearts on fire with love for God;
set our hearts on fire with love for one another.
Create in us tongues to speak words of grace, truth, and hope.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Purify the Church by your Holy Spirit.
Let the Holy Fire cleanse us of our sins and schisms.
Teach us to remember your truth, and live by it.
Remind us daily that Jesus commanded us to love one another.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We recall our sisters and brothers who are persecuted for Jesus’ sake.
Give them faith, courage, and wisdom.
May their witness transform the enemies of the Gospel,
bringing them to lives of repentance and faith.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Guide, strengthen, and inspire all who risk their lives for the good.
Grant healing to the wounded, and patience and hope to their families.
When they return home, grant them ways to help,
and the means to build a better world for all.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Come, Creator Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
Transform this broken world, and heal it.
Transform for peace the minds, hearts, and wills of all people
especially those with power and authority.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Breathe hope and wholeness into the hearts of all who suffer,
especially those of whom we are concerned.
Refresh their spirits, and restore them to fellowship.
Bless everyone who cares for them.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessed Lord,
in the power of your Holy Spirit, we entrust our prayers to you.
Merciful Father, for the sake of your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord, hear our prayers.
Amen.

HYMN 352 O for a thousand tongues, to sing

(from Songs of Praise)

Benediction:

Go from this time of rejoicing,
out into your homes and communities,
Carrying with you the joy of God
and the hope of His kingdom.

And as you go
may the blessing of God
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
go with you, evermore.
Amen.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 29th May 2022

Welcome
Who does not enjoy good hospitality! Great lengths taken to set the table, your favourite food immaculately prepared and a host that ensures your glass is never empty. Our series on Psalm 23 concludes by considering what it means that God prepares a table before us
In the presence of our enemies.

Call to Worship: Adapted from Lamentations 3
Your steadfast love, Lord, never ceases,
Your mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning; so let us proclaim –
Great is Your faithfulness.  Great is Your love.  Great is Your mercy.  
And greatly is Your name to be praised!

HYMN 124 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Prayer

God our Father, your Son, our Lord,
has likened your kingdom to a feast,
and us, your children to everlasting guests.
Through our praise and worship in this place
give us a window into heaven,
that we may fittingly respond
to the grace of your invitation,
and sit with you as friends
who taste the joys of your presence.
Gracious God,
whose Son and servant Jesus
is bearer of an eternal message to the guests
around his table: message of hope and forgiveness,
of reconciliation and freedom;
let us now know anew your pardon.
Set us free from ourselves.
Set us free to revel in the festivities of your kingdom.
Forgive us when we have continually stammered our excuses.
When we have abused your gift of time
and lacked a vision of our own eternity.

O God of the banquet,
your gifts are not the mere crumbs from your table,
careless and random in their fall;
but open-handedly and without reserve
your gifts come to us:
the manna of our daily bread,
the fatted calf of welcome,
the wedding wine of renewal.
Nourished, welcomed and renewed
we make our thanks to you,
in words but beyond words,
in deeds but beyond deeds,
through Christ before whom rescued lives
can only wonder, and rejoice.
And now gathered together we pray the words You
taught Your closest followers , saying:
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

2 Samuel 9:1-12

David asked, ‘Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’ ²Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and he was summoned to David. The king said to him, ‘Are you Ziba?’ And he said, ‘At your service!’ ³The king said, ‘Is there anyone remaining of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?’ Ziba said to the king, ‘There remains a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.’ ⁴The king said to him, ‘Where is he?’ Ziba said to the king, ‘He is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.’ ⁵Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. ⁶Mephibosheth^[^a^] son of Jonathan son of Saul came to David, and fell on his face and did obeisance. David said, ‘Mephibosheth!’^[^b^] He answered, ‘I am your servant.’ ⁷David said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan; I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you yourself shall eat at my table always.’ ⁸He did obeisance and said, ‘What is your servant, that you should look upon a dead dog such as I am?’

⁹Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba, and said to him, ‘All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson.

Luke 22:7-16; 24-34

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸So Jesus^[^a^] sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.’ ⁹They asked him, ‘Where do you want us to make preparations for it?’ ¹⁰‘Listen,’ he said to them, ‘when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters ¹¹and say to the owner of the house, “The teacher asks you, ‘Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’” ¹²He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.’ ¹³So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

¹⁴When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. ¹⁵He said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; ¹⁶for I tell you, I will not eat it^[^b^] until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’
²⁴A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. ²⁵But he said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. ²⁶But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. ²⁷For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

²⁸‘You are those who have stood by me in my trials; ²⁹and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, ³⁰so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ³¹‘Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded^[^d^] to sift all of you like wheat, ³²but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.’ ³³And he said to him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!’ ³⁴Jesus^[^e^] said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me.’

HYMN 462 The King of Love my shepherd is

Reflection

Over the past few weeks we have been reflecting on Psalm 23 and what it could possibly mean in the twenty-first century. My prayer is that you have been both encouraged and challenged by this profound metaphor. The picture that David paints of God as the Shepherd implies that we are like vulnerable sheep in need of guidance, care and attention. It is difficult to contemplate such dependence in a world that prizes independence. It may be even more difficult to contemplate contentment (No want) in a world driven by more. If you have not heard the last three messages, I want to encourage you to go to the webpage they will be there for a while.

Sometimes when we read the bible, we read it out of context and with rose tinted classes and therefore it becomes irrelevant to our worlds. Remember David was a real person, as a boy he shepherded sheep and as an adult he shepherded Israel as their King. David experienced more heartache and pain than most, more ups and down’s than average. So, a question we could ask is when did David write Psalm 23, in what season or episode in his life; was it perhaps when: as a shepherd boy he defeated Goliath when no one, no trained soldier would step up because they were ruled by fear. Or was it after Samuel anointed him as future leader, oil running from his head down on to his garments. Or was it during the difficult time when God provided and protected him in the face of his enemy King Saul who wanted him dead. Or perhaps was it when David had messed up monumentally and not only committed adultery with Bathsheba but also plotted and had her husband killed and yet he experienced God’s mercy. Or was it when David’s own son, Absalom rose up against him or when his son was killed in battle. David’s life was far from being free from the trials, conflicts and heartaches we experience. On many occasions David found himself in perilous situations fighting battles without and within and yet he is able to write: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ⁶Surely^[^a^] goodness and mercy^[^b^] shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” (Psalm 23:5-6) There are not many who enjoy conflict, being at loggerheads with others. In every context be it with family, colleagues or friends conflict creates huge amounts of stress and disease, it paralyses and hinders progress. If it is not resolved it can easily lead one to become disillusioned and discouraged. Can you imagine sitting at a table and enjoying food in the presence of your enemies. Could you truly relax enough to enjoy a meal if you knew that your enemies were about to knock on your door? I am sure these questions are even more real for many as we watch the horrendous scenes of war playing out in Ukraine. Does the presence of enemies not raise up fear, anger and resentment which in turn robs us of the ability to enjoy the simple things in life?

Many say the analogy in Psalm 23, changes in verses five and six to that of a host preparing a table and anointing the head of a guest. In Near East Culture, not only would an esteemed guest’s head be anointed with perfumed oil but a filled cup meant you were welcome to stay, the cup was symbolic of joy and blessings. A further Bedouin cultural hospitality rule and tradition is if a traveller was received into a Shepherds tent and his host had spread food before him, he was guaranteed immunity from enemies who might be against him. Hospitality is more than food and shelter in that culture it was security and protection. Even if you were the enemy, you were safe at the table. In the movie “Lone Survivor”, about Marine Seals caught behind enemy lines, a few against many in Afghanistan. I don’t recommend the movie because it is extremely violent rather read the book, based on a true story. At the end, an Afghanistan tribal chief takes the last surviving American soldier in and they protect Him and it costs them dearly. It does not make sense but it is their custom to defend a guest not just to provide food and shelter. Could the analogy change? Is God the host and so as his guest we can have peace and joy even in the presence of our enemies; those who would seek to harm us?

Some say the analogy does not change but rather the shepherd who leads through the valley of the shadow of death is the same shepherd who would have gone ahead of the sheep up onto the Tableland. The Tableland would be that grassy area up on the mountain that would be lush because of the winter rains. In the context of Judea during early Spring the shepherd would explore the region, not only to find a suitable path and place but to prepare the way. The shepherd would remove as many dangers as possible, he would destroy snake’s nests, remove poisonous plants and even set-up rough barriers of protection from potential dangers. The Shepherd would lead the sheep through the valley of dangers in the early summer months up on to the Tablelands but he would have gone ahead to prepare the table. I am sure you can identify times in your life that you have noticed a going before, a preparation. Our faith grows when we can see a going before, a preparing of the table. Our faith grows even more when in the tough times we can see that God has gone ahead. The Shepherd prepares the table. As the disciples sit around the Passover table which was in a deep sense prepared by Jesus as recorded in Luke 22, Jesus prepares Simon Peter. “‘Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded^[^a^] to sift all of you like wheat, ³²but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.’ (Luke 22:31-32) Peter says he is willing to die for Jesus not knowing that Jesus had to go before to prepare the way. The good shepherd goes before and he is concerned about our faith, that our faith should grow so that it surpasses our fear. Then we can face what we need to and grow through the tough times, knowing the presence of God is enough in every situation. ““You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5) Shepherds anoint their sheep with oil. Max Lucado notes that “In ancient Israel shepherds used oil for three purposes: to repel insects, to prevent conflicts, and to heal wounds.” This oil was a mixture of oil with herbs and sulphur. It did not smell good but it worked. One of the worst nuisances to sheep were “nose flies”. These flies were known to lay their eggs in the soft, moist membrane of the sheep’s noses. You know what happens when they hatch. Larva creep up into the nasal passages and burrow in! This would be extremely painful; some sheep would even kill themselves trying to get rid of the irritation. It is sometimes an accumulation of little things that get us down and despondent to the point where we question our faith and lose hope.
This oil would also help with skin disease and the healing of wounds. It could also help with conflicts, when males during mating season would butt heads, it would slip off causing less damage. Our good shepherd does not want today’s conflict, irritations or wounds to become tomorrow’s infections, divisions or downfall. Some of our deepest hurts come from butting heads with others, unresolved conflicts. Jesus came to bring healing through reconciliation. Jesus came to bring unity through his uniting presence.

Ultimately one of the primary contributors to our rest is a sense of reconciliation. It could be that you may need to humble yourself, bow your head and allow Jesus to anoint your head. So, you may have the grace to forgive those you need to forgive and the wisdom to deal with irritations that are wearing you down. Our cup overflows because our shepherd has not only dealt with the big dangers and threats but also with the little things that may trip us up! God lays a table before us; he anoints our heads with oil and the cup overflows. At the table he has prepared: Your irritations should not lead to distress and doubt; Your conflicts should not lead to mistrust and division; and Your hurts and wounds should not fester and develop.

David concludes this Psalm: “Surely^[^a^] goodness and mercy^[^b^] shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” (Psalm 23:6) If we at the Lord’s table we are in the presence of Goodness and mercy (love) because they are God’s primary characteristics. When my two boys were younger, I tried to instil a in them a simple faith through questions and answers. I would ask and they would answer. It went something like this:

What did God make? – Everything
Who does God love? – Everybody
Who must we love? – Everybody
Where is God? – Everywhere
Where else? – In my heart
God is good? – All the time
All the time? – God is good

Then I would often say: Daniel you going to have a good day? He would always respond yes. I was waiting for that day; I did not want it to come when he would respond no or maybe or not sure. Sadly, that day came, Daniel responded: “maybe” and I quickly responded: yes, you are because God is good and Daniel responded: “All the time”. It does not matter in what season we find ourselves if God is our shepherd, he is with us and he goes before us and prepares a table of mercy and grace.

David had experienced God’s Goodness and mercy in every season and circumstance. David then displays these characteristics when he searches out for any descendants of Jonathan and Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandchild is found in Lo debar. You can read this profound story in 2 Samuel 9. David has Mephibosheth brought to the palace and seated at the king’s table. Can you imagine the fear that is going through Mephibosheth as he finds himself in the presence of the enemy? He had been injured, paralysed when as a child his servant had dropped him as they fled David’s men. Imagine the confusion of his life and this situation: He should have been the heir but David is king and he is a fugitive. Then in a moment it all changed at the table.^“David restores all Mephibosheth had lost and he enjoyed the food and presence of the king at the table. God in Christ came and prepared a table for you and I that demonstrated his goodness and mercy. As he shares in the Passover with his disciples, a foreshadowing and a foretaste of what is to come he tells them; “‘You are those who have stood by me in my trials; ²⁹and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, ³⁰so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom…” (Luke 22:28-30a)

Jesus has gone before to prepare a table, death, Hell and sin have been defeated so we can be reconciled to God and not fear any enemy. Internal and external conflicts need not get your attention or disturb your peace. If you continually remind yourself that he has gone before and you are in a privileged position. You can be at rest no matter what season you are facing because not only is God with you guiding and providing but he has gone before to prepare the table. Can you picture yourself at the table? Can you imagine sitting at the table in the presence of your enemies? Perfect peace, no matter what you face because you know that his very nature is “Goodness” and “Mercy”, and you know that he has gone before you to prepare the Tableland.

HYMN 189 Be Still

Prayers

Father God, thank You that Jesus is our good and faithful Shepherd. Thank You for the times that You bring us to a halt in the hustle and bustle of this frenzied life and cause us to take time to rest. May we have the humility to listen to Your voice and respond to Your gracious leading and lie down in the green pastures into which You have led. May we come to learn that our world will not fall apart if we take time to rest because you are always at work on our behalf.

Father of all grace and mercy, we praise Your name for Your wonderful words of comfort and Your promise that nothing can ever pluck us out of Your hand. Thank You that no matter what we do or where we go, you will seek us out and restore us. Thank you that you still lead today along life’s path, for the honour of Your name. Keep us, we pray, by your rod and staff from wandering far from You and may all we do, from this day forward, be to Your honour and glory. We pray for those who have wandered far from you our family and friends, by your goodness and mercy protect them from the dangers of this world and draw them to yourself.

Heavenly Father, how we praise and thank You for Your presence which brings comfort and strength in each season. Thank You that You are our Shepherd and our Provider. Thank You that You are with us through the darkest days as well as during the sunny times, and thank You that You have provided all that we need, according to Your riches in glory. We pray for those who find themselves facing internal and external conflict. We pray that you would bring peace and reconciliation. May your sheep know your peace even in the face of their enemies. Thank You that You are our God and Saviour. You have, indeed, prepared an overflowing table before us in the presence of our enemies and have anointed our heads with the oil of gladness. Our cup overflows with Your never-ending blessings, for which we praise and thank You. Draw close to those whose cups are nearly empty and those who cannot see the fullness of your provision In Jesus’ name.

Let us pray for the Church, the world, and one another.
For the Church we pray, the bright lamp of faith, her ministers and people, and this parish. May the Great and Good Shepherd protect her, keep her, and save her.
For the world we pray, the creation of God, its land and sea, its peace and prosperity. May the Son of Mary move through all the earth, blessing it.

For those who are ill we pray, and for those who suffer. May the Good Shepherd who knows and loves his sheep make them whole and well, active and content.
For those who work we pray, and for all who weave the patterns of this world’s life. May the King of grace and provision give to their labour growth and multiply their seed.
For those we love, and for ourselves we pray. May the guarding of God be theirs and ours, until together we are all united around that banquet in heaven, in the name of Father, Son, and Spirit Holy. Amen

HYMN The Lord’s My Shepherd (I will trust in you)

Benediction

Go now with your trust in the good shepherd,
and let us love, not just in words,
but in truth and action.
Believe in the name of Jesus Christ,
and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

And may God be at your side, even in valleys of death.
May Christ Jesus be the cornerstone of your life.
And may the Holy Spirit abide in you
….and tend you with love and mercy all the days of your life.

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
…In the name of Christ. 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
Prayers and final blessing adapted from Church of Scotland Liturgy material Second prayers adapted from: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Psalm/23
Benediction from Copyright © 2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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Sunday 22nd May 2022

Welcome to our shared time of worship. This week we continue our journey through the twenty-third psalm. As the words take a sharp turn to the experience of terror so we consider what the psalmist may have to say to the world in which we find ourselves.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 100):
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his;
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.

HYMN 74 Not to us be glory given (Psalm 115)

(from Dalgety Parish Church)

Prayer c/w Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray

Loving God, we gather here in this place to worship you, to sing your praise and listen to your word.
Open our eyes and ears and hearts and minds so that we can give ourselves fully to your worship and hear you clearly as you speak to us today through words and music and silence.

Creator God, we give thanks for the world around us, for the beauty and joy to be found in it,
both in the infinite variety of nature and the wonder to be found in the everyday,
in the satisfaction of work well done and the refreshment that comes from rest.

We thank you for friends and neighbours and family, for all who touch our lives and whose lives we touch in turn.
We thank you for your sustaining and nurturing love, shown so generously to us through the life, teaching, sacrifice and triumphant resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ

Father God, as we draw near to you, we confess that we have not always walked in your path.
We have done and said things that we should not have done or said.
We have been quick to anger and judgement, and slow to sympathy and understanding.
We have squandered opportunities to serve you.

Forgive us, we ask, for the times we have shown ourselves to be less than we should be and help us strive to do better and to be better in the week to come.

Now we come together and pray in the words that Jesus taught us:

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:

Ezekiel 34:11-16
For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.

John 10:7-15
So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.

HYMN 277 Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes

(from The Metropolitan Tabernacle, London)

Reflection:
Psalm 23 in an Age of Terror

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

As we turn to the third part in our series of reflections upon the twenty-third Psalm its mood turns. From words often associated with peace it turns towards terror. This is one of the best loved and best-known pieces of scripture. It has been quoted or alluded to countless times in popular culture. From seventeenth century literature to rock and rap music it is there. It is with the latter that we often hear the darkness of the fourth verse.

I wonder what causes feeling of terror within us. What is it that causes such alarm that we fear even for life itself? How do we react to acts of terror when we encounter them in news bulletins? How do we feel about the current situation in Northern Ireland and the hints of a return to ‘The Troubles’? How do we react to the reports of conflict in the Ukraine and elsewhere? How do we react to former Prime Minister Medvedev’s hint at the use of nuclear weapons? We have a range of natural responses to such threats. The psalm, however, shows us another way.

We look first at the response to terror of the psalmist. From the outset David clearly leans upon his faith. We see him leaning upon the stories of Scripture, especially those of the first five books. It seems as if the words are engraved upon his soul. We see, too, the influence of his life experiences as both shepherd and king. The psalm is not shaped by abstract notions but by reflection upon real-life experiences. Scripture drawing later generations into its stories should not seem strange to us. In Jewish tradition each believer is encouraged to celebrate the Passover as if he or she had been personally led out of Egypt by God. Likewise, in our faith, we are called to remember the actions of Jesus at the last supper in a way that is more than simple recollection. More readily accessible is the gospel song, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”

In one moment terror takes us from feeling safe and secure, carrying on as normal and without a worry, to a powerful of having our sense of safety shattered. Scholars have long argued as to whether David wrote this psalm; they have argued also as to when it was written. Almost any time of crisis over the course of ancient Israel’s history has been suggested as the background. Accurate or not they assist in enabling the psalm to be applied to many different contexts making its words relevant to us all. It lets us make the psalm applicable to our life setting. In so doing it lets us also move beyond the psalm as mere words of comfort to provide something else.

The psalmist accepts the reality of evil and its ability to case terror in our heart. He acknowledges the suffering it may bring. Yet he does not hide nor cower. Instead, he stands defiant of this threat writing “I will fear no evil”. The psalmist does not fear because he has the backing of effective security forces or the deterrent of a strong military. Neither is he defiant because he has the means to wreak vengeance. Rather, he is resolute in his defiance because, as he declares, “You are with me”. Here is the core claim of a Biblical faith; there is but one God, and that all trust belongs to Him. Yet, when we face terror, we tend to seek solace almost everywhere bar in God. Scripture warns us not to put our trust anywhere other than in God, and especially in strength of arms. Like the psalmist, our trust should be firmly placed in the Lord our God.

“Your rod and staff, they comfort me”. We often react to terror with an urge to seek vengeance. David does not deny the reality of evil, yet his terror is held subordinate to his confession that God is good. His normal and natural human response is halted by an awareness of grace. It is grace that redirects the energy and power of terror into that of joyful thanksgiving. David’s words offer us an alternative way of responding. Instead of violent reaction to terror we are steered to a process that conforms to our faith tradition. It is not dependent upon, or subservient to, culture or a secular perspective. It allows us to break the chain of terror and violence and seek to create a new way. It is a new way that offers personal and social transformation not only for us but for our enemies too.

Often our response to terror has been a disaster. Acts of “shock and awe” provide only a temporary tonic to society. The use of such force often results in the abridgement of human rights, and shortcuts with the law. Think only or Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria to name but three that our nation has been involved with. Of course, today there is also the imagined terror that the Russian elite feel, and we see the consequences of that. Humanity’s usual responses do not lead to a safer world.

It is essential that we get our responses right. The Church must not remain silent, or become complicit, but needs to offer another way. It needs to lead, even if only its members, in a different path. It begins by living up to the claims of Scripture. It means facing our responsibilities as the faith community, both to God and our enemies. As children of God, as members of the faith community, we have the option of facing up to whatever terrors the world may offer, and to do so with security and peace of mind. We may be defiant in the face of evil, even death; like Saint Paul we may even ask, “O death where is thy sting?” The psalm offers us the true grounds of confidence when, with David, we walk through the valley of the shadow of death knowing that God is with us. We may have the confidence to go on since His rod and staff comfort us, guiding and protecting us along the way. The world may endeavour to envelope us with fear and terror, yet the experience of Scripture shows us that there is another way:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Amen.

HYMN 547 What a friend we have in Jesus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cscMcqHquuY

(from The Albert Hall, Nottingham)

Prayers:

Let us pray

Lord, you are the shepherd that tends to your flock and cares for your sheep; we come to you now with our prayers for your world and your people.

Loving God, we pray for those in positions of power or leadership, that you might guide them, giving them the integrity and clear-sightedness to make good decisions.
We pray for those who heal, those who teach, those who minister to others, that you might be with them as they carry out their work.

We pray for those who are grieving, those who mourn the loss of a loved one, those who mourn the end of a relationship or the loss of a friendship.
We pray for those who are suffering, for those who are ill in body, mind or spirit.
We pray for the lonely, the fearful, the anxious and afraid, for those whose days stretch out in emptiness.
We pray for those affected by conflict, those who have had to flee their homes, those who have been forced to fight.
We pray for those who are hungry, those whose food supplies are cut off by famine or war, for those who have no reliable access to clean water.
We pray for those in poverty, for those affected by the cost of living crisis, for those struggling to make ends meet from month to month.

We pray that you would offer comfort and strength and be with all those in pain, all those in despair, all those in need.

But more than that we pray that you would open up our eyes and hearts to understand how we can help those who are suffering and give us the courage and eagerness to do what we can to bring them comfort and support.

In Jesus’ name we ask this.
Amen

HYMN 173 Sing to God new songs of worship

Benediction:

Christ the good shepherd,
Who laid down his life for the sheep,
Draw you and all who hear this voice,
To be one flock within one fold,
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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Sunday 15th May 2022

Welcome
This week we continue to delve into that familiar Psalm twenty- three. My prayer is that as we wrestle with what it means that the LORD is our shepherd that we would find contentment and peace.

Call to Worship: Psalm 100:1-5
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.  Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.  Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Amen

HYMN 210 Awake my soul and with the sun

Prayer:

O God, by whose power and presence we are continually upheld and sustained, we lift up our hearts to You as the source of all light and love, all knowledge and truth, all goodness and joy. You Lord are both our shepherd and our pastures, our guide and the source of life.

Help us to lay aside all anxious cares and concerns from the busy world, and rest in you, commune with You not only in this moment but each and every day. So that we may be filled with Your presence to go out and serve You with a clearer vision and a greater courage. May we not only be led by You but may we lead others to You.

Merciful Father, we confess with shame how far we have wandered from Your ways. We fall far short of Your will and will and purpose for us; short even from what we ourselves hoped to be. Show us again clearly the vision and purpose you have for Your children and church. Give us the courage and humility to confess all that holds us back and trips us up from being all You desire for us. Empower us and embolden us to walk worthy of our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ. Cleanse us from every stain of past sin; deliver us from its evil power, and grant us Your forgiveness and peace. We pray all this to your glory and praise alone. Amen

Scriptures:

I Samuel 30:1-10
Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negeb and on Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag, burned it down, ²and taken captive the women and all^[^a^] who were in it, both small and great; they killed none of them, but carried them off, and went on their way. ³When David and his men came to the city, they found it burnt down, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. ⁴Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept, until they had no more strength to weep. ⁵David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. ⁶David was in great danger; for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in spirit for their sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, ‘Bring me the ephod.’ So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. ⁸David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?’ He answered him, ‘Pursue; for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.’ ⁹So David set out, he and the six hundred men who were with him. They came to the Wadi Besor, where those stayed who were left behind. ¹⁰But David went on with the pursuit, he and four hundred men; two hundred stayed behind, too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor.

John 10:1-6
‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. ²The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ ⁶Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

HYMN 355 You, Lord, are both Lamb and Shepherd

Reflection:

Have you ever had to lead a group of people to reach a particular goal or geographical point? I remember vividly leading a delegation of seven, lay leaders and ministers from the Presbytery of Egoli (Johannesburg) to Huntsville, Alabama (USA). After a busy ten days we were heading home and I was feeling relieved and confident because we had achieved our broad objectives and we were all still healthy, safe and more united. Waiting at the boarding gate at the airport in Washington, D.C., the last leg of our homeward journey, I told everyone that we had an hour to spare so they could go and explore but to meet back in forty minutes. In the blink of an eye, they all scattered in every direction. It was only then that my eye caught the digital clock displaying the two different time zones and simultaneously I notice the flight we were due to catch was boarding. I had not changed my watch and so we did not have an hour to spare. I ran around in a flat spin trying to gather all those who had scattered. It is tough leading even a group of lay leaders and ministers.

Last week we started a series looking at most probably the most well-known passage of scripture, Psalm 23, the LORD is my Shepherd. David who himself took care of sheep and later shepherded Israel uses the analogy of a Shepherd to describe God and his relationship with God. The analogy implies that David is a sheep and if we are to apply the analogy to ourselves, we need to see ourselves as sheep. In a world where independence and self-actualisation is prized it is very difficult to identify ourselves as defenceless, directionless and dare I say it, dumb sheep. If you speak to those from a farming background, however, they will tell you that sheep of all livestock need the most meticulous care and attention. They have no sharp claws or teeth to defend themselves and they are prone to wander and get themselves into dangerous situations. It is really hard to see ourselves as directionless or defenceless but you have seen it in others right, the tendency to go down wrong paths and find themselves in danger or exhausted. Most management or leadership gurus confirm what we all know, the hardest person to lead is the person in the mirror. Just to prove it; who decided last week I am going to take time to memorise Psalm 23 and then you were led in other directions. We truly do need someone to lead us.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;³ he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3) David emphasises that God initiates in their relationship. God is always at work in our lives in ways we perceive, in ways we receive and in ways we don’t and in ways we often ignore. Often verses two and three are explained by the shepherd providing physical nourishment for the sheep as he leads them to green pastures and still waters. “Green pastures” and “Still waters” do speak of the shepherds special and abundant provision, especially if we take into consideration that most of Judea was arid, desert or semi-desert. Not a pleasant environment especially for directionless sheep. Yes, the shepherd would have to lead to “green pastures” and “still waters” but David speaks about more than physical rest or nourishment. God restores our soul. If we dig a little deeper we realise that sheep do not lie down to eat. Lying down implies that the sheep is at rest. Sheep need to lie down once they are full because they are like cows they regurgitate their food and chew it again. (I can hear my boys in the background saying gross). It is necessary though and the sheep can’t do this on the run, they do it best when at rest. The Hebrew word translated “Still waters” could also mean “waters of tranquillity.”. The focus is on something beyond physical rest and nourishment, but rather a rejuvenation of the soul, one’s inner being. Is there a rest that is needed and can be experienced beyond just physical?

In the story of David at Ziklag, dealing with the horror and ravages of war, as David and some of his men set out on a rescue mission some stay behind because they are exhausted. It is a word that is far too common lately. I am sure you have used it or have heard it recently, “I am tired” or “I am exhausted”. Often when I am sharing with someone who is tired and weary, I will draw a small water tank, the kind you use at home, with a tape at the bottom and inlet at the top. The question then becomes “What feeds you?” In other words what fills your tank as life drains it each day. We all know that when we’re running low, we are less creative and productive and more prone to negative responses and conflict, yet many are running on empty. The real danger happens when we stop doing the things that feed us and spend more time on those things that drain us! You know what that is and we are all different. Studies reveal that a third of all people suffer from insomnia of some form. This increases to forty to sixty percent for those over sixty years of age. Sleep deprivation in turn has a negative impact on our metabolism and many other health issues. Do you need to hear this message? Do you need rest? Have you ever considered that the longest of all ten commandments is about rest. Taking one day a week to worship and fix our eyes on the Good Shepherd, God. One day to slow down and rest.

We know the things that feed us and refresh us physically, both mind and body but what about the soul? Phillip Keller notes that sheep do not lie down easily (sound familiar). He goes on to explain that it is almost impossible for sheep to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met:
1. Free of Fear – they must feel safe
2. Free of Friction – they must feel accepted within the flock
3. Free of Famine – they must have full tummies
4. Free of Flies – they must be free of pestilence
And so besides being directionless and defenceless, sheep are also pretty restless. It takes a lot to get them to “lie down”. What about you and I, what robs us of rest? “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:34) The Greek word translated worry can be broken up: MERIZO – “to divide” and NOUS – “the mind”. Often our minds are on so many things. They are preoccupied with things that happened last month, last year sometimes even ten years ago. Our minds can also be on tomorrow, next week, next month or even what will happen in five years’ time. So how do we deal with today’s problems when our strength is elsewhere. Could the rest come by focussing not on the past or the future but on the one who leads us in the present? How does God restore our souls? “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ^[^a^] dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.” (Colossians 3:15-16) God’s promises and guidance through his Word leads us to peace. As we meditate and memorise the scriptures, they remind us of God’s ways and nature, that he is the good shepherd and is actively at work in our lives when we see it and when we don’t. Our knowledge of God’s faithfulness brings peace to our minds but God can also supernaturally give us peace in our inner beings. God can minister to us and refresh us by the Holy Spirit even in the most difficult and arid of seasons. Although I have experienced this, I am still not sure how it happens but at an inner being level you feel restored: Peace when I should have been in turmoil; energy when I should have been exhausted; wisdom when my mind was beyond weary! As we take our eyes off the fear, friction, famine and flies and follow God’s lead we find rest for our souls. I cannot fully explain it, but God does work in restoring our souls as we trust, as we follow and as we lay down.

David wrote psalm twenty-three and he experienced some really traumatic events in his life. David also however experienced “rest for his soul” in the midst of it all. In 1 Samuel 30 we have just one of these moments. The enemy has come in and burned the city of Ziklag, which David was using as a refuge. The Amalekites have come in and taken the women and children, including David’s wives. David’s own men turn on him, they blame him for their lose. There is fear, friction and I am sure famine; this is a tough place to be. I am sure most of us can relate yet cannot fully imagine David’s situation. “Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept, until they had no more strength to weep.” (1 Samuel 30:4) Then in the midst of all this chaos and turmoil we have this phrase, “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6b) What did he do? Another translation says “But David found strength in the Lord.” He looked to God for his strength and guidance. David not only got guidance but strength to go on a mission of rescue. I am not sure what you may be going through, but have you taken time to be in the presence of God. Have you allowed the good shepherd to lead you to waters of tranquillity? Have you allowed him to lead and guide you in his ways of righteousness?

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (John 10:3) Leading implies following, and following implies hearing the voice of the shepherd as distinct from the other voices. Sheep may be directionless, defenceless and often restless but they can be taught to follow and to distinguish the voice of the shepherd. As they follow, they find themselves on secure paths that lead to satisfaction. “When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (John 10:4) The leading of the sheep is an active process that takes place in the present and in the presence of the shepherd. The sheep do not follow a set of rules or rituals which the shepherd has taught, they follow the voice of one they have learned to trust. The comfort comes from who is leading and not from where they are or what they are doing. Unfortunately, many of us in our spirituality slip into a law- based faith or theology. It is like a sheep pen theology where we feel secure because we are living within the parameters of the fence. The fence representing the rules or ritual requirements we feel are necessary as we have interpreted them from Jesus’s teachings or the ten commandments. We convince ourselves that as long as we live within these we are secure and will find provision and purpose. It negates the need for leading though and it profoundly impacts our relationship to the good shepherd because we do not learn to trust his voice. We do not learn to discern the voice and grow in our confidence in the relationship.

Do you need to take more time to rest, to fill your tank? Has God perhaps made you lie down because he desires for you to seek your strength in Him? “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;³ he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3)

HYMN 557 O Love that wilt not let me go

Prayers:

Generous God and Giver of all things, we rest in your loving and tender care; and we are revived, restored and renewed by your strength and encouragement. You go before us in life, leading us in pathways that are secure without the confusion of becoming lost, aware only that we always need to follow you; and so, we trust in your guidance and wisdom. At this restless time in the world, as war rages on in Ukraine and political tensions are rising among many nations, we pray that you may guide all the leaders of the world with your wisdom.

As human beings, we know there will be times of stress, when our body or mind lets us down; we know there will dark times too, when life seems to be nothing but struggle; and it is in those times especially, that we rely on your Presence deep within us to guide and bless us. Grace-Giving God, you provide us with the tools we need for the seasons we face, and for this we give you our trust and our thanks. We pray that in those times of despair we would turn towards you and not away. Give us the faith and discipline we need to spend time in your presence so that we may find tranquillity as we rest in your presence and feed on your Word.

Life-Giving God, you put out the ‘Welcome’ mat for us as we gather to worship you. You nourish our souls and bodies through your goodness and tender mercies; you heal our life’s wounds; and your generous love fills us to overflowing. You give us an honoured place at your table, and invite us to stay with you as your guest forever. You have promised that your unfailing love will stay with us always, and for this, we give you our thanks. We pray that we too may welcome others with tender care and mercy so that they may come to know your grace and guiding love.

We pray together the words You taught Your friends, saying:
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.

HYMN 468 Son of God, eternal Saviour

Benediction:

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Heb. 13:20-21)

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Sunday 8th May 2022

Welcome to our service of worship for this Lord’s Day. This week we begin a four week focus on that most well-known and beloved of Psalms, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’. Over the coming weeks we will look not only at its meaning but at its application for our lives today.

Call to worship (Psalm 146: 1-2, 10)
Praise the Lord!
     Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
     I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

The Lord will reign for ever,
     your God, O Zion, for all generations.
     Praise the Lord!

HYMN 739 The Church’s one foundation

(from the Northern Baptist Association)

Prayer c/w Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray:

Living God,
we come together because You call us.
In the noisy bustle of life
Your still, small, voice cries out,
and somehow we hear,
and we are here.

We come with our doubts
and with our uncertainties.
We come with our hopes
and with our fears.
Yet Your voice speaks to us
and calms our heart

Draw us closer to You.
Meet with us in our worship,
and lead us in praise.

Living God, we worship You.
We bless You for Your love
which does not fail us.
As a good shepherd gathers His flock
so You gather us here today
to feed and refresh us.

Some of us come rejoicing
because our path has led through green pastures;
some come bruised by life
because our path has led through dark valleys.
We need to know Your strength restoring our souls;
healing and renewing our lives.

We rejoice that in Your grace
You seek us out,
You find us,
You aid us,
giving us new joy and hope
and a life fulfilled.

Enable us to show thankfulness
not just in our praise and in our prayers,
but in following You
in the way of self-sacrificing love,
healing our world of hurt,
and bringing others to know Your love.

Let us now come together
in the words of Christ Jesus,
saying together:

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:

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.

John 10:22-30
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered, ‘I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.’

HYMN 14 The Lord’s my Shepherd
This is a modern version of Psalm 23, arranged and performed by Stuart Townend.

(from the Church of St. John the Baptist, Tideswell)

Reflection:

What does it mean to be shepherded? The answer will depend upon where and when you live. In modern western Europe sheep are driven, corralled, from place to place; just think of the old TV show, ‘One man and his dog’ and you’ll get the picture. In the time and place of the Bible, though, it was quite a different approach. There the shepherd led his sheep. Each day the sheep would hear a voice they grew to recognise as it led them to fresh pasture, water, and safety. In other words, the shepherd of the Bible would ‘guide’ the sheep through life.

Culturally, though, we do not often appreciate being led. We prefer to be masters of our own destiny despite the efforts of the world outside. We like to think of it as freedom. Perhaps this is what makes it hard for us to identify God as our shepherd, and to allow him to lead us. Yet, we need guidance; we need leadership, and to be led. But who should do the leading? Clergy? Generals? Politicians? We are not so sure, are we? After all the members of those groups are far from perfect. We need to find our leadership from a source that is perfect. The Psalm points us to where this may be found.

Psalm 23 offers us the answer; it is the Lord. But we also want to know who is this ‘Lord’? If you look closely at our text, as it is usually printed, you will note that we see the word ‘lord’ sometimes printed as small block capitals. This is the translator’s way of telling us something important; it is their way of pointing out that that the word that is there in the original Hebrew text is the divine name of God. In Hebrew it is four letters long and is held to be so sacred that it is never pronounced. Instead, it is replaced by the phrase, ‘The Name’ or, in Hebrew, Ha-Shem. It is the sacred name that we find revealed to Moses at his encounter with the burning bush. It is a name that defies translation. By this scripture tells us that the God whom this name represents also defies definition. In the Ancient Near East it was believed that names had power, being more than just badges of identity. The God of the Hebrews, though, is different from other people and from other gods. He defies categorisation, and the control that may be exerted when someone’s name is known. Rather, the Bible shows us that God is free, spirit, perfect, all-good, yet not constrained by those terms either. The Old Testament shows us a Lord who is compassionate, guiding and healing His people, His flock, even when they rebel to their own injury.

It is this being, this Lord, that the Psalmist invites us to follow. It is the Lord that the writer commends to us to be our leader, our guide, in life. It is this God who is declared to have our utmost good on His heart. It is the Lord, the Creator, the Sustainer, the unconstrained, who is there for the flock.

But what is it that this Lord offers us, gives, us, as His flock? It is an absence of ‘want’. This seems simple enough to understand yet it, too, needs some explanation. We are all familiar with the scene of the child in the supermarket queue who screams at his mother, “I want … I want … I want.” Actually, adults are no different; it is just that children have not yet learned the arts of discretion and deception.

We seem to spend much of our lives in a state of want. Our wants range from the essentials of life through to the frivolous and unnecessary. They swing from food to foreign holidays. It is as if we have forgotten to tell the difference between ‘want’ and ‘need’. For the record, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with wanting a nice house, a good car, fashionable clothes, fine food, or a relaxing holiday in the sun and heat. What matters is the place that the desire for these things has in our lives. To take it further, we need to consider what it is that truly motivates our life and our living. If what we really want is bound up in collecting things or experiences then there is but one outcome … frustration. We will never always get what we want whether it is a possession or excitement. Again, it is not because these things are wrong but because of the undue import that we lay upon them.

In our Psalm, its writer invites us to re-evaluate our priorities. He goes further, suggesting that all our wants and desires may only be fulfilled in the Lord, the shepherd of the people. This fulfilment is not about having all our dreams come true. It is about having our life, and perspectives, in balance. We are invited to consider what life would be like if we made living in the presence of God our priority. What would it mean to make God, the Lord, our goal rather than all the material and experiential wealth that our world has to offer? That is what the remainder of the Psalm sets out to elaborate and illustrate.

We live in a world that lacks fulfilment of heart, body, and mind. Our world is hurting yet there is Good News: it does not have to be that way. Poverty, disease, hunger, and injustice must be tackled. However, they will not be solved by governments, churches, or charities, at least while the world’s priorities are off-balance. Instead, the world will know healing only when the people strive to know the Lord, strive to make Him the centre and focus of life. It will happen only when we allow Him to be our Shepherd.

One mediaeval scholar described God as “that than which nothing greater can be thought”. It is the same God who is the Shepherd of our Psalm. It is the same Shepherd of whom Jesus, describing himself, says “my sheep hear my voice”. So let us listen for His voice. Let us allow Him to Shepherd us, guide us, lead us. In so doing let us be transformed that our lives are no longer in want. Let us strive for that day when we may, in all truth, proclaim:

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

Amen.

HYMN 745 How bright these glorious spirits shine!

(from Old Saint Paul’s Virtual Choir)

Prayers:

Let us pray:

God, our Lord,
we praise You for Christ Jesus
the great Shepherd
who knows His sheep.
We give thanks that we
may hear His voice,
that we may know His presence
and that we may follow at Hs call.

God, our Lord,
we pray for all who suffer,
the old who die alone,
the young who are neglected,
those whose weaknesses are exploited
and sensitivities abused.
We pray for those led astray,
all who are exploited,
and have no-one to stand by their side

God, our Lord,
we pray for those grown hopeless
in their hunger and homelessness;–
refugees from war and violence
trapped at borders or in makeshift camps;
those whose lives have been wrecked by conflicts
they cannot affect or change;
victims of military aggression
ethnic cleansing
or political ideology.

God, our Lord,
In a world of hurt and pain
we pray for the affluent and comfortable,
those cared for and have no worries.
May we remember our blessings;
may we care where we have previously not bothered;
may we open our eyes where they have been fast shut;
may we get involved where we have shied away;
may our lips fight for justice where we have only known silence.

Good Shepherd,
as we pray,
increase the depth of love in us
that we might give ourselves to others,
as You give Yourself to us.
Give us such joy
that the sheep may be found;
given health, strength, food
and hope for the future
and shown the way home.

Give us grace to follow You
wherever You lead
in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

HYMN 738 Glorious things of thee are spoken

(from St. Andrew’s Church, Chennai, India)

Benediction:

Go from here
in the Name of the Good Shepherd
letting Him lead you,
inspire you, and keep you.
And as you go,
may the blessings of God,
Father, Son, and Spirit Holy,
go with you
now and always.
Amen.

Sung Amen

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Sunday First May 2022

Welcome
In 1969 NASA made an epic comeback from the disaster of 1967and achieved their goal of landing a man on the moon. Tiger Woods must be one of the most famous comeback kings in sports history overcoming personal problems and injuries on numerous occasions. Will Smith I am sure is hoping for a comeback of his own after his public meltdown at the Oscars. What about you, do you need a comeback?

Call to Worship: Psalm 30:4-5

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
⁵For his anger is but for a moment;
    his favour is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

HYMN 423 I know that my Redeemer lives

Prayer:

Eternal and generous God,
thank You for Your many gifts to us –
not least the gift of Your Son
who in turn gave His own life for the life of the world.

Help us we pray to live as generously:
ready to offer time,
energy
and all we have and are,
for Your kingdom’s sake.

Risen Lord,
present with us here,
feed us by Your Spirit,
that we may go from here to tend Your sheep
and to do so
in Your name and for Your sake.

Lord Jesus Christ,
when we forget that You are alive…
when we act as though You cannot speak for Yourself:
forgive us, we pray.

When we’re slow to ask for Your advice and to look for Your guidance;
when we think we know best and forge ahead regardless,
because we are sure we know Your mind,
again, please forgive us.

Remind us in firm but gentle ways of how close and active You always are –
You who are the ever-living,
Lord of all creation.

Lord Jesus,
set God’s Spirit free to move among us here and now, we pray.
Give us the courage to let that Spirit renew and inspire us
as through Your Word, Your people and Your world,
You speak to us of hope and faith and love
and challenge us to live lives that are faithful to Your cause
of justice and peace.

Hear us now, as together with all Your people
we pray the words You taught Your friends, saying:

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:

Acts 9:1-9
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ The men who were travelling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so, they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

John 21:1-19
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. ²Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. ³Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will go with you.’ They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ ⁶He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So, they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. ⁷That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. ⁸But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. ¹⁰Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ ¹¹So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. ¹²Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord. ¹³Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. ¹⁴This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ ¹⁶A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ ¹⁷He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. ¹⁸Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ ¹⁹(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’

HYMN 172 Sing for God’s Glory

Reflection:

Have you ever spent hours reading a book or watching a movie and you are left thinking “It can’t end like that!” It does not make any sense, it does not follow the plot, the build-up and the train of thought. An unwelcome ending often challenges the Disney promise “and they all lived happily ever after”. John chapter twenty-one, some feel is one of those endings. There is much debate about if it fits as it seems to have been added later. Surely, a fitting ending is chapter twenty: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30,31). That just sounds right, new life, a different path in Jesus’s name. It does not make sense, does it that after experiencing Jesus in the upper room alive and the disciples seeing him on many other occasions post resurrection preforming miracles that they would go back to their old lives? Jesus had told them to go back to Galilee and wait for the Holy Spirit so that they would be empowered to continue the work he had begun. In Jesus’s first appearance post resurrection he declared “Peace” and commissioned them saying “…As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21). But in John chapter twenty-one, Peter takes the disciples back to what they had left behind. Back to the lake, back to the boats and fishing, something they were all familiar with, it was easy and comfortable. Jesus had found them here, called them here and told them that from now on they would catch men. Is John chapter twenty-one possible or even probable? Is it possible after all that Peter had been through that he would go back to fishing? You, know it is because you have been there! You have had the breakthrough in understanding or in some attitude or addiction. You have walked a different path experienced the joy of purpose and the peace of God’s presence, only to go back to the comfortable, the tried and tested, the familiar. We are creatures of habit and we seek and strive for what is comfortable, the familiar even when we have had the revelation of a different way and even perhaps experienced it. Take our recent experience of 2020. During the initial lockdown many had deep revelations about our existence. Frailties and priorities were exposed; some choose to make better health choices, relational choices and even career choices. Many were declaring that we must take to heart the lessons learned. But slowly, slowly as life gets back to normal the good habits that we started have been crowded out by our old familiar ways, the comfortable.

To be clear John chapter twenty-one is about Peter. Spontaneous, I have got this, I can be trusted, I will die for you, all or nothing Peter. Peter who Jesus declared would be the cornerstone to his new movement was back fishing. Why do we go back? Is it just habit or perhaps we do not believe we are capable and worthy of real progress and purpose? The disciples who had seen all Jesus’s miracles, heard all his teachings, go back. The disciples who had seen Jesus resurrected after crucifixion are back in their home town, back in their boat fishing for fish. “Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They answered him, ‘No.’” (John 21:4-5). All night in the dark and they got nothing. I wonder at what point some starting thinking: what are we doing here? This was not a good idea! Then there is someone on the beach asking if they have any fish and he asks in such a way as if he knows the boat is empty. It is like your mother or Dr Phil on his talk show asking: “How is that working for you?” Is your fishing bringing you the security, satisfaction and significance you were seeking? Is your toiling and striving bringing meaning and healing? The text says they answered: “No”.

“He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish.” (John 21:6) This must have been a Dejavu moment, taking them back to when they first followed! (Luke 5) You got to love John writing that He thought it was the Lord. I am sure they were all thinking that. Peter true to form dives in; again trying to get to Jesus first, trying to prove his loyalty and devotion. “When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. ¹⁰Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’” (John 21:9-10) This must have been another Dejavu moment taking them back, to when Jesus had fed over five thousand with a few fish and loves. Had they gone fishing because they were concerned God would not provide for them? Had they gone fishing because fishing for men seemed impossible? Take a moment to smell the bread and the fish. Perhaps Jesus was showing them that it is never about what you can do for me but it is as you follow me that you will find security and be satisfied. Put yourself in Peter’s shoes. Imagine how Peter is feeling sitting round that fire. The only other time the word, “coals” is used in John’s gospel is that moment of complete failure when Peter had denied he even knew Jesus, not once, not twice but three times. I am sure all the other disciples are feeling uncomfortable, they too had denied Jesus with their actions of desertion, they too are back fishing. Peter is in that place. You have experienced it when you want to be there but you don’t because you know what needs to be said but it’s so uncomfortable and difficult that you would rather avoid it. There is an Elephant on the beach, can you picture them around the fire everyone avoiding the topic? Then Jesus asks them to bring some fish from the catch and Peter is the one rushing off and dragging the net in. Is Peter trying to avoid something or is he trying to prove, I can do it Jesus? They had gone back to fishing for fish when Jesus had called them to fish for men and had commissioned them to do as he had been doing. Yet Jesus does not question them or condemn them he gives them an object lesson of his provision, breakfast. Jesus shows them that they need to continue to follow his lead if they wish to be satisfied.

You know it. I know it. Most know that sharing a meal with someone creates a space where there can be an opening up, in a real sense the defences come down. Something else that opens one up for deeper conversation is walking or some other form of exercise. It is relaxing and takes your mind off in other directions. If we read between the lines Jesus takes Peter for a walk after the meal and breaks the ice by asking a vital question: “Do you love me more than these?” He could have been referring to the disciples, the boat and fish or he could have been asking do you Love me more than the other disciples love me. Remember Peter when you said even though all the others would fall away you would not? Remember at the Passover Peter when you wanted to follow me even though I said you could not now but you insisted that you would lay down your life, give it all up for me? Jesus could have said so much but he did not. He did not need to. You know, your friends know, your spouse, your children, generally we all know when we have failed and let someone down. We know when we have gone back on our promise and backed down from a commitment. It does not need to be mentioned they feel bad enough already.

In this context, Jesus asks three times, “Do you love me?” and three times Peter responds, “You know I love you”. “¹⁷He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.” (John 21:17) What amazing grace. Jesus has the most uncomfortable conversation with Peter in such a way that Peter knows he is not only forgiven but that Jesus still has the same profound purpose for him – to build the Church. I do not know what promises you have made and gone back on. I do know however that Jesus has already forgiven you and when you think he cannot use you, your purpose remains the same. There may be an uncomfortable moment needed where you not only are reconciled in relationship but realise afresh your purpose and God’s provision. After every question and answer an instruction is given by Jesus to “Feed my lambs, “Take care of my sheep” and “Feed my sheep”. Jesus in his conversation with Peter dissolves any distinction between loving Jesus and serving others. The only way our love for God is truly authenticated and demonstrated is by loving one another. We cannot say we love God and hate our brother. We cannot say we Love God and not be actively fishing for men, drawing people to God through our words and witness. We cannot say we love God and not be actively involved in discipling others, feeding sheep. In this story we have the first two marks of mission as defined by the Church of Scotland namely: “To proclaim the Good News of the kingdom” and “To teach, baptise and nurture new believers”. Jesus in this story not only questions why they have gone back to fishing when he had called them to follow but he also reminds them that following implies fishing for men and feeding sheep. Now that is uncomfortable for all of us. When last have you and I, drawn someone closer to God? When last have you had a conversation about faith? If you do not profess to love God you are off the hook. This is for those who are following Jesus and who love God. This is for those who look to the cross for forgiveness and have experienced new life in Christ. When last have you spent time sharing with a friend or family member what you have learned from the scriptures? It could be just sharing a few thoughts from the sermon on Sunday that encouraged or challenged you. Does that make you feel challenged or uncomfortable?

I started by questioning the possibility that this is the ending, that Peter goes back after all he had experienced. In my own experience, we turn back for three main reasons. Firstly, we think the task is beyond us and so we do not even try. Secondly, we try really hard and we do not seem to get anywhere except feeling challenged and uncomfortable. Thirdly, we give it our all and still we fail and, in that moment, we may feel unworthy, guilty and incapable all at the same time and so we escape back to the familiar the tried and tested. In that moment you concluded that you cannot do what God is expecting you to do so you might as well go back to your familiar and comfortable. The Church of Scotland finds itself in a difficult place at the moment. Many are asking: is this how the story ends? You may be in a difficult place at the moment questioning what truly brings security, satisfaction and significance? I am sorry to say but the Peter and Jesus conversation does not get easier, it gets even more uncomfortable. “¹⁸Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ ¹⁹(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’” (John 21:18-19) Most commentators agree that this is crucifixion language. Tradition indicates that Peter’s death was through crucifixion upside down because he felt unworthy to die like his Saviour. Peter did not know what hung in the balance as he sacrificed comfort for purpose, as he chose to follow and trust Jesus even in the face of the difficult and the uncomfortable. As you follow Peter’s life through the book of Acts, he literally lays down His life, his preferences and prejudices. I am sure at times it was extremely uncomfortable and costly but at the same time Peter experienced God’s purpose fulfilled through him. Following Jesus will often lead us to crossroads, places of crucifixion, where there are choices to make to lay down our lives, our privileges, preferences and prejudices. It may even hurt at times, it is uncomfortable but it always leads to peace, purpose and a greater presence of God in our lives.

In a world that is obsessed with comfort, where most turn back to the familiar and comfortable when faced with failure and hardships will you continue to follow Jesus? Will you be willing to have the uncomfortable conversations knowing that Jesus will provide the words and wisdom for each situation? Will you leave behind that habit, relationship or attitude that Jesus has saved you from? Will you follow knowing that you will fail but that God will never fail you and that His grace, power and presence is all the security you need? Will you fish for men and women and will you feed sheep knowing that saving the world does not rest on you but on him? Peter needed to know he could not rely on himself but he also needed to know that he could rely on God. Jesus then encourages and challenges Peter with the very thing that he said Peter could not do earlier, “Follow me!”

HYMN 363 We have a gospel to proclaim

Prayers:

Lord Jesus Christ, risen to live forever,
Thank You for continuing to entrust us with Your good news.
Thank you for continuing to stand by us even when we let You down
and thank You for never faltering in Your care for us
and Your love for us,
even when we hurt and betray You.

May we in return, stand by You…
care for You….
love You…
and above all, may we work with You in feeding Your sheep.
Give us, we pray,
the courage as individuals and as communities of Your people,
the courage to listen for Your voice,
the courage to pick up the nets of old habits,
to follow You to different waters.

And when we fear where that might lead us,
when we hesitate, pulled by the safe and familiar,
reassure us of being held in Your arms,
remind us that uncomfortable places are often
places of growth and embolden us simply to follow.

Ever with us Lord,
we bring to You a world You care for deeply.
Into those places where violence is rife,
bring Your peace, we pray.
Into those places where hatred and suspicion grow,
encourage understanding, we pray
and sow and nurture the seeds of love and respect.
Where poverty and disease make life miserable for people,
don’t let us turn away.
Instead,
Help us to be Your hands:
Your heart,
Your feet,
Your voice.

May we not only give generously from Your blessings
but may we also through Your wisdom and power,
challenge courageously those structures and powers
that intimidate and hold the vulnerable in cycles of
fear and poverty.

May we thank the Creator for all creation
and know and value our own part in it.
All these prayers we offer in Jesus’ name,
the Living God,
who sees so much more than we could ever think or know,
and who chooses to invite us to join in the divine mission
to bring love and life and light to this world.

Glory be to Creator, Son and Spirit –
One Living God,
forever. Amen

HYMN 458 At the name of Jesus

Benediction

“Now may the Lord of Peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. the Lord be with all of you.” (2 Thess. 3:16)

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Sunday 24th April 2022

Welcome & Intimations
Welcome to our joint service for this week, where we continue our journey in the light of the resurrection of Christ Jesus. This week we explore elements of what it means to live in the light of greatest story ever told.

Call to Worship (Psalm 150: 1, 2, 6)

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
     praise him in his mighty firmament!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
     praise him according to his surpassing greatness!

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

HYMN 132 – Immortal, invisible, God only wise

(from Westminster Abbey, Commonwealth Day Service 2020)

Prayer c/w Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray:

Your people gather
behind locked doors,
drawn together through grief,
worrying about what comes next.
Into this You come, declaring:
Peace be with you

Into all times of life,
in hope and in fear,
in joy and in despair,
in wonder and in praise.
Into these You come, declaring:
Peace be with you

We gather this morning
sharing our alleluias
for death overcome
and for joy to come.
Into this you come, declaring:
Peace be with you

Assure us of Your presence,
surround us with Your love,
hold us close to You,
and give us lives full of thankfulness.
Come into our midst and declare:
Peace be with you.

Lord Incarnate,
Creator of all
from fragile flower to great galaxy.
To You we confess we are imperfect.
We lack the words that encourage,
and the vision to heal hurts.
We speak too much
and do not listen or see as we ought.

Forgive us through the hands
that reached out to all.
Forgive us through the hands
that stretched out on the cross.
Forgive us through the hands
held out to bring peace.

In Christ we are offered hands
leading us to a future.
In Christ we are offered hands
upholding us in love.
In Christ we are offered hands
bearing the promise of forgiveness.
In Christ we are offered hands,
freeing us from the burdens that bind.
Accept those hands
reaching out
touching you, touching me,
and be set free.

Let us now come together
in the words of Christ Jesus,
saying together:

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:

Revelation 1:4-8
John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Look! He is coming with the clouds;
every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.

‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

John 20:19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

HYMN 413 – The day of resurrection!

(from the Chet Valley Churches)

Reflection:

The first Easter was a life-changing moment that changed the course of history. It set disciples, then and since, upon unimaginable. Yet how do we celebrate this transformative event? We celebrate with chocolate eggs and bunny rabbits! This time of year in this part of the world has always been about new life so perhaps these things make sense in a way.. However, remember that the first Easter was wrapped up in the impact of a death. It was wrapped up in the effects of grief. It was wrapped up in fear. The disciples, who would soon bring Good News to the world, were in hiding. The doors were shut and locked.

I imagine, to varying degrees, that we can all picture the scene. It helps that it has been portrayed in both painting and drama over the centuries. It is a scene of ten men, and sometimes some women, huddled in an upstairs room. The door is barred from the inside. Fear is clearly present. Into this image appears Jesus, having seemingly found walls and door to be no barrier to him. A week later an almost identical group are present. This time there are eleven men as Thomas is present as he was not on the previous week. He had heard their stories of resurrection and of meeting their risen Lord but had his doubts. We call him doubting, but was he? Was he simply wanting empirical evidence to back up the claims of his friends before he could believe that Jesus had risen form the grave? Or was there something else that made him await evidence?

However we look at this story, these appearances, we find a series of contrasts. On the first appearance of Jesus the fear and need for hiding make sense but not so a week later. This time, though, there are differences. Jesus is with them for longer. He proclaims peace to them not once but three times. Further, he breathes his Spirit upon them while, at the same time, commissions them. In that upper room, behind locked doors, Jesus commissions the eleven to go. He sends them out into the world. If we read the equivalent parts of the other Gospels, we find that they are sent out to ‘all creation’. Like Jesus, they are being sent to anyone and everyone. They are sent to baptise. They are sent to proclaim a message of forgiveness. They are also sent to proclaim a parallel message of judgement. They are sent to proclaim both triumph and final resurrection, just as we heard form the passage form Revelation. Importantly, though, they are sent like Jesus on a mission that could lead to suffering and death.

It is this, latter, sending that I believe holds the key to understanding what motivates Thomas. Perhaps he alone understands the truth that suffering could follow them in their calling. He had witnessed it with Jesus, the Lord whom he followed. Perhaps he had already faced threats and abuse because of his allegiance. We may never know. Perhaps it was not that empirical evidence was needed to enable belief in resurrection, but that sight and touch of wounds were needed to verify that Jesus had suffered. The idea that Jesus didn’t suffer but that it was an illusion or similar was an idea that circulated for several centuries after the resurrection. Thomas, though, receives his proof. As the writer to the Hebrews wrote, “Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.” His reaction to this is the dramatic declaration, “My Lord and my God.” Starting out from confusion and fear we reach the point where Thomas says this to the man who bears the scars of his humanity, and the wounds of redemption. Thomas declares that the crucified one, Jesus, is God.

Unlike Thomas and the other ten remaining disciples we were not there. Neither do we have the luxury of film footage or contemporary press reports to support the claims that would make their way into the gospel texts. What we do have are those writings and the history that has flowed from them. The breathing of the Spirit in that locked room would eventually reach full effect from the day of Pentecost. The transformation of lives and communities by that message has been recorded down the centuries. John, in his writing, does offer us a means of sharing in the story. Unlike Thomas we cannot see and believe, but we can read and hear.
Amen.

HYMN 237 – Look forward in faith

(from Alloway Parish Church)

Prayers

Let us pray:

We turn to the Lord,
who is and was and will be.
Let us raise our prayers
for the people who sit around us,
for the people who join us online,
for the people who have already worshipped
long before we were even awake,
for the people who are yet to see the dawn
and will continue the uplifting of prayers.

We pray for the people we know and love
and for their presence we give thanks.
We pray for the people whose lives are easy,
and we give You thanks.
We pray for the people who are anxious,
and we give You our worries.
We pray for the people whose lives are limited,
and we give You our concern.
We pray fora the people whom we have lost,
and we trust to Your care all those whom we love.

We pray for our Church
in the way we seek to serve and live
in the light of Your Resurrection.
May we seek how we can live well,
serving our communities,
and blessing Your Name
in all that we do and say and are.

We pray for our communities, country and world.
We pray for peacekeepers,
who reach beyond the boundaries,
offering a hand of hope and understanding.
We pray for healers,
who tend to the wounds of ancient hurts.
We pray for justice bringers,
who uncover hidden abuse,
to enable justice and healing,
and a different way of living.

These prayers we make in the Name of the Creator,
the Redeemer, and the Perfecter of our Faith.
Amen.

HYMN 286 – Tell out my soul, the greatness of the Lord!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E7QWLyDWe8
(from Arundel Cathedral)

Sorry, this video can not be embedded: click on the link to play it, but there may be adverts first.

Benediction

Go from this time
in the name of the One who created you,
the One who restores you,
and the One who upholds you.
As you go
may the blessing of that same God
go with you evermore.
Amen.

Sung Amen

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Easter Sunday 2022

Welcome & Intimations
Welcome to our Easter Day service. In a world of darkness and despair we turn to the light and hope of the Resurrection of Jesus.

Call to Worship:

Christ is risen
   He is Risen indeed!
This is the day that the Lord has made;
   Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

HYMN 410 Jesus Christ is risen today

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA_ggfwGOZQ

(Performed by King’s College Choir)

Prayer c/w Lord’s Prayer

Lord, draw us to Your Cross which brings forgiveness:
That we may be cleansed.

Lord, draw us to Your Cross which brings healing:
That we may be whole.

Lord, draw us to Your Cross which brings hope:
That we may have faith.

Lord, draw us to Your Cross which brings love:
That we may have compassion.

Lord, draw us to Your Cross which brings light:
That we may have vision.

Lord, draw us to Your Cross which brings life:
That we may live for You.

Forgive us daily, Lord, the sins which crucify you anew.
Forgive the hatred of the crowd which chose Barabbas,
and the hate that we allow to lie so often in our hearts.
Forgive the selfishness and ambition of Caiaphas,
and the selfishness and pride in all men and women.
Forgive the weakness of Pilate, and our inability
to resist temptation and take a bold stand.
Forgive the brutalities of the soldiers,
and all the cruelties so evident in our world.
Forgive the hard-heartedness and sneers of those who passed
by, and forgive us when we sneer at holy things,
soften our hearts to the plight of the suffering,
and the guidance of Your Holy Spirit.
Take all these sins from the world, crucified Saviour; bear
them away in your dying body, let evil die and be
conquered for ever, cast out by your undying love.

Let us pray together the prayer Jesus taught his closest companions

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:

Luke 24: 1-12
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

John 20: 1-10
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

HYMN 417 Now the green blade riseth

(Performed by Laura Wright on ‘Songs of Praise’)

Reflection: Three little words

It is Easter Day, and so it is not surprising that our readings are two of those which speak of the resurrection of Christ Jesus. There are many things we could speak of, and passages we could refer to. This year, though, I would like us to focus on just three words from our readings. Just three little words. Actually, in English translation it is the same word that appears three times in quick succession. It is the word ‘saw’.

The first occurrence is when the unnamed disciple, the Beloved Disciple, often believed to have been John, stops at the entrance of the tomb and looks inside. The second is when Peter rushes past, enters the tomb, and sees that the grave clothes are folded and laid to one side. Finally, the first disciple enters the tomb, looks, and believes. That there is so much to be found in the three uses of that one word is due to an unfortunate feature of translation. In the original Greek these are three different words, each with importantly different meanings.

The first, unnamed, disciple stopped at the edge of the tomb and looked within. We are not told why he stopped but he would have had good reason not to continue. First, as an observant Jew, he would not have wanted to risk entering a tomb where they may be a body. Second, although the tomb was large, being that of a wealthy man, the entrance was small requiring some effort to get in. In this part we find the use of the word ‘saw’ meaning nothing more than being able ‘to see what lies before’ him. It is ordinary physical sight.

Next comes Simon Peter, rushing in where wiser men would have feared to tread. Entering the tomb, he must have thought nought of making himself ritually unclean, unlike his companion. This was Peter at his impetuous best, not stopping and thinking but running and acting. He sees the folded grave clothes. This time the word ‘saw’ means something different than before; it means to ‘observe, to scrutinise, to think about’. Perhaps it was no more than the effect of seeing the clothes; perhaps something else about the seen stopped him in his tracks. Whatever it was it caused him to think about what lay before him.

Finally, our first disciple overcomes the barriers before and within him entering the tomb. He must have seen what Peter saw. Perhaps he, too, reflected upon the sight. Whatever it was it caused him to believe; something in that place convinced him of the resurrection. Our translation states that ‘he saw and believed’. This time around the word ‘saw’ means to ‘understand’ or ‘be aware of the significance’ of something. Our unidentified disciple goes beyond Peter and sees the meaning behind the sight.

Usually the first Christians did not believe in the resurrection solely because the tomb was empty; they believed because they both saw and met the resurrected Jesus. Here was something of an exception; this disciple believed as a result of seeing the empty tomb, before meeting the resurrected Jesus. Remember, too, that the resurrection of Jesus had not been expected by His followers. Had it been then we could assess this as a case of people seeing what they wanted to see. What happened at the empty tomb was not what they expected. After the crucifixion and burial of Jesus they had gone into hiding, afraid for their lives and doubtless wondering how they could have been so wrong. Despite the teaching of Jesus, the disciples did not expect this.

Three little words yet with such profound implications. Three little words in everyday use yet here taking us from physical sight to eternal truth. Three little words yet with meaning for the world.

What, though, do these words mean for us? Peter is named, and the other is not. It is Peter who does not understand what it is he is witness too, but the unnamed one does. This beloved disciple represents every disciple whom Jesus loves. That is why he remains unnamed. He is close to Jesus at the Last Supper. At the Cross he is the one disciple recorded as present. Along with Mary, the mother of Jesus, it is the Beloved Disciple who is designated a part of the first community of believers. The Beloved Disciple is both you and me.

Three little words yet full of meaning for those who would follow Jesus. They offer us hope in the face of trying circumstances. They offer us faith when we struggle with what we can see. They offer us belief when doubts assail. Can we, like these two disciples, see what lies before us? Can we reflect on the signs of the love of God all around us? Can we believe that He is there, and that He has Risen?
Amen.

HYMN 425 The Saviour died, but rose again (Para. 48 vv 5-9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TjSjoPOPrY
(from the Virtual Choir of Troon Old Parish Church)

Sorry, this video can not be embedded: click on the link to play it, but there may be adverts first

Prayer

Almighty and Eternal God
whose goodness and grace overflowed when you raised Jesus from the dead,
let your goodness and grace continue to flow upon and through us now afresh.

We pray for those, like the women of old,
whose lives have been stopped
because they couldn’t roll away a stone
that was blocking their path to new life and hope.

Roll away the stone
of despair and hopelessness
that the light of Jesus Christ may shine
into the darkness
to bring joy and warmth again.

Roll away the stone
for those still stuck at Good Friday
those whose strength is failing through ill-health
whose spirits are flagging through mental-health struggles,
whose determination is being sapped through addiction.

Lord God roll away the stone
that they might better see the path stretching out before then
a path unused except for your guiding footprints
etched out in the fresh morning dew.

In the light and the glory of Your resurrection
we pray for our world
for areas of violence and hostility
for lands where famine and disease are rife
for peoples who look in vain for the rains to come to guarantee a harvest
for all those who today would struggle to find joy in the resurrection story.

Bless all the members of the governments in Westminster and Holyrood
that they may lead our country with all righteousness and justice.
May Your all- knowing Spirit draw near to all leaders of all nations.
We pray for unity.

We pay for wisdom in the face of potential global war.
We pray for creativity in the face of economic challenges brought on by war in the Ukraine and many other factors.

Bless our Church of Scotland; its ministers and office bearers that they may offer wise and sensitive leadership at this unsettling time. Encourage our membership that they may be true to their calling to follow the Risen Christ wherever he leads. Bless all our partner churches at home and abroad that we may journey with them on this adventure of faith as we discover where You are asking us to go. Give us Your church the courage to take bold new steps to extend Your kingdom in the light of your resurrection power.

On this Easter Day hear now our own prayers in silence as we remember before you those nearest and dearest to our own hearts confident that Your heart aches and that Your hear the earnest prayer of every humble heart….

We offer these prayers to you Lord God always mindful of the great company who surround You the ransomed and the redeemed of all the ages. As once they inspired us by their living so may they continue so to do till the day of our homecoming to you through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

HYMN 419 Thine be the Glory

(from St. Mary’s Church, Portsea)

Benediction

Go from this time of worship
in the light and love of the resurrection.
As you go,
may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
go with you
now and evermore.
Amen.

Sung Amen

Featured post

Sunday 10th April 2022

Welcome
“All we are saying is give peace a chance” is the chorus line to a John Lennon song recorded in 1969. It was a war protest song that is just as relevant today as it was then. This Palm Sunday let us reflect rightly on the protest procession that Jesus entered Jerusalem in and how true peace is forged in a world filled with power structures.

Call to Worship
We gather to seek God
to praise the Creator
to adore the Son
to abide in the Spirit.
To give thanks to the Lord
for He is good.
God’s steadfast love endures forever

We gather on this last Sunday of Lent
to share in the praise of Palm Sunday
to anticipate the events of Holy Week
to journey towards the cross and tomb.
To give thanks to the Lord
for He is good.
God’s steadfast love endures forever

We gather together
bringing all the worries and wonders of the world
bringing all that is heavy in our hearts or light in our souls
bringing all the joys and challenges of life
whatever our circumstances.
To give thanks to the Lord
for He is good.
God’s steadfast love endures forever

Amen

HYMN 127: O worship the King, all glorious above

Prayer:

Thank you that your ways are far greater than our ways, your thoughts far deeper than our thoughts. Thank you that you had a plan to redeem. Thank you that you make all things new. Thank you that your face is towards the righteous, and you hear our prayers, and know our hearts. Help us to stay strong and true to you. Help us not to follow after the voice of the crowds, but to press in close to you, to hear your whispers, and seek after you alone.
All-powerful, eternal God, you have chosen to give mankind the ultimate model of humility;
our Saviour took on our flesh, and subjected Himself to the Cross. Grant us the grace to preserve faithfully in the lessons You have given us in his Passion so that we may share in His resurrection.

God of mercy and grace, we come seeking Him that we may know true peace, not as the world gives but as you provide so freely.
O Lord, who on this day entered the rebellious city that later rejected you: we confess that our wills are as rebellious as Jerusalem’s, that our faith is often more show than substance,
that our hearts are in need of cleansing. Have mercy on us, son of David, Saviour of our lives.

Help us to lay at your feet all that we have and all that we are, trusting you
to forgive what is sinful,
to heal what is broken,
to welcome our praises,
and to receive us as your own.

Blessed are you, Holy God, for in Jesus Christ you came to rule in our lives, not as a king,
but as a humble servant, riding on a donkey. Help us to serve humbly too!
Enter into our hearts afresh this day with your glorious, life-giving presence
that we may greet you with shouts of praise; not only in this place but also on the streets.
That Your Kingdom may come through Christ, our Sovereign and Saviour.
Amen

Scriptures:

Philippians 2:5-11
Let the same mind be in you that was^[^a^] in Christ Jesus,
⁶who, though he was in the form of God,
    did not regard equality with God
    as something to be exploited,
⁷but emptied himself,
    taking the form of a slave,
    being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
⁸    he humbled himself
    and became obedient to the point of death—
    even death on a cross.
⁹Therefore God also highly exalted him
    and gave him the name
    that is above every name,
¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus
    every knee should bend,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹and every tongue should confess
    that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.
Luke 19:28-42
²⁸After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
²⁹When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰saying, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” just say this: “The Lord needs it.”’ ³²So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. ³³As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ ³⁴They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ³⁵Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. ³⁶

As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. ³⁷As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, ³⁸saying,
‘Blessed is the king
    who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
    and glory in the highest heaven!’

³⁹Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ ⁴⁰He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’ ⁴¹As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, ⁴²saying, ‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

HYMN 365: Ride on, ride on in majesty

Reflection:

As we gather to celebrate Palm Sunday this year, Jesus entering Jerusalem triumphantly on a donkey, the world is feeling the horrendous ripple effects of war. Ukrainians continue to flee their cities and homes seeking refuge in the mercy and hospitality of their neighbours. The exit parade is one of defeat and despair. There does not seem to be an end to the madness and misery. NATO have been very reluctant to get involved directly by sending troops and yet many countries are providing weapons and imposing sanctions. As I see Politicians gathering and talking, I want to cry out “Please do something” because as each day passes more soldiers, civilians, women and even children are dying. Cities in the Ukraine have been decimated, turned to rumble. It begs the question when if ever is war justified?

In Russia some citizens have been arrested because they are protesting against their own government about the war in Ukraine. It is not a war right as Putin has censored it; it is a “Special Military Operation”. Some Russian civilians are fleeing because they no longer see a future under a regimen that rules by force and controls the media. So, war rages on and there seems to be no peace in sight. We have all experienced loss to some degree over the last two years through Covid. Our worlds have been turned upside down and now war in Europe. I am sure like me, your peace has been challenged maybe even rocked. Could this all be happening in the twenty-first century?

As we gather to reflect on the parade on that day, 2 000 years ago, palm leaves waving and cries of “Hosanna”, we need to remind ourselves that tension had been rising between the religious leaders of the day and Jesus. They had tried to kill him a number of times already. The historical-political landscape also needs be remembered: Rome ruled, Caesar was Lord, but he allowed those in Jerusalem to continue to live out their religion as long as they towed the line and paid their dues. The High Priest and Pharisees ruled but they were there only at the pleasure of the governor who ruled regionally under Caesar’s authority. The High Priest and the governor, Pilate at the time of Jesus, could not afford disruptions and uprisings that disturbed the peace. This could easily get the attention of Caesar and he would respond rapidly and brutally. Pilate could lose his position and many would lose their lives if Caesar sent in Legions of Roman soldiers.

Jesus’s popularity had been growing, he had amazed his audiences not only with his teachings but also his miracles. Wouldn’t you be following if you had been able to see again, walk again, talk again. Would you not be following if you had been fed and experienced the raising of the dead? No wonder Jesus had a multitude of disciples in his parade praising Him as he enters Jerusalem. Luke 19:38 “saying, ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!’” They are expectant; maybe this is the Messiah who was prophesied about who would come to set them free. Free from the oppressive rule of a governor and free from Caesar who saw himself as Lord. Can you feel the tension rising? I am sure it was palpable in certain sectors of society in Jerusalem. The national passion and zeal for liberty would be heightened as they prepare for Passover, literally remembering the time when God through Moses rescued them from Lord Pharaoh. Under Pharaoh, they were again given certain freedoms but ultimately, they had to give and bow to him if they wanted to keep the peace. Pharaoh too had ruled by fear and force. Make no mistake Caesars were capable of ghastly acts to make sure no one dare challenge them. No wonder, “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’” Luke 19:39. They want to keep the Peace at all costs but what kind of peace was it really and at what cost?

Theologians Marcus Borg and Dominic Crossan, in their book “The Last Week”, describe a scene in Jerusalem where both Jesus and Pontius Pilate enter the city at the same time but at different gates. Pilate obviously entering through the main gate and Jesus in a sense entering through the back door. Although there is no historical evidence for this, it is possible as we know Pilate would make the sixty-mile journey from the comfort and safety of his home in Caesarea around the time of the Passover. He did this regularly to ensure that by a display of force and power there was no thought of a rebellion. In other words, he would have his tanks and his guns leading the way and lining the streets to the stadium, no that was Putin. Pilate would have a huge entourage of soldiers with swords and spears. Pilate would enter with pomp and ceremony displaying the victory and rule of Rome. He would ride, most probably, on a white stallion and yes people would gather and shout praises not so much in respect but rather out of obligation and fear. Two parades that day, two kings on a mission, one coming to ensure peace is maintained so that his position remained secure, even if that was by force and coercion. The other, Jesus, would not even defend himself but humbly chose to show the way and make a way of Peace. Two very different kingdoms were about to clash and as they did their primary modus of operandi would be on full display.

Luke wants us to know Jesus came to bring peace. Luke mentions that word peace fourteen times. That is more than all the other gospels together. Right from the start this theme is clear, in Zechariah’s song “to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79). It continues in the familiar angels’ words heard every Christmas “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace… “(Luke 2:14). In Simeon’s song as he believes he has seen the Messiah: “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word.” (Luke 2:29). Are you in need of peace? Are there perhaps relationships that you are part of that are peaceful on the surface but this is largely due to some form of coercion. This could be in the work place or even in the home context, sadly force is still used in various forms to maintain the status quo in many relationships. I shudder when I think of President Biden threatening China that there will be consequences if they side with Russia. Who likes to be threatened, who likes to be in the sights of the playground bully be it in a school, a board room or on the world stage? As Jesus enters Jerusalem he weeps over the city and says, “‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” (Luke 19:42) Jesus weeps because they are unaware, blind to what actually brings peace. Interestingly the other gospels have Jesus healing a blind man before the Palm Sunday event. Yet, still to this day many are living in situations of pseudo peace because they blinded to what truly brings peace.

Luke in his gospel has two stories preceding Jesus entering Jerusalem. One is of Zacchaeus who happily welcomes Jesus into his home and transformative salvation permeates his life as he gives up his power and position. The next story is of a ruler who goes off to get ultimate authority but the members of his society do not want him back. When he returns, he judges each one by what they have done with what he had left them with. These stories are about the presence of the Lord and how he is welcomed, perceived and received. They foreshadow the welcome Jesus will receive in Jerusalem and also his ultimate return from glory at the end of the age. They also foreshadow how you and I either welcome Jesus as the source of true peace or continue to seek it in conforming to the ways of this world. There were two parades that day one conforming to the status quo living out a pseudo peace maintained by fear and force. The other parade was of those on the fringes of society following a sacrificial servant king and desiring a different reality. The reality however is that as Jesus enters Jerusalem not on a stallion but on a humble donkey it was in fact a parody of and a blatant challenge to the parade that was happening on the other side of town. Imagine if they had come through the same gate, side by side?

As Luke writes, he knows that the presence of Jesus, while bringing peace through reconciliation between rich and poor, black and white, male and female and Jew and Gentile as the barrier that divides, is brought down and a new unity declared. It would also bring division with those who wish to hold onto the status quo and laud over others. It brings division because many do not want the transformative presence of God in their lives. “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” (Luke 12:51). In order to experience real peace, the injustices need to be addressed, the lies need to be brought into the light and the bullies need to be exposed. Jesus could have avoided the cross. All he had to do was either stay in Galilee, avoid the confrontation or he could have played by this world’s way and raised up an army of his own to take the Romans on by force. He chose neither. He chose to challenge the structures and powers that be in the most submissive way yet at the same time directly challenging the worldly power dynamics at play. If we want real peace in our lives, we need to decide which parade we’re going to join. Jesus came not to coerce us into following his ways but rather he demonstrated his great love for us by carrying our burden of sin.^“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Zechariah in his Messianic prophecy spoke of the new king riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9) A week later the crowd that had prayed to God for peace was shouting “Crucify Him”, siding with the power structures of the day. The religious leaders of the day that knew the sacred texts did not recognise the messiah’s presence, blinded by protecting their privileged position. A week later those who thought he may be the messiah did not recognise him as king in a bloody purple rob and crown of thorns. Jesus did not come to coerce us to follow him but he came humbly and showed us the way to true peace is through sacrifice. The world is facing many challenges to peace. May we recognise that the prince of peace, Jesus, has come and may we continue to welcome him into each situation even if he challenges the status quo. It is telling for me that the very first thing Luke has Jesus doing after entering Jerusalem is turning over the table in the temple. Again, challenging and dividing, not keeping the peace but challenging the unjust practices. True peace does not come by following the crowd and keeping the status quo but true peace is experienced by confronting the powers that continue to suppress and subvert.

Know that God is present as you welcome him into each situation but he comes to transform not to keep the status quo. It is important to reflect on which parade we are journeying with and praising. May we seek not to be peacekeepers but peacemakers who are willing to serve sacrificially by resisting and challenging structures that perpetuate and maintain injustice. I end with Zechariah 9:9-10 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.¹⁰He^[^a^] will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war-horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.”
Amen

HYMN 364: All glory, laud and honour

Prayers:

We pray to you, Lord of palm-branches and the cross,
for you understand us and in love you have promised
all your presence not to push away any who come to you.
So, we pray for people who feel pushed away:
pushed away from a living faith in Jesus by pressure from friends and family;
those who feel pushed away by other people in churches
if they do not share the same kinds of ideas, or ways, or clothes;
for people who are pushed out by those who want power,
whose main love is to be noticed, to have control.

We pray for your church that all those who trust in Jesus
will be made able by your Spirit to follow his humility,
to see and imitate his servant life, to welcome and not to condemn.
Help your church to be like Jesus.
We pray to you, Lord of palm-branches and the cross,
for you know the warm glow of being praised and the loneliness of being hated.
Empower all who seek to follow your parade of truth and grace,
May they know you guiding presence and perseverance.

We pray for world leaders, especially at this time of war in Ukraine, when the destruction caused by arrogance, greed and pride are so clear. May the nations of the world unite in their efforts not only to humbly serve those fleeing in fear but to also humbly challenge the mindset of coercion and subjugation.

We pray for world leaders to understand their role to serve all peoples of the world,
that posturing will be replaced by practical action to make a difference, and jockeying for position be replaced by genuine efforts to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and care for those who are weak. And to challenge structures and powers that perpetuate cycles of poverty and hate.

In days when food banks are required in our land to feed families who struggle to provide the basics for life, we ask that you will re-arrange our priorities and help us to live more like Jesus. We pray to you, Lord of palm-branches and the cross, because you know how quickly life changes to death.

We pray for those who have recently lost those whom they have loved. In the shock, confusion, pain and sorrow especially of unexpected loss, we pray for hearts to be open to the comfort of your Spirit, shown through friendship and community and as deep calls to deep. May all who mourn know your presence which brings peace.

We ask, God of grace, that you will make us more like some of the crowd:
that we will follow Jesus and give him our praise in the way we live;
that we will turn away from wrong and evil and stand on the Master’s side,
that we will be faithful in worshipping the one who has come in the Lord’s name
to bring peace through our singing, our worship, our prayers, but also through
giving our skills, time and means to humbly serve the vulnerable and humbly
challenge those who perpetuate power structures.
May all the days of our lives be lived with the knowledge of your transformative presence; We pray, all this to your glory and the good of many.
Through Jesus who is the Saviour of all. Amen

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.

HYMN 552: O for a closer walk with God

Benediction:

Before this week ends, the Palm branches will be discarded and drying on the roadside. Most in the joyful crowd will become an angry mob, and Jesus’s triumphant parade will be replaced by an agonising parade to a cross. So then, go in the knowledge that whatever comes to you in this week, you are held in the hand of God, whose ways are not ours but whose presence brings peace. May God, the Three-in One, bless you, uphold you and give you strength for the journey ahead.
Amen.

Sung Amen:

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Intimations:

1. A Huge thank you to all those who contributed so generously towards relief for those fleeing the crisis in Ukraine. We raised a total of £1,750, which has been split between World Vision (via the DEC appeal) and the Church of Scotland’s congregation in Budapest who are working with the Reformed Church in Hungary to provide food donations, hygiene equipment, information, spiritual assistance and accommodation to refugees.

2.Easter is next week so join us in person for this special time in our Christian faith. There will be a number of special services leading up to Easter Sunday. Please check all the details on the church website and make a special effort to join us during these times of worship. In addition, the church will be open for an hour on Easter Saturday, 16 April, between 6 and 7pm, for an hour of silence, for personal prayer and reflection or simply for a few moments of peaceful rest. Many churches across the city will be doing the same. Everyone is welcome.

3. The Edinburgh Easter Play will take place in Princes Street Gardens on Saturday 16 April at 2pm – a live performance for the first time since 2018. The Easter Story is brought to life in the centre of Edinburgh by a talented community cast, with the iconic backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. The event will also be live-streamed so you can watch it online if you prefer. See www.easterplay.org for details.

Featured post

Sunday 3rd April 2022

Welcome
This week as we draw closer in our Lent journey to Jerusalem and the Cross, we examine a story that some say happened in that week leading up to Easter. It’s a story about Mary and as we delve into it, I think we should ask how do Mary’s actions speak of true worship.

Call to Worship (Inspired by Psalm126)
We gather today to worship our God, the God who brought back the Israelites
from Exile so long ago, and the people said,
“God has done remarkable things!”

And though we sow seeds of God’s kingdom in the midst of all kinds of trials and temptations, we will return one day amazed by what’s appeared, and we will say,
“God has done remarkable things!”

HYMN 202 Stand up and bless the Lord

Prayer:

Eternal and wonderful God
We come together in Your presence now,
bringing to You our praise and adoration.
You are a great God beyond all measure
and we bow in awe before the brightness of Your glory.
We join our hearts and voices with the seraphs
in Your presence who call to one another,
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.’
We worship You, God of creation
and stand in awe before the myriad ways
in which the vast universe and the world of nature around us
display the wonders of Your wisdom and love, generosity and beauty.
Open our eyes afresh to the signs of Your presence everywhere.
Fill us with delight and gratitude as we remember how in love
You gave to each of us our being
and the ways You have enriched our lives from our earliest years.
King of salvation,
we praise You that You have not kept at a distance from our human predicament,
but in Jesus You have come into our fallen, broken world
to share our humanity and to bring us redemption.
We marvel again at Jesus’ willingness in love to identify in this way with us,
to share our sorrows and to walk the long and painful road
to a new exodus in the achievement of the cross,
gaining for us freedom from sin and pain and death.
At this time, when we are called to reflect on our own path of discipleship,
help us in Your presence to face the truth about ourselves
with honesty and openness.
We confess that we have all fall far short of Your glory,
that too often we have compromised rather than confessed our faith.
Forgive us that we have been way too narrow in our vision
and often self-centred in our concerns
and have not loved You and others as You have called us to do.
Look on us, gracious Father, not in ourselves but as found in the Christ
who loved us and gave Himself for us.

As we focus in these coming days
on the wonder of what Jesus Christ, Your suffering Servant, achieved for us,
give us a new heart to follow Him more fully,
to take up our cross and in serving Jesus our Lord,
humbly to serve others, especially those most in need around us,
with the same self-emptying mind which Jesus displayed.
Amen

Scriptures:

Isaiah 43:16-21
Thus says the Lord,
    who makes a way in the sea,
    a path in the mighty waters,
¹⁷who brings out chariot and horse,
    army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
    they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
¹⁸Do not remember the former things,
    or consider the things of old.
¹⁹I am about to do a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.
²⁰The wild animals will honour me,
    the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
    rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
²¹    the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.

John 12:1-8
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ²There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. ³Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them^[^a^] with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ⁵‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii^[^b^] and the money given to the poor?’ ⁶(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) ⁷Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it^[^c^] so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. ⁸You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’

HYMN 490 Jesus, lover of my soul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFaiiPv-Q6I

We are not able to embed this hymn in our service: please just click on the link above to play. (It may be be preceded by advertising…)

Reflection:

I can remember as if it was yesterday, I just had to have those boots, genuine leather cowboy boots, but one hundred and twenty dollar was extravagant and extreme. In modern day lingo it was over the top. I had been a student for the previous two years and my wife and I were between jobs but I just had to have those boots. This was 2003 and Carol (my wife) and I were enjoying a ten-day holiday in the United States before we headed back to South Africa to start our new careers. Working with rands the budget was extremely tight and I couldn’t really afford them, it was exorbitant but we were in Texas so I bought them anyway. This was a once in a life time trip. What about you, what is the most extravagant, over the top purchase you have made? Did you regret it?

Our journey continues in Lent as we head to Easter. The time we will reflect on Jesus’s death and celebrate his resurrection is drawing nearer. The Old Testament text of Isaiah takes us back to a time in the Israelites history they would rather forget. A time of Babylonian bondage, a time of exile in a foreign land. Hard times which were a stark reminder of their heritage of bondage in Egypt. Isaiah however brings a message of hope and liberty. Their exile is about to end, they will be able to return to their homeland. God is at work! As I wrote this I had to stop and pause and wonder how millions of Ukrainians are feeling as they flee their land; in a real sense heading into exile. I am sure even as they flee, they are wondering if they will return and to what. Isaiah brings a message of hope. It is extreme and over the top. Isaiah not only predicts their salvation is eminent but he paints a picture taking the Israelites back to that epic moment of their victory and freedom. He paints a vivid picture of when they as a people had seen God’s hand at work on their behalf. Isaiah 43:16,17 “Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,¹⁷who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: “Can you imagine the excitement! There is going to be a new exodus, a new liberation. Isaiah goes on to tell them to forget the past something better is ahead. Could there possibly be something better than their rescue at the Red Sea? The Passover and the Red Sea foreshadowed the cross, the place of our liberty and redemption, but could there be some event ahead that will be even more glorious? Could the Israelites imagine a greater moment of liberty than the Red Sea? As we look back to Easter, can we imagine a greater moment when the ‘New Thing’ that Jesus came to accomplish will be fulfilled. A time when the world and everything in it will be fully restored and all will worship in joyful harmony to the glory of God.

In the gospel text today, Jesus is journeying towards Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and although he has repeatedly predicted what is about to happen even those closest to him cannot imagine or accept his predictions. John has the story of Jesus’s anointing six days before the Passover in the Bethany at a dinner by Mary and Martha to honour Jesus because Lazarus their brother had been brought back from the dead even though he had been dead four days. Some commentators note that there were possibly two anointing stories. Mark chapter fourteen has an unnamed woman at Simon the lepers home two days before Passover after Jesus had entered Jerusalem on a donkey. This woman anoints Jesus’s head with perfume and the disciples are angry at the waste. Luke chapter seven has a sinner gate-crashing a party at Simon the Pharisees house. This woman weeps on Jesus’s feet wipes them with her hair, kisses them and anoints them with perfume. This woman gate-crashes Simon’s party and in terms of the culture of the day acts in a most undignified way. If we picture that scene, she is a mess as she expresses thanks to Jesus in the face of an accusing crowd. Some commentators suggest that John most probably combines these two stories adding his own unique elements. What is John trying to convey to those who would hear his message, to you and to me?

John 12:3 “Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them^[^a^] with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” The stench of the fourth day before Lazarus was raised is replaced with a fragrance that fills the whole house. The perfume nard was extremely expensive costing about 300 denarii. A day’s wage was about one denarii so this is in reality about a year’s wage. This is an extreme act of Thanksgiving and worship. Note that it is pure, undiluted; you could get cheaper, watered down, but this was pure. Nard smelt like gladioli, a sweet scent, and it had a reddish colour. In the context of what lay ahead for Jesus, can you picture his head being anointed and the vast excess running down his garment. Could it be that he carried that scent with him as he was arrested, as he stood before Pilot and Herod, as he was falsely accused and the crowd shouted crucify him. Would it really have all gone on his feet and would it be wiped off? Do you see the anomaly in John’s version? Why would you anoint the feet with an extremely precious and expensive perfume and then wipe it off? There is so much to this story.

We don’t know how much Mary knew but she knew tension had been building and Jesus’ life had been threatened, even now her brother’s life too was under threat. It may be that Mary had some idea of what lay ahead. The only time someone would anoint feet was at the time of burial. Yes, the head would be anointed of the prophet or the king but there is something else at play here. Mary’s expression of love and devotion is not hidden but seen by all. Perhaps she thought this close circle of friends would understand. They too had seen, heard and experienced Jesus’s love and compassion on all. They too must have known of the tension brewing and Jesus’s predictions. Maybe she expected others to join in with their own expressions of devotion. But Judas responds negatively: “Why wasn’t it rather sold and given to the poor” (John 2:4,5). Mark 14:4 “Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume”. How would you have responded; would you be embarrassed and walk out or would you stay and voice your complaint? In the Luke chapter seven story when the women gate-crashes Simon’s party and unashamedly goes against all the rules, conventions and traditions of the day to express herself. Simon the Pharisee is embarrassed and expresses his complaint and in response Jesus tells a parable. In the parable one owed 50 and another 500 but they were both released of their obligation. Jesus then poses the question: “Who would love more?”

When people spend extravagant amounts on a car, or tickets to a rock concert or the rugby, it expresses love and devotion, it shows where their passion lies. As we draw closer to Easter a time of honouring Jesus. Do we really know that we are forgiven? That we stand in this amazing place of grace and that the only fitting response is for us to give our all. We who believe have been rescued and a glorious return and celebration awaits. Mary (in John) and the sinner (in Luke) wipe Jesus’s feet with their hair but Jesus rebukes Simon for not giving him water so he could wash his feet and not greeting him with a kiss or anointing his head with oil. It was the custom of the day to provide a bowl of water and towel for people to wash their own feet when entering a home. This was customary as people would be walking on dusty roads with sandals. Generally, you washed your own feet unless you were a special guest and then the host would arrange a servant. Only slaves would wash someone else’s feet. It is clear that as John writes his gospel, he is looking ahead to the Passover shared as recorded in John 13. And even although everyone knew the feet needed washing in that upper room it was Jesus who served, washing their feet and wiping them with a towel around his waist. Mary at the feet of Jesus is taking the place of a slave and serving. She is doing what Jesus would challenge his disciples to do even before he had made that challenge. “For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done” (John 13:15).

So, what stops you from being extravagant in your worship of Jesus? What stops you from giving your all? What stops you from serving others, washing feet? John in retrospect writes that Judas complained because he was in charge of the money bag and took for himself. That is always the other side of the equation, isn’t it? Self. Self-preservation or Self-advancement versus honouring Jesus by serving others extravagantly. So often our pride gets in the way and we are fearful of what others may think and say. Not Mary and definitely not the sinner in Simon’s house. Can I challenge you as we draw closer to Easter, will you worship extravagantly, knowing you are forgiven, knowing the cross is behind and it has brought freedom and life eternal? We do not need to be fearful of death in the face of his sacrifice but we look ahead to the time when God will make all things new. We should not have to hold on to our riches, rules and traditions so tightly that we cannot express our devotion in the face of a world that desperately needs to know death has been defeated and true joy is experienced in sacrificially serving others. Decide today that in the next two weeks I am going to worship extravagantly by serving others generously. Mary’s generosity is juxtaposed against Judas’s selfish ambition. Mary prepares Jesus for burial by anointing his feet and many enjoyed the fragrance of her servant heart. Judas prepared Jesus for burial in a different way by betrayal as he continued to serve self.

Mary pre-figures what will happen later in John’s narrative, Jesus will wash his disciple’s feet and call them to do likewise. Mary pre-figures what will happen later in John’s narrative as Jesus’s body will be anointed for burial. May we be like Mary as we live generously serving others as we await His return. In Luke chapter ten Mary is at the feet of Jesus listening to his teaching. In John chapter eleven, she knelt in sorrow at the feet of Jesus, crying at the death of her brother even although she knew Jesus had the power to restore. In John chapter twelve, Mary brings an extravagant offering in a position of a slave at the feet of Jesus? May you this Easter spend more time at the feet of Jesus listening to his teachings and crying out to him to move in the areas of your life that need life? But ultimately may you spend time in joyous service of others because that is the only real way to honour God as we wait for all things to be made new!

HYMN 500 Lord of creation, to you be all praise!

Prayers:

Lord Jesus Christ,
as we think of the testing to which You were subjected in the wilderness
and throughout Your ministry to its very end,
we bring to You all who today are struggling with life’s trials and pressures.
We remember those who are facing tough choices and hard situations;
those enduring physical or mental pain;
those striving to come to terms with painful loss – of a loved one, of employment, of cherished hopes;
those facing challenges for which they feel hopelessly inadequate.
Hold them in Your love and let them know Your peace
and the sufficient strength of Your grace
which is able to turn even calamity into a blessing.

We pray for all who find themselves wrestling with powerful temptation:
those who struggle with things that are destructive,
those tempted to give up on God in light of life’s harsh realities;
those who wonder whether life is worth living at all in face of the bleakness of their prospects.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You are familiar with the wilderness of life.
Through that wilderness, in all its desolation,
You have made a way and You are leading Your people by a new exodus to a new creation, a perfect world of peace, justice and love.
Help all who today are worn down by the trials and temptations of life
to turn their face to Jesus, the suffering servant.
Let us all find in Jesus the joy of liberation,
the assurance of unfailing companionship on the journey home from exile
and the sure hope of a new heavens and a new earth, in a future more glorious than we can begin to imagine.

We offer these our prayers in Jesus’ name. Amen

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.

HYMN 694 Brother, Sister, let me serve you

Benediction

Let us go out gladly to serve, in the peace and the power of the Spirit.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 27th March 2022

Welcome
We still in the season of lent, pilgrimaging together towards the cross, but today’s topic is celebration. Taking time to rejoice through the seasons of life, to mark significant moments or achievements. There is much talk about the queens Platinum Jubilee Celebrations marking seventy years on the throne. It is amazing an extra bank holiday announced on the 3 June 2022 which just happens to coincide with my wife’s birthday. Time to celebrate!

Call to Worship (Inspired by Psalm 32)

Trust in the Eternal One
We come in hope.
Rejoice in God’s unfailing love.
We come in faith.
Celebrate the forgiveness that is ours.
We come to sing with gladness.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

HYMN 154 O Lord my God!

Prayer

Let us pray
Lord God almighty, creator of the world, and Father to each one of us, we bless You and we praise You, we rejoice in our knowledge of Your goodness and grace. The king of kings knows every one of his subjects; the lord of lords loves every one of his people; the judge of all the earth extends forgiveness even to the most detestable of sinners. Your love is far beyond our understanding; but we recognize in it the fulfilment of our deepest hopes and longings.

We bless You for the gift of worship, for instruments and voices to raise in songs of celebration. We unite our offering of praise with the worship of the whole of creation, both in this world and in heaven. Holy, holy, holy is our God, the sovereign Lord of all, who was, and is, and is to come – the one, true, living God for ever and ever.

You have not kept you glory hidden from us. In Christ, we have been shown the right way to live and the true meaning of love; but we are slow to follow it. Father, we acknowledge our great shortcomings – our mistaken priorities, our disturbing lack of love and our failure to share Your grace. We are impatient with the people closest to us, and indifferent towards those who are conveniently far away. We are aware of many ways in which we have betrayed You – both by doing wrong, and by leaving good undone. Most of all our attitudes to others have been critical and condemning when You have given your all to us. You are aware of so much more that hinders your work through us.

Almighty God, forgive us, so far as we are ready to be forgiven, and bring us to new peace and wholeness, for the sake of him who died for our forgiveness, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Scriptures:

Joshua 5:9-12
⁹The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.’ And so that place is called Gilgal^[^a^] to this day.¹⁰While the Israelites were encamped in Gilgal they kept the Passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. ¹¹On the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. ¹²The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

Luke 15:1-3,11b-32
Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. ²And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’³So he told them this parable:

Then Jesus^[^a^] said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. ¹²The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So, he divided his property between them. ¹³A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. ¹⁴When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. ¹⁶He would gladly have filled himself with^[^b^] the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. ¹⁷But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! ¹⁸I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’” ²⁰So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. ²¹Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”^[^c^] ²²But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; ²⁴for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.
²⁵‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. ²⁷He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” ²⁸Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. ²⁹But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” ³¹Then the father^[^d^] said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.”’

HYMN 519 Love divine, all loves excelling

Reflection:

So I am going to start with a little confession, don’t hold it against me, but I love a good party. Good food, good music and obviously the vital ingredient is who is there. For my fiftieth birthday party, I went all out – rock ‘n roll, 80’s theme dress-up, live band. It was an epic celebration, the food was great, and speeches were unavoidable, and we danced the night away. Carol, my beautiful wife did an amazing job of all the arrangements. We were not only celebrating that I had made it to fifty but in reality, celebrating the journey and all who had impacted my life along the way. When last have you celebrated a milestone or an achievement. In the Batchelor family as I grew up, everything was celebrated, birthdays, anniversaries, a promotion, and Christmas and New Year were full-on. Did you grow up in a culture of celebrating, marking milestones and achievements?

Today’s gospel text is well known, but there is so much to explore in it. I am sure you know it well. The younger son asks for his inheritance. The father grants his request and he goes off and squanders it. Right from the start Jesus’s audience would have been shocked on three points. Firstly, that the younger son would be the one to speak first in the story; in that culture, this was unheard of. Secondly his request for his share was tantamount to saying he wanted the father dead. The most shocking part of all though would be the father’s response in granting his son’s request. Right from the start of this story we have a very unusual father in the culture of that day. Back to the story. There is a famine which compounds or highlights the younger son’s bad choices, forcing him to the lowest of places. In this difficult place he comes to his senses and realises that the men who work for his father are better off than he is. Luke 15:17 “But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger!” He returns and is welcomed extravagantly (that is what prodigal means). The father is so overjoyed to have his son back that he arranges an epic party and invites the neighbourhood. The father even organises the local band to preform that night. Luke 15:25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.” Ultimately, this parable is about a celebration, a party with singing and dancing. If we look a little more broadly, we cannot separate this parable from the two before it: the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin and they both end in a heavenly joyous celebration. “’Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep” and “’Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost’” (Luke 15:6,9). They are in a sense a request to you and me to join in the celebration with all of heaven at one repentant sinner coming home. The Elder son wants nothing to do with the party and at the end of the story he is the one outside whom the father is begging to come into the party.

Before we continue with the story let’s remind ourselves who the audience is: “Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. ²And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them’.” (Luke 15:1,2). This is a mixed audience, a diverse group of those who knew they were on the outside, but also those who thought they were secure in their position on the inside. Jesus addresses both those he is accused of eating with and the ones who think he should be eating with them. I am not sure where the fulcrum for you is, in this story. Is the turning point when the young man comes to his senses or is it the point where he is welcomed home extravagantly? We unfortunately know the ending but try to place yourself in the crowd. Both the Pharisees and the sinners I am sure are expecting the same negative outcome. Some even say there was a similar story told by the pharisees which had the father folding his arms, turning his back, cursing his son and walking away. The son returns with the full intention of trying to persuade his father to take him as a hired hand in other words, so he can earn his own way. The son does not expect to be welcomed back into the family. Luke 15: 18-19 “I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’” The next major shock in the story is that the father is full of compassion, the audience was expecting criticism and condemnation. Surely the father would be angry, surely the father would make the son beg on his knees and explain in great detail what he had done. But no, the father runs to meet the son, running for an older person in that culture was undignified, humiliating and some indicate that the father saves the son from humiliation by meeting outside of the view of others, the community. The style of language used to explain the father’s response is one which conveys emotion. Fast rapid actions, one after the other. Luke 15:20b-22 “… he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. ²¹Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”^[^c^] ²²But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.”

Not sure if you have noticed this before but the son does not get to even finish his well-rehearsed request to be treated like a worker. It is as if grace interrupts the son’s desire to work for what he gets. Grace interrupts and fully restores the son to his original position as a son. Not a slave, not a hired hand but a son. The father does not ask for elaborate rituals of public penances or vows and promises of future behaviour. The father welcomes him home, embraces, kisses and gives him His Robe, His sandals and ring. They say actions speak louder than words. The robe, the best one would have been the father’s robe, can you picture this beautiful pristine robe placed over the filthy rags the son is wearing. The Robe could speak of the righteousness of God covering all our sin. The Ring, in that culture was symbolic of authority to act on behalf of the father and the sandals were symbolic of freedom, slaves did not wear sandals. This is a full and complete restoration. The father is overwhelmed with joy, just to have the son back. Could this be the real turning point in the story?

There are two sons in this story though, just as there are two responses in the crowd. The sinners I am sure were shocked in a positive way. They could never imagine that they could be welcomed home so graciously. The Pharisees would have been shocked, expecting the younger son to be punished and ostracised, not welcomed, embraced and restored. Luke 15:28,29 “Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. ²⁹But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends.” This is a common reaction in elder sons, often feeling aggrieved because the younger son seems to get more and get away with more. It could be that you have had these feelings towards your father or mother and they have manifested negatively and caused damage to your family relations. Even if you have never verbalised them, feelings of disparity in treatment or having to continually work at being noticed will affect your relationships. The elder son still sees himself as an outsider trying to work and earn the good graces and favour of the father. Never getting what he thinks he deserves. The elder son sees himself as a slave with hardly any privileges and a whole lot of responsibilities. He is not really happy and therefore does not join the party. Note the father goes out to the older son, leaving the celebration to try and bring about reconciliation. The elder son is dishonouring the father by not joining in the celebration and yet the father goes out to bring him in.

Our repentance and reconciliation with God are most profoundly seen and expressed in the way we treat our brothers and sisters. Those we may continue to see as ill-deserving of all the blessings of the father. The saddest words for me in this whole story are when the older son refers to his brother as “your son” when speaking to the father even though a slave has just reminded him that it is “your brother”. It is sad that the older brother continues to seek to condemn and bring up his version of the past when the father has moved on. One profound way in which those outside will be attracted to come home is by the sights and sounds of the joyous celebrations we have weekly in corporate worship. Celebrating and honouring God for his grace and favour even in our times of rebellion. The world is in a tough place at this time. The war that is raging in Ukraine has and will continue to have negative ripple effects all around the globe. We the church have a story to tell though, of a God of grace and mercy who waits and longs with open arms for his children to return. You have seen the pictures on the news of family members reuniting and what do you see an embracing and a kissing. We have seen people of neighbouring countries reaching out and embracing those fleeing the war zone, disregarding the history. The most amazing scene I have seen though is Ukrainian people treating a captured Russian soldier with compassion and grace. May we continue to rejoice as a faith community in our current circumstances knowing that we are loved beyond measure. The world needs to see afresh the joy that comes from knowing that we are in right relationship with God, not because of our striving and working but because of His grace and mercy.

As I end, After the eldest son condemns and complains the Father responds with these words, “Then the father^[^d^] said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.”’ (Luke 15:31,32)
Is there room in your spirituality, your faith journey for celebration? Just maybe the spiritual discipline we need to foster this Lent is Joy because it is only from that place that we can truly be a light and Hope to those around us at this difficult time!
The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.’ And so that place is called Gilgal^[^a^] to this day. (Joshua 5:9)

HYMN 187 There’s a wideness in God’s mercy

Prayers:

O God our Father, in your Church
both stillness and vitality abound,
companion virtues in the life of faith.
May all your people be kept
in quietness and confidence of heart,
at this disturbing time in our history.
Help us your people not shrink back
But to serve the cause of right
with vigour and determination
when called by you.

Lord, your Son has come,
bringing divine change by the
visible signs of the arrival of your kingdom.
Establish your kingdom in our lives
And through the lives of your people.
Not through easy slogans
and good intentions
but through active and prayerful commitment
to your will and ways as displayed in Christ.

Remember Lord
all who live simply and speak plainly
amid the complexities of this age:
that, by their lifestyle, sacrifice and
the directness of their words,
they may set new standards
in a society weakened by indulgence
and confused by twisted speech:
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Remember Lord
all unjustly imprisoned
for political or religious beliefs,
and all victims of violence or fear.

Remember those on the front line of war
and the civilians, grandmothers and grandfathers,
children and parents caught in the despair
of the senseless destruction and agonising pain
that war always brings.
.
Give them and us the courage in their plight to hold
onto hope and continue to celebrate Your love
And truth seen in out stretched arms and warm
embraces.

Keep our eyes fixed as we patiently await
the dawning of a new age: When we will
celebrate in the fullness of your joy and peace:
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ,
we have offered to you prayer and praise.
Receive from us also the earnest desire
to please you in worship and in work alike,
and more fully to understand and celebrate
the cost at which you have secured
our freedom as the sons and daughters of 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.

HYMN 692 Jesus puts this song into our hearts

Benediction:

Whatever wilderness the Spirit has brought you to:
walk in boldness, celebrating that you are a beloved child of God
walk in peace, knowing you are fully restored through Christ
walk in faith, guided by the ever-present Spirit of God. Amen.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 20th March 2022

Welcome & Intimations
Welcome to our service from Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches. As our journey towards Easter continues, our thoughts turn to the question of what we really want in life.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 63)
O God, you are my God, I seek you,
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

HYMN 18(2) The earth belongs to God alone (Tune: Abbey)

Prayer c/w Lord’s Prayer

God, we look for you,
only because of the promise that we will find.
God, we call upon You,
only because of the promise that we will be heard.
We meet, united wherever we may be
so that we may meet with You

God of love which is richer than life,
we look only because we were first sought out.
God, we tell You we are here
only because You first came to us.
God, help us, by Your Spirit, to seek you more,
even as we have been fully found.

God, everlasting, ever-gracious, ever-seeking and ever-calling,
Yours is the offer of life.
You call the universe into being and,
through the miracle of creation,
we find ourselves here, praising You.

God, we are in wonder at the grandeur of Creation.
God, we stand amazed at the miracle of incarnation.
In Jesus, the Christ,
You chose to be born as one of us.
You chose to live among us,
showing Your grace and telling Your love.
You allowed Yourself to be excluded from us,
shunned and hated, dying among us,
yet still showing grace and declaring love,

God, now you meet us risen,
inviting us to listen that we may live.
God of endless goodness, we praise You.

Neither our thoughts nor our ways are Yours, O God.
Hearing Your call on our lives, we fall short:
invited to come to You,
we ignore Your presence.
Encouraged to praise You,
we think we find better things to do.

Rather than trust in Your help,
we despair when facing violence, deceit and hate
and find ourselves powerless to respond well.

Rather than tend what may yet give life
we root out, rip up and discard
and in our consuming we find little peace.
Warned to take care in our living, we do our own thing,
seeking our own satisfaction, we trample on promises made earlier.
Tickled by trinkets, we hoard rather than give.
Our spirits thirst and faint –
pardon us as we return to You;
have mercy as we turn from thoughts and ways,
that are unworthy of You,
and lead us into life everlasting,
through Christ our Lord.

Let us pray together as Jesus taught his disciples to pray

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 55: 1-9
Ho, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labour for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.

Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Luke 13:1-9
At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’

Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”’

HYMN 158 God moves in a mysterious way

(from Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California)

Reflection:

“So tell me what you want, what you really, really want?” So opens what I think, lyrically speaking, to be one of the worst pop songs of all time. At face value it claims to be about relationships and acceptance. A closer look at the lyrics, though, give rise to an interpretation that is somewhat different from what may originally have been intended. That may simply be due to the vagaries of the English language, or it may be that I just don’t like it. Still, the song does ask an important question: what is it that we really want? What do we want from life? Friends? A nice house? Good health? Wealth? Power? Influence? These are all common enough answers and seem quite reasonable. But what about the bigger questions? What about love, peace, and the answer to that most difficult of questions, ‘why’?

Our reading from Isaiah, one of those set for this Sunday, declares that what we have been seeking is not really what we need. It is a bold claim. It is an assertion that we all have been going about things in the wrong manner, that we have been looking for the wrong things. It demands that we ask if we have got the point or meaning of life wrong. The prophet, though, has a point. How often do we seek comfort or meaning in that which is merely passing? How often do we put emphasis and give import to that which is transitory? How often do we seek answers to those questions that have no answers? We could spend our life attempting to answer even those questions. Isaiah would tell us that this was, itself, folly. Rather than allow us to waste our own time and effort seeking out these things, Isaiah points us towards another way. He shows us what we truly need, and what we should really want.

The prophet points us toward God as the answer to both our questions and our quest. It is God who is shown as providing what we need. That includes those things that are beyond our natural power to obtain. We are pointed away from that which is temporary and towards those things that are permanent. Isaiah, like the whole of the scriptures, would have us believe that it is only God who is permanent. In other words, he points us toward God as the source of all that we need.

Even when faced with the answer to the questions of ‘what’, we continue to often ask ‘why’? Yet this is the question we are rarely able to answer. In our Gospel reading reference is made to two disasters. One of these, the tower at Siloam, sounds like an accident; the other, the mingling of blood, sounds like a slaughter of locals by the Roman garrison. Popular thought of the time would seek to apportion these violent ends to being the result of sin. That is, as a result of the sin of those who had been killed. Jesus, though, challenges this. In effect he tells those around him that there is no way to know what reason, if any, existed as to why of those people died. He is almost telling his audience, and us, that the question is futile as so often it is.

Instead of futile reasoning Jesus points to a better way and tells a parable to illustrate this. The story of the fig tree is told to encourage us to see God as merciful, forever allowing more time for his people to ‘bear fruit’. In other words, God is not so mean as to arrange the violent death of people as a sign of displeasure. It seems, from this, that God allows for random acts of chance. At the same time the parable points us back towards God. Instead of a gardener tending to a fruit tree it is the Lord tending to us. Surely such a God as this should be the focus of our life and attention, just as Isaiah would encourage us.

When the song asks us to tell what we really, really, want perhaps we should review our usual answers, and turn to one that is provided by Scripture. As God is shown as the one who is permanent, as the one who is merciful, as the one who tends to us, should He not be the focus of our desires? As Isaiah may perhaps have answered the song’s question, paraphrasing the Torah, what we really want should be, ‘to love the Lord, our God, with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength’!
Amen.

HYMN 65 Jubilate everybody

(from St. Anne’s Church, Copp)

Prayers:

Let us pray:

In a world of uncertainty we pray for those who deal with risk –
for aid agencies and their staff
working in the dangerous places of the world;
for those in our emergency services,
who routinely face danger as they seek to protect us;
for those concerned with issues of health and safety,
anticipating and addressing issues to protect from harm.

We pray for those working in healthcare settings,
treating and caring while the risk of infection remains.

We pray for those directing national life,
may they add integrity to insight in their decision making.

In a world of forced migration,
persecution and distress we pray for those who suffer –
over forty million people who are in immediate danger of starvation,
through conflict, Covid-19 and climate change.
Lord Jesus, may the fruit of faith
lead to greater sharing of the harvest of the Earth.

Where more than six in ten of the total human population
has received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine,
but only one in ten of those in poorest countries,
where infection results in unemployment, missed schooling,
poverty, risk of abuse and untreatable illness –
Lord Jesus, may the fruit of faith
bring the benefit of scientific progress to all.

We pray for a world, where almost countless millions
suffer from poverty, conflict, pandemic and drought,
and are unable to flee and find little support where they are.
While we pray for the peoples of Ukraine and Russia,
do not let us forget the peoples of Afghanistan and Yemen.
Lord Jesus, may the fruit of faith
bring food, warmth, shelter and work.

We pray for Your Church in Your world;
may Your people be enthused to proclaim the Good News of the kingdom;
may new believers be welcomed, taught, baptised and nurtured;
may loving service be our ready response to human need;
may Your people work to transform unjust structures of society,
to challenge violence of every kind, to pursue peace and reconciliation;
may we, as Your children, strive to safeguard the integrity of creation,
and sustain and renew the life of the earth which You have entrusted to us.
These things we pray in the name of Jesus, the Christ,
who gave His life to redeem all creation.
Amen.

HYMN 270 Put all your trust in God

(produced by Richard Irwin)

Benediction:

Let us go from here as the people of God,
seeking to love Him,
with all that we are.
As we go, may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Spirit Holy,
be with us all,
evermore.

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

Prayers based upon The Church of Scotland, Weekly Worship, for 20^th March 2022.

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Sunday 13th March 2022

Welcome
It is the second week in the season of Lent. A time set aside for humble meditation, reflection and repentance as we look forward to celebrating the new that God in Christ came to do. In a deep sense it is a time of waiting and so today we focus on our response in a time of waiting.

Call to Worship (Psalm 33:1-3)
Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous!
Praise befits the upright.
Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

HYMN 286 Tell out my soul

Prayer

Let us pray
Let us kneel before the Lord who made us; for he is our God, we are his people, we the flock he shepherds. God, you desire to shelter us under your wings like a hen protects and comforts her young. God, your right hand is powerful on our behalf even when we go our own way.
O God, maker of all things, lover of all men, your presence is with us always, help us to look to you in these times of trouble.
You are the source of our life, and without you we and all things would cease to be. You alone are real: everything else derives its reality from you. Help us to worship you fully with mind and heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Father, we come to you conscious of the things within ourselves we hate to remember yet cannot forget and fear to renounce: our self-indulgences, our prejudices, our resentments, our hypocrisies, our selfishness. Save us from self-contempt as we acknowledge these things and as we remember your love for us in spite of all that we are and do.
Give us the assurance of pardon, the release and relief of those who know that the past is forgiven, and the zest and joy of those who know that the future is always secure because of your covenant of grace. May we live in the fullness and freedom of life, which you have promised that we can share through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lord God, you know how much we need you in our daily lives and how often we forget you. When we forget you, do not forget us? Give us strength when we are over-strained, guidance when we are perplexed, courage when we are afraid. Deliver us from undue self-concern, that we may find fulfilment in the service of others. Make us sensitive to others’ needs and swift to meet them. Save us from the tension and anxiety, that having done the best we can, we leave the rest to your disposing. And in all things – joy or sorrow, success or failure, health or sickness – mould us, we pray, nearer to the image of your son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen

Scriptures

Genesis 15:1-12;17-18
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” ²But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”^[^a^] ³And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.” ⁴But the word of the Lord came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” ⁵He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” ⁶And he believed the Lord; and the Lord^[^b^] reckoned it to him as righteousness.

⁷Then he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.” ⁸But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” ⁹He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” ¹⁰He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. ¹¹And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
¹²As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.

¹⁷When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. ¹⁸On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,

Luke 13:31-35
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ ³²He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me,^[^a^] “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. ³³Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” ³⁴Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! ³⁵See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when^[^b^] you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”’

HYMN 139 Praise the Lord, your heavens adore him

Reflection

If there is one thing I can not stand, it is waiting? So, I am sure many can relate, I arrived at the emergency department of the Royal Infirmary Hospital at about 8:30am on the 24 February and left at about 3:30pm. The treatment was great but the waiting could have killed me. I like to be in control, it gives me a sense of security and so if someone says they will be somewhere or do something by a specific time I will be waiting. Do you enjoy waiting? I am sure if you honest many may be like me, waiting frustrates you because it robs you of your sense of control and security.
I am sure even if you have not read the bible lately or even if you don’t know any of the Old Testament, you have heard the name; Abraham or maybe even Father Abraham. The reason you have heard his name is because God made an amazing promise to Abraham. Genesis 12:1-3“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. ²I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’

Abraham goes, he leaves his land and trusts God’s promise to a degree. He leaves his country but Lot, his nephew goes with. How often do we trust God to a degree, we do what he wants us to do but with our own twist, leaning on our own understandings? To cut a long story short but to put the Genesis text into context, Lot and Abraham go their own ways, Lot is captured by a number of Kings. Abraham goes on a rescue mission and against the odds wins the battle and rescues Lot. Everyone would think that Abraham would be in a good place after his victory but you know because you have experienced it sometimes our victories bring fear and insecurity as they are often hollow and they highlight what is missing, our real longing.

Genesis 15:1-2 “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” ²But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”” It should be noted God takes the initiative, to remind Abraham that God is on his side. Victories can sometimes make us feel fragile. Victories can sometimes make us reflect on our real longings and desires that seem to have been deferred. Abraham has so much and yet as God reminds him of God’s favour, the longing, the missing comes to the fore. I am not sure what that is in your life. The thing you are waiting for? Life is good on so many fronts but even the victories remind you of the longing unfulfilled. Our focus on one unfulfilled promise can make us doubt and question all the promises of God. We focus on that one thing and in a sense, it blocks or skews our view of God. In our human understanding we cannot see the positive outcome. We start to use that dangerous word, “never”. It has not happened; I can’t see how it can and so we question if it will and then we question God. Basically, Abraham is questioning God’s prior promise of many descendants, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless,” Abraham then goes on to respond that a slave’s child will be his heir, basically rubbing God’s promise in his face. God responds by saying the plan has not changed, you will have an heir of your own.
Genesis 15:5 “He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”” Our natural instinct when we feel down or when we doubt a positive outcome, is to focus inward and on all that is missing, forgetting what there is. God takes Abraham outside and asks him to look up. God asks him to look at the stars, to look out beyond himself, way beyond himself. Some psychologists and sociologists during the initial lockdowns of 2020 were advocating for people just to get out and look out. To physically take our eyes beyond this little space and help us to see a bigger picture. Scripture can sometimes do that as well. As Abraham looked up, his world-view is that God created the sun, the moon and the stars. In a sense he is placing his eyes on what God has created, brought into being. I do not know when last you have gone out at night and looked to the heavens because it can change our perspective. It can right size God and our concerns. It can also in an instant make what we see as impossible, possible.
God had asked Abraham to trust him and the text says he does but it seems to be for a moment. Again, when God reminds him of how far he has come and the land that would be his; Abraham responds: “O Lord God, how shall I know that I shall possess it?” (Genesis 15:8) And then something amazing happens, they cut a deal, sign a contract. It is hard to comprehend with our modern minds, because in the twenty-first century not many make these kinds of deals. It is also not common modern custom to shed blood when a huge deal has been concluded. We might have a meal or some champagne to celebrated but killing animals in a ritual act is not part of concluding a contract.
God asks Abraham to kill and cut, specific animals in two and while Abraham is sleeping, God reminds him in words of the promises of land and many descendants. Then God literally cuts a deal! Genesis 15:17 “When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.” That makes no sense to our modern mind. In those days however, agreements, contracts were made, sealed by walking a figure eight between the two pieces of the carcus of an animal saying or implying “May it be done to me as to these animals if I do not fulfil my part of the agreement.” Maybe we should reimplement this contract especially between politicians and people they’re meant to serve. Can you imagine how things may possibly change? God was making a contract; a deal with Abraham.
Do you notice what Abraham did? Nothing, he was sleeping! God was not only saying Trust me but he was saying it is all on me. The outcomes are not based on you fulfilling some set of actions. If you know Abraham and Sarah’s story you will know that in a very real way the outcomes, the promised outcomes happened in spite of their misplaced actions based on human understandings. Right from the start and throughout the scriptures God reminds us of this pattern. God’s outcomes are assured, His promises are sure because they on Him and for us. God makes covenant with Abraham and then asks him to mark that covenant with circumcision. I don’t know if you have thought of this but the very first thing God asks the Israelites to do is relational. Have a meal, put the blood on the doorposts and trust me. God chooses Abraham and makes a contract with him. God chooses the Israelites, rescues them and then gives them rules to follow as His people. Exodus 20, we know it well for the ten commandments. Exodus 20: 1-2 “Then God spoke all these words:²I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery”. It’s a pattern, God initiates, promises and asks us to trust him. In our humanness we default to: if we don’t, do the right thing or say the right thing we are not going to experience the promised outcomes. We default to rules when all along God desires relationship. In our moments of doubt, we often default to there is something I need to do and when we think we have done it all we expect the outcome.
When you doubting, God’s provision, protection and promises, remind yourself that a relationship always proceeds rules with God. Commandments are confirmation of belonging and covenant not conditions thereof. Abraham slept while God cut the deal; made the contract. To clarify, I want to briefly outline the three different types of contracts that were available during the ancient times. Firstly, a bilateral parity treaty, this is much like your standard business deal today between two equals. Basically, laying down responsibilities and benefits for both parties – I will do this if you do that or if I don’t you don’t have to. We can’t really enter into one of those with God, it’s based on parity, equals. Yet, often we try to make deals with God. Secondly, a bilateral suzerainty treaty. A suzerain is a state or sovereign that has a degree of control over another. You know the concept or idea. The King dictates the terms and the vassal-state does not have much choice except to comply or experience the consequences. Like when a government unilaterally changes the tax rates. Israel’s relationship with God in some way was like this. God often putting Israel into a time-out, exile when they did not trust His ways. Sadly, still so many see their relationship with God through this lens, only when we have done our part does God do his. Let us remind ourselves that God made covenant with Abraham while he slept and that covenant was fulfilled in spite of all Abraham’s doubts and actions. The third type of contract is a promissory covenant. This is so foreign to the western modern-mind, one party binds itself to an obligation for the benefit of another party. This is not bilateral or unilateral but it is unconditional. God promised Abraham that his name would be great. He would be a great nation and through his family all nations would be blessed. God extended his borders and fulfilled his promise in spite of Abraham’s doubting and actions. There are obligations and rules in a promissory covenant but they nothing like the hundreds of rules the Israelites failed to follow.
In this season of lent we need to remind ourselves that while we were still dead in our sin, God made a way. As you wait on the Lord for what he has promised you, you may need to look up and remind yourself of the nature of your relationship with God. God in Christ fulfilled his promise to Abraham and at the same time made a new covenant with all of mankind. It was, is and always will be a promissory covenant. Meaning it is all on him and all for you, me and the you next to you! While Jesus’s disciples were celebrating their rescue by God through sharing in bread and wine, the Passover, Jesus points to something new. Luke 22:20 “And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Can you see it, a new covenant, on him, his blood, for you? It is not nor never will it be dependent on us. Your action, cannot change the desired outcomes of God’s love. He desires for you to know his love. I don’t know what you’re waiting for? Do not allow that one thing to skew your view of God. As you wait, look up and know God in Christ treats you like a child. Luke 13:34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” Are you willing to place your trust in him afresh today?

HYMN 553 Just as I am without one plea

Prayers

Lord our God, you have surrounded us with the good gifts of your love. We remember them now, and we thank you, the giver of all good things. You have given us the gift of life itself. For the years that are past we thank you; for the years that are to come we trust you. Help us Lord to trust you when we see you at work and when our human mind tells us it is impossible.
You have given us the gift of love. For our families and our friends and for all the human relationships that enrich our lives we praise you. We praise you most of all for your eternal desire to share in deep relationship with all mankind.
You have given each one of us special gifts, to serve you. May our thankfulness be expressed in using each gift given in ways that bring you glory. You have given us Christ, and through him you have offered us life in all fullness. We thank you for empowering us with your very presence.
Father, hear us as we pray for our fellow men, both near and far, and help us to know that your desire is that we treat each one as part of your one family. Break down the prejudice, the selfishness and fear that separate men from one another. Help the nations of the world to find a way to live together in peace. Forgive the arrogance of the strong and the resentment of the weak. Bless the work of all those who are bringing aid to those in need throughout the world, and show us how we must bridge the gap between wealth and poverty, plenty and hunger.
We pray for all those who find the pace and strain of life too much for them; for those who fear redundancy; for those who have lost confidence in themselves and especially for those who have lost confidence in you.
Give your help and guidance, Lord God, to all whose work affects the lives of others. Give wisdom and integrity to our leaders; to those who serve in Parliament, especially to those who bear the burden of decision in government, especially in these turbulent and perilous times.

Father, we bring to you now the special needs of people known to us as neighbours and as friends: those who are sick; those who are bereaved; those who are lonely; those who are afraid; those who are ashamed; and those who are bitter. You know their needs better than we do. Give them, not what we ask, but what your love directs.
Let us pray together as Jesus taught his disciples to pray

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.

HYMN 531 My Jesus, My Saviour

Benediction

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 6th March 2022

Welcome
This is the first Sunday in the season of Lent and so at the beginning of our journey to Easter we reflect on the time Jesus spent I preparation before the start of his public ministry. Forty days and forty nights, fasting in the wilderness, tempted by the Evil One and encouraged by Angels.

Call to Worship (Inspired by Psalm 91)
As we enter the wilderness of Lent,
Let us seek to rest in the shelter of the Most High;
We abide in the shadow of the Almighty;
We find refuge under the wings of our Holy God.
We trust that the angels of God
the words of God
the people of God
the very hands of God
Will somehow bear us up.
As we seek to hear God’s voice
And follow his purpose and will
We humbly come to Worship the one
who has promised and is ever present.

HYMN 512 To God be the glory

Prayer

Let us pray
Above all earthly power, O God, you are reigning.
Help us to acknowledge you as king. Underneath the depths of human weakness and sorrow are your everlasting arms: help us to trust in you for all our needs. Beyond the reach of our imagination and desire is your never-failing love and care: help us to realize your presence with us, and to offer the worship of heart and mind and will – all surrendered to your service through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Though we are bound to you, our God, by many ties, we recognize that in our lives there is restlessness, anxiety and fear. These often arise because we reject your leading. We wonder from your purpose and way as we listen to other voices, we ask you to give us now the humility and honesty to admit our failings and the courage to repent of them. Hear us, therefore, when we pray:
Lord, have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.

Thank you for your grace and forgiveness. Now fill us afresh with your guiding and empowering Spirit that we may serve you and bear witness to your unending love and faithfulness.
Amen

Scriptures:

Romans 10:8b- 13
⁸But what does it say?
‘The word is near you,
    on your lips and in your heart’
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹because^[^a^] if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. ¹¹The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. ¹³For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Luke 4:1-13
4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, ²where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. ³The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ ⁴Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.”’
⁵Then the devil^[^a^] led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. ⁶And the devil^[^b^] said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. ⁷If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ ⁸Jesus answered him, ‘It is written,
“Worship the Lord your God,
    and serve only him.”’
Then the devil^[^c^] took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you,
    to protect you”,and
“On their hands they will bear you up,
    so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’
Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’ When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

HYMN 337 Forty days and forty nights

Reflection:

This is the first Sunday in the season of Lent a time in many faith traditions set aside to reflect and repent. Forty days, Moses was up on mount Sinai communing with God and receiving the commandments. When Moses returned His face shone, those forty days had changed him. Forty days between resurrection and ascension, Jesus returning to glory. Some say it takes forty days to instil a habit, forty days of consistent and persistent behaviour in the same direction can form a habit. And good habits have a lasting positive impact on us. You may never have deliberately set aside 40 days to focus on your faith journey, your spirituality, so right at the start of this reflection I want to challenge you to put in place something specific, that is going to focus your attention more clearly on God. Make it clear, obvious and achievable. Some form of Spiritual discipline you are going to make a habit so that you can hear what God is saying to you. It could be times of Solitude and silence; we hear God more clearly when we remove other voices. It could be serving others or studying the scriptures, in serving we are like Christ and the scriptures reveal God’s heart. Choose a tried and tested way that will allow you to listen to what God is saying to you this season.

Last week the lectionary gospel text, was the supernatural event of the transfiguration. Peter, wanted to set up tents to stay on the mountain top, to preserve the experience but the voice of God interrupts him with these words, “‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ (Luke 9:35). Those words echoed another mountain top experience for Jesus when he was baptised in the Jordan river, the voice had said “This is my Son, loved by me “and the Spirit came on him powerfully. A few weeks ago, we reflected on Jesus in the synagogue, reading from Isaiah and declaring His mission statement, his purpose for being. Jesus, had come to open the eyes of all to the nature and character of God, to set captives free and declare the year of the Lord’s favour. From that moment on he would go out and teach about the Kingdom of God and he would demonstrate that Kingdom come in his presence by healing and casting out demons. From his identity received at baptism on the banks of the Jordan to his purpose proclaimed in the synagogue and then lived out. Ultimately, Jesus would lay down his life in obedience to the will of the Father, Easter which we will celebrate in 40 days’ time.

Mark 1:12-13 “ And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.” Matthew, Mark and Luke all have Jesus in the desert for forty days of testing and tempting. In our world of comfort, where popularity and money are praised and prized, we often seek to circumvent the desert to avoid it at all costs. The desert is a dry and desolate place. The desert is a place of solitude and survival, when we would much rather prefer to be guided to a secure and successful place. In Jesus’ journey between the proclamation of his identity at his baptism and his own declaration of his mission statement, he goes to the desert and is tested and tempted. He doesn’t just go to the place we avoid; no, he is led by the Holy Spirit. Is that even a possibility in your Spirituality? Would you be able to hear God leading you to a place of testing and tempting? God tested Abraham and then provided, a lamb in the thicket. God tested the Israelites in the desert as he guided and provided daily. We often test things that are important and vital. You would want the brakes on your vehicle to be thoroughly tested and obviously you would want any medication you took to be thoroughly tested. In the gospel of Mark, the word used is “drove” or “pushed” it has the sense that this could not be avoided. There is an urgency and a necessity for a desert time of testing and tempting between identity revealed and purpose lived out.

I have used two words testing and tempting, and they are often used interchangeably and I think it is because they often happen simultaneously. The Greek word can be correctly translated “to test” or “to tempt”. God tests us to see how faithful we are, if our trust is placed on him alone or on the ways and things of this world, are we depending on Him listening to his voice? Satan tempts or seduces us to make a mistake, to make the wrong choice. God tests us to bring out the good, Satan tempts us to make the bad choice even when we know the good. Often these two are at play in the same scenario. If you struggle with the concept of an evil one incarnate in the form of the devil, the Hebrew word could literally be translated “adversary”, the one who is not for you but against you. The ones against Jesus often came in the form of people like pharisees and even his own disciples. Luke however over and over again in his gospel uses Satan to refer to a supernatural being. Mark’s gospel has Jesus with “wild animals” symbolic of earth, the natural, and angels symbolic of heaven, the supernatural.

There are three temptations of Jesus in the gospels of Matthew and Luke: to turn stones into bread, Jesus is famished, not in itself particularly bad; to jump from the temple because you have enough faith that God will protect you and to bow down just once so that you can take charge, is that not what is going to happen anyway. Matthew and Luke both have the bread temptation first and they swop the next two around. As we go through them briefly, I want you to keep in mind this is happening between baptism and declaration of purpose. This is happening between identity affirmation and the fulfilling of Jesus’s mission. Luke 4:3, 4 “The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.”’ Jesus being hungry is an understatement after 40 days of fasting. Jesus is preparing for his mission and he is going to have to rely fully on God’s plan as he faces each adversary, those that would want to pull him down and those that would want to instil him as earthly king. He would have to be able to hear God’s voice and be true to what God had purposed. Firstly, Jesus is tempted to take care of his own needs. Is that not what all tempting is ultimately about, using our, power, wealth or influence for ourselves. You never really feel tempted to take leave to help a stranger, it almost always revolves around self. We wrongly confine tempting to Sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll, but what if it is far more subtle than that. What if it is using what you have for you? What if it is fulfilling your needs in a way that God had not purposed for you? What if it is simply listening to another voice, to direct your steps and not the voice of God?

Every temptation starts with an identity questioning statement, “If you are the Son of God” or “Since you are the Son of God”, the implication is you should do this, you should not be hungry or suffering if you are loved by God. But what if the hunger draws us closer in our dependence on God and what if our suffering helps us to identify with the pain of others and we deal with our selfishness so that we can bear witness to others? Jesus responds by quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, Luke only has the first part, but Matthew includes the second part and it is vital and mostly missing in modern day spirituality, “but every word that comes from the mouth of God”. As John would repeat, in his gospel, Jesus declaring again and again, I only say what the father wants me to say I only do what the father wants me to do. And in the gospel of John when Jesus is hungry and his disciples want to feed him, Jesus responds “My food is to do the will of him who set me and to complete his work. (John 4:34) As “a Christian”, “a follower of Jesus” or “child of God”, however you describe your identity after coming to faith in Jesus, does that imply a purpose and is that purpose discovered and fulfilled in listening to God’s leading and guiding? If Jesus had turned stones into bread he would have been listening to another voice, not the one who had declared that he was a loved child. If Jesus had turned stones into bread he would have been depending on his own wisdom and strength. If Jesus had turned stones into bread, it would have been to fulfil his own needs when he was sent to serve.

How often is our divine purpose derailed by the subtle voices, that tell us all manner of good things, but they not the God thing. Maybe this lent for you is a time to reflect on your identity as a child of God and how that implies a divine purpose beyond fulfilling your own needs. What great restraint and discipline not to fulfil a personal need to advance our ultimate goal. Resisting short term satisfaction for long term glory, we are all faced with those choices daily. Next Jesus is tempted with the promise of all the kingdoms glory and authority if he would bow down and worship. In a culture driven by more, wealth, position and power, it is easy to start bowing and lifting up all manner of pursuits and prizes that take our eyes off God. Jesus reminds us that all temptations ultimately undermine God’s primary purpose for our lives: to bring glory to God. Jesus responds, ‘It is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”’ Luke 4:8 Again quoting from the scriptures Deuteronomy 6:13, those instructions received by Moses up on the mountain. Then the tempter took him to Jerusalem and we know that it would all end in Jerusalem, not at the temple but beyond the walls. From the highest point of the temple, you could see for miles and what magnificent views they were. Now the Adversary uses scripture in the next temptation, quoting what we know as Psalm 91 or at least part of it. In a sense the tempter is asking Jesus to prove his faith, to trust God for what God said he would do. Jump from the temple because the angels will save you from harm. This speaks profoundly to the way we may be tempted to use the scriptures. The very promises of God can be used to judge him and others when taken and applied out of context. When we presume on God, if I do this God has to do that then ultimately, we are again serving our own interests. Rather than living out God’s word to us, we seek to have God act according to our words.

Jesus would fulfil God’s words not by calling legions of angels to his rescue though he could have. Jesus fulfilled God’s word not by coming down off the cross as some tempted him to do “…, save yourself. Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:40). The temptation on the cross was even greater than that, they said they would believe in him if he came down. Time and time again Jesus would be tempted throughout his life as recorded in the gospels to listen to other voices. The steps and actions he was tempted to take were often in and of themselves not inherently bad but they were not God’s purpose and plan. The sentences in Psalm 91 just before the ones used by the Tempter read as follows: “Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling-place,no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent.” In other words when we are following God’s voice, we are so close, that we fall under his protection. Again, Jesus responds by quoting from Deuteronomy “Do not put the LORD your God to the test.”

Have you ever travelled through a desert all alone? You may feel like you in that place right now! Please know you are still a child of God and he has a divine purpose for you, take time to listen to his voice. Have you ever fasted for forty days? You may have had an empty feeling for a long time? Please do not be tempted to fulfil your purpose outside the voice of God’s call. He calls us His loved children and he has a purpose for each one of us to bring him glory. When you find yourself in the desert know you are not alone. When you find yourself in a tough place, remind yourself of your identity and remain true to your purpose. When voices call you to subtly serve self, do not be tempted to presume on God. May you take extra time over next forty days to reflect not only on your identity but also your divine purpose. That is often the purpose of the desert. Have you ever fasted for forty days and forty nights? Have you ever journeyed through a desert alone?

HYMN 550 As the deer pants for the water

COMMUNION

Prayer:

Lord God, sometimes you call us into the desert. Into those places where we must rely fully upon you for our survival. At other times your Spirit drives us into those places but each time we have entered those places we have been tempted and tested – tempted to turn back before the time is right for turning back, tempted to give up before the time you have appointed for our testing and for our growing is past. Help us, Lord, should this be a time in our lives when we feel alone – a time in which we feel oppressed by the evil one – help us to claim the blessings that you have prepared for us in the middle of the wilderness – lead us on our journey – and bring us safe to the other side…

Lord, hear our prayer, and in Your love, answer.

Lord God, there are many among us who face barren times – wilderness times in their lives. Help us to minister your loving presence to them in those times so that they may come through the wilderness and enter the promised land. Help us to bring food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, shelter to the homeless, courage to those who faint, and hope to those who are tempted to despair…

Lord, hear our prayer, and in Your love, answer.

Lord God, in this time of impending conflict between nations – this time when we are being tested to see if we will do justice as well as love mercy – we pray for guidance – and for your light to lead the way of the rulers of our nation and the nations about us….

Lord, hear our prayer, and in Your love, answer.

Lord God, hear our prayers for those among us who are in need – those whom we name before you now….

We ask these things through Jesus,
our brother, our Saviour, and our Lord. Amen.

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.

HYMN 396 And can it be, that I should gain

Benediction:

Benediction
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Sung Amen:

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Sunday 27th February 2022

Welcome & Intimations
Welcome Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches, and to our service of worship for the 27^th February. This week we consider a rather dramatic event in the life of Jesus and the disciples, and reflect upon what it may mean for his followers today.

Call to Worship (Psalm 99: 1-2)
The Lord is king;
let the peoples tremble!
     He sits enthroned upon the cherubim;
let the earth quake!
The Lord is great in Zion;
     he is exalted over all the peoples.

HYMN 124 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

(St Andrew’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Glasgow)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

For what is beyond, not invented or made up
let us offer God our thanks and praise.
For thoughts and ways that are not ours,
let us offer God our prayers and reflections.
For the love that loves first and shows us what love is,
let us offer God our fellowship and service.
For the light that shines from the face of Jesus Christ,
and enlightens every human life,
let us offer God our joy and worship.

Holy, holy, holy, God,
to You we come
rejoicing in who You are.
You are light and in You there is no darkness at all,
You are faithful and true and there is nothing false about You,
You have shown us how much You love us in Jesus Christ,
who became one of us for our salvation.

Freely, gladly, we bring ourselves to You.
Holy Spirit help us,
that with all that is within us,
we may bless Your holy name.

Gracious God we ask:
for eyes open to see Your glory in the world around,
for ears to hear Jesus speak today,
for minds ready to engage with Your thoughts,
for hearts to love You more and our neighbours as ourselves.

Help us to see that all You have commanded us to be is found in Jesus.
Good Shepherd may You show us the paths of right living that lead to refreshing streams and green pastures for all the earth.

Saviour God, whose well-meaning disciples sometimes missed the point,
help us to keep our focus on You.
Forgive us, we humbly ask, when we have been overtaken by our own projects
rather than nurture the life of Your Kingdom.
We have looked other ways, and not been mindful of You.
We have hurt others and ourselves.
Draw us close we pray; may You speak words of forgiveness within us.
Re-ignite the fire of faith and inspire us with the breath of Your Spirit.
With the glory of Jesus Christ reflected upon our faces may we shine for You each day.

In the words Jesus taught His disciples let us pray together, saying the Lord’s prayer:

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:

2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practise cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.

Luke 9:28-36
Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

HYMN 459 Crown him with many crowns

(from BBC Songs of Praise)

Reflection:

Martin Luther King famously said: ‘I have been to the mountain top, and I have seen the Promised Land. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.’

The disciples have been to the mountain top. To borrow from Dr. King, they had seen the ‘promised land’. They had seen a supra-natural vision – Jesus shining, glowing, whiter than anyone could bleach. A beatific vision, no less, and something they wanted to hold on to. That is understandable. Perhaps they felt that they were in some promised land. Here was their master, transformed by the near presence of God. Here, too, were great heroes of their faith. Here was Moses, the bringer of the Torah. Here was Elijah, representative of all that was good about the Prophets. Here, in one moment, their faith had taken on flesh. Here, their hopes had been made real. Here, their hope had been made tangible. Of course they wanted to hold on to the moment!

This whole episode, though, raises questions. What is going on? What does it mean? Also, what does it mean for the disciples of Jesus today? So, what does this episode in the life of Jesus and his disciples have to say to our lives today?

We want to know what is going on. Jesus is described as transformed, yet he remains recognisable. The text tells us that this was something beyond human doing. It is supra-natural, divine in origin. Jesus is described in words that lead us in one direction. He is described as radiating light, purity, in a way that belongs only to God. True, there is an echo here of the occasion when Moses returns form the mountain top with the second set of stone tablets. Yet this tale is qualitatively different. Moses had to veil only his face; here Jesus is transformed in whole.

We see two heroes of the faith, Moses and Elijah. Individually they represent Law and Prophets, what were regarded as the most important parts of Scripture. Together, they represent the unity of those elements. They represent completeness. Jesus stated that he had come to fulfil, complete, the Law and the Prophets.

This story is meant to make us sit up and take notice. Something new is happening here. Something significant has changed. God is doing a new thing!

For the disciples, change would come all too soon. The vision would end, and normality would be restored. The moment of beatific vision would pass. Jesus would appear once more as he always had. Yet the process of transformation, transfiguration, would change not only Jesus but the disciples too. They never understood it yet they spoke of it. It mattered so much that it was written down and conveyed to generations of believers right down through to today. Something had happened, and their eyes had been opened that they might see something of the wonder of God.

The stories of Scripture do not exist in a vacuum; they never did. They were born into a world of flesh and blood. They were shaped in a world of pain and suffering. They were shared in a world of hope and fear. We live in that same world. Just as scripture spoke to the world of Peter, James, and John so, too, is it meant to speak to us. For these disciples Scripture was made flesh that day. It touched and transformed them; will we let it do the same to us? Will we let down our guard and let ourselves be transformed, transfigured? Will we let go of our sensibilities and let God shock us with the new? Will we open our eyes, look, and see, as did those disciples? We do not have to understand, we do not have to be perfect, we just have to follow Jesus to the mountain top. If we will, if we can, then we will be transformed from the fallen to the resurrected. We, too, will become a part of the new things of God.

So what are the new things of God? Martin Luther King had a beatific vision of the mountain top, the same as did the disciples. He saw the glory of God made real in the Promised Land; a land of peace and justice. To paraphrase Saint Paul, a land where there is no slave nor free, no black nor white, no male nor female, no rich nor poor. It is a Promised Land, a just land, where all are one in God. We may be able, in principle, to say ‘Amen’ to that. Yet there are elements of our society, our community, that continue to be excluded from the community of faith. In the context of Martin Luther King it was people who were of colour. In our worship, where are the people of colour? In our worship, where are the people who are gay? In our worship, where are the people whose gender is not defined in ways we consider as straightforward or ‘normal’? Until they are as welcome as those who are different but whom we do accept then we have not seen the Promised Land. Until then we have not had the beatific vision.

Perhaps more than any other disciple, Peter had to be reminded of this time and again. This should tell us that even for the greatest of disciples there needs to be constant reminder and effort to hold up to the demands of the vision of God.

Jesus went to the mountain top and was transfigured. The disciples, Peter, James, and John went with him and they, too, were changed. If we, too, would travel to the top of the mountain then we also must be prepared to be changed. We will be required to leave behind our cultural baggage and personal preferences because the vision is greater than us. We will be required to take risks and cross lines, welcoming in those who we believe are not like us. It is then, only then, that we may catch a glimpse of the vision. It is then, only then, that we may be able to say that we have been to the mountain top, that we have seen the Promised Land.
Amen.

HYMN 356 Meekness and Majesty

(Besscarr Evangelical Church)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

We give thanks for every good and holy joy,
for gifts of eye and ear, for the varied arts that we enjoy:
music, song, art, sculpture, video, poetry and prose
and all that points us to You.

Transfigured Jesus – Crucified, Risen and Ascended Lord –
who gives gifts to humankind, we thank You for all that You have done for us
and for the love with which You reach out to every human being.

For the presence of Your life-giving Spirit in the Church,
in our world and in our lives,
we give You thanks.

For the liberty the Spirit brings to be whose we truly are
and to work out together what it means to be church in these days,
we give You thanks.

Holy Spirit move and prompt us,
show us how to reflect Christ’s glory
that many may know the light of Christ is with them.

Receive our gifts and prayers, we humbly ask.
We offer them in faith and love.

Living God, joyfully we find in Jesus what it means to be fully human.
You give us hope that one day we shall be like Him.
May all His sisters and brothers know fullness of life and God’s glory be seen.

We pray for people who are hungry or thirsty, in need of food and drink,
for strangers hoping for a welcome,
for people without proper clothing,
for those who are ill at home or in hospital,
and for people in prison and all affected by crime.
Lord, these are our sisters and brothers too,
help us to do what we can to care and to ensure adequate support.

We look to the day when all of creation will be set free from decay
to enter into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We pray for the climate crisis
that the world’s governments may not falter in their commitment to reduce global temperatures.
We pray for the work of NGOs, charities and faith groups
raising awareness, lobbying governments and garnering support.

Lord God, who has made it known that You love justice and equity,
we pray for a better sharing of the world’s resources,
for an end to poverty and inequality.
We remember the work of Christian Aid
working with some of the world’s poorest communities
and we pray for the work of Covax,
tasked with the equitable sharing of vaccines.
We pray for those who are cast aside because they are different from us.
We pray for those side-lined because of their colour or ethnicity;
we pray for those treated as belongings because of their gender or biology;
we pray for those cast outside because they do not conform to our ideas or normal.
You invite us to collaborate with You and our sisters and brothers
towards the day when Your kingdom is complete
and poverty and injustice will be no more.

Lord of all,
as war seems to be looming on our continent
we pray for peace.
May the hurts and fears that some feel
be healed by your Spirit.
May all sides come together
seeking peace for all humanity.
We pray for the leaders of Nato,
Ukraine, and Russia;
may each see in the other their common humanity.

Gracious God, as Lent approaches and we journey with Jesus towards the cross,
may we ever be aware of His glory,
in whose name we pray.
Amen.

HYMN 465 Be thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart

(BBC Songs of Praise, Beverley Minister)

Benediction:

As you leave this time apart and return to the needs of the world,
may you know Christ goes before you,
that there is nowhere you will be without Him.
May you find joy and hope as you discover Christ is by your side.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all now and always.
Amen.

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

Prayers and final blessing adapted from Church of Scotland Weekly Worship for 27th February 2022.

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Sunday 20th February 2022

Welcome
Our focus this week is a topic, Bono, The Beatles, The Bee Gees and every other band you can mention have sung about. Yes, you guessed it, Love. Not a valentine type love but a counter-cultural kind of love, a God Love.

Call to Worship (based on Psalm 36:5-7)
Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, 
Your faithfulness to the skies. 
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, 
Your justice like the great deep. 
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. 
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! 
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 
We celebrate your incredible love today.

HYMN 160 Praise my soul, the King of heaven

(First Plymouth church, Lincoln Nebraska)

Prayer:

God of all creation,
You have given us so much and we are truly blessed.
We thank You for Your constant guidance throughout our lives,
for Your wisdom in all things
for the way Your word encourages, inspires, feeds us and sustains us.
We praise and thank you for your wisdom is beyond comparison.

You, Lord, speak to us through Your church and the fellowship of others.
You Lord, speak to us in the seasons, through circumstances and the cycle of life.
You speak to us through the stories of old and new testaments of your grace and mercy.
You still speak to us today by your guiding and inspiring Spirit.

For all the ways You have guided us, supported us
and for all the ways You continue to lead in our lives,
we give You our thanks and praise.
When we are foolish, You hear us and respond in love.
We acknowledge and give thanks for all that enables our spiritual growth.
You Lord are our rock and refuge in times of trouble,
and for that we give thanks and praise.
When the storms of life come,
we are assured we can lean on and trust in You.

Gracious God,
We come celebrating the awesomeness of Your love
And the wonder of Your grace.
Even though we fail You time and time again,
You never walk away and You never fail us.
Undeserving though we are, You show us endless mercy.
You do not turn away in the moments our faith is feeble
in the moments when we doubt, or when we are hesitant disciples,
reluctant to share Your word and witness with others
for fear of what that might mean for us.

God of never-ending patience,
even in the times we fail You,
You understand our weaknesses and help us to put our faults behind us.
You dust us off when we have fallen and help us to start again.
We offer so little, yet You give us so much,
our love is so weak, yet You respond richly,
Your grace defies expression
too wonderful for us to fully comprehend,
and though we fail You, You never fail us.
Lord, continue to grant us, unworthy as we are, Your grace.
We ask this to your glory and honour alone.
Amen

Scriptures:

Genesis 45:3-11,15
³Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence. ⁴Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come closer to me.’ And they came closer. He said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvest. ⁷God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, “Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. ¹¹I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.”
¹⁵And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

Luke 6:27-38
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you. ³²“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. ³⁷“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Amen.

HYMN 187 There’s a wideness in God’s mercy

Reflection:

Have you ever heard the words: “He hit me first” or “He hit me harder”? I am sure if you have heard those words, you’re either a parent or grandparent or you are or have been a teacher of some kind. You know the scenario, you trying to write a sermon and all of a sudden you hear voices raised and a slap or three, tears and so you go to investigate. Trying to remain calm and Christ-like as always. If you have had two boys in the house you can relate. What is one of the first statements when you investigate, “He hit me first” and you generally not going to get that response after a bar fight because we know it’s not any kind of defence for violent behaviour. It seems however to be our innate default rule to retaliate. It is even more advanced than that. When you enquire why then did, I hear at least three hits/slaps/kicks the response will be “He hit me harder”, in other words no matter how many times I have been told violence is not a way to resolve things, there is this law of reciprocity/retaliation deep within us. I need you to feel just as much pain as I felt. You have to suffer just as much as I have or did.

Some are thinking particularly the ladies I have never slapped, kicked or hit anyone, ever. Maybe even some of the guys are thinking I haven’t hit anyone for a long, long time. This is not relevant to me. The Luke text this week most probably includes, some of the most difficult teachings of Jesus because they go not only against our human inclination, they go against society at large. Revenge is a primary theme in most forms of entertaining media, even in the tabloids. We have to agree we live in a world where we are taught; you have to defend yourself and fight for what you want. In Luke 6:27, Luke records Jesus as telling the crowd who are listening, it always starts with listening, “Love Your enemies”. This seems so counterintuitive, could Jesus possibly mean that you should “Love your enemies”? We could argue Luke got it wrong. These aren’t really the words of Jesus, but he does seem to repeat it again in Luke 6:35, “But Love your enemies”. We could just ignore this part of the text, remove the page from our bibles, but if you have read the gospels lately, you would see that Jesus lived this out. As I said last week, he crossed many boundaries of prejudice and hate that had been established for generations. The Greek word “enemies” can literally be translated “hated”. Maybe that is how we argue our way around this one; we convince ourselves we don’t hate anyone so we don’t really have any enemies to love.

Luke 6:27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” The imperative to love our enemies is followed by three other imperatives which some commentators explain by saying Jesus was giving practical examples of how this could be lived out. You love those you hate by doing good for them, blessing them or praying for them. This is not passive. In other words, not hitting back or not cursing back. No this is positive action towards the one who has harmed us verbally, financially, physically or emotionally. I am sure if you have been hurt badly by someone emotionally or physical, you’re thinking, yes, I will pray for them, that God kill them or make their life a living hell. If you have had a thought like that don’t feel too bad remember some of Jesus’ disciples, James and John, asked if they should call down fire from heaven to consume those who had not received them (Luke 9). As you listen to this, you could be thinking I cannot believe God expects me to be kind and do good to those who have hurt me, how can that be fair? You may even feel that I should not be raising this topic because I don’t know what you have been through. After a few other real practical examples of someone slapping and someone taking a coat, and how we are to respond counterintuitively by turning the other cheek and giving our shirt as well, we have the Golden Rule “Do to others as you would have them do to you” Luke 6:31. We agree with this in principle right, I hope we agree. Most of us have been taught it in some form from birth in words, but then we have seen our father, mother, aunties and cousins, even our grandparents respond in a retaliatory way when they were mistreated, cursed or abused. It is natural to fight or flight when we feel anxious or threatened. We go into survival mode, the rational, creative, problem-solving part of our brain is overrun by the auto-pilot survival and emotional parts. No wonder we struggle to live Jesus’s words even though we know that strained relationships drain us and that a world with no enemies would be heaven.

Life experience has taught us that the civilised do not fight fire with fire because then we only get a bigger fire. Maturity means, we count to ten, we bite our tongues but all this has done to many is create internal conflict and repressed negative feelings from our hurt that leads to further hate. We have defaulted to the reciprocity rule, we love those who love us, we loan to those who will repay us and we try not to fight fire with fire. Jesus’s teachings are next level, Jesus calls us not to respond negatively, not to be neutral even but to respond actively in a positive way. Jesus challenges the reciprocity rule in verses 32 to 34 with a repeated question “What credit is that to you?” If you love those who love you, do good to those who do good to you and lend expecting to get back. I am paraphrasing now but basically Jesus says everybody does that and then the punch line Luke6:35,36^“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” The implication is that we are to be like our heavenly Father. God has not treated us as we deserve. He lavished his love on us that we could become children of God. God continues to be kind to those that reject him and his ways. In our faith community we call that grace, getting what we don’t deserve, it is not fair, it’s counterintuitive and costly but oh, so liberating. When we reflect on how God’s love was expressed in him giving for us and forgiving us, we can only respond in love.

On one occasion while talking through a very difficult situation with a lady in the congregation that had been repeatedly abused verbally by her husband especially when he came home drunk, she asked me what she must do. This text this morning, if about anything, is about doing. Luke ends the sermon on the plain with Jesus telling the parable about the man who built on sand and the man who built on the rock and the different outcomes when the storm comes and we know them well. The man however who built on the rock is the one who did what Jesus had taught; the other had the same information but did not have the application. So, I say to the lady, hug him. She responds I do; I say hug him when he comes home drunk and is verbally abusive, hug him and tell him that you love him. She responds like I would respond, you would respond, I can’t. So, I say, look out the window, do you see that metal pole holding up the gazebo, she says yes? I say, can you hug that? She responds: yes. Then you can hug your husband, I respond, it is an act of will.

What about you? You most probably have heard this scripture many times Luke 6:27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” How have you responded? As you have read this, is there someone that has come to mind who you need to love. Yes, you haven’t retaliated, you have been quite civilised but you know you have not actively Loved. To clarify this does not mean that what they have done is justified or denied rather it is dealt with in a Godly way. A really good place to start is prayer, pray for that person, that God would bless them. Even if it feels false or inauthentic, pray as an act of will for that person and ask God for guidance in what you can do for them and then pray for the power to do it.

It is amazing that as God in flesh goes to the cross in Christ, He is stripped of his cloak, He is cursed, spat on and beaten and yet though he could have called legions of angels to his rescue he turned the other cheek and gave his all, his life so that we may be forgiven and live a new life. I end with Ephesians 5:1-2 “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ²and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Amen

HYMN 189 Be Still for the presence of the Lord

Prayers:

Loving God,
You have called us to be a living community.
A people bound together as the body of Christ,
and a family united in love.
Yet Lord, in our broken world so many are suffering, so many are hurting.
Hear our prayers Lord

For those whose lives are ruled by hate and vengeance, rather than love and justice.
For those whose homes are not places of love or safety, but places of fear and violence.
For those who have no home to speak of and have become invisible on our streets.
For those who are stigmatised because of status, ill-health, ethnicity, or religion.
Lord, You asked us to love our neighbours, all of them, not just the ones we choose.
Enable us and equip us to carry out Your command to Love.
Enable us Lord by the power of your love in us to take the active steps we need to take to love our enemies so that we may be an example to all of your mercy and grace.
Hear our prayers Lord

For all those in our congregations and communities who are ill at home or in hospital – bring Your healing hands, Your comfort and peace.
For all who are anxiously awaiting treatment, results, or appointments
due to the impact of COVID-19 and our overwhelmed health service.
For anxious relatives and carers who are exhausted and there is no rest, and no end in sight
while the much-needed care packages are few and far between.
Lord equip us, Your servants and disciples, to assist them in their time of need.
Enable us to be beacons of light in another dark day.
Hear our prayers Lord

Lord, You tasked us to do good to those who hate,
which can seem difficult and, in this world, so unfair.
It’s hard to love those who belittle, who shun, who exclude and who emotionally abuse.
When we feel we should get our own back, You ask us to turn the other cheek.
Inspire us to be willing advocates for truth and reconciliation.
Inspire us to love justice and to practically live out mercy.
Hate does not lay a healthy soil that enables love to grow and flourish,
but walking in faith and following Your example and teaching changes everything.
You call us all to make a positive difference and to heal Your broken world of its hurt and its divisions by a countercultural response to hurt and hate.
For we can all make a positive difference in Jesus’ name and for His sake.
We unite in prayer as we pray as our saviour Jesus, taught, saying

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.

HYMN 561 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

(Halifax, Minster)

Benediction:

Go now and share God's love with all you meet.
Go now and share the joy of Jesus.
Go now and share the inspiring breeze of the Spirit.
Go in peace assured of God's love.
Amen

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
Prayers and final blessing adapted from Church of Scotland Weekly Worship for 20^th February 2022.

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Sunday 6th February 2022

Welcome
Welcome to our service of worship for the 6^th of February. As we continue our journey beyond Epiphany, and with Christmas time far behind us, our thoughts continue to reflect upon God’s call upon our lives, both as individuals and as a community.

Call to Worship (based on Psalm 138)
We come before You with thanksgiving in our hearts
We bow our knee before You to praise Your name 
We praise You for Your constant love and faithfulness
You have never failed us O Lord
You answer us when we call
With Your strength You strengthen us
You fulfil Your promises
Your love is eternal.

HYMN 111 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God almighty

(From the Chet Valley Churches)

Prayer c/w Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray:

Holy God, we come to give You our praise.
Holy God, we come to declare Your love.
Holy God, we come to lift Your name on high
in the songs that we sing and the prayers that we bring.

We acknowledge You as our God,
we acknowledge that You have blessed us with life,
we acknowledge that You have shown Your love to each one of us,
we acknowledge that You are our strength,
we acknowledge that You know each of us perfectly.
We acknowledge that although You know us inside and out
You still love us eternally.

We thank You that You call each of us by name
and that with Christ’s disciples of old,
we too are called to serve You and Your people.

We confess that sometimes we know we are not ready to serve,
we are too caught up with ourselves and our own desires;
we seek Your forgiveness.
We confess that we have spoken words that we should not have,
and remained silent when we should have spoken out loud.
We seek your forgiveness.
We confess that we have acted when we should have been still,
and remained passive when we should have risen up in Your name.
We seek Your forgiveness.

Lord, we know that You are slow to anger and abounding in love,
so may we rest in that love knowing that we can have a fresh start,
that today is the beginning of a new journey with You.
Send Your Spirit upon us, encouraging us to hear Your calling;
enable us and teach us to fulfil our service to You.
empower and sustain us we journey.

Through Christ our Lord we pray,
saying together:

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 6:1-8
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’

The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph^[^b^] touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’

Luke 5:1-11
Once while Jesuswas standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

HYMN 555 Amazing Grace

(from the Chet Valley Churches)

Reflection

O God of earth and altar,
bow down and hear our cry,
our earthly rulers falter,
our people drift and die;
the walls of gold entomb us,
the swords of scorn divide,
take not thy thunder from us,
but take away our pride.

These words, the opening ones of a hymn written by GK Chesterton, would have resonated with the various characters in today’s scripture readings. They describe not only the religious and political times in which both prophet and disciple lived, but also the condition of the individual human heart.

Our Gospel story today is one that appears in two different forms in Scripture, the other being in John’s Gospel where it is set in a post-resurrection context. In both tellings, though, you can imagine Peter’s pride taking something of a dent. He is a professional fisherman and had experienced a truly poor night of fishing. Then along comes Jesus, a carpenter or master builder, who then teaches him how and where to catch fish! His ego must have stung at least a little. This was not his first encounter with Jesus; in the previous chapter we read of his mother-in-law being healed by Jesus; so the two men were, at least, acquainted. Perhaps that is why Peter allowed Jesus to use his fishing boat as a floating pulpit. This telling of the fishing miracle is also unique, in that it contrasts sharply with the other versions of the call of Peter, where the encounter is a first one and is retold as sudden, abrupt.

This is a strange tale, too, in that we are told nothing of what Jesus preaches or teaches the crowd. That should catch our attention as the Gospel stories are usually packed with what Jesus says and taught. On this occasion it is not the words but the actions of Jesus that make the difference, that catch the attention of the bystanders and Peter himself. Perhaps there is a lesson there that it is often actions rather than words that speak most clearly about our intentions. With Peter the action of Jesus transforms him from prideful fisherman to repentant disciple.

Jesus’ engagement with Peter does not end with the fishing; look at the future disciple’s words to Jesus, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” In that moment a long night’s unsuccessful labouring is transformed into a moment of self-revelation. Peter has a miraculous awakening, seeing himself as he truly is, and is transformed. Pride is overcome.

At this point in our tale the literal act of fishing is spun into a metaphor for something more significant. Jesus begins by assuring Peter, “do not be afraid” he says. He goes further, stating to Peter, “I will make you a fisher of men”. Even here, things are not quite what they seem. It isn’t apparent in English translation, however the word translated as “catch” is an unusual one, and with a quite specific meaning; it means “to take alive”. When fish are caught professionally in a net, they are soon dead, but here people are to be caught that they might live! They are caught that they may see God, know God, and get caught up in the mission of God to all humanity. The impact on Peter, as well as both James and John, is so great that they leave fishing behind them to follow Jesus. They give up everything for the sake of taking up life eternal in the mission of God.

This narrative of transformed lives is meant to be one that should inspire us, encourage us, giving us hope. These fishermen were ordinary working people; they were not the ‘great and the good’. They are getting on with the daily grind when God, in Christ Jesus, breaks in and changes everything. They are called by God as they are, imperfect, sinners, and afraid. In Jesus all this is transformed. Throughout scripture we are shown that there is nothing that can be an obstacle to the call of God on a human life, not sin, not inadequacy, not failure. God calls the imperfect to do His perfect will. If you doubt this, then look at the call of Moses, the call of Isaiah that was also read to us today, and the call of Jeremiah that we heard last week. All of these were giants of the faith, yet all were deeply flawed. They, and we, are not perfect yet God still calls us to be His servants.

How often do we resist the call of Jesus upon our life? How often do we resist because we believe the call to be impractical or, for some reason, that we are not fit to carry it out? How often do we allow our own pride to prevent us, the same pride that calls us to stand alone and face the world? How often do we allow fear of how others will perceive us stand in the way of the call? Can we let go and, like Peter, allow ourselves to be drawn into deep waters? We must ask those questions of ourselves as these are exactly what Jesus demands of us. It is unlikely that you’ll be called to leave behind home, or family, or career. We will be called to reorientate our lives to serve the Gospel, witnessing to Christ Jesus in both our words and our deeds. It is what we were baptised into.

The mission of Jesus does not wait until we are ready; that is pride at work for it is our hearts and minds saying that we know better than God. Rather, we are called, right here and right now, despite of ourselves and our messy, complicated, and busy lives. As with Peter, the words of Jesus are for us too, “do not be afraid”. We are to go out into the deep waters to catch people for the kingdom of God just as we have been caught. We are to use a net that is formed from the grace and mercy of a loving God, the same love and mercy that we have experienced. We are to fish until the net is full and overflowing. Will you now answer the call of God to haul it in? Amen.

HYMN 533 Will you come and follow me

(from St. Andrew’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Glasgow)

Prayer

Let us pray:

God of truth and justice You have called us to You.
We come with hearts for You and Your people.
We don’t come to judge,
we don’t come to distrust,
we don’t come to punish,
we don’t come to disregard,
we come to love as You first loved us.

We come to care and treat people as equal,
we come with Your love in our hearts,
as we offer to You the most vulnerable and fragile
in our communities and in our world.

Lord, in the midst of fear and isolation
we pray for assurance and company.
Lord, in the midst of confusion and pain
we pray for clarity and comfort.
Lord, in the midst of grief and darkness
we pray for peace and light.

Bring strength to the weak.
Bring rest to the weary.
Bring healing to the broken.
Bring aid to the needy.
Bring courage to the lost.
And set the prisoner free, we ask.

We pray for our friends,
and for our enemies.
we pray for our families,
and for the stranger in our midst.
We pray in silence for those
we hold most dear.

silence

Hear these our prayers for the world that You created.
Through Christ our Lord, our Saviour and our brother,
we pray.
Amen.

HYMN 251 I the Lord of sea and sky

(from St. Andrew’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Glasgow)

Benediction

Go with the love of God
Go with a heart for all people
Go strengthened in God
Go serve God's people

And the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son, and Spirit Holy,
go with you now and always.
Amen.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 30th January 2022

Welcome
The 30^th January marks the death of two leaders, Mahatma Gandhi, assassinated in New Delhi in 1948 and closer to home King Charles I, executed by parliament in 1649. Two very different leaders. As we gather in worship this week, we explore one of the many occasions as recorded in the gospels that Jesus has to escape execution/ assassination.

Call to Worship (Psalm 71:1-6)
In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
     let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
     incline your ear to me and save me.
Be to me a rock of refuge,
     a strong fortress, to save me,
     for you are my rock and my fortress.

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
     from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
     my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from my birth;
     it was you who took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.

HYMN 192 All my hope on God is founded

(Sung by the Choral Scholars of St-Martin-in-the-Fields)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

Lord God,
for You each day on earth in Christ
was an opportunity to meet people
in the rawness of their humanity
and to glimpse within them
something to love.
In the faithless You recognised need,
in the loveless You saw self-doubt,
in the outcast You witnessed a community
divided and conquered by fear of the different.
We thank and praise you for your grace
and for your example of mercy,
compassion and love.
Search our hearts we pray
and forgive us for each missed opportunity,
for when we have not seen
with your eyes,
we have not responded in your ways.

In our meeting with others today,
take us to the very edge of our understanding
that we may recognise in them our need for faith,
see in them our search for love
and witness through and to them
what it means to live in community.
Amen.

Scriptures:

Jeremiah 1:4-10Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born, I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’

Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’
But the Lord said to me,

‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”;
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
says the Lord.’

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth;
and the Lord said to me,

‘Now I have put my words in your mouth.
See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.’

Luke 4:21-30
Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.”’ And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

HYMN 182 Now thank we all our God

Reflection:

How would you feel if you were stranded on a very small island in the middle of nowhere?How would you feel if stranded with you were people from all walks of life, a doctor (that would be helpful), a lawyer (not much relevance), a plumber and even an unemployed stay at home single mother? Does it matter who we are stranded with, race, gender, age or ability? I am sure many have heard of the name Bear Grylls. Well in brief he is a retired Special Air Services soldier who has made a career of making videos of different survival situations. His real name is Michael Edward. He is also a motivational speaker and has written many books. Recently, my family and I have watched a series called “Treasure Island” where twelve strangers are stranded on an island and they have to survive 40 days. Would you, do it? So here is the incentive, boxes of money totalling 100 000 pounds will be dropped by a helicopter at random times and in random places on this jungle of an island. If you find a box, it’s yours to keep as long as you don’t leave the island before the end of the challenge. Are you in now?

Jesus of Nazareth as explained in Luke’s gospel returns to his hometown. Some say if we read between the lines he has ministered elsewhere in power, maybe even healing the sick. Jesus seems to have the treasure, something everyone wants. Now as he returns to Nazareth, in the weekly corporate community gathering, he reads a specific text from Isaiah “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Luke 4:18-19) What do those words mean to you today? Are they treasure? As Jesus reads, it is as if he is declaring his mission and there is no denying it is good news, freedom, sight, the favour of God. He then preaches the shortest sermon ever! “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21) He reads a scripture which in their tradition pointed to the coming Messiah and then basically declares He is that Messiah. No wonder, all eyes were on him, all were praising him for his grace. His home crowd are literally celebrating because he is home and they now expect him to do what they heard he had done in other places and more. There is excitement and joy, like seen on the faces of those when someone arrived back to camp on the “Treasure Island” series announcing they had found a money box. The faces quickly change though when that person declared I am keeping it all for myself. Our moods and attitudes can change so quickly sometimes.The gospel reading today, Luke 4:21-30, starts out with Jesus being praised and celebrated and ends with the crowd trying to kill him. Is that possible? In a few short sentences a radical change in response and as we all know our attitudes impacts our actions. How does your response change when you are challenged or feel slightly criticized? I know for me walls go up and I become defensive. Others may go on the attack and therefore often in our hometown we are inclined to say what people want to hear. We are even happy to allow them to believe as much as makes them happy and keeps us in a praised position. We are doing this all the time and sometimes even unconsciously, keeping the peace and protecting our position.

Prophets have a hard time in their own hometown. Poor Jeremiah, if you read his story, many would say he was right not to want the job. Jeremiah like Jesus had to escape harsh attitudes, violence and even death. He remained true to his call. There is a tension between being true to what God has revealed to you and keeping in favour with the home crowd or even merely saving your skin. Jesus could have stopped at it’s Good News for you, freedom, sight and favour, but he did not. Jesus tells the crowd two stories, two well-known miracles which took place in Israel. They would have known them well because they took place in the next valley just over the hill from Nazareth. A foreign widow is provided for through the ministry of Elijah when many other widows in Israel at that time were struggling. She served the wrong god and had nothing; yet God touched her life. Naaman a foreigner is healed of leprosy through the ministry of Elisha when many with leprosy in Israel were not cleansed. Naaman was not only an outsider he was a commander in the Syrian army that would raid Israel. This is what gets the negative response. They wanted the treasure for themselves; the miracles but, Jesus points them to the fact that it is much bigger than that. Jesus came that all may be saved. That His kingdom may come on earth as it is in heaven. That eyes would be opened, that captives would be set free and that all would experience the Lord’s favour.Is there space in your spirituality for God to challenge your view of Jesus and his mission? Are you, bold enough to be part of his mission by reframing the stories for others so they too may be challenged? How sad there is no record of Jesus ever returning to Nazareth.Do you and I, the church exist to serve the hometown, the members, the insiders or is our call to challenge insiders and serve outsiders? Are you aware of what makes you anxious or angry and how you could respond differently to criticism and proposed change?

On “Treasure Island” some wanted to keep it all for themselves. They were challenged by the generous attitudes and actions of others. Others wanted to share and especially make sure that those not able to search could get part of the treasure. All however learned and agreed that it was all of them working together that made it possible for them to survive what many would not. “See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’ (Jeremiah 4:10)Amen

HYMN 489 Come down, O Love Divine

(From the Chet Valley Churches)

Prayers:

Let us pray:

Loving God, You have known us since before we were born,
You know what is in our minds and on our hearts.
If we have done anything wrong, we are sorry.
As a good father You forgive us when often we don’t deserve it.

Unlike the story in Luke’s gospel help us to recognise You when You are near us
even when we do not understand or want to hear your word to us.
Teach us to follow Your example of loving everyone, no matter who
they are, where they live or how much they have.

Give us the boldness to speak the word you have given to each of us.
We bring before You the thoughts on our heart today as we reflect on
your word to us in a moment of silence.

Pause…Having listened to us individually we now unite in the words Your Son taught us.

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.

Loving God, thank You for the readings and the teaching of the scripture today.
Encourage us to believe in You and in ourselves
so that we may carry out the work You would have us do.

Help us not to shrink back from your call to include all.
Help us not to shrink back from your call to share your grace
No matter the cost or the controversy.
Remind us of the boldness of the prophets of old
and embolden us, your children to be like you

We pray for the people of the world, may they know Your grace in their lives,
through our work and witness.

We pray for those who are ill, dying or supporting someone through these times.
May they find comfort knowing that Your loving arms are waiting for them
and for those left behind, give them the knowledge that You are there for them too.

We pray for our church in a time of change; in a changing world.
There will be people who are hurt, but help us all, to focus on Your uniting love.
All these prayers we offer in the name of Your Son, our saviour Jesus Christ.

Help us to be attuned to our attitudes so that we may temper our words and actions
with the attributes of your Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience and perseverance.
We ask all this to your glory and honour alone.
Amen.

HYMN Give me oil in my lamp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18-yoU7ZDXE

Benediction:

To all God’s children, peace,
within all God’s children, love,
for all God’s children, grace.
in all God’s children, joy.
Amen.

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.

Bible Quotations taken from: Life Application Study Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1988,1989, 1990, 1991, 2005 Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton. 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

Prayers based upon materials from ‘The Churches Together in Britain and Ireland’ for ‘The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’ 2022.

Embedded content from YouTube does not infringe copyright:
https://www.youtube.com/static?template=terms

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Sunday 23rd January 2022

Welcome
Welcome to our service for the 23^rd of January. As we worship we do so during the ‘Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’. Today, we unite with fellow Christians throughout the world as we gather to pray for the visible unity of the Church. Led by the Middle East Council of Churches, our theme is inspired by the visit of the Magi to the new-born King, as described in the Gospel according to Matthew: “We observed his star in the East, and have come to pay him homage.” Let us look upon the star that was seen in the East and let it guide us to fix our eyes upon Jesus, the ‘Light of the world’.

Call to worship (Psalm 8:1-2, 9) 
Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
    in the heavens.
Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
    to silence the foe and the avenger.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

HYMN 127 O worship the King, all glorious above

(from Manchester Cathedral)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

We glorify you, O Lord, creator of heaven and earth, for you have set the lights in the sky. How majestic are your works, the heavens declare your glory and the skies proclaim the work of your hands!

We praise you for you did not abandon us despite our rebellion but sent your Son to brighten our darkness and be our light and our salvation. In him was life, and that life was the light of all humanity. Your light continues to shines in the darkest of times.

We worship you, O Lord, for you journey with us in the chaos of our lives through the power of your Holy Spirit. You light up our paths and give us wisdom and faith in a world filled with fear and uncertainty.

We thank you, O Lord, for you send us into the world to bear witness to your light, in our various churches and diverse cultures, and to proclaim the Good News of Jesus, the one true King.

We confess that we have turned from your ways. We have not followed your light and guidance. We have not been the salt and light you redeemed us to be. We have not drawn others to you.

Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy

We have acted selfishly towards our brothers and sisters. We have put our own needs and desires above our commitment to justice. We have built walls between us and planted seeds of mistrust when you have called us to be instruments of reconciliation and hope.

Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy

We have divided people based on ethnicity and culture, vocation and education, wealth and titles, discriminating instead of celebrating difference.

Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy

Forgive all these thoughts and deeds, O Lord, as we come before you in repentance. Shine on our path by the light of Christ once again. Enlighten us and dwell within us.

Guide us to discover a manger in our hearts where your great light still shines.

Knowing we are forgiven, cleansed and filled with your light, empower us to walk a new path.

Heal our divisions and draw us closer to the Light that we may find our unity in you and thus shine forth your grace. Amen.

Scriptures:

Ephesians 5:8-14rr
For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light – for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
‘Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.’

Matthew 2: 1-12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise menfrom the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiahwas to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherdmy people Israel.”’

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Amen

HYMN 694 Brother, Sister, let me serve you

Reflection:

I would like to begin by sharing with you another Gospel passage, this time from that of John, where Jesus declares: ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’ (John 8:12)

One of the strange, and sometimes irritating, features of the lectionary is that it plays about with timelines. This partly explains why today we have returned to a reading that we heard not too many weeks ago in our preparations for Christmas. Today, though, we are being encouraged by this reading from Matthew’s Gospel to look beyond the light of a star and to the light to which it pointed – Jesus, the Light of the World.

In our reading from John’s Gospel, Jesus makes His bold claim of being the light of the world. Further, he does this right in front of the temple, during the festival of Tabernacles, when a great crowd would have been gathered. Some commentators go further, suggesting that Jesus made his proclamation at night, as the temple was surrounded by burning torches and lights. Imagine the scene: it’s night yet the crowds are surrounded by manmade light. Into this steps Jesus proclaiming that He is the Light of the world. What Jesus said was true two-thousand years ago; it remains true today.

In the beginning, John’s Gospel tells us, Christ was with God. This was the God who said, ‘Let there be light’. This was the God who was in the burning bush when He spoke to Moses, and in the pillar of fire which led Israel through the Exodus. Jesus was the light of the world, born at night to dispel darkness. Jesus was the bright light seen by disciples at the transfiguration; He was the light which blinded Saul on the road to Damascus. From Revelation, we know that this same Jesus is the light of heaven, where there is no need of sun or moon.

The world, though, doesn’t see it like that. Rather, it sees our faith as a leap of faith, a leap into the darkness. The truth, though, is the opposite; the leap of faith is a leap into the light! Jesus illuminates the darkness, but what is darkness? At its simplest, it is the absence of light. If you walk into a dark room and you don’t like it, there is no point standing there complaining. Why not turn on a light, and then darkness goes. In Scripture, darkness is symbolic of a life without God. To live without the first-hand knowledge of God and His living Word is to walk in darkness … a spiritual darkness.

There is more to darkness than the absence of physical light. First, there is an intellectual one. Paul says in his letter to the Romans, “they profess themselves to be wise, and are become fools, because they reject God and walk in darkness.” We choose to walk in darkness rather than step into the light for to do so would expose us for all that it we are, warts and all. Rather than be seen as we truly are we prefer to hide in the shadows. But in the shadows, we do not find answers to the great questions of existence: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? The world has no good answers to these questions; it does no more that say that nobody is special, there is no real purpose to life, and that death is the end of existence. But, in the light of Christ, we know that we are specially created by God, made in His image. We know that we were created for a purpose, ‘to glorify God, and enjoy him forever.’ Finally, in Christ we are headed into eternity, not annihilation.

Darkness may also be moral. The world can call good evil and evil good; it can mock things that are morally good, and praise low morality. How often in popular media do we hear adultery praised because the offending partners ‘love each other’. How often do we hear comedians gain praise for verbally abusing each other? Places of power are no different. How many were seriously impacted by the policies and practices of corrupt or inept senior bank officials who were subsequently rewarded with honours and fortunes? The moral hypocrisy at large is sadly sometimes supported by the church. It has been known to look away rather than comment because to do so may cost it in money or influence. Light and dark do not mix. They are not tolerant of one another. What we believe affects how we behave. If we accept darkness, we will someday find ourselves walking in darkness.

Finally, darkness may be spiritual. Contemporary religious tolerance is not what it says it is; it is not tolerance but a lack of commitment to challenge falsehood. For example, what is sometimes known as ‘spirituality’ is a mixture of pantheism, mysticism, and the occult. The argument is that there is no personal God, but that god is what you want him, her, or it, to be. It is a spirituality that quickly turns the god-in-the-image-of-man into self-worship. It is a movement that speaks a lot about light, yet it is not true light; it is an artificial counterfeit light. As one American commentator said, “all that glitters is not God!”

Likewise, many churches today say Jesus is the light, but then they base their beliefs or faith on tradition not the Light of the World; they walk down paths of seeking to earn God’s approval through good works and social action, instead of walking in the light of Jesus’. It is in Jesus that we gain the approval of God, and from there righteous living flows. But are we also guilty of hiding our faith? If we are then how will the world get to see and know the light of Jesus?

In John chapter 9:5, Jesus says the following: ‘As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world’. Without Him, the world is a dark place, unless He shines through us! So, what are we to do? In Matthew chapter 5 Jesus says: ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ These are times in which great darkness abounds, darkness that can be intellectual, moral, and spiritual. Yet these are also incredible times as our light can really shine and be seen. Amen.

HYMN 336 Christ is our light!

(performed by Peter Christie)

Prayer c/w Lord’s Prayer:

Let us pray:

With faith and confidence, we come in prayer, before God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

The Magi came from the East to pay homage and offer special gifts from their cultures and countries. We pray today for all Christian communities around the world in their diversity of worship and tradition: Lord, we ask you to preserve your communities of faith wherever they gather to inspire and bring hope. We pray particularly for areas of the world where the presence and survival of the Church is threatened by violence and oppression. We pray too for Churches in many other areas paralyzed by comfort, apathy and conformity.

O, Lord, hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.

The early years of the Lord’s life were marked by violence and massacres at the orders of the despot Herod.
We pray for children living in places in the world where violence continues and where its results are hurt, harm and heartache. Break our hearts for what breaks yours, O Lord, and strengthen, the bonds of unity and mutual love among our churches so that we are a witness to your holy Name. Inspire us to work creatively and passionately to defend the oppressed and include the marginalized. Encourage us to stand together in the face of hate and discrimination of all kinds as we seek your Kingdom among us.

O, Lord, hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.

After the visit of the Magi, the holy family experienced migration through the wilderness and became refugees in the land of Egypt.
We pray for all the refugees and uprooted people in this world:
Equip us, Lord, to show hospitality to those driven from their homes, and grant us the spirit of welcome to those looking for a safe haven.

O, Lord, hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.

The birth of Jesus was good news for all, gathering people from different nations and religions in worship of the holy child.
We pray for our efforts to gather all to bow before your throne of grace, irrespective of their history, culture or understanding:
Lord, give us humility and patience to walk with others with respect on their journey.

O, Lord, hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.

The Magi returned to their home by a different way.
We pray for our churches in this changing world:
Lord, help us to find new and creative ways to follow you and to witness to you, so that the world may believe.

O, Lord, hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.

When the Magi saw the holy child, they rejoiced with great joy.

Heavenly Father, fix our eyes on him so we do not lose our way. Even as we face challenges and change may the joy of your salvation in us shine through, uniting us and drawing in others. For we declare that you are the only true way to life. So in unity we pray as our Lord and Saviour taught, saying:

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.

HYMN 448 Lord, the light of your love is shining (Shine, Jesus, Shine)

(from the Royal Albert Hall)

Benediction

Go now and live as children of light.
And as you go may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
go with you now and evermore.
Amen.

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

Prayers based upon materials from ‘The Churches Together in Britain and Ireland’ for ‘The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’ 2022.

Embedded content from YouTube does not infringe copyright:
https://www.youtube.com/static?template=terms

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Sunday 16th January 2022

Welcome & Intimations
Welcome to our service of worship. This week we reflect upon the Bible story of the ‘Wedding at Cana’, while in our hymns we seek the presence of the Spirit of God.

Call to worship (from Psalm 36: 5, 6, 10))
Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
    your judgements are like the great deep;

O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
    and your salvation to the upright of heart!

HYMN 153 Great is Thy faithfulness

Prayer c/w Lord’s Prayer:

Let us pray:

God, let us not be silent,
but raise up in us a spirit of praise;
let us raise up our voices in thanksgiving;
let us raise up our hearts in joy,
for you have created us
and called us to walk with you.

We thank You, our heavenly Father
because, by Your Holy power,
You have given us life itself.
You have received into your presence
all who have sought after You,
calling them by name
and leading them into life eternal.

Lord Jesus,
just like Your twelve disciples
You have called us to follow.
You have called us to praise our heavenly Father,
to feed the hungry, clothe the naked,
visit the prisoner, and give drink to the thirsty.
Empower us to do these things
as an act of praise and thanksgiving to You.

We confess, our heavenly Father,
that we have neglected to walk the path
that you have called us to follow.
We have depended only on our own strength,
our own knowledge, our own wisdom.
We have concluded that we can do all things
and do them in our own name.
We confess that we have not leaned upon You,
we have not walked in Your light,
nor called upon Your wisdom.
We have rejected Christ,
not in our words but in our actions.
Have mercy upon us.

Have mercy on us, dear Lord.
Forgive our neglect and confusion of heart.
Cleanse us through the blood of Christ
spilled for us on Golgotha’s mount.
Forgive us O Lord.
Restore and renew us
in Your great mercy.
Here us now,
as we say together
the words of Christ,
the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

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 62:1-5
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
    and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
    and her salvation like a burning torch.
The nations shall see your vindication,
    and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
    that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
   and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
    and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
    and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you,
    and your land shall be married.
For as a young man marries a young woman,
    so shall your builder marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
    so shall your God rejoice over you.

John 2: 1-11
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

HYMN 625 Oh thou who camest from above

(from Rochester Cathedral)

Reflection:

Do you believe in second chances? Today’s Gospel reading tells us the well-known story of the wedding at Cana; it’s one that is so familiar that, perhaps, we miss something of its uniqueness. It is a special event and is relevant to us, here today, in what may be a time of deep sadness. It is relevant because it offers us the antidote to sadness … joy.

It is special, too, in that it is the first miracle recorded in the Gospel of John. With so much material that he could have drawn upon we must wonder why he chose to begin with this one. That he had lots of other stories is told to us almost at the end of his book, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” The reason that I think that John chose to begin with this one is because it is a story of second chances. In other words, it presents the central element of the good news in the form of an everyday story that people could readily understand. God gives us all a second chance.

This miracle, John writes, is recorded so that we, his readers, may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Then he writes that from there we may have life in Jesus’ name.

What is it about this miracle that will enable us to have faith in Jesus? Firstly, it is an incredibly miracle; Jesus transforms not a glass or a skin of water into wine but six stone jars. This speaks of the compassion of Jesus as He is seen saving the couple and their family from social disgrace and embarrassment; running out of wine at a wedding was not a minor social inconvenience. Secondly, it speaks also of the New Covenant that brings us into the presence of God. This is the New Covenant that Jesus later speaks of as being sealed in His blood, and which we recall when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. The wine representing the blood of Jesus poured out reveals, too, the Love of God. Thirdly, the miracle develops the disciples’ confidence in Jesus. In other words that they could have faith in him.

When Jesus changed water into wine, he didn’t make some cheap supermarket own-label stuff – he made the best, as witnessed by the chief steward, “everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink. But you have saved the best till now.” There is also an extravagant generosity on show. Have you ever paused to consider how much wine Jesus created? The answer is around six-hundred bottles! That this volume of wine was produced was also no accident, rather it is rich in symbolism. For example, the prophet Amos wrote: “The time is surely coming says the Lord when the mountains shall drip with sweet wine and the hills shall flow with it; when my people shall plant vineyards and drink their wine.” An abundance of wine symbolized the arrival of God’s new age. When Jesus performed this miracle at Cana, He was proclaiming that the Kingdom of God had arrived.

This miracle was also geared to develop faith. John says this plainly, writing that this was the first display of the glory that belonged to Jesus, and that through it the disciples “believed”. This is important. Many self-proclaimed Messiahs had come and gone. If you watch ‘The Life of Brian’ John Cleese’ character says to Brian, “you are the Messiah. I should know, I’ve followed a few of them.” The disciples would have been looking, hoping, for some sign that would conclusively show that Jesus was the one they had waited for, and not another charlatan or misguided fool. This miracle decided it for them, and now they took Jesus at his word. God acted in Jesus, and the wedding family got a second chance. Likewise, God acts today to give us a second chance.

Second chances, isn’t that what the Gospel is all about? Our God is the God of the second chances. God wants us, like the disciples of Jesus, to have faith in Him. It is only when we choose to have faith in God, looking beyond the trappings of religion, that we are lifted from sadness to the joy of the wedding feast. The choice, like that of the servants at the wedding feast is ours. Do we want a second chance? Amen.

HYMN 543 Longing for light

Prayer:

Let us pray:

Lord, we pray for the Church,
Your body and witnesses to the Gospel.
To us You have committed the work of reconciling people to You.
Grant us grace to live as salt and light in the world
that we may witnesses for You in
our communities, our families, our circles of friends.

Give us strength to commit ourselves to prayer,
that Your kingdom may come in our community, nation and world.
We pray that Your church will stand firmly on Your word.
We pray that all Your people would have
The wisdom and grace to proclaim Your truth.

We pray for the political leaders of our nation and world
that they may have wisdom and a longing to serve the people.

We pray for those in our land who struggle,
the sick, the homeless, the lonely, and those on low incomes.

We give thanks for the support systems that we have in place,
for those who work in the NHS and social care provision.

Comfort those who grieve from the loss of loved ones,
the failing of relationships, and loss of purpose.

May we all have the assurance of Your presence.
We give thanks because You exceed all that we ask.
May You be glorified in Your church and in our life.
Amen.

HYMN 804 You shall go out with joy

(from Gaither Music TV)

Benediction:

May the love of God, which enables us to love all,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, which unites us in one body,
make us eager to obey the will of God until we meet again.
Through Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord.
Amen.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 9th January 2022

Welcome
Welcome to our joint service for this second Sunday of January. Wherever we gather, in the sanctuary or at home, we are encouraged in these times of challenge to find hope in God, as expressed to us through the voice of Scripture.

Call to Worship (Psalm 29: 1-2, 11)
Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
    worship the Lord in holy splendour.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
    May the Lord bless his people with peace!

HYMN 120 God, we praise you, God we bless you

(from St. James URC, Newcastle)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

Loving God,
like the Psalmist,
we have entered your gates with thanksgiving
and your courts with praise.
This is the day that You have made;
we rejoice and are glad in it.
For You O Lord, are a good God
and Your love endures for ever,
Your faithfulness continues through all generations.
Blessed be Your holy name for ever and ever
through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

Forgiving God,
we confess to You the many ways
in which we have fallen short of Your expectations of us.
We confess our sins against You our God,
and against our fellow sisters and brothers in this world.
Often, we have failed to witness of our faith in You,
of our love for You and of Your care for us.
Often, we have chosen the easy way of talking about everything else
but of our relationship with You.
We have kept faith as those who are now in Your presence did years ago.
Have mercy upon us, grant us Your grace that by Your Spirit,
we will be true disciples of our God
whose son Jesus Christ,
died and rose for the forgiveness of our sins.

Gracious Lord,
as we receive Your forgiveness,
we ask that You be present with us in this time of worship.
May Your Spirt unite us, whether gathered in the sanctuary
or joining from our homes.
Grant us grace to worship You,
to hear Your words read and preached with new ears,
and to respond with renewed commitment.
Make us a people after Your heart,
seeking to do good to the world
bearing testimony to Your love,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who taught us when we pray, to say:

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 43:1-7
But now thus says the Lord,
    he who created you, O Jacob,
    he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
    Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
Because you are precious in my sight,
    and honoured, and I love you,
I give people in return for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
Do not fear, for I am with you;
    I will bring your offspring from the east,
    and from the west I will gather you;
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up’,
    and to the south, ‘Do not withhold;
bring my sons from far away
    and my daughters from the end of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
    whom I created for my glory,
    whom I formed and made.’

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

HYMN 485 Dear Lord and Father of mankind

(from Winchester Cathedral)

Reflection:

How are you feeling? It is a serious question, not one of politeness with the expectation of the usual meaningless response, ‘fine’. So, how are you feeling?

For some of us it may be tiredness resulting from Christmas, New Year, and all that these require of us. For some it may be anticipation of what we will personally face this year. There will be folk for whom there is a nervous anticipation of something good coming to pass in this new year. Yet, for some of us the prevailing feeling may be one of sadness, even despair. This sadness could be personal, yet it could also be a response to the proposals of Presbytery as regards this congregation and our building. The passages set before us for this Sunday offer us something to begin to offset any such negativity as we may be experiencing. They offer us hope.

We have heard three passages this morning, from the prophet Isaiah, the Psalmist, and the Gospel of Luke. All three point to the presence of God in every facet of life; they all point toward the hope that such truth offers us. We began with the Psalmist in our call to worship. Here, in the midst of the storms of life, God is seen to be majestic and powerful, deserving of praise. Yet in this we are not forgotten. When we heard from Isaiah, we heard these themes continued. Irrespective of our circumstances God is seen to be with us, at our side. Finally, in the Gospel passage, the suggestion is that we immersed in God. God is seen to be all around while we are to be found in Him. In other words, there is hope. Let’s consider these passages one at a time.

The Psalm speaks of the voice of the Lord in the midst of the storm. The writer uses his words to attempt to capture something of the wonder and power of God even as the images of the storm trouble or frighten. The voice of God is said to be like the thunder rumbling over the seas, over the land. It is said to make everything look small by comparison, emphasising the might of the Lord. Yet, even in His greatness, the Psalmist impresses on us the assurance that God is with us. On God we can lean. In God we can find the strength to carry on when we are failing. As the Psalm closes, we are reminded that as we walk in faith we are blessed with the peace of God. His hand calms any storm we may need to pass through in our daily lives.

The words of the prophet Isaiah may draw us to the hymn “Do not be afraid”. These words of scripture offer us a sense of calm; Isaiah’s words are meant to sooth. The prophet offers us, all of us, regardless of our background, assurance and comfort. He assures us, reminds us, that we do not need to face things alone, we can go in the presence and strength of God. We can allow ourselves to take a deep breath; we can honestly say, ‘With God, I can do this.’
Luke invites us all to revisit our baptism, if we can recall it. Indeed, in some Christian traditions, there is an annual service of blessing with water, accompanied by the renewal of Baptismal vows. As we hear this story of Baptism at the beginning of the new year, we could interpret it as an invitation to wash off the old year and step forward in faith into the new. In other words, it is an invitation to start afresh before God. At the start of the reading Luke tells us the people were seeking, searching, hoping for the Messiah; they were filled with anticipation for a coming saviour. The Baptizer, John, gives them hope in his witness of who is to come and what the Messiah will bring. He understands his role and the purposes of God for him. John tells the people that this coming Messiah will be both judge and Saviour; He will demand justice where there is none. When Jesus is baptised by John, He receives the Holy Spirit and God’s approval; prophesy is fulfilled, and the public mission of Jesus begins.

I began, today, by asking “How are you?” I meant it. I asked as we are living through times that are both complex and challenging for both individual and congregation. Yet our readings from Scripture offer us something to hold on to. They began by reminding us that there is nowhere in life that is not touched by the presence of God. Then we were reminded that despite the apparent size and wonder of creation that God has not forgotten us. Finally, we are reminded that in our Baptism we are called into a life of witness to these things; a life where we are nurtured and carried onward. As we step on into the challenges of the times before us let us return continually to the words of Isaiah, and the promise they bear us. In them we will not be disappointed no matter how much we are by the world around. Isaiah, proclaiming the word of God, writes, “you are precious in my sight, … I love you.” (Isa 43: 4).
Amen.

HYMN 191 Do not be afraid

Prayers:

Let us pray:

We give thanks to You our ever-loving God
for the blessings of this and every day.
We offer this day the gift of our lives,
that we might make a difference in our communities and beyond.
We do this through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who freely offered His life that we might life in abundance.

We pray for all who are bearing heavy burdens:
those facing difficulties and problems to which they can see no solutions,
wrestling with inner fears and racked by anxiety for themselves or loved ones;
troubled about money, health, work or relationships;
all who crave rest for their souls but cannot find it.

We pray for the influence of Your Holy Spirit in the troubled places of the world.
Fill us with Your passion for justice that we may strive to build bridges of reconciliation.

We pray for all who are happy and for whom things are going well,
that they may know the source of their blessing.

We pray for all who are distressed.
Comfort the sad, be present with the sick making Your will known to them.
Strengthen those who are depressed by failure.

Loving God,
help us to spread Your love to our friends and neighbours.
Let us think of one or two particular friends
and ask that God will help us tell them the good news.

Let us think of the people sitting on either side of us
asking that God will be especially close to them.

We remember those people who are not with us today,
perhaps through illness, holiday, or some other duty.

Lord, thank You that You listen to our prayers,
spoken and unspoken
in Jesus name.
Amen

HYMN 737 Will your anchor hold

(from Cape Town Massed Choir, and Philharmonic Orchestra)

Benediction:

May the blessed presence of God fill our hearts with the assurances of God’s love.
May the gracious arms of Christ embrace us as part of the community of believers.
May the Holy Spirit baptise us afresh and lead us into newness of life.
And may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Spirit Holy,
be with us all,
evermore. Amen.

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
Prayers and final blessing adapted from Church of Scotland Weekly Worship for 9^th January 2022.

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Sunday 2nd January 2022

Welcome
Welcome to our joint service for the first Sunday in the calendar year. This week our thoughts turn to how we are truly blessed by God as He calls us to him not as a reward but as an act of love.

Call to Worship (Psalm 147: 1)
Praise the Lord!
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.

HYMN 103 Fill your hearts with joy and gladness (Psalm 147)

(from St. Martin in the Fields)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

How good it is to sing praises to You, our God;
for You gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.

Almighty God,
at the start of a New Year we do what we always do;
we gather to seek Your grace for the time that lies ahead,
Your wisdom for its puzzles,
Your strength for all that will challenge us.

Lord God,
You build up Your people,
You gather the outcast,
You heal the broken-hearted and bind up their wounds.
You are the kind of God we long to know, and to know better.
You are the kind of God who deserves everything we have to give.
You number the stars,
You know them by their names,
yet You also know each one of us.
We have gathered to praise You, to listen to You, to find new strength in Your service.

Holy Father,
in Your Son Jesus Christ we are perfect,
tasting already the joy of heaven,
wonderfully in harmony with You and with one another.
But in ourselves we are still messing up,
living as if You had not sent Your Son to save us.
We confess our sins, and the sins of this community and nation, before You.
Heal us, change us, redirect us, sort us out, that we may live before You
and before the world in newness of life,
humbly rejoicing in the new life of Christ.

Lord God,
You have wonderfully created the world,
that over millennia it might grow to develop and sustain human life.
While You occupy the wind and water, and can be seen everywhere,
You are greater than nature;
You delight in all You have made;
You take pleasure not so much in strength,
but in the obedience of Your people,
and in those who hope in Your steadfast love.

How should we hope in that love unless You teach us,
unless You show us,
unless You reveal Christ afresh to us,
unless Your Spirit occupies our worship, our song, our scriptures, our response.
That is our desire, Lord.

God of power and life, You are the glory of all who believe in You.
Fill the world with Your splendour and show the nations the light of Your truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray:

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:

Jeremiah 31:7-14
For thus says the Lord:
Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘Save, O Lord, your people,
the remnant of Israel.’
See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,
and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
among them the blind and the lame,
those with child and those in labour, together;
a great company, they shall return here.
With weeping they shall come,
and with consolations I will lead them back,
I will let them walk by brooks of water,
in a straight path in which they shall not stumble;
for I have become a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
and declare it in the coastlands far away;
say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.’
For the Lord has ransomed Jacob,
and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall become like a watered garden,
and they shall never languish again.
Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
I will give the priests their fill of fatness,
and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty,

says the Lord.

John 1: 1-18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.”’) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

HYMN 617 Great and deep the spirit’s purpose

(from Dalgety Parish Church)

Reflection:

When we hear the name ‘Jeremiah’ do we tend to think of ‘doom and gloom’ and a voice, reminiscent of the TV character private Fraser crying out “we’re aw doomed!” Yet, his words to us today are ones of hope, joy, and celebration. He proclaims that God has rescued His people, ransoming them from their captivity. It is a time of celebration and is a great way to begin a New Year.

Most of us will never have experienced the pain of exile as known first-hand by the Israelites. But physical distancing and captivity are not the only forms that exile may take. Indeed, we may be exiled much closer to home. We may be exiled from friends or families; we may be exiled from ourselves due to the pains of mental health issues or addictions; we may be exiled from God by our denial of Him. In all forms of exile, we are being held captive by someone or something.

Irrespective of our personal circumstances we have all shared in one form of exile, our separation from God. We separate ourselves from him by the choices we make that are contrary to His will. We exile ourselves from the source of life itself. In the language of the Bible this is described as sin. In the New Testament it is also described as being in bondage. Our bondage, though, is not in the fetters of a foreign human power but in the consequences of our own choices. Like Israel, we need to be ransomed.

As Christians we are ransomed through the self-sacrifice of God through the Cross. It is in Jesus that the ransom has been paid. Saint Paul takes this further writing that this sacrifice causes us non-Jews to be grafted into the vine that is Israel. Note that we are transplanted into it, we do not replace it. Indeed we are blessed by it; without it we do not exist. But what does it mean for us living in Christ today?

First, it means that we are ‘different’ from other people. We see this in a late verse from the Psalm that formed our call to worship, and that we further sang. That verse states that God has not dealt with any other nation the way he has dealt with the people of Israel. Since we are grafted into that race it means that he has not dealt with others the way he has dealt with us. Yet we are not insulated from the highs and lows of human life. We may enjoy the same celebrations and rejoicing when good things happen but so, too, do we feel the pains when misfortune befalls us. As Shylock says in ‘The Merchant of Venice’, “if you prick us, do we not bleed?” Second, it does not mean that we are superior, either to the Jews or to any other group. We were chosen as an act of grace, a grace revealed to us in John’s Gospel as seen through Jesus. Remember that in the book of Genesis that Jacob was chosen despite being a rather nasty piece of work!

That we are chosen is a thread that runs all the way through scripture. But we are chosen for a purpose; we are called to bear witness to three things. First is the faithfulness of God. There are more refugees from the other parts of the world than ever before, and this is true of the Middle-East. After the Holocaust what was seen as a ‘new return from exile’ has led to Israel no longer being the ‘underdog’ in the way it once was. That said, anti-Semitism is still with us even here in Edinburgh. Yet throughout the centuries the people of Israel have survived – they are chosen, and the Christian Church has the privilege of being drawn into that.

The second is that God has a plan.The Hebrew scriptures are full, from beginning to end, of practices and observances that the New Testament recognised were there to teach us about God’s plan for the whole world. When Saint Paul writes about ‘redemption through his blood’, this makes sense because the animal sacrifices outlined in Leviticus taught Israel that sin can only be dealt with by sacrifice. For Christians this sacrifice was that of Jesus. God has a plan, and it has been there since the beginning.

The third is that it is God who chooses. Israel is clearly chosen to be witness to God’s grace, to be the ‘suffering servant’ of the prophet Isaiah. In Jesus those words are fulfilled in a most literal way showing us God taking on the life and death of the servant. As Christians we are chosen to share in this, both the sufferings and the joys that follow.

In very practical ways we can share that role within our nation, we can influence it to witness to the grace and mercy of God. Yet, for our nation to do this, we will have to change both our priorities and our practices. Let’s begin with providing the world with vaccines, let’s have a proper and meaningful response to climate change, let’s closing tax havens too. We also need to look hard at our other actions, and end those that we discern are not modelling the kingdom of God.

Israel is a chosen people, and we are chosen to serve alongside them to witness to both the plan and faithfulness of God to humankind. At times it will be extremely challenging for we will have to do it God’s way, not that of the world. Being chosen means learning to trust the one who chose us. It will cost-us, perhaps dearly, but it brings us blessings or, as John puts it in today’s Gospel reading, ‘grace upon grace’.
Amen.

HYMN 522 The Church is wherever God’s people are praising

Prayer:

Let us pray:

Good and gracious Father,
we have emerged from a difficult year,
and we give thanks for help found in times of illness, bereavement, perplexity and stress, and for all those who have served the needs of others during the pandemic.
We thank You for the message of Christmas,
that He who was with You in the beginning
loved us enough to come and take our flesh in the womb of Mary.
We bless You that the babe of Bethlehem is the Redeemer of Calvary,
that the one who ruled the ways and touched the outcast is mighty to save today,
and that we have been born again to a living hope.

In the words of Paul,
blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has given us every spiritual blessing in high places,
who chose us before the world began to be part of Your extraordinary love so freely give to us in Christ.

You are the Creator of all things,
snow and hail and frost, the ice of winter as well as the warmth of summer,
and we marvel at the mysteries of Your providence in the shaping of our world.
You have Your own ways of working things out,
of bringing peace within our borders,
of bringing down the tyrants, of lifting the humble and meek.
We bless You for Your justice, which is better than ours.
We bless You for Your good purposes, which are wiser than ours.
We bless You for the future which is Your gift to us in this year of 2022
Help us to live in hope, not fear, in love not cynicism, in resolution not despair,
for Jesus Christ our Saviour’s sake.

Gracious God,
at the start of a new year we bring You our hopes for the world and for its peoples.
Grant us peace in place of strife, a desire for justice instead of a dash for growth,
the building up of forests not their pulling down,
the cleansing not the pollution of our seas, and in place of hatred goodwill.

We pray for the Queen, and for all the Parliaments and Councils of these island in which we live.
Grant them wisdom and courage for this year ahead,
integrity of life, strength in every good resolution.
And for all who lead, in church and state,
grant humble hearts and minds to listen to You and others,
to distinguish the good from the bad, the wise from the foolish, the fruitful from the empty.

Lord, this year will bring its share of illness and bereavement and family conflict.
We pray now for those who already face these trials.
May they know Your healing and hope, and the good news of Jesus Christ
who is Lord of this life and the life to come,
our brother who is human like us,
yet picked up our frail bodies and took us with Him into life eternal.
May His Spirit bear witness to these things,
to what You are doing in their lives and ours.

Lord, this year many words will be spoken in public in our land.
We take a minute to reflect quietly on what lies ahead for each one of us,
and to ask Your help and blessing . . .
Lord God, one day we will see all things gathered up in Jesus Christ:
may we live now and always in the light and love of that.
Amen.

HYMN 562 Through the love of God, our Saviour

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtRNKGNlaj4

(from the combined virtual choir of Troon Old Parish Church and Portland Parish Church)

Benediction:

May you know how special you are in Christ,
and in his service.
And may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
go with you always.
Amen.

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
Prayers and blessing by the Rev. Dr. Jock Stein. Taken, with minor changes, from Church of Scotland Weekly Worship for 2^nd January 2022.

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Sunday 26th December 2021

Welcome & Intimations
Welcome to our joint service for this, the first Sunday of Christmas. Traditionally today is also known as the ‘Feast of Stephen’, a memorial to the first recorded Christian martyr. Our thoughts turn to consider what we may be asked to forsake for the Gospel.

Call to Worship (based upon Psalm 148: 13-14)
Praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted.
His glory is above earth and heaven.
Praise the Lord!

HYMN 104 The Lord of heaven confess

Prayer:

Let us pray:

We have watched,
we have waited,
and now you have come to us.
You spoke through the prophets,
you spoke by your Spirit,
and now you call to us.

Lord Jesus,
in this time of Christmas
we come before you in praise,
lifting high your name,
worshipping in your presence
and bowing before you.

As we worship,
accept the offering we bring
of both heart and mind.
Guide and inspire,
inform and enliven,
that we may truly serve you.
Open our eyes
to the need of the world.
May we bring hope,
compassion and mercy
wherever we go,
and do so in your name.

Open our hearts
that we would feel your touch,
that we would know your presence.
Open our hearts
that we would love your world,
and see its restoration.

Lord Jesus,
it is you we honour this day;
it is your name that we bless;
it is your name that is lifted high.
Here us now, we pray,
as we join in your words, saying:

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:

Acts 7: 54-60 – The Stoning of Stephen
… [The Council] became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.

Luke 2:41-52 – The Boy Jesus in the Temple
Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.
Amen.

HYMN 305 In the bleak midwinter

(from the Chet Valley Churches)

Reflection:

This may be a statement of the obvious but the world , today, needs hope!

I want to begin by sharing with you a story, a legend if you will, concerning a European aristocrat of the late 10^th century. The man in question, a Bohemian duke by the name of Wenceslas, was reputed to behave like this: each night he would rise from the comfort of his bed and, taking with him but one servant, would visit the local churches and villages giving both moral and material support to the poor, the widowed, and the orphaned. It’s the same Wenceslas of who we sing in the hymn. He didn’t become a king until the title was conferred upon him posthumously by the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. His piety and sense of justice were deemed to have been worthy of such honour and dignity. Today we will sing this hymn, in part, because this is the Feast of Stephen. Stephen was the first recorded Christian martyr.

The story of this Bohemian king and the story of the first martyr may be nothing more than legend, yet all such tales have a basis in truth. Yet they point to truth in the form of a question. It is a question that does not sit very comfortably in our culture; it is this: what are you and we prepared to forego for the sake of the Gospel? For Wenceslas it was comfort, wealth, and most likely the respect of some of his peers. For Stephen it was his life. What are we prepared to sacrifice?

Throughout Scripture are regular references to sacrifice; it is there from the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis, all the way to the new heaven and the new earth in the Book of Revelation. Most profoundly, for us as Christians, the language of sacrifice runs right through the heart of the story of Jesus. It is something that cannot be escaped. Yet is sacrifice present in our lives? I do not mean the minor giving up of treats during the preparation for Easter, nor giving up meat or alcohol for a month as a part of some charity drive or fad. Rather I mean the major, life-changing, sacrifices of the faith.

Right now, the world needs hope. It needs something or someone it can believe in that will not let them down and be true to their word. Right now we have the ongoing pandemic; NATO, Russia and China are at loggerheads with each other; we read what seems like never ending stories of children being murdered; we know that many individuals and families in our land are living in poverty having to decide daily whether to eat or heat. The world needs hope. The hope of the world is not an abstract idea, nor is it a stranger to us. The hope of the world is to be found in the love of God made real that first Christmas in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. It is this same hope, this same Jesus, that inspired the actions of Wenceslas and provided the strength needed by Stephen to witness to his faith, making the ultimate sacrifice. Where, though, does that leave us?

I imagine it to be highly unlikely that you or I will ever be in the position to have to offer up our own lifeblood for the sake of the Gospel, but what may we be asked, commanded, to relinquish – time – talent – material resources? The truth is that it will be all three. Yet these are not just what we have as individuals but those things we hold on to as a people too. Our world needs hope, it needs the Gospel, it needs Jesus. But the world will only see this if we witness to it. While we fixate on status, position, tradition, and buildings it will not see. Could it be that we are being asked to forsake these things in order that the world may see its true hope? As the body of Christ in this place and time we need to consider that this may be the cost to us of mission.

These are not easy sacrifices in thought or in practice. But it is through such depth of sacrifice of those things that we hold dear that we will be freed to witness for the Gospel, as did Wenceslas, as did Stephen. It is when we are free of such great weights, such shackles, that we will be free to witness, to be ‘martyrs’ for the sake of the Gospel. Perhaps then the world around us will see its hope shining through us, radiating from us. Perhaps then the world will see its hope; perhaps then it will see Jesus.
Amen.

HYMN Good King Wences’las

(from the Chet Valley Churches)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

Merciful God,
keep your church holy
and obedient to Your word.
May we follow the example of Christ,
from his boyhood to manhood,
from his birth to rising from the dead.
May we follow in wisdom and in grace.

Merciful God,
grant to those of the world
with power and authority
both humility and mercy.
May they rule for the good of all.
May they strive for justice and equity,
lifting up the lowly and downtrodden.

Merciful God,
bless the homes in this place,
both the ones represented here
and the many more that surround us.
May they be beacons in the dark,
radiating love, radiating peace,
and living in joy.

Merciful God,
look on in compassion we pray
upon those who have lost loved ones,
especially those who have lost children.
In mercy look upon the sick
whether in heart, in mind, or in body.
Lord, be a healing presence in our midst.

Merciful God,
we give thanks and praise
for those you have called home.
May we live by their example,
their hope, and their faith in you.
These prayers we bring in the name of Christ,
our living and resurrected Lord.
Amen.

HYMN 322 Good Christians, all rejoice

(from Virtual Angels)

Benediction:

Go from here in peace,
in joy, and in love.
And as you go
may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Spirit Holy,
go with you
now and always.
Amen.

Sung Amen:

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Sunday 19th December 2021

Welcome to our service for this, the last Sunday before Christmas. As we gather again around the story of the birth of Jesus let us reflect on how God can call the most ordinary of people to do the most extra-ordinary of things in His name.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 80: 1-3)
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock!
Stir up your might,
and come to save us!
Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Hymn 320 Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Reading: and Prayer

John 1: 1-14 – In the beginning
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
Prayer
Let us pray:

Christ Jesus,
you are the light of the world;
We come before you this day
seeking that you would bring light to our life.
May our lives so shine before the world
that the peoples would look and see you, not us.

Christ Jesus,
you are the hope of the world.
We come before you in hope this day
asking that you would fill our lives with hope.
May that hope so fill us with love
that we would reach out and bless the world.

Christ Jesus,
the joy of the world.
We come before you this day
seeking the joy of the Gospel.
May the joy you give so overflow
that we would praise you as Mary did.

Christ Jesus,
your love has redeemed the world.
We come before this day in humility
praying that we would know your salvation.
May your saving grace flow from us
that the world may have hope in your name.

Christ Jesus,
author of light, peace, joy, and love
may your name be so lifted in our worship
that the world would know that you are our Lord.
May your name be honoured this day,
and for all eternity to come.

Christ Jesus, hear us we pray,
as we come to you in the words you taught,
saying together:

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.

Reading:

Isaiah 9: 2-7 – Unto us a child is born
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Hymn 304 O little town of Bethlehem

from Chet Valley Churches

Reading:

Matthew 1: 18-25 – Jesus is born
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’

When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Hymn 310 See him lying on a bed of straw

(from “Hymns & Songs”)

Reading:

Luke 2: 8-20 – Shepherds, and angels
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Hymn 301 Hark! the herald-angels sing

(from Northern Baptist Association, Newcastle Big Sing)

Reading:

Matthew 2: 1-12 – Wise men bring gifts
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”’

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Hymn 309 Silent Night

Thought for the Day

What would you do? Imagine yourself, for a moment, in Mary’s shoes. She is only a teenager, and she finds herself to be pregnant but not through the usual way. What would you do? The thing is that she can’t be open about it; Mary is unmarried, and so could be stoned to death as an adulteress. What would you do? She ran; ran to the nearest relative with whom she may be safe. This was her cousin, Elizabeth, who herself was with child. What would you do?

What do you do when faced with a new, and potentially threatening or frightening, situation? Imagine being in circumstances where you do not know. Imagine facing the difficulty alone, feeling uncertain about your life, and needing just some sign of hope or blessing, something to say more than, “it’ll be alright”. Most of us will turn to family or friends for advice, those folk who know us best and who we, perhaps, have known throughout all our life. We seek advice, support, companionship. We need to feel that we are not alone and will not be overwhelmed. We may not think of it like this, or choose to use this form of language, but what we need is a blessing. Mary ran to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptizer, a prophet, and is blessed.

To us, what Mary does may not seem that odd, after all in some places there remains something of a stigma attached to being an unmarried or single mum. But is our lack of surprise because we know the story too well? Is it that we are so familiar with the tale that we cease to be struck by it?

If we look again, though, at the story of Mary and the announcement of the incarnation we see something truly wonderful, miraculous, taking place. Mary is ordinary, a nobody, until the angel of God brings his message to her. She reacts by saying not “no” but “how can this be”. Surely the Messiah would be born into a royal palace, not to an unmarried mum. Yet her faith, her trust, carries her through. In all her ordinariness what marks her out is her faith; it is this that makes her “blessed among women”. It is here, into the ordinary, the difficult, the painful, and dangerous, that God takes on human form and becomes one of us. It is into all this that someone ordinary proves to be someone most blessed and wonderful.

We find ourselves in challenging situations, perhaps even life-threatening ones even if not like Mary’s one. Yet we, like her, find ourselves in need of blessing. We find ourselves in need of the faith that will carry us through. Yet not only carry us but enable us to rise victorious as a child of God. The story of Mary tells us that God chooses, again, to work through the ordinary and humdrum of our world. It tells us that God can choose to work through you and me. We, like Mary, may not consider ourselves worthy to play any significant role in the plans and purpose of God. Yet we can and are!

In the challenges that lie before us as a congregation and as a people let us be like Mary, let us hold on to our faith in God. Let us rise above our challenges and fulfil our places in the will of God. Let us, like Mary, be blessed.
Amen.

Prayer:

Let us pray:

God of all,
we pray for the lowly in our world,
for those living in communities
where they are regarded as inferior
due to race, creed, colour or gender.
God, show them mercy
and raise them into your presence.
God of all,
we pray for the powerless in our world,
for those with no control or say in their lives
through those who consider themselves to be
superior, better, more important.
God, show them justice
and set them free from all oppression.

God of all
we pray for all children
and those who depend on others.
In their need of care or protection
may they experience love and compassion.
God, show them your protection;
may your Spirit come down upon them.

God of all,
we pray for ourselves.
Where we live in darkness may we know your light.
Where we are divided may we know your peace.
Where we are despondent may we know your joy.
Where our hearts are breaking may we know your love.
God of all, be with us we pray.
Amen.

Hymn 306 O come, all ye faithful

(from Westminster Abbey)

Benediction:

Go from this time
living out the true spirit of Christmas:
Walk in light, make peace, share the joy,
and live in the love of God.
And as you go,
may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
go with,
now and always.
Amen.

Sung Amen

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

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Sunday 12th December 2021

Welcome to our service for this third Sunday in Advent, traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday – a day of rejoicing. Our online service this week is brought to you as a team effort by Alex, Pauline, and Louise. Today we consider the paradox of joy in a time of challenge.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 30)
I praise you, Lord, because you have saved me
and kept my enemies from gloating over me.

I cried to you for help, O Lord my God,
and you healed me;
Sing praise to the Lord,
all his faithful people!
Remember what the Holy One has done,
and give him thanks!

His anger lasts only a moment,
his goodness for a lifetime.
Tears may flow in the night,
but joy comes in the morning.

Hear us, Lord, and be merciful!
Help us, Lord!”
You have changed my sadness into a joyful dance;
you have taken away my sorrow
and surrounded me with joy.

HYMN 277 Hark the glad sound! The Saviour comes

(from First Plymouth Church, Lincoln, Nebraska)

Prayer:

(Based on The Magnificat, Luke 1: 46-55)
Let us pray:

We gather in Your presence, Lord,
to proclaim Your greatness,
and to rejoice in Your salvation,
for You have looked upon us in grace.

In Your love You have blessed us,
doing great things for and through us.
You have shown Your mercy to us,
bringing us through times of darkness.

In mercy You look upon the humble,
calling them to Your presence,
filling them with good things,
and placing Your seal upon them.

You, Lord, have come to the aid of Your people,
through Your mercy granting us forgiveness.
You keep Your promise to all people,
generation by generation.

Now we come before you in joy,
in hope, and in thanksgiving.
We lift high Your Holy Name,
through Christ, our risen Lord.

Hear us, we pray, as we come to you in His words, saying together:

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:

Zephaniah 3: 14-20
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!

The Lord has taken away the judgements against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.

The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it.

I will deal with all your oppressors
at that time.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.

At that time I will bring you home,
at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes, says the Lord.

Philippians 4: 4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Amen

HYMN 281 People, look East

(from Borodino Methodist Church)

Reflection:

The third Sunday in Advent is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday. The day takes its name from the Latin, Gaudete, or ‘rejoice’, the first word of the passage we read from Philippians this morning: Rejoice in the Lord always. Perhaps you were not surprised that the theme of our service this morning is joy, or rejoicing. Most people in the secular world in which we live think of December as Christmas, a time for laughter, happiness and celebration. But for Christians, this time is not Christmas. We are in Advent and we are not yet celebrating the birth of Christ. And, amid continuing concern over the spread of Covid 19, and our worries over climate change, are we mad to celebrate and rejoice after the two years we have had and the new threats we are now facing?

The passage from Zephaniah is a shout of joy and you may well have felt that you could not share in that emotion. However, the passage comes at the end of a book that is largely about disaster and distress. It is full of prophecies of judgement and reproach, as the people are warned that God is unhappy with their behaviour and intends to punish them. And yet that period of difficulty and trauma ends with this outburst of joy.

For us too, the world can seem dark. Maybe we too feel cut off from God. Are you cross that ‘everyone else’ is preparing to celebrate Christmas and you don’t feel like it? Rather than feel joyful, do you in fact feel low? Grief-stricken, lonely, confused, fearful? You are not alone. We know from our readings of the Bible that sorrow and grief have been part of the human condition for millennia.

So, what causes us to rejoice? There are glimmers of hope in our current situation. The scientists are working flat out to counter the threat of new Covid variants and our vaccination programme has been a success. We have not yet fully returned to ‘normal’ life but we are able to worship together and to meet family and friends. Governments have agreed to tackle climate change and there may be progress. Some of us may indeed have had moments this year when we have felt truly joyful. Not just content, not just happy but downright joyful. Take a moment to think about what that felt like.

Paul, in this extract from his letter to the Philippians, calls his readers to joy and confirms that the peace of God will then be vouchsafed to us. He wrote this when he was a prisoner, suffering and perhaps already expecting death. We can be comforted by this realisation that, for us too, joy can emerge from times of grief and struggle.

Why is this? It is not anything we do ourselves but the presence of God that determines the joy we feel. Like Paul and like the ancient Israelites, we will face challenges in our lives and, like them, we are called, with God’s help, to face them not with weariness, self-pity or even anger, but with songs of joy.

What does that mean for us, on this day, in this year? Don’t misunderstand ‘joy’. This is not the pleasure you may take in turkey and gifts and hugs from your nearest and dearest. Henri Nouwen, a Dutch Catholic priest and theologian, spoke of joy not being the same as simple happiness. It comes from the knowledge “that you are unconditionally loved” by God. It is a deeper emotion – sometimes even co-existing with unhappiness. Our passages today both speak a message of hope to those in difficult situations.

The period of Advent shows us that God was to answer the general lament of humankind in a spectacularly generous way. We know that something special is about to happen. We know that someone is coming, someone important. God answered the prayers of those early Israelites – and our prayers too – by sending Jesus to live among us, and to die for us. The Light transforms the lives of human beings and turns grief to joy.

The period of Advent is – or should be – a time of preparation for us, and not just for a long weekend of family and presents. We need to be ready for Jesus. We cannot enter fully into God’s promise of joy unless we open ourselves to change, to new priorities, renewed relationships with each other and with our neighbours near and far.

Jesus’ birth, his life, his death and his resurrection reveal God’s love for the world – for all of us. His incarnation – his physical presence on earth among ordinary people like Paul, and you, and me – is a source of hope, love, peace and deep, abiding joy. Light is about to break again into our lives, whatever the challenges we face. Be ready. Rejoice! I will say it again; rejoice!
Amen.

HYMN 286 Tell out my soul

(Songs of Praise from St. Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast)

Prayer:

Let us pray.

Marysaid,
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.

God of Love,
who seeks to fill us with true joy,
teach us to be bearers of your light in times of darkness.
In doing so, may the lonely know friendship,
the grieving, comfort, and the despairing, hope.

Mary said,
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.

God of Grace,
You have blessed us beyond measure.
By the gifts we receive let us give to one another.
May we give our time, talents, and money to
serve those in emotional, spiritual, and physical need.

Mary said,
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.

God of Wonder,
You are compassionate to those who seek you.
May we seek you in the everyday and in time of celebration.
May we learn from your Word, teaching young and old
to love mercy, act justly, and walk humbly with you.

Mary said,
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.

God of Justice,
who fights for the oppressed and downtrodden,
correct in us any pride or sense of superiority.
Let us share our food with the hungry, our purse with the poor,
and your strength, comfort, and care with the victimised.

Mary said,
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

God of Eternity,
You know our past, our present and future.
We pledge ourselves to you, as part of your Church.
Remember us in your mercy,
and walk with us this day and ever more.
Amen.

HYMN 449 Rejoice! The Lord is King

(from Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California)

Sending:

Let us go from this place
with hearts comforted by the promise of God.
Let us go from this place
knowing that the Light will enter our lives.
Let us go from this place,
knowing that love and peace and joy will be ours.

And as we go,
may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
go with you all
now and evermore.
Amen.

Sung Amen:

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Sunday 5th December 2021

Welcome & Intimations:
Welcome to our service for this second Sunday in Advent. As Advent is a time not only of thinking back to the birth of Jesus, but a time of looking forward to his return, we will be thinking today about what that second coming means.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 134)
Praise the Lord all you servants of the Lord.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.

HYMN 162 The God of Abraham praise

(from Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California)

Prayer:

Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem, and put on for ever the beauty of the glory from God.Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God; put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting;for God will show your splendour everywhere under heaven. (Baruch 5: 1-3)

Let us pray.

Living God, in our worship,
we seek to be ready to meet with You.
We prepare ourselves;
we still ourselves;
we organise ourselves;
we get ourselves in the right frame of mind.
And now we come to You in prayer.

We come with thanksgiving,
for the beauty of this day,
for the wonder of life,
for the fellowship of this place,
for the freedom to meet and worship,
and for the Gospel message of this Advent Season.
So we rejoice, with the universal Church,
as we journey through Advent in worship and in faith.
Make us ready for the coming of our Lord.

But are we ready yet?
Are we really prepared to meet You here?
Are we properly ready for the wonder of the Incarnation?

We look at how we are and who we are, and we wonder how we will look to You.
We still wear our garments of sorrow and affliction.
For life may have been tough for us this week,
and the burdens we carry might be hard to bear.

We’re still dressed in the garments of failures, promises made and promises broken,
acts of kindness missed and acts of sinfulness offered.
We are still clothed in unrighteousness.
And we are ashamed.

We’re still dressed in the garments of doubt and uncertainty.
We are not perfect.
We have so many questions.
But mostly, we hide them under our coats of respectability,
our jackets of strength,
our coverings of faithfulness,
our public image of certainty,
while underneath we are shabby and grey.

Are we ready? Are we prepared for You to look on such as us?

But just when we want to turn away in our shame,
Your message comes to us again. “Put on the beauty of the glory from God”,
for you deserve my love, dear children.

“Put on the robe of the righteousness”,
and don’t be fearful of my wrath, for this is the message that comes from God.

“Put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting,”
for you need no longer be ashamed.

Ready? Yes, we can be ready, not through our own purposes,
but by offering ourselves to God;
not through our own efforts,
but by believing that our “God will show your splendour everywhere under heaven”,
even for the likes of each one of us.

So now we can be prepared.
Now we know You can look on us and smile.
Now we can recognise again that You and Your people are one.

Merciful God,
You sent Your messengers the prophets to preach repentance
and prepare the way for our salvation:
give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Here us, we pray, as we come to you in the words Jesus taught, saying:

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:

Malachi 3: 1-4
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Luke 3: 1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was rulerof Galilee, and his brother Philip rulerof the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias rulerof Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:“Prepare the way of the Lord,make his paths straight.Every valley shall be filled,and every mountain and hill shall be made low,and the crooked shall be made straight,and the rough ways made smooth;and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”’
Amen

HYMN 474 Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

(from the Chet Valley Churches)

Reflection:

What images come to mind when you think of the Christmas season? Do you think of nativity scenes that decorate our homes or churches? Do you think of the evergreen tree, with all its decorations? Do you think of the hectic nature of shopping as the big day gets closer? I wonder, too, how the season makes us feel. Excitement? Joy? Perhaps you look forward to the sense of fun and the catching up of family and friends. I wonder, though, how many of us approach Christmas with a sense of fear or dread!

Many in our city, indeed our land, will approach Christmas with no real sense of joy. For those with children to provide for it may be worse for them than for others. The apparent need to provide the latest gadgets or toys, and to spend beyond our means so as not to make our children feel embarrassed, or so that we may ‘keep up with the Jones’s’ will drive many into unmanageable debt. If you think I am exaggerating a little, then reflect upon this fact: one in four children in Scotland, today, live in poverty!

If we turn to the days of the early church, or even to the hopes and aspirations of the people of God in the time leading up to the coming of Jesus we will find a very different set of thoughts and feelings in place. The people were expecting a Messiah, someone anointed of God to come and set the people free; he would lead them not only out of captivity in a human sense, bit also out of whatever it was that was holding people back from encountering God. The Messiah would be a liberator. However, this liberator would also be a revolutionary of sorts! He would bring judgement to bear upon the people as he prepared them for the coming ‘Day of the Lord’. This would be a day of rejoicing, that much is true, but it would lead to much soul searching and heartache as well. Look at the language we heard read earlier; it speaks of refining, and fire, and purification. It asks who can stand, who may endure that day. Those are not images that conjure up the idea of an inoffensive crib scene or Christmas party; rather these are scenes of terror and dread.

It is into moods such as these that Jesus was born. Our Gospel reading skips ahead to the time when Jesus was about to begin his ministry, but the mood is just the same, the images remain. John the Baptizer comes proclaiming the coming of the Lord. He comes, calling the people to judgement yet calling them also to repent, to turn back to God and know His mercy. He prepares the way for the coming of Jesus. Yet note, there remains no sign of this ‘gentle Jesus, meek and mild’, the strange infant who ‘no crying he makes’. It is this Jesus that John is calling us to watch out for, and to follow. It is this Jesus that would be horrified at the way we spend Christmas while so many of our neighbours are lacking the basic things of life. If we stand back and do nothing then we, too, will know the judgement of the ‘Day of the Lord.’

So what are we to do? What may we do? We may begin by turning and focussing on what it is that is meant by the kingdom, and of what sort of people who may populate it. The kingdom is the rule of God, and it is eternal. It is not bound by politics, or geography, or history. It predates these things and will be long after they are gone. It is a kingdom whose population will be defined by their righteousness, not their ethnicity, or theology, nor having right beliefs. The righteous citizens of that kingdom are those who do works of justice, for that is what righteousness means. We can use our voice to bring justice to bear. With one in four of our children in poverty we can resource the various agencies who work with such as these. We can vote and argue and petition to change the structures that imprison them. With a new variant of COVID circulating around the world we can demand to know why the wealthy west allows the poorer south to go without sufficient vaccines to give them a fighting chance to beat the pandemic. Perhaps this pandemic will remind us that we are all one, for it is not fussy who it infects or whom it kills. Wouldn’t it be a most wonderful Christmas if we even made a start on such things?

The kingdom began in eternity and will end in it. On the way prophets came and went. So too did monarchs and dictators, kingdoms and empires. Into this kingdom Christ was born. This was not to save the spiritually elite nor the theologically correct but to bring justice. This justice demands a reorientation of the heart and mind, to think beyond the self and self-interest. It is to see God in the eyes of the other. This is what Christmas enables us to do, but only if we see beyond the trappings and the jolliness. Christmas enables us to transform the world, to bring in the kingdom of God. So what are we waiting for … let’s prepare.
Amen.

HYMN 472 Come, thou long expected Jesus

(from Songs of Praise, St. John’s College Choir, Cambridge)

Prayer:

Let us pray.

Let us pray that God will transform us,
that this world would become more just.

We pray that the Church would be empowered
to raise our voices like those of the prophets
that we may proclaim the way of salvation.
Fill your people with your spirit that we may fulfil our callings.

We pray that the rulers of this world would live in humility,
that they may discern the truth
and that their power may be exercised for the good of all.
Make straight the crooked ways of the world.

We pray that we may be reborn this Advent.
May we hear the call to repent of our selfishness
and turn to your path of redemption.
Lead us into the paths of peace.

We pray for the sick and the injured,
for those who ache in body or in mind.
We pray for the grieving and the struggling,
may the whole world know your healing.

We give thanks for the great saints
of this and every age
who walked the paths of justice
yet gave glory to you alone.

May our prayers be acceptable in your sight,
our Lord and our God.
Amen.

HYMN 290 The race that long in darkness pined

(from Grimsby Minster)

Benediction:

May the Blessing of God who made us,
Christ who redeems us,
and the Spirit who renews us,
rest upon us all
through today,
through Advent,
and the time to come.
Amen.

Sung Amen:

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Sunday 28th November 2021

Welcome

Call to worship (based upon Psalm 25)
Make us to know your ways, O Lord;
teach us your paths.
Lead us in your truth, and teach us,
for you are the God of our salvation;
for you we wait all day long.

HYMN 273 O come, O come, Emmanuel

Prayer c/w Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray:

God of all light, Creator,
Light of the World
we approach You
with joy in community,
with gratitude for love,
and with prayerful stillness
revealing the love and light
at the heart of all creation.

Loving God we are in awe and give grateful thanks
for all the good things in life.
We know we don’t always get things right.
When we lose focus and direction,
set us back on the right path of love.
When we feel cross, and bitter words leave our lips,
remind us of the abundance of your love
When we feel overwhelmed by daily tasks,
show us the power of stillness;
empower us with inner, quiet strength.
When we turn from you,
turn us gently back so that our focus is on you, on love, on light,
on the goodness at the heart of all creation.

These prayers we bring,
in the blessed name of Jesus
in whose words we now pray together, saying:

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:

Jeremiah 33:14-16
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety.

Luke 21:25-36
‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’

Then he told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’
Amen.

HYMN 284 Hope is a candle

(from Hobkirk and Southdean with Ruberslaw Churches)

Reflection:

Today we enter the season of Advent. It’s the time when we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ. As we have thought before it is a time of looking back to his first coming, in the birth at Bethlehem, and forward to his second coming when he will return as Lord of all. In our half of the world it is also a time of darkness for we are approaching the shortest and darkest days of the year. Perhaps that is why light features so prominently in our thinking and practice. We illuminate buildings, trees, homes, and sometimes even gardens with a myriad of lights. Sometimes it’s tacky, but other times it is something dazzling and wonderful. As Christians we are not alone in this focus on light, as other faith communities do so too. These lights, though, are not just to help us see, or to provide warmth, but to drive off the metaphorical darkness around us too.

The prophet Jeremiah looked around him and, seeing the darkness that had come over the land and the people, looked forward to a time when one would come who would provide light. Looking back to the idealised example of King David the prophet then looks forward to one who would be like him, leading the people in paths of truth and justice. This was a looking for light through the words of scripture.

Light, though, is not only to be found in the words of the Bible. We are to find light also in each other, in our community. Around us are people of wisdom and faith, individuals and groups who can inspire us to greater things for the benefit of all. We need the great prophet, we need the Messiah, but we also need each other. Leaders and a saviour are vital but so, too, are the pole that they lead, or come to save. We must look to each other for support and encouragement as well as to our God. We need the physicality of human presence and touch if we, too, are to be fully human. And once we are fully human then we become lights to lead and serve others.

Thirdly, light shows us the truth. It reveals to us our flaws, our shortcomings, but it also shows us the way to restoration. It opens our eyes to the ways things are and the way they can be. This is as true of our everyday small actions as it is of the great matters of eternity. We need the light to see.

We live in times of what feels like darkness. We have a pandemic, we see political unrest, we see violence both at home and abroad, we see persecution and terrorism; the list can go on. We need light to be brought to both hearts and minds. But we cannot just sit here and wish or pray for such to happen. Rather, we need to act, we need to get up out of our seats and do something. In the gospel of John, Jesus says that he is the ‘light of the world’. In other words he is the source of our truth, and he is our guide in how to live. We need to take our lead form him, seeking to follow where he illuminates. We need to take our lead from him, seeking to act where he has been our example. We need to take our lead from him, looking not back to some imagined halcyon days but forward in hope. This is hope that we can make a difference, we can be light to the world, dispelling darkness.
Amen.

HYMN 543 Longing for light

(from the Chet Valley Churches)

Prayers:

Let us pray:

Let us seek the grace of God as we prepare to celebrate the coming of the Lord.

May your church remain faithful to your call upon her;
may she strive to seek light, forever trusting in your promises.
May your people be ever watchful,
working for justice and truth for all.

We live in a world where many are trapped,
by poverty, by debt, my pressure from others, by so many other situations;
in compassion, look down upon our world, and let it know your care.
May the hostility that separates peoples be turned to peace.

Open our eyes that we may see your presence amongst us.
When we are distressed may we know your strength;
when we witness others struggle, may they know your peace;
where those around us worry, may they be freed from fear.

We pray for all who suffer this week:
we remember places of armed conflict or terror;
we remember those impacted directly by a changing climate;
we remember those around us grieving, ill, or anxious

We recall all those of our community
who have gone ahead of us into your eternal kingdom.
We celebrate their compassion, their generosity,
and their faithfulness to the ways of light.

In the name of Jesus we pray.
Amen.

HYMN 286 Tell out my soul, the greatness of the Lord!

(Songs of Praise from St. Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast)

Benediction

Go into the world
as bearers of light in the darkness.
And as you go
may the blessing of God.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
go with you, evermore.
Amen

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

Opening prayer by Ruth Harvey, leader of the Iona Community. Taken from Church of Scotland, Weekly Worship.

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Sunday 21st November 2021

Welcome to our service of worship for Sunday 21^st November. This week we come to the end of what is the church’s calendar for the year. On this day we reflect upon what it means to call Christ King, before moving on next week to begin the countdown to Christmas. It is our hope and prayer that, as we worship, we will be drawn closer to each other and to our Lord.

Call to worship (Psalm 24: 9-10)
Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory.

Let us worship God.

HYMN 129 The Lord is King! Lift up thy voice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FhabCZgqmM

Please click on the link to play the hymn

Prayer:

Let us pray.

Lift up your heads,
be lifted up, O people of God,
and worship the King of glory.

We lift our hearts in worship,
our eternal God and King.
There is none like you,
strong to save
and merciful to all who seek you.

We lift our hearts in worship,
for by your grace you have set us free
You have lifted us up,
setting our feet upon the path
of light and truth.

We lift our hearts in worship,
for you alone have redeemed us.
You have made us in your image
and called us by name.
You alone are our God and King.

We lift our hearts in worship.
You are robed in majesty
and girded with strength.
You established the world,
and to you we cry ‘Hallelujah!’

Lord Jesus Christ, our Faithful Witness,
the Firstborn of the dead,
and ruler of all:
You forgive the wrongs of your children,
and so we praise Your name.

In love and mercy you cleanse us from our sins
and making us a kingdom of priests
serving God our maker
and bringing his kingdom to bear.
To You be glory and dominion forever and ever.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:

Revelation 1:4b-8
John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freedus from our sins by his blood, and madeus to be a kingdom, priests servinghis God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Look! He is coming with the clouds;
every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.

So it is to be. Amen.

‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

John 18: 33-37
Then Pilate entered the headquartersagain, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’
Amen

HYMN 459 Crown him with many crowns

(from Songs of Praise – Royal Albert Hall)

Reflection:

This is the last Sunday of the Church’s year. Next week sees us begin the period known as Advent, when we begin the countdown to Christmas. This week, though, we traditionally look upon as the feast of Christ the King. It is a time to consider whom we follow, and how.

If you read carefully through the Gospel of John you will note that Jesus has the practice of not always answering questions the way that others would like. We see that clearly in today’s reading. Pilate, as both judge and jury, wishes simply to know if Jesus had been guilty of sedition. Was he guilty of leading or inspiring a revolt against their lord and master, the emperor? If Jesus could be shown to be guilty then the outcome was simple, he would be executed in the most inhumane way they could think of. Crucifixion was usually not a quick death but a slow and lingering one that could stretch over a period of three days or so. Jesus, however, does not approach Pilate’s question directly. In a sense he dances around it both probing and exploring what it means to be king. He stretches Pilate’s simple question into a much deeper conversation over what it means to be a ruler, and what it means to be a kingdom. It is almost as if Jesus is not interested in the charges or question presented to him. None of this was what Pilate wanted to hear.

Consciously or not, we approach the question of rule at least once each year in this congregation; this occurs when we sing the national anthem. Often, like the Lord’s Prayer, it is recited without a second thought to the words or their meaning. This is compounded with the anthem in that we seldom sing beyond the first verse. Other verses effectively remind the monarch under whose grace they reign; another reminds us of our tendency, as Scots, to be a bit rebellious; a later, final, verse is a universal call to brotherhood. But do we ever pause to think what it means to call God’s blessing down upon a monarch, or to pledge allegiance to that person? Do not worry, I am not about to preach sedition. What I am asking is that we think about the consequence of uttering such words and phrases as we do.

As members of the Reformed tradition we are often reminded that salvation is by ‘faith alone’. Yet the word translated as ‘faith’ also has another common meaning; it can mean ‘allegiance’. Sometimes ‘faith’ is the only way the word may be rightly translated, however sometimes ‘allegiance’ also fits. Think about it for a moment … salvation by allegiance alone! Like the early church, the Church of Scotland is broad in its understanding and application of the gospel. Read the letters of the New Testament and you will see a wide range of beliefs and practices. This leads to a divergence of understandings of in what it is we truly have faith. But what if we consider the matter as one of allegiance. What if it is our allegiance to Christ that matters? What if it is his will and commands that matter most? Would these change our lives and our discipleship? Would it change our world for the better?

Loyalty and allegiance seem to matter more in the world these days than they did even a few years ago. This is, in part, an element of the search for identity and meaning. As Christians we have an identity, something beyond skin colour, language, or culture. That identity is bound up in our allegiance to Christ Jesus as our Lord, our King. If the Church could, for a moment, step back from vague notions of faith and instead turn to focus on allegiance what a difference it could make. Not only could we embrace diversity in the church more readily, but the effect on us and the world would be transformative. If our focus was upon allegiance, then matters of obedience would have to be considered more important than is often the case. We would have to take seriously the commands to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, etc. We would have to be people that worked for justice for all people, for justice is of God. This is what the early church did and look at how it impacted upon its world; look at the growth and dynamism that accompanied it.

The Kingdom of God or of Jesus is not one in the human sense. It is not bound up in manmade geographical borders or other ideas. It is a kingdom of a people who, as Jesus says in today’s Gospel, ‘listens to my voice’. This means that membership of Christ’s Kingdom has something to do with listening to Jesus’ voice and obeying it. It is about allegiance. Pilate had the privilege of hearing Jesus, the opportunity of listening to him, and thus also of belonging to the truth. He chose not to listen. Through the voice of Jesus in Scripture we may hear regularly the words of Jesus. Unlike Pilate will we also listen, and turn and pledge our allegiance to Him? Will we choose to belong to the truth, and proclaim Jesus as our King?
Amen.

HYMN 448 Lord, the light of Your love is shining

(from Songs of Praise – Royal Albert Hall 2012)

Prayer:

Let us pray.

Lord,
we pray that the peace and power of your Kingdom would come upon us.

We pray for the Church.
May she be inspired to show her allegiance to you,
working for your Kingdom to come.
May both leaders and people be faithful
to the words of Christ, our King.

We pray for the world.
We see the angers and frustrations that cause so much pain;
we see peoples and lands suffering and bereft of meaning.
May our earthly leaders seek wisdom from you,
and so lead the peoples in ways of peace.

We pray for the betrayed,
all those who have been abused or abandoned
by those they trusted.
We think of those women victims of violence from loved ones;
we think of victims of terrorism, betrayed by those they called friend or neighbour.

We pray for the weak,
those victims of society or evil.
We remember the falsely accused.
and those who are alone in our world.
We pray for those who face up to corruption in high places.

We pray for ourselves.
In our times of work or rest,
enable us to live as servants of the true King.
may his grace rule in our lives
blessing those around us.

We pray for the saints,
those who have gone on before us
into your eternal kingdom.
We give thanks for their witness
and rejoice that they stand in the presence of the King.

All these things we pray in the name of Christ,
the eternal King of glory.
Amen.

HYMN 449 Rejoice! the Lord is king

Benediction:

May the love of the King of angels enfold you;
the peace of his kingdom surround you;
the joy of his presence enliven you.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
be with you all,
evermore.
Amen.

Sung Amen:

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Sunday 14th November 2021

Call to Worship
We are met this day
to glorify God whose power sustains the world;
to remember with thanksgiving
those who lived and died
in the service of our country;
and to ask for God’s help and blessing,
that we may be worthy of their sacrifice
each day of our life.

God is our refuge and our stronghold,
a timely help in trouble.
(Psalm 46: 1)

Let us worship God:

HYMN 161 O God our help in ages past

Prayer:

Eternal God,
you are the shepherd of our souls,
the giver of life everlasting.

On this day
when we commemorate and commend to you
those who lived and died
in the service of others,
we are glad to remember
that your purposes for us are good,
that you gave Jesus Christ
for the life of the world,
and that you lead us by his Holy Spirit
into the paths of righteousness and peace.

Merciful and faithful God,
your purpose is to fold both earth and heaven
in a single peace.
With sorrow we confess
that in our hearts we keep alive
the passions and pride
that lead to hatred and to war.
We are not worthy of your love,
nor of the sacrifice made by others on our behalf.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Almighty God,
pardon and deliver us from all our sins,
confirm and strengthen us in all goodness,
and keep us in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God of unbounded grace,
you declared your reconciling love and power
in the death and resurrection
of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Teach us, who live only in your forgiveness,
to forgive one another.
Heal our divisions,
cast out our fears,
renew our faith in your unchanging purpose
of goodwill and peace on earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

The Lord’s Prayer
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.

Act of Remembrance:

Let us remember the kindness of God,
and his favour to us in our time of need.

Let us remember the courage,
devotion to duty,
and the self-sacrifice
of the men and women in our armed forces;
the toil, endurance, and suffering
of those who were not in uniform;
the support of those who sent us help from afar,
or came and stood by our side.

Let us remember those
who were wounded in the fight;
those who perished in air-raids at home;
those who fell in battle,
and are buried at sea
or in some corner of a foreign field;
and especially those
whom we have known and loved,
whose place is for ever in our hearts.

Let us remember those who were our enemies,
whose homes and hearts are as bereft as ours,
whose dead lie also
in a living tomb of everlasting remembrance.

Let us remember those who came back;
those whose lives still bear the scars of war;
those who lost sight or limbs or reason;
those who lost faith in God
and hope for humanity.

Let us remember the continuing grace of God,
whose love holds all souls in life,
and to whom none is dead
but all are alive for ever.

The Tryst
‘They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning,
We will remember them.’
We will remember them.

Two minutes silence is observed

Prayer:
In memory of those who died,
may we be better men and women;
and in gratitude to God,
may we live as those who are not their own
but who are bought with a price.
Amen.

Scriptures:

Matthew 25: 31-46 – Judgement of the nations
‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,^[^a^] you did it to me.” Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

Luke 10: 25-37 – The Good Samaritan
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’
This is the word of the Lord; thanks be to God.

HYMN 706 For the healing of the nations

Reflection:

Today I would like to share with you a story concerning one of my heroes. That there is a point to the story is what matters, not whether you think it history or myth. Our hero is Giovanni di Pietro di Bernadone. He was born in the late twelfth century and lived only until he was around forty-four years of age. He was born into a wealthy and privileged background is what is the Perugia region of Italy. Over time, he lived the high life and saw military service, that latter being a misguided attempt to shake off his disillusionment with life through chivalric acts. That’s simply a brief biography of the first twenty-odd years of his life. It’s what he did next that would make him famous, and this story comes from much nearer the end of his life.

The town of Gubbio was under siege, not from hostile armies but from a wolf. The wolf would raid the farms and the streets and carry off livestock. Despite many attempts the populace could neither trap nor kill the wolf; neither could they find his lair. The town was frightened and despairing. They knew not what to do. Into this, one day, wanders our hero. He offers to solve the problem, and strides off into the local woods where, it was believed, the wolf had his lair. The wolf lay asleep in a cave in the woods but was awakened by the clumsy steps of Giovanni. Sensing the potential of a free meal he rose up and charged towards the noise. At this point Giovanni sees the wolf charging towards him. Suddenly the animal stops in his tracks. Did he smell danger? Was he confused? Had he been overcome by the odour of our unwashed hero? Whatever it was he stopped. Our hero raised his hand to signal to the wolf to remain where he was. Then, turning to the animal, he asked, why do you so terrorise the people of the town? Why do you steal their flocks and herds, making them fear for their own existence? The wolf, bemused by this encounter, replied that he was so hungry as there was no suitable food within the forest and so had to raid the town in order to survive. The hero then proposed an offer to the wolf, a solution both to his problems and those of the townsfolk. He then returned to the town with the wolf accompanying him. There, the terrified citizens wondered what was going on. Giovanni then explained to the people the predicament of the wolf and offered them a solution. If they were to feed and care for the wolf in turn he would patrol the land around the town, keeping it free from other wolves and pests. Also, he would act as a guard and early warning for them should enemies approach. The town thought this to be a good arrangement. The sign of the peace accord was that the wolf offered a paw that the leader of the people then shook. The deal was to be a long-lasting one, ending only when the wolf died. On that day, the people grieved as they had lost not an enemy but a neighbour and a friend.

So what does the tale tell us? It reminds us that we must rise above our base instincts of fight or flight and seek a middle way. It reminds us that those we perceive as enemies are not always that much different from us, having needs and fears that need addressed for survival. Finally, it reminds us that sometimes there is another way, a way of peace. That, as Jesus tells us in the Gospels, is the way of blessing.

And our hero? Perhaps you didn’t recognise his name. He is more often known by a nickname he received due to his mother being French. This has come down to us today as Francis, St. Francis of Assisi. Amen.

HYMN 527 Lord, make us servants of your peace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66L78JfkqxA

(From St. Cuthbert’s, Wells, and Wookey Hole)

Prayers:

God of power and love
bless our country an

God of power and love.
bless our country and commonwealth.
Give wisdom and strength to the Queen,
govern those who make the laws,
guide those who direct our common life,
and grant that together we may fulfil our service
for the welfare of the whole people
and for your praise and glory.Bless all members of the armed forces.
Defend them in danger.
Give them courage to meet
all occasions with discipline and loyalty.
So may they serve
the cause of justice and peace,
to the honour of your name.Bless our young people.
May they never see the flames of war,
or know the depths of cruelty
to which men and women can sink.
Grant that in their generation
they may be faithful soldiers
and servants of Jesus Christ.Bless our friends
and those who were our enemies,
who suffered or are still suffering from war.
Grant that your love
may reach out to the wounded,
the disabled, the mentally distressed,
and those whose faith has been shaken
by what they have seen and endured.
Comfort all who mourn the death of loved ones,
and all who this day
miss the comradeship of friends.Bless those who are homeless,
those who are refugees,
those who are hungry,
those who have lost their livelihood or security.
Help us to pledge ourselves
to comfort, support, and encourage others,
that all may live in a world
where evil and poverty are done away
and where human life
reflects the radiance of your kingdom.Bless those in authority in every land,
and give them wisdom to know
and courage to do what is right.
Encourage those who work for peace,
who strive to improve international relations,
who seek new ways of reconciling
people of different race, colour, and creed.

Bless your Church throughout the world.
By your Holy Spirit,
draw the scattered flock of Christ
into a visible unity,
and make your Church
a sign of hope to our divided world.
Grant that we who bear your Son’s name
may be instruments of your peace,
bringing peace to our homes,
our nation, and our world.And now, rejoicing in the communion of saints,
we remember those whom you have gathered
from the storm of war
into the peace of your presence,
and give you thanks
for those whom we have known,
whose memory we treasure.
May the example of their devotion inspire us,
that we may be taught to live
by those who learned to die.
And at the last, grant that we,
being faithful till death,
may receive with them
the crown of life that never fades;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

HYMN 704 I vow to thee my country

d commonwealth.

National Anthem

Benediction:

God grant to the living, grace;
to the departed, rest;
to the Church, the Queen, the Commonwealth,
and all people,
peace and concord;
and to us and all his servants
life everlasting.And the blessing of God almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with you all.
Amen.

Acknowledgements:
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.Prayers and Act of Remembrance taken from the Church of Scotland Book of Common Order (1994)

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Sunday 7th November 2021

Welcome to Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches, and to our service of worship for Sunday 7^th November. In this season of remembering we consider our role in the world around us. 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 46: 1-3)
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
Let us worship God.

HYMN: Jesus shall reign where’er the sun

(from First-Plymouth Church Lincoln Nebraska)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

God, our creator
the heavens declare Your glory;
day by day they proclaim Your majesty.
This day we gather to join them
as we sing songs of praise,
listen in silence for Your voice,
and gather around Your word.
As living sacrifices we come,
seeking to do Your will,
seeking to lift high Your Holy Name.

We come to praise,
yet we also come to learn.
Open up to us Your word.
Show us its meaning,
reveal to us its wisdom,
and teach us how to live.
We come to learn,
yet we come also to serve.
Inspire us as disciples,
fill us with Your love,
and give us strength for the journey.

You, God, are our Creator,
yet You are also our Sustainer.
When we chose darkness,
You gave us light.
When we chose anger,
You gave us peace.
When we chose fear,
You gave us love.
In Jesus You healed us
and gave us life anew.

In His words,
we now pray, saying together:

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:

Deuteronomy 4:9-14
But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children – how you once stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Assemble the people for me, and I will let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me as long as they live on the earth, and may teach their children to do so’, you approached and stood at the foot of the mountain while the mountain was blazing up to the very heavens, shrouded in dark clouds. Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. He declared to you his covenant, which he charged you to observe, that is, the ten commandments; and he wrote them on two stone tablets. And the Lord charged me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances for you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy.

Romans 8:31-35
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

John 15:9-17
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servantsany longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

HYMN 604 Holy wisdom, lamp of learning

Reflection:

This is a strange time of year, especially this time around. We are early in a series of acts of remembering that began with Hallowe’en and All Saints, before quickly moving on to Guy Fawkes or bonfire night. Soon it will be Remembrance. Then it is Advent; the time where we are asked to look back to the birth of Christ while also looking forward to his return. These festivals come around each year, yet this year there is an additional challenge to look both backward and forward. It cannot have escaped anyone’s notice that a major climate conference is currently taking place. There governments and peoples are being challenged to save the earth for future generations. What is not readily acknowledged is that much of this looking forward is also a harking back in time; it is a looking back to Eden! We cannot avoid being caught up in these events. We may not tune in to reports from the conference; we may try to avoid the regular festivals, yet we cannot avoid having a role to play. Our three readings from Scripture illustrate why this is the case.

The book of Deuteronomy has one dominant them – Covenant. Both our Israelite ancestors in faith, and the Reformers, emphasised that we are in a unique relationship with God. God gives us of his grace and mercy; in return, we honour those blessings by serving his purposes and kingdom. The covenant calls upon us to be a Holy people. This means acting in ways that are both moral and ethical as defined by God. The Israelites were commanded to ‘go in and possess’; it is an instruction to transform the land into a place of truth, mercy, and bounty. As the people of the New Covenant we also subject to this covenant obligation. For us it does not mean resettlement or conquest but to make a concrete and positive difference to our world. We are to learn from what has gone before and to then become agents of transformation working to a restoration of the earth, of Eden.

Paul’s letter to the church in Rome reminds us that, on our own merits, we are unable to fulfil these demands. Yet through the New Covenant we are given new life through Christ. We experience the grace of God in a new way, and we are able to experience the limitless blessings of God. There, in the New Covenant, we are freed from condemnation and judgement. In response to this we are called to respond in ways that are non-judgemental. We are to seek out the possibilities of grace and mercy at work in all people. We are to act to be a healing presence in and for the world. It is not about rules and regulations but about hope and joy; it’s a lifestyle that we are called to model in our daily living.

Our third reading gives us the key to how this will work. In the Gospel of John we are commanded to “love one another as I have loved you.” Christ’s followers are instructed to act with this one motivation, to love. This is a love that seeks nothing in return but is given as a gift of grace. This is a love that is not self-seeking but self-sacrificing, just as Christ offered himself upon Golgotha’s Cross. This is a love that demands that we consider the wellbeing of the stranger as much as of the friend. Note that this love is not a request, it is a command; we are called to obey it. For us it may mean engaging in events and circumstances that may be foreign to us; it may mean engaging in activities and with people that we may otherwise seek to ignore. Whatever it may mean for each one if us it means that we are to act, and to do so in the gracious and merciful love of God.

These are strange times in which we live as we are invited to look both back and forward. As the people of God we are commanded not to stand by as if casual observers but to engage as emissaries of truth, grace and mercy. It means that we don’t have to like what has happened to All Saints or Christmas but we have to engage with our communities to bring the light of God to bear in them. It means that we do not have to celebrate a failed act of terrorism We may be climate sceptics, but we have to engage with the hopes and fears of communities across the globe for whom these are real and every day. Yes, we are called to engage and to seek to build anew; we are called to reclaim the earth and work toward Eden restored; but we are called to do so in faith, in hope, and in love just as we are commanded by Christ.
Amen.

HYMN 253 Inspired by love and anger

(From Upper Clyde Parish Church)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

God of mercy
we come before you with our cares and concerns.
We pray for the world that You created;
we pray for our friends and neighbours;
we pray for ourselves.

For our world we pray.
In this time of remembering,
You call us to look forward in faith.
As we look at the world
we see its pain and suffering.
From the horrors of terrorism in Afghanistan
to doubts destroying crops in Africa;
from pollution in India,
to deforestation in Latin America;
from poverty both near and far,
to rising sea levels in the Marshall Islands,
You see our folly
and the devastation it causes.
Merciful God,
have mercy upon us.
Show Your people how to lead this world
in ways of justice and peace.
Inspire and energise us
that we may bring Your healing
and light to our world.

For our neighbours we pray.
In this time of remembering,
You call us to look forward in faith.
As we see look around our communities,
we see and hear of divisions.
Gender, race, and sexuality
still seem to matter,
setting us apart from our neighbour.
God, may we and all Your world
learn to look beyond difference
and see that all humanity is made in Your image.
In places of loss, sadness or struggle
may we bring hope and joy,
and always in Your Holy Name.

For ourselves we pray.
In this time of remembering,
You call us to look forward in faith.
Give us the courage
to gaze into the windows of our souls.
Let us see the true state of our heart,
and seek our fullness in You.
May we see beyond our frailties,
and beyond our egos,
Seeing instead the truth.
In Your mercy,
bring us to a place of healing;
bring us to a place of restoration,
a place of renewal.
Merciful God,
may this all be done in praise of You
for You alone are worthy.
Amen.

HYMN 251 I, the Lord of sea and sky

(From St Martin’s Ampleforth Prep-I)

Benediction:

Go from this time
in faith, hope, and love.
And as you go
may the blessing of God,
Father, Son and Spirit Holy,
go with you always.
Amen.

Sung Amen:

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Sunday 31st October 2021

Welcome to the online service on Sunday 31st October 2021 for Reid Memorial and Craigmillar Park Churches and any friends who are joining us. Our reflection today focuses on Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth where there is hope after the tragic events in their lives. As the story unfolds, we hear of the bigger picture that God has in mind for Ruth.

Call to Worship (Psalm 146: 1,2)Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

Hymn CH4 124 Praise to the Lord the Almighty the King of Creation

Prayer of Approach:

Merciful God,We worship You,
with all of our heart,
with all of our mind
and with all of our strength.

Lord, we give you thanks today for so many things,
for the blessings we take for granted every day.
for the vitality and diversity of the natural world.
for the regularity and stability of the created world.
Reveal to us the richness of the Bible,
that each of us may recognise the messages
of the miracles and parables,
that we may find the inspiration
that meets our individual needs.

Loving God
With our human hearts, we try to love You,
Knowing God
With our human minds, we try to understand You,
Powerful God
With our human strength, we try to serve You.

Forgive us when we forget your eternal presence with us
For failing to be aware of the beauty of the world around us
For our thoughtless words and attitudes
For our selfishness and prejudices
Train our hearts to be thankful,
so that we live daily with a sense of gratitude and humility.

And we rejoice to know that when our hearts falter,
Your heart forgives.
When our conscience misleads us
You teach us that we are loved
When our strength fails,
You draw near and hold us close.

Now we join our voices as one as we pray the words that Jesus taught us;

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen

Scripture Readings:

Ruth 1: 1-18

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there for about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons or her husband.

Naomi and Her Moabite Daughters-in-Law

Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had had consideration for his people and given them food. So, she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go back each of you to your mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband.’ Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. They said to her, ‘No, we will return with you to your people.’ But Naomi said, ‘Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me.’ Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

So she said, ‘See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.’ But Ruth said,
‘Do not press me to leave you
or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people,
and your God my God.
Where you die, I will die—
there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me,
and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!’
When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

Mark 12:28-34

The First Commandment

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbour as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question.

Hymn CH4 172 – “Sing for God’s Glory that covers the dawn of creation”

Reflection:

My sister and I both started out on the same career path in the laboratories in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Soon she met a handsome young man, married him, and moved away to Essex. Some years later, on a return visit to Edinburgh she came back to the laboratories. As she entered, she laughed and commented that nothing seemed to have changed and it all looked the same. Many things were the same, but they were superficial. The rooms, windows, flooring, and workbenches were all as they had been when she left. However, the important things as far as lab work was concerned had changed. The lab tests were much streamlined by computerisation. They were more efficient, safer, and cost effective. The staff were better trained and happy. It had been a challenging time for the staff to learn the new procedures and take on more training. The managers could see the bigger picture and how the changes would benefit both staff and patients. Of course, not every member of the staff welcomed the changes and there was some upset and bitterness. Ultimately, it was a successful transition.

In the readings, we hear of Naomi and Ruth and how their lives were changed. Naomi had been living with her husband and two sons in a Jewish community in Bethlehem surrounded with family and friends. The famine forced them to leave their home and go to a foreign country called Moab in search of prosperity. The Moabites were pagan and not held in high regard by the Jewish people. Naomi had left behind all that she knew and the support of likeminded people to live in a country full of heathens. Her sons married Moabite wives, Ruth and Orpah. But then her husband died and sometime later so too her sons.

Naomi had been in Moab for ten years and decided that it was now time to return to Bethlehem. Without her husband and sons, she had no way to support herself. She felt bitter about the way that her life has turned out and believed that God has forsaken her. She knew that the famine was over in Bethlehem so told her daughters in law of her intention. As they said their farewells, Naomi wanted Ruth and Orpah to find security, with new husbands among their own people. Orpah obeyed Naomi’s wishes but Ruth has other ideas. She could not and would not leave her beloved mother-in-law, so travelled to a country and people who were foreign to her in many ways. Ruth wishes to leave behind the pagan ways of the Moab people and saw her future in Bethlehem with the people of God saying “Your people shall be my people and your God my God.”

At the end of this chapter, we are told that Naomi and Ruth arrived at Bethlehem in time for the barley harvest. Due to their poverty, Ruth went to in the fields to pick up the dregs of the harvest, and she had the opportunity to meet Boaz, her future husband, and the great grandfather of King David. The timing of these events did not happen by accident. God had something in mind for Naomi and Ruth. Naomi may have concluded that God had forsaken her; but she was wrong. Boaz, a man with great leadership qualities, compliments Ruth for taking care of her mother-in-law. He demonstrates his commitment to Ruth by lifting her out of poverty and providing for her needs. There was an ancient custom, where the brother of the dead husband may have a child with the widow to ensure the continuation of the family name. Although Boaz is not the brother of Ruth’s dead husband, he was a relative and their firstborn child was permitted to carry on the family name. A strange custom and not acceptable in today’s society, I’m sure you’ll agree.

Of course, Naomi was not alive at the time that the Gospel according to Mark was written but it certainly has a lesson for her as well as us, as we hear in the second reading today. We are told that the greatest commandment is “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”

Like Naomi we can become blinded by anger and despair when the road ahead seems difficult and uncertain. We cannot see the bigger picture and what God has planned for us. One thing is certain, He loves every one of us and we should obey the commandment to love Him. In loving Him our hearts will be calmed and our inner strength restored.

But we are not expected to face our worries and hardship alone. The second most important commandment is “to love one’s neighbour as oneself.” As Christians, it is an easier job to love one’s neighbour than to love oneself. We can be overly critical of ourselves and always striving to do better. We should not be too hard on ourselves when we stray from the path, rather, we should learn from it and acknowledge where we went wrong. If we love ourselves, warts and all, we can then be an example of how to love our neighbours, and those we meet in our daily lives.

God provides people who care for us and we for them. They can offer us strength and support often built from the support and strength that we offer them. God is present and at work on our behalf. We have hope that we can survive any difficulties and face the future together with those who know us and care for us.

We often take things for granted and need to take a step back to look at the bigger picture. As with the superficial view that my sister saw, all was not as it seemed. Can we read between the lines when someone needs our help or when a few words of encouragements are required? Equally can we give out a message to others when we are struggling?

Just ask God to open our eyes!
Amen

Hymn CH4 115 – “Love is the touch of intangible joy”

Prayer of Intercession:

Lord God,
We pray for those who,
like Naomi, Ruth and Orpah have no security,
for those who have no food
because of famine, poverty, unemployment and debt.
for those who have no home
because they were forced to flee from oppression,
for those who are alone and without support
because they have no network of family or friends,
for who have no resilience in today’s society
because of ill health, both physical and mental.
Grant them security and fairness Lord
and call us out of our comfort zone
to share what we have been given.

We pray for the wider world,
for the people of Sudan who are witnessing protests and unrest in its capital Khartoum,
may the political and military leaders find a peaceful settlement.
for the people of Afghanistan, suffering from acute and severe food shortages,
may a means of re-instating foreign aid may be found.

Give wisdom to those attending COP26.
Help the politicians, environmentalist and decision makers
find new and innovative ways
to protect the earth that you have entrusted into our keeping.

We remember those who are suffering
due to untreatable and terminal illness
or grieving the loss of a loved one.
When the grief and suffering are unbearable,
we ask for Your comfort.
When they blame You and cannot find the words to pray
may they know that Your love is unconditional
and others will be offering prayer for them.

We think of those whose world has been turned upside down by the pandemic,
grant that they would know the support and care of others,
the help they need and the strength to carry on.

And for us Lord, we pray,
help us be open and willing
to be part of the answer to these prayers.
Help us to use our hands to care,
our ears to listen,
our eyes to see,
and our voices to offer compassion.

And we offer these prayers through Jesus Christ, our Lord,

Amen

Hymn CH4 519 – “Love divine, all loves excelling”

Closing Prayer:

Loving God
As we embark on the week ahead,
help us to see the bigger picture,
with hope, peace and joy,
to live our lives caring for ourselves and others
to your honour and glory

Sung Amen:

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Sunday 17th October 2021

Welcome to Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches, and to our service of worship for Sunday 17^th October. This week we look at our calling to be servants of God. 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 104: 1-2)
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
O Lord my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with honour and majesty,
wrapped in light as with a garment.

Let us worship God.

HYMN 111 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

(performed by Audrey Assad)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

All praise and glory,
honour and power be to Your name,
God Almighty.
You are holy and majestic in Your person
and in Your ways.
High and lifted-up, nothing escapes Your view.

Jesus taught us that You even know when a sparrow falls from a tree
and You tend to the flowers of the field
as if each one was irreplaceable.
How much more are we, all humankind,
the work of Your hands and the apple of Your eye.

Such a reminder is staggering,
difficult for us to comprehend,
especially when we know ourselves to be far from perfect.
Yet, because of Christ, You look past our faults to our potential,
You show mercy rather than condemn us,
You express interest in what we can be
rather than what we have been,
You grant grace upon grace.

Thank You, Lord.
Thank You that rather than write us off and leave us without hope,
You draw ever closer to us and promise that,
where we turn away from our past failings
You will bring restoration.

Thank You, Lord.
Thank You that in Your hands
our brokenness is not something that resigns us to the rubbish tip.
Instead, You renew us,
taking what we are,
wasting nothing of our life experience,
and fashioning us into something beautiful.

Thank You, Lord.
Thank You that despite our waywardness
and because of Your compassion,
there is still hope for us to be purposeful in the things of Your Kingdom.
In this regard, the stories of old,
the tales of those who have gone before us,
both in bible times and since then,
give us reason to believe that all is not lost.

And so, we pray that You will speak to us clearly today
as we read from and reflect upon scripture.
May Your written word be brought to life
by the presence of Your living Word.

Take our lives, then,
as we once more lay them before You,
as we submit to You and Your ways
as we put fresh faith in Your plan and purpose,
as we again take on trust the promises of Christ.
Hear us as together we pray the words of Your Son, our Saviour:

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:

Job 38: 1-7, 34-41
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:

‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
^‘Gird up your loins like a man,
I will question you, and you shall declare to me.

‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone
when the morning stars sang together
and all the heavenly beingsshouted for joy?

‘Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
so that a flood of waters may cover you?
Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go
and say to you, “Here we are”?
Who has put wisdom in the inward parts,^[^a^]
or given understanding to the mind?^[^b^]
Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?
Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,
when the dust runs into a mass
and the clods cling together?
‘Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
when they crouch in their dens,
or lie in wait in their covert?
Who provides for the raven its prey,
when its young ones cry to God,
and wander about for lack of food?

Mark 10: 35-45
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ And he said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’ They replied, ‘We are able.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.’

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’

HYMN 132 Immortal, invisible, God only wise

(from The Scottish Festival Singers)

Reflection:

Growing up, who were your idols? Were they actors or pop stars? Sporting heroes? We all had them, though they may have changed according to fashion or whim. The Church is no stranger to this phenomenon either. There have been people seen as so holy that other Christians would go on pilgrimage to literally sit at their feet and listen to their teaching. Sometimes, it was enough just to be in their presence. Think of those known as the Desert Fathers of Mothers as an example. Perhaps more recognised, though, are those Biblical characters that become idolised, such as the twelve disciples. Often, they have been portrayed as the holiest of people, without flaw or stain, and as people to emulate. The truth, however, is rather different. Today we will look at two of them and Jesus’ response to them.

What do you make of James and John? Their nickname, the ‘Boanerges’, suggest that they may be both loud and troublesome. After all, the name means ‘sons of thunder’. Asking to be at the immediate side of Jesus in his kingdom was quite a request. It required more than a little hubris on their part for them to seek such positions of prominence. It’s no wonder, then, that the other ten disciples are more than a little annoyed by this. Their behaviour is a far cry from the way the church has traditionally come to represent them. Rather than perfection they have ambition, hopes, and a sense of self-importance that is irritating to those around them. In other words, James and John are human. They are less than perfect just like the rest of us.

In a sense we see this too with the character of Job from the Old Testament. The story of a righteous man tested to breaking point by Satan is well known. Yet, in today’s reading from his story, we find the tenor of the previous chapters turned around and we hear for the first time the perspective of God regarding the whole matter. Job, and his friends, are reminded that they do not know it all; they are reminded that they do not have a complete perspective on events; they are reminded that only God sees and knows everything. To put it another way, Job and his friends have to be reminded that they are human, just like James and John and just like you and me.

But what matters most in these stories is not the reminder of our mutual humanity but the approach of Jesus to the challenges this presents. We may have expected him to react with a telling off. We may have expected, perhaps, something of an incentive to ‘toe the line’. We get neither of those. What we get is something completely different; there is no ‘carrot or stick’ approach but something truly new, something revolutionary.

Jesus begins not by reprimanding James and John for their pride but by asking them if they can face the pain and suffering that he will face. He challenges them to let him be more than their teacher; he challenges them to let him be the role model that they will follow no matter the cost. What he is calling them to do is then spelled out. They, and all his disciples, are to become great in the Kingdom of God by first becoming its servants. They are not to lord it over each other. Rather, they are to tend to each other and the needs that are brought to them. In opposition to the worldly perspective of rulership and power through domination their greatness will come through being servants one to another.

The four Gospels were not written primarily as a record of the life of Jesus but as instructional guides to the life of a Christian. This means that the stories that we read or hear from them are not just of historical interest but are meant to have an application for the believer or community receiving them. We, then, are to look to these stories and find where we are in them and to then learn from that. In the story of the sons of thunder we are to put ourselves in their place. We are to be aware of our dreams, hopes, and aspirations. Perhaps we are also to acknowledge our own hubris too. Just as Jesus halts the hopes of the brothers and shows them another way so too does that other way then become applicable to us. We may be living almost two thousand years after the events of the Gospels, and we may be living a long way away, and in very different cultural settings, but the demand upon us is the same. The question of Jesus applies to us also: can we drink the cup that he must drink.

We live in a world where we see many driven by their own sense of self-importance or a drive for power through being a lord over others. Yet, as today’s disciples of Jesus, we are called to take another path. Will we risk all to become servants, to nurture and tend to each other’s needs? Will we reach out beyond the safety of our own four walls as serve the needs of our surrounding communities? Will we become servants for the sake of the Kingdom of God?
Amen.

HYMN 184 Sing to the LORD a joyful song

Prayer:

Let us pray:

Lord, before we pray for the needs of those we love
and for so many around the world
we pause to acknowledge that, like Job,
sometimes we are caught up in complicated situations
that cause grief and raise questions.
We confess that, even when we are aware of the tension that has arisen,
we still find it challenging to address the brokenness
and the pain of the world.

Unity of spirit and purpose,
along with the healing of broken relationships
is what we also seek for our nation and world.
Where there is contention, bring co-operation.
Where there is unhealthy competition, usher in collaboration.
Where there is false accusation, let there be truth.
Even when differing in opinion from one another,
may we do so with mutual respect.

And this is our prayer also for Your church.
In our generation, may we increasingly become an answer to the prayer of Jesus,
whose desire was to see his people become as one.
Now, as a church family,
we bring before You the particular needs of those who are facing hardship at present.…

silence

Draw very close to all whose burden is heavy.
Continue in them the process of healing that has begun.
May physical rest and peace of mind be their experience
now, and in the days, to come.
At the same time, we rejoice with each one of our local congregation
who has something to celebrate…
Lord, how wonderful it is
for us to share the pleasure such good news brings
to those directly involved,
and to us as a congregation.

And finally, in the silence of this space,
we bring to You our own needs and those of others
especially those who cannot be mentioned publicly at this time.

silence

Lord, in Your love for all humankind,
reach out to everyone who needs a deep touch from Your healing hand this day.

Hear and answer us according to Your mercy, Heavenly Father,
and glorify Your name in our midst
that all may know You are the LORD,
and that nothing is impossible for You.
In Jesus’ name, we pray.
AMEN

HYMN 374 From heaven you came (Servant King)

(performed by Graham Kendrick and Nicki Rogers)

Benediction:

Go from this time
Serving the Word
through service to the world.
And may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Be with us all, now and always.
Amen.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 10th October 2021

Welcome to Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches, and to our service of worship for Sunday 10th October. This week we consider how God may place us in the right time and place to be a healing presence in the world. 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 22: 27)
All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him.
Let us worship God.

HYMN 110 Glory be to God the Father

(from St. Machar’s Cathedral, Aberdeen)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

Heavenly Lord,
we come before you this day
in praise and in hope.
We come before you
seeking to lift high your name.
Inspire us, we pray
that in our words and music,
in our silence and our song
we may lift each other’s spirits
bringing glory to you alone.

Heavenly Lord,
as we come before you this day
we are reminded of the state of the world.
We are reminded of its aches and pains,
its fears and regrets
and our part in them.
Have mercy on us, we pray.
By your light, guide us.
By your grace, uplift us.
By your love, restore us
and make us anew.

Heavenly Lord,
as we come before you this day
direct our actions
direct our thoughts
direct our words
that we may work for your kingdom
and bring healing to your world.

This prayer we bring,
in the name of the risen Christ,
in whose words we pray together:

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:

Psalm 22: 1-11
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.

Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried, and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.

But I am a worm, and not human;
scorned by others, and despised by the people.
All who see me mock at me;
they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
‘Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—
let him rescue the one in whom he delights!’

Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
On you I was cast from my birth,
and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

Esther 7: 1-10
So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. On the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, ‘What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.’ Then Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have won your favour, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me—that is my petition—and the lives of my people—that is my request. For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have held my peace; but no enemy can compensate for this damage to the king.’ Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, ‘Who is he, and where is he, who has presumed to do this?’ Esther said, ‘A foe and enemy, this wicked Haman!’ Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen. The king rose from the feast in wrath and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that the king had determined to destroy him. When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman had thrown himself on the couch where Esther was reclining; and the king said, ‘Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?’ As the words left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman’s face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, ‘Look, the very gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, stands at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.’ And the king said, ‘Hang him on that.’ So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the anger of the king abated.

HYMN 14 The Lord’s my shepherd (Psalm 23)

(from the Chet Valley Churches)

Reflection:

Have you ever felt yourself to sometimes be in the wrong place at the wrong time? You know those occasions where being somewhere else would have been much better, perhaps as chaos erupts around you or as the world seems to grind to a halt. If you drive around the city bypass just think of those times where you have found yourself at Sheriffhall at 4pm on a weekday. It’s at a time like that you begin to wish you’d taken another route or stayed at home. But do you ever have those times where you realised that you were in the right place at the right time? Perhaps you have intended to be in one place and ended up in another. There, you meet a friend by chance and you chat. Somehow, something you say is what the friend needed to hear that day. It may have been information imparted, or a kind word that offered much appreciated encouragement. Rather than where you planned to be, you have found yourself in the right place at the right time.

But what if the need is somewhat greater; what if the need is a life-or-death issue. What does it mean, then, to be in the right place at the right time? In both of our readings today we find situations of despair. The writer of the psalm finds himself at the end of his tether; it’s as if his life is at an end. He needs relief, he needs support and encouragement to find a way ahead. He needs to find a reason to go on and live. Our reading stops well short of the end of the psalm; by that point he has found that he is not alone. The one who is in the right place and time for him is God.

In our reading from Esther we find a genuine life or death situation. Here, it is her people that are under threat of extinction; it is genocide that is planned. By some miracle this young woman is in the right place at the right time to act to bring salvation to her people. She acts wisely and faithfully to bring about the undoing of evil plans and then see her people flourish.

But, are we called to be in the right place at the right time? Are we called, as disciples of Jesus, to regularly find ourselves in places or situations where we may bring the healing presence of God to bear? What if the despairs we encounter are well hidden, perhaps because the source is embarrassing? What if it’s not mental despair on its own, or even threat of death, but something we would find acutely embarrassing? Thinks of things like hunger or debt for example. We live in a wealthy nation yet around us, in our city, are people who are regularly hungry. Around us, too, are people who are struggling with debt. These problems are often well hidden yet cause the same real sense of despair as was felt by the psalmist. Is Jesus calling us to be in the right place at the right time to make a difference for good?

This week the churches in our land have sought to engage with the government in respect of the up-and-coming environment conference. They have promised to act in practical ways for the healing and betterment of our world. This week has also seen the churches turn their focus towards the crisis of debt in our population. Perhaps these are easy things for bug institutions to say and do, but what about us as a congregation or as individual believers. As the church we are in a privileged position to be able to be the right people, in the right places, and at the right times to make a positive difference in our world. We can bring healing; we can bring light; we can bring hope to bear on our neighbours, both near and far. It may simply be through a kind word or simple gesture of support; it may be through a concerted effort and giving of time to work with others to eradicate hunger and poverty. Whatever it is, we all can play a role. We can live up to our calling from Jesus.
Amen.

HYMN 518 Lift up your hearts

Prayer:

Let us pray:

Let us pray to God in hope, looking for the coming of
Christ to every life.

Let us pray for all Christians, in all congregations,
thanking God for the special service to which each one
is called.
Your kingdom come, O Lord, your will be done.

We pray for the nations of the world,
remembering before God those people especially who
exercise authority for good.
We pray for our own country:
for its industry, agriculture and commerce
in these challenging times.
Your kingdom come, O Lord, your will be done.

We thank God for the many,
whose skills are exercised on our behalf,
praying that they may be sustained in their labours.
Let us take our stand before God
with those facing struggles in daily living,
remembering the hungry, those experiencing poverty,
and the forgotten of our land.
Your kingdom come, O Lord, your will be done.

Let us focus our prayers on those known to us,
close to us or far away,
people who have asked us to pray,
people who have not asked,
who would not ask,
who need our love, in Christ.
Your kingdom come, O Lord, your will be done.

Let us entrust ourselves to God,
who can use our words and actions
in his answer to our prayers;
to him who can place us
in the right place and time
to do his will.
Your kingdom come, O Lord;
your will be done.
Amen.

HYMN 533 Will you come and follow me

(from Everingham Music)

Benediction:

Go from this time
in grace, love, and fellowship.
And as you go, may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Be with us all, now and always.
Amen.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 3rd October 2021

Welcome to Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches, and to our service of worship for Sunday 3^rd October. This week we look at where we find hope in a world that seems to be ever more challenging. 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 95: 1-2)
O come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
Let us worship God.

SGP 86 O Lord my God! (How great thou art!)

(from Winchester Cathedral)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

God of light, lighten the day ahead of us
that we may see you more clearly.
Let us reach out with vision
praising your holy name
and serving your kingdom.

God of grace, show us your love this day,
that we may know the assurance of your presence.
Let us reach out in love
praising your holy name
and bringing healing to your world.

God of eternity, open our eyes this day
that we may see beyond the now.
Let us reach out with your Gospel
praising your holy name
and sharing your truth with the world around us.

God of mercy, to you we bow the knee
for you alone are worthy of our praise.
You made us and called us to be your own.
In Christ you renew us and strengthen us for your service.
May your holy name be praised!

Our prayers we bring, as ever,
in the name of the risen Jesus
in whose words we pray together, saying:

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:

1 Thessalonians 5: 5-11
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

Mark 13: 1-8, 24-27
As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

‘But in those days, after that suffering,

the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

HYMN 472 Come, thou long-expected Jesus

(from Red Mountain Music)

Reflection:

I wonder if you remember the television show, ‘Dad’s Army’ and, in particular, the character of Corporal Jones. I wonder, too, if you recall his often used phrase, “Don’t Panic Captain Mainwaring”. The phrase “Don’t Panic” has had something of a resurgence in recent weeks as various crises have affected the daily life of our country. We hear of shortages, and queues, and concerns for the future, and are told not to panic. The difficulty is that the phrase “don’t panic” is guaranteed to cause one thing to happen, panic!

Crises naturally give rise to feelings of anxiety, sometimes fear, and on occasion anger; all are perfectly natural. We know, too, that the Kirk has its own crises to attend to. Our scripture readings today come from times of panic within the early church. Most of the members of the church led subsistence lifestyles so shortages were no stranger to them. There was also anxiety because some believers had died and yet Jesus had not returned. Further, the church to which Paul wrote had experienced persecution for their faith. The church was anxious for a whole range of reasons. Anxiety, though, also presents a challenge to faith. If all that you hold dear is being threatened it becomes difficult to look forward positively, and in hope. Both the reading from Paul, and the passage from Mark’s Gospel, speak into such times and feelings. They seek to offer encouragement and vision for the future, our future, for eternity. They offer us timely advice.

Focussing on Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica we find a number of points that offer us something to hold on to as we journey through uncertain times in both our nation and in our church. Firstly, Paul looks to the future and the hope of the return of Christ Jesus. He reminds us that this will come as a complete surprise to the world at large and calls us to be alert so as not to get caught off-guard. We are to do this by remaining focussed on the goal of our faith, union with Christ.

Next Paul moves on to words that echo Jeremiah the prophet. He warns us against the false assurances of the world and its leaders, calling upon us to be wary of falling into the fashions and fake news of the day. Again, we are to remain focussed on the truth of the Gospel. Paul goes on to assure both his first hearers, and us, that we are children of light. He reminds us that in that we are special; he reminds us that this means, too, that we can see the truth and are blessed in so doing. He warns that things will be difficult but that we are not alone. Reminding us that we have true safety and peace he compares this to the armour worn by a soldier in battle.

Finally, Paul reminds us once more that we are blessed since, as disciples of Jesus, we are heirs to eternity. Eternity, it must be remembered is a gift and not something to be earned by us; it is also more than quantity of life, it is quality too. We are encouraged to encourage one another in our discipleship. We, after all, are the body of Christ in this time and place.

The Gospel text picks up on these themes of trouble leading to anxiety. It reminds us that Jesus will return, that there will be a day of the Lord’s justice. Yet this return of Christ is not something for us to be afraid of. Rather, we can look forward to its coming as a day of hope, a day of joy, a day of fulfilment. Yet note that in both passages today the focus is not on the institution of the church nor is it upon the individual congregation; neither is the focus on the individual disciple. Rather, the focus of scripture is on the union with God of the people of God. It is our union with him, in Christ, that makes hope and eternity possible.

In our times, just as in the days of the early church, there are many things to distract us from our calling just as there are many things that may make us anxious. But both then and now the antidote is focus on Christ and our relationship in him. It is there that we find not just the strength to carry on but we find eternity too.
Amen.

HYMN 500 Lord of creation, to you be all praise

(from Isle of Man Methodist Church)

Prayer:

Let us pray:

God of light,
we pray for a world where fear and lies prevail.
We pray for those caught up in the world’s crises
and for those with the power to make a difference.
May your light so prevail, that truth is seen
and darkness overcome.
May the world marvel in your light
and the hope that it brings.

God of love,
we pray for a world where anxiety and anger reign.
We pray for those caught in destructive patterns
and ask that your peace would break in.
May your love so prevail, that it is both felt
and lived by all day by day.
May the world rejoice in your love
and the healing that it brings.

God of eternity
we pray for a world so trapped in the moment.
We pray for a world that sees eternity as a dream,
seeking that your eternal joy may sweep over all.
May your power so prevail, that justice would reign
and peace come to dominate lives.
May the world know your eternal presence
and wonder at your being.

God of grace,
we pray for ourselves and those around us.
Where we are anxious may we know your peace,
and seek to share it with all around us.
May your grace so prevail, that hope would re-awaken,
and peace dwell within each heart.
May these prayers we bring be acceptable in your sight,
our Lord and our God. Amen.

HYMN 517 Fight the good fight with all your might

(from First-Plymouth Church, Lincoln, Nebraska)

Benediction:

May the grace of God go with us.
May the joy of God uplift us.
May the presence of God renew us.
And may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Be with us all, now and always.
Amen.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 26th September 2021

Welcome to this online service of worship for Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial churches for Sunday 26^th September 2021. Today, we think about the place of prayer in our lives.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 19)

The heavens proclaim Your glory, O God;
And their voice goes through all the earth.

Your Law is perfect, Lord
More precious than gold, and sweeter than honey

O Lord, You are our rock and our redeemer
May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts
be always acceptable to You.

HYMN 129: The Lord is King! Lift up your voice!

Prayer:

Holy God, Maker of All,
we come to you in worship
offering our praise and prayer
in wonder at all you have made.

With all creation our voices rise to you
and proclaim your enduring faithfulness.

Come to us in the power of your life-giving Spirit
and enliven our hearts and minds
to respond in faith and trust
to the knowledge of your love and grace.

Before you, O God, we confess our sin;
we acknowledge our brokenness,
and the brokenness of our world.

We have said and done
many things which cause harm
to ourselves, to others, and to the world,
and for which we are truly sorry.

We have failed to say, and do
the things which show love
to each other and for you.
We admit that we often fail
to live and behave as you command.

Knowing that you are compassionate,
merciful, and ever-faithful,
we ask your forgiveness,
and your healing of all that is wrong;
that you will restore us to fullness of life
to serve and love the world in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray:

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.

Scripture readings:

James 5: 13-20

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you ill? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Matthew 6: 7-13

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

‘This, then, is how you should pray:

‘“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”

Amen

SONG: Our Father in heaven (Taizé)

Reflection:

Grant, O Lord, that in these words, we may behold the living Word, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

This morning, I want to look at the place of prayer in our lives as Christians. Do you pray regularly and earnestly? Perhaps setting aside time each day, finding a quiet space, calming your soul, preparing your thoughts and approaching God with your thanks and your concerns? No? Well, nor do I. I mean to, every day, and most days pass without my managing to achieve it – life gets in the way. Even when I do try to concentrate and focus, my thoughts can fly all over the place and I end up feeling guilty that I can’t be better at prayer. Our reading from the letter of James this morning makes it very clear that we should all be praying. Whether we are in trouble, happy, or ill, we are told to pray. Martin Luther said: “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing”. So why is it sometimes so difficult?

Let’s think about prayer a little more. What is it?

Well, firstly, daily prayer is not a competition to see which of us is best at composing literate and poetic prayers. We sometimes think that the kind of prayers we hear in church are what we should aspire to in private. That is not so: prayer is simply talking and spending time with God. It does not matter if our language is not flowery and impressive. We are not being judged by anyone except God and I very much doubt that he cares whether our words are polysyllabic and our sentences grammatical. Jesus tells us in the passage from Matthew that we have just heard not to use many words or to ‘babble’. Instead, we should speak from the heart, in the conversational language we would use in speaking to a friend or family member.

Nor does prayer have to be perfectly planned and logical. We don’t have to sketch it all out in advance and make sure that everything is included. It is quite acceptable to God to come before him as we are: a little distracted, perhaps, a little disorganised, a little muddled and perhaps even a little unsure of what and why we are praying. God will work it out.

You don’t have to pray in a particular place or in a special position. You were probably encouraged as a child to kneel in prayer, perhaps with your hands together. If that suits you still, then by all means continue. Personally, as I get older, I find kneeling increasingly uncomfortable. It’s fine to pray standing or walking, lying in bed, sitting on a bus or wherever you find yourself. It is, however, good to choose a time when you will not be interrupted

What should we pray about? Whatever is on your mind matters to God, because we matter to Him. There are probably three main reasons for praying. You want to thank God. You find yourself needing to say sorry for something you have done or said or thought. Or you want to bring a concern or fear to God and seek his help. It is sometimes characterised in the first phrases we teach our children: say ‘thank you’; say ‘sorry’; say ‘please’. But we do not need to worry too much about structure or content. God has time to listen to us and he will discern what is in our hearts however incompetent we feel.

The disciples had the same difficulties as we do. Jesus taught them to pray and we have that prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, as a model. If you feel the need to pray but are not quite sure what to say, start with those familiar words. Read them slowly and thoughtfully, as if they are new to you, pondering the meaning of each phrase and adding any thoughts of your own as you go. We can be sure that God hears every prayer but we also need to recognise that not all our prayers will be answered in the way we might want. We are, after all, praying that God’s will be done, not our own will.

We will shortly listen to a hymn which expresses many of these thoughts. One verse reads:
Prayer is the simplest form of speech
that infant lips can try;
prayer the sublimest strains that reach
the Majesty on high.

It goes on to say that ‘Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath’ but reassures us that ‘prayer is not made by us alone’, setting out the role that Jesus and the Holy Spirit play in prayer. It ends with a plea: ‘Lord, teach us how to pray’. It is reassuring to know that we all struggle with prayer and that we are not alone in needing help in establishing a meaningful prayer life.

I said at the beginning that I sometimes feel guilty that my prayers are not good enough. In preparing this reflection, I think I have convinced myself that my prayers, however chaotic, are of value and that we should not feel inadequate. However short and simple our prayers may be, they open our hearts to the love and grace of God. Praying regularly changes the way we think about our relationship with God and about our lives as Christians. I think I will keep trying with my prayer life. Will you join me?

May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be always acceptable to You, our God and Father.

Amen

HYMN 546: Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire

Prayer of intercession:

If you would like to, when I say ‘Lord, in your mercy’ please join with me in the response ‘hear our prayer’.

Let us bring the needs of the world, and all in need,
to God’s loving care, saying:
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

God of heaven and earth,
through Jesus Christ you promise to hear us when we pray to you in his name.
Confident in your love and mercy
we offer our prayer.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Hear the cries of the world’s hungry and suffering.
Give us, who consume most of the earth’s resources, the will to reorder our lives,
that all may have their rightful share of the food, medical care, and shelter,
and so have the necessities of a life of dignity.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Restore among us a love of the earth you created for our home.
Help us put an end to ravishing its land, air, and waters,
and give us respect for all your creatures,
that, living in harmony with everything you have made,
your whole creation may resound in an anthem of praise to your glorious name.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Renew our nation in the ways of justice and peace.
Guide those who make and administer our laws
to build a society based on trust and respect.
Erase prejudices that oppress;
free us from crime and violence;
help us create communities where our young people can flourish;
give all citizens a new vision of a life of harmony.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Look with compassion on all who suffer.
Support with your love
those driven from their homeland,
those unjustly imprisoned,
those denied dignity,
those who live without hope,
those who are homeless or abandoned.
As you have moved toward us in love,
so lead us to be present with them in their suffering.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Sustain those among us who need your healing touch.
Make the sick whole;
give hope to the dying
comfort those who mourn.
Uphold all who suffer in body or mind,
not only those we know and love
but also those known only to you,
that they may know the peace and joy of your supporting care.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

O God,
in your loving purpose
answer our prayers and fulfil our hopes.
In all things for which we pray,
give us the will to seek to bring them about,
for the sake of Jesus Christ
Amen

Hymn 511: Thy hand, O God, has guided

Blessing:

May the Holy Three encircle us,

enclose us in eternity’s embrace,

rest, refresh and restore us,

that, at one with the One,

we may pray, worship and serve in joy another day.

AMEN

This service was prepared by Pauline Weibye, Session Clerk at Craigmillar Park

Acknowledgements:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Prayers drawn from the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship resources.

The Blessing prayer is taken from Word of Life, Edinburgh 2017

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Sunday 19th September 2021

(Please note the intimation on the website front page.)

Welcome to our online worship service today 19th September 2021, for the congregations of Craigmillar Park Church, Reid Memorial Church and any friends who wish to join us.

In the reading from the book according to James we’ll hear that there are two different wisdoms trying to control our lives, one originates from Heaven above and the other is an earthly unspiritual wisdom.

Call to Worship

As children of God, who strive to live in God’s Way,
we gather together today.
As people seeking to follow the path ofwisdom,we gather together today.
As people trusting that God flows around and through us, giving uswisdom,
we gather together today.

HYMN CH4 132 Immortal, invisible, God only wise.

Prayer of Approach

God of wisdom,
Whose knowledge is too wonderful for us,
Who created the world and all that it contains,
Who knows each blade of grass and hair upon our head,
We offer You praise for Your infinite love for us and our world.

God of parables,
we give You thanks for Jesus,
who brings Your wisdom to us through parables and stories,
through love and action,
through prayer and sacrifice.
We thank You that even when we are not wise enough to grasp Your message,
Your love for us never falters
and Your patience with us is unceasing.

God of inspiration,
encourage us in our journey with You,
inspire us to live for Your kingdom,
seeking Your wisdom in all we say and do.

Merciful God,
we confess that we think we know what is best.
We go our own way instead of Yours.
We fill our needs before the needs of others.
We speak to suit our mind instead of Your will.
We take without question and use without thought.

Forgive us for relying on our own wisdom instead of Yours.
Forgive us for the times we have ignored injustices.
Forgive us for when our words cut and hurt and harm
instead of offering encouragement, healing, and renewal.

Amend what we are,
direct what we shall be,
so that we may delight in Your wisdom
and walk in Your ways,
To the glory of Your holy name.
Through Christ our Lord, in whose words we share
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Scriptures:

James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a

Two Kinds of Wisdom

Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Friendship with the World

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so, you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so, you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded

Proverbs 31:10-31

Ode to a Capable Wife
A capable wife who can find?
   She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
   and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
   all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
   and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant,
   she brings her food from far away.
She rises while it is still night
   and provides food for her household
   and tasks for her servant-girls.
She considers a field and buys it;
   with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength,
   and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
   Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
   and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor,
   and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
   for all her household are clothed in crimson.
She makes herself coverings;
   her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the city gates,
   taking his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
   she supplies the merchant with sashes.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
   and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
   and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household,
   and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her happy;
   her husband too, and he praises her:
‘Many women have done excellently,
   but you surpass them all.’
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
   but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
   and let her works praise her in the city gates.

HYMN CH4 97 O God, You search Me and You Know Me

Reflection:

Two Wolves
A Cherokee elder sitting with his grandchildren told them, “In every life there is a terrible fight – a fight between two wolves. One is good: he exhibits joy, serenity, humility, confidence, generosity, truth, gentleness, and compassion. The other is evil: he is fear, anger, envy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, and deceit.” One of the child asked, “Grandfather, which wolf will win?” The elder looked him in the eye. “The one you feed.”

Have you ever known anyone who claims to be wise but acts foolishly. True wisdom can be measured by the depth of a person’s character. Just as you can identify a tree by the fruit that it bears, you can evaluate wisdom by the way that you act. Foolishness leads to disorder, but wisdom leads to peace and goodness. Are you tempted to escalate a conflict, pass on gossip, or fan the fire of discord? Careful speech and wise loving words are the seeds of peace. God loves peacemakers (Matthew 5:9)

Many today are in the pursuit of wisdom. They desire to be able to make the right decisions that will affect their lives in a positive manner. They understand a key ingredient to have in their lives is this thing called wisdom.

What is wisdom? Wisdom is the ability to look at a situation and pick the correct way to handle it. Wisdom is what is true and right combined with good judgment. It is discerning, prudent, and sensible. Not very glamorous words perhaps, but words you can build a life on. Wise decisions put us in a position where we will reap rewards.

But James tells us there is a problem with which wisdom you listen to and adhere to. Do you listen to wisdom from above which originates with God? The wisdom from below: the earthly or unspiritual type is generated by the forces and influences of the world. This wisdom can lead to disorder, evil practice and may follow a path of destruction.

To make sure we are being influenced by the right kind of wisdom we need to discover which wisdom is controlling our lives. One produces a life filled with eternal blessings, the other breeds a life filled with everlasting disarray. One will set you free, the other will cause you to struggle. One will give our lives ultimate satisfaction while the other will bring discontentment and have no meaning.

It’s easy for us to be drawn into wrong desires by the pressures of society and sometimes even by well-meaning Christians. By listening to the advice “Assert yourself”, “Go for it”, “Set high goals”, we can be drawn into greed and destructive competition. Seeking God’s wisdom delivers us from the need to compare ourselves to others and want what they have.

Quarrels and fights among believers are always harmful. James explains that these conflicts result from evil desires battling with us; we want more possessions, more money, higher status, and more recognition. When we don’t get what we want, we fight in order to have it. Instead of aggressively grabbing what we want, we should submit ourselves to God to help us to rid us of our selfish desires and trust him to give us what we really need.

James mentions the most common problem in prayer; not asking for the wrong things but asking for the wrong reasons. Do we ask only to satisfy our desires? Do we ask God’s approval for what we already plan to do? Our prayers become powerful when we allow God to change our desires so that they perfectly correspond to his will for us.

There is nothing wrong with wanting a pleasurable life. God gives us good gifts that he wants us to enjoy. Our pleasure should not come at the expense of others. Pleasure from God’s rich bounty is good.

The introduction in Proverbs is written in the warm tones of a fatherly voice giving instructions to his sons and eloquently building a case for the lifelong pursuit of wisdom. Proverbs open telling us that wisdom is the key to a successful life and we need to make sure we pursue it with our whole heart. So, let’s look at what James has to say about wisdom from above and wisdom from below.

The wisdom from above has a heart that is pure, that is full of the love and mercy of God and uncontaminated by the philosophy of the world. The reality is wisdom only starts with a relationship with the Lord.

The wisdom from below has a heart which is contaminated. It is full of selfish ambition and envy. It is centred on self and not God. Some will give themselves lavishly, freely, and richly to all sorts of people, activities, achievements, and responsibilities. They will devote their time, energy, creativity and attention to education, work, friends, families, and pleasure. But they forget about God.

Wisdom from above acknowledges the truth, but wisdom from below entangles people in the web of deception, often deceiving themselves and their motivation.

“Wisdom from Above” is based on a lifestyle that brings fulfilment. A lifestyle that is peaceable and knows the value of creating harmony. It is gentle and considerate, tempering justice with mercy. It means being reasonable or submissive, willing to listen, willing to be persuaded, and skilled in knowing when to wisely yield. This lifestyle is full of mercy and the ability to care and reach out to others through acts of kindness and selfishness. It’s the ability of being calm in the storms and being stable in turmoil. There is a lack of hypocrisy

A lifestyle based on “wisdom from below” will cause mayhem and disarray. The value of spiritual order will be missing. The main focus will be on the pursuit of self. “Win at all costs”, “I will have the last word”, It’s all about me! “What’s in it for me?” There will be a pursuit of pleasure to the sacrifice of others and a lack of control over impulses. This mind set is one that is based on the value of: “Let’s do it to them before they do it to us.” There will be no mercy or empathy shown for others misfortune. There will be a belief that they are better than others and an attitude of: “I will make you look bad and have me look good”. This lifestyle will cause people to be pushed out of the way. Perhaps when goals are achieved there will be a realization that they are meaningless.

The Book of Proverbs has a lot to say about women, but in today’s society, many of the traits also apply to men. This woman should be a model for all people not just women. The book ends with a picture of a strong character of great wisdom, many skills, and great compassion. Some people have the mistaken idea that the ideal woman in the Bible is retiring, servile and entirely domestic. Not so! This woman is an excellent wife and mother. She is a manufacturer, importer, manager, estate agent, farmer, seamstress, upholsterer, and merchant. Her strength and dignity do not come from her achievements but from her reverence with God. In our society, physical appearance count for so much, so it might surprise us that her appearance is never mentioned. Her attractiveness comes from her character and actions. She has outstanding abilities. She may be a composite portrait of ideal womanhood. We should see her as an inspiration to be the best that we can be. We can learn from her industry, integrity, and resourcefulness.

Throughout the passage, many good qualities are mentioned; hard working, respect, foresight, encouragement, caring, and of course, wisdom. These qualities, coupled with our relationship with God, lead to enjoyment, success, honour and worth. It is practical for us in today’s society and shows us how to become wise, make good decisions and live according to God’s ideals.

Which wolf will you feed? One brings satisfaction and blessing and a life in order, the other brings mayhem and disarray. The choice is ours!

Prayer of Intercession:

God of heaven and earth,
through Jesus Christ You promise to hear us when we pray to You in His name.
Confident in Your love and mercy, we offer our prayers.
Empower the church throughout the world in its life and witness.
Break down the barriers that divide,
that we might be united in Your truth and love,
so that the church may confess Your name,
and serve You in one common ministry.

Guide the rulers of the nations.
Move them to set aside their fear, greed, and vain ambition,
and bow to Your sovereign rule.
Inspire them to strive for peace and justice,
that all Your children may dwell secure, free of war and injustice.

Hear the cries of the world’s hungry and suffering.
Give us, who consume most of the earth’s resources, the will to reorder our lives,
that all may have their rightful share of the food, medical care, and shelter,
and so have the necessities of a life of dignity.

Renew our nation in the ways of justice and peace.
Guide those who make and administer our laws
to build a society based on wisdom, trust and respect.
Erase prejudices that oppress; free us from crime and violence;
guard our youth from the perils of drugs and materialism.
Give all citizens a new vision of a life of harmony.

Strengthen this congregation in its work and worship.
Fill our hearts with Your joy and love,
Look with compassion on all who suffer.
Support with Your love
those with incurable and stigmatised diseases,
those unjustly imprisoned,
those denied dignity,
those who live without hope,
those who are homeless or abandoned.

Sustain those among us who need your healing touch.
Make the sick whole.
Give hope to the dying
Comfort those who mourn
Uphold all who suffer in body or mind,
that they may know the peace and joy of Your supporting care.

God of wisdom,
answer our prayers and fulfil our hopes.
In all things for which we pray,
give us the will to seek to bring them about,
for the sake of Jesus Christ, Amen.

HYMN CH4 485 Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

Closing prayer:

Help us to know the limits of our humanness
and the frailty of our will
that we may learn to lean on the limitlessness of God,
May we be wise enough to trust not only our own wisdom,
but the wisdom of God, AMEN

Sung Amen

Choir of Craigmillar Park Church

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Sunday 12th September 2021

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 firmamentproclaims 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 voicegoes 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:

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Sunday 5th September 2021

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.

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Sunday 29th August 2021

Welcome:
Welcome to the service of worship for the 29^th August from Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial parish churches in Edinburgh. This week we will be reflecting on the place of tradition in our life of faith.

Call to Worship (Psalm45: 6):
Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever.
Your royal sceptre is a sceptre of equity;
you love righteousness and hate wickedness.

Let us worship God.

HYMN 100 O lord, thou art my God and King (Psalm 145)

(from Grace Reformed Church, Dunnville, Ontario)

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
we gather to worship you, and glorify your holy name.
As the Psalmist wrote,
“we will thank you forever, because of what you have done”.

You created the heavens above and this world of beauty world below.
How can we not praise you and be thankful for each new day?
You made heaven and earth and all that is within it blesses your holy name.

There are many troubles in your world;
there are storms, and violence, and disease.
There are those who seek to destroy and hate,
rather than build or love.
Through our times of hurt, or fear, or trouble,
we know we always have you to sustain us
to comfort us, and to guide us.

You alone, our God, are worthy of our praise and adoration.
As we worship together this morning,
let us lift our voices with alleluias and songs of joy.
May we hear your word
and have our hearts and minds transformed
to be your disciples.

All this in the name of your son, Jesus, the Christ.

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:

James 1: 17-27
Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfilment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror, for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands? He said to them, ‘Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,

“This people honours me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.”

You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.’

Then he called the crowd again and said to them, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.

For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’

HYMN 543 Longing for light, we wait in darkness

(from Frodhsam Methodist Church)

Reflection:

Each of today’s readings speak of what it means to live a life of faith and how that impacts upon the way we interact with God and other people.Our first one, from James, is in some ways a difficult one to deal with because it says so much in a few short verses. It offers no fewer than fourteen pieces of advice on how to live a life of faith, any one of which could be the subject of a sermon. Think of this passage as James setting out the ideas that he will develop later in his letter.

What is important, though, is that James sets out patterns for living a Christian life. Like all patterns the motive can often be lost so that what remains is the practice. The risk with this is that it can turn to tradition or habit that is observed for its own sake. It is this that Jesus engages with in our Gospel reading; it is this that matters to us today. What are our habits or traditions and what do they say about our faith?

We all have habits. Perhaps they are good ones, or perhaps not. Were you ever told off for having one of the less acceptable ones such as biting your fingernails? Or perhaps, if you are of a certain age, you had an ‘Abbey habit’. But what if the habits, or traditions, are ones that impact directly on the lives of others? What if they say something about our faith? Do our habits or traditions attract people or scare them away?

For almost eighteen months we have lived through a time where hand hygiene has been even more essential for survival than usual. You may be tempted to think this is what the Pharisees and scribes were getting at. If it had been then they would have had a point when they criticise the disciples for eating without first washing their hands. Their concern though was not in the interests of good health but in the fulfilment of ceremonial cleanliness. They had codified thousands of rules which would make or keep a person ritually clean and washing hands in a certain way before a meal was one.

Jesus responds to them by calling them hypocrites. He quotes from Isaiah the passage where the prophet complains against those who practice the rituals of religion without allowing it to transform their lives into ones of discipleship. This isn’t simply an issue for the time of Jesus; it is also one that is pertinent to us. Over the centuries many in the Church were left with the impression that faith simply boiled down to a set of rituals and practices that, if performed correctly, didn’t need to affect lifestyle. Jesus clearly warns against the risk of falling into that trap. Religious practices are good if they help turn us towards God and others. But it is vitally important that our practices or traditions do not become the be all and end all of religion. Our faith is so much more than religious observance.

Jesus turns from the religious leaders to the wider crowd, making a statement that would have shocked them. He said, “there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.” Jesus goes against tradition and scriptures which make provision for what foods and objects are clean or unclean. Instead, he declares that it is the heart that makes someone clean or unclean.

The crowd had lived with these teachings and practices for generations. Now Jesus says that’s not what really matters. It must have been a lot to take in. Do we, like the crowd, have traditions and practices we hold dear? Do we have observances that stretch back over the generations and which we would find difficult to move beyond? Do we have places that have become more sacred to us than the God whom we worship? If we do, Jesus may also be proclaiming to us that, ultimately, they don’t really matter!

It would be wrong to see Jesus’ words as simply an attack on tradition. This is always tempting for those of us from parts of the Church that play down the place of ceremony. We all have traditions irrespective of whether these are explicitly acknowledged or not. The challenge is to keep them in perspective. The challenge is not to let them hinder a living relationship with God, but to reinforce it. In this time of change we must also consider what traditions to hold on to. What ones will we allow to evolve and take forward from our past to whatever form the Kirk takes tomorrow?

Two thousand years ago Jesus called both the Pharisees and the crowd back to their relationship with God. That relationship shows itself in the attitudes which transform us inwardly and which are exhibited in how we behave. Our faith, our religion, is a radical commitment affecting our whole life.
Amen.

Prayer for the World

God our Creator,
you made us to be sisters and brothers in Christ;
hear us as we lift our hearts in prayer for all those in need.

We bless you for the fellowship of the church family
gathered around us as we meet in this house of prayer and worship;
may we honour you with our lips, our hearts and our lives.

We pray for peace in the world, especially in Afghanistan.
We pray for a time when war will cease,
and weapons transformed into tools for growth.
Strengthen us to work for justice;
give us the wisdom to speak only truth;
make us examples of living by peace and love.

We bless you for our friends and neighbours,
and those with whom we share our daily lives.
We thank you for all the joys and blessings of life.
Aid us when we quarrel, or fall out,
to quickly put things right and forgive one another.

Loving God we lift before you all whose lives are restricted.
We remember the chronically ill, those in constant pain,
those who are depressed and despairing.
We pray in silence for those whose names lie heavy on our hearts.

(Short Silence)

Loving God we pray for those whose hearts have been saddened by death.
Aid us to experience the comfort of your Holy Spirit within us,
and the fellowship of the church family around us
until we are reunited once more in your heavenly kingdom.

(Short Silence)

Faithful God, we now ask for the blessing of your presence in the week ahead.
We pray that you will guide us, guard us and keep us safe in all we do and say.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen

HYMN 489 Come down, O love divine

Benediction:

As you go from this place,
be the eyes that see beauty afresh;
be the ears that are quick to listen;
be the mouths that are slow to speak
and be the hands that act in compassion.
And as you go,
may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son, and Spirit Holy,
be with you all,
now and always.
Amen.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 22nd August 2021

Welcome:
Welcome to our joint service for this, the 22^nd August. This week we consider our call to serve Christ through serving the world.

Call to Worship):
God is the King of moon and sun;
God is the King of stars above.
He knows our every need;
he is the loving God of life.

Let us worship God.

HYMN 59 Oh, come, and let us to the Lord (Irish)

(From Stevenston High Kirk)

Prayer

God of love,
light a flame of love in our hearts to you,
a flame of love to our families and friends,
a flame of love to our neighbours,
a flame of love to our enemies.

Son of the Mary,
light a flame of love in our hearts to all,
from the lowliest thing that lives,
to the Name that is highest of all.

God of life,
grant us your forgiveness.

We have been heedless in our thoughts,
cruel in our words,
shameful in our actions.
We are indifferent to a world made sad
by want and wastefulness;
we pass by on the other side
when we see our neighbour in need;
we wander from the way that leads to peace
in paths of our own pleasing.

God of life,
grant us your forgiveness.

silence

God of the new day and God of love,
you created us and you have redeemed us.
Banish the deeds of darkness
from the sons and daughters of your light.
Help us to know and believe
that, as the children of your love,
we are free to begin again;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God and Jesus and Spirit of wholeness,
as Three and as One,
shield us and save us,
possess us and aid us,
clear our path,
go before our souls
each step of this world.

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:

John 10: 11-18
‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’

John 21: 15-19
‘When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’

HYMN 16 The Lord’s my Shepherd (Brother James’s Air)

(from the Chet Valley Churches)

Reflection:

Jesus said to Peter a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter must have felt hurt, “Do you love me?” Peter’s response reveal his feelings. He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”

Jesus appears to be clearing the air between Peter and himself. He makes sure that Peter knows He is forgiven; he makes sure Peter knows that God still has a place for him in his Kingdom. That this encounter is recorded in the Gospel of John is no mere accident. Rather, it is there to remind us that those who proclaim they love God must respond in deed as well as in word. The response He wants is for us to ‘feed his sheep’.

There is almost a sense of urgency in Jesus’ question for Peter. He pushes Peter past his failure of denying Jesus; he pushes him into living a life that continues to honour the risen Lord. This conversation reminds us that God has a heart for humanity. He calls us to be people who live in service of others.

Jesus calls for action to accompany our faith; not as a means of earning his favour but as a witness to it. These actions, in obedience to our Lord, giving meaning and purpose for our Christian lives.

But who are the sheep that both Peter and we are commanded to feed? The love of God, active in each of us, is an outward one; it’s something that doesn’t stand still. It shouldn’t, then, surprise us when Jesus says that he has sheep of another flock. He says, “I have sheep that don’t belong to his fold,” he says, “I’m bringing them, too. They’ll listen to my voice, just like you.” It’s a statement that shouldn’t surprise yet often does. It means that Jesus has a community of the faithful beyond our own. It means that they are included in the plans of God. It means that, just like you and me, there are others that listen for the voice of Jesus.

Sheep not of our flock! Think about it. Who are they? Are they like us? Are they different? Does Jesus love them more than he loves us? The wonderful thing is that these questions are not answered. This means that we are not to go out seeking which sheep are Christ’s and which others are not. What it does mean that we are to feed the sheep simply because they are sheep.

Let us be people that take the words of Jesus seriously, willingly giving our time and talent so that we are a blessing to those around us. Yes, the words of Jesus to Peter most likely stand in the context of spiritual feeding. Yet they also mean that we must consider all of the forms of care and nurture that feeding could encompass. Philippians 2:17 says, “But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.”

May we all have the opportunity to share the joy that comes when we are faithful to serve.
Amen.

Prayer for the World:

HYMN 533 Will you come and follow me

(from St. Andrew’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Glasgow)

Benediction:

The guarding of the God of life be on you,
the guarding of the loving Christ be on you,
the guarding of the Holy Spirit be on you,
every day and night,
to aid you and enfold you,
each day, each night.
Amen.

Sung Amen

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Sunday 15th August 2021

Welcome:
Welcome to our joint service for this, the 15^th August. This week we continue to consider aspects of what it means, in practical terms, to place our hope and trust upon Jesus

Call to Worship (from Psalm 111: 1-3):
Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
Full of honour and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures for ever.

HYMN 63 All people that on earth do dwell (Psalm 100)

(from Hull Minster)

Prayer

As we gather for worship this morning
let us rejoice in the love of the Lord.
Let us sing praises for all that He has done for us.
God is gracious and merciful,
keeping His promises for ever.
Let us give thanks to the Lord with our whole hearts,
as we gather here.
Let us worship His honour and majesty.
Let us remember that His righteousness endures forever.

Father God, You alone are truly wise,
and sometimes we are truly foolish.
Instead of listening to You,
we try to solve our own problems and make our own paths.
Jesus, You are the bread of life,
and generously give all that we need,
but sometimes we try to provide for ourselves,
or forget to share Your generosity with others.
Spirit of God,
You are faithful, and we are fallible,
forgetting to trust in Your promises.
God, gather us back to Yourself,
set our feet back on Your paths once more.

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:

Ephesians 5: 15-20
Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 6: 51-58
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’

HYMN 662 Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts

(From First-Plymouth Church Lincoln Nebraska)

Reflection

This week we again consider aspects of what it may mean, in practical terms, to place our hope and trust upon Jesus. Every third year, through the summer months, the lectionary readings take us through the part of John’s Gospel that we’ve been reading for the last couple of weeks. This time around we prepare to say farewell to these passages as we consider them for a final time. We begin, though, with a look at the passage from Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus.

These few verses from the writings of Saint Paul come from a longer section that serves as a ‘wake-up call’ to the Church. It is a call, a challenge, to live the distinctive form of life that should mark Christians out as different. It is a life that exhibits our commitment to God. It is a life that shows how we should live in a world that is mostly indifferent, yet can sometimes be hostile, to the community of faith.

Paul’s emphasis is on living in the wisdom of God, and not the folly of the world. Paul makes his point in three ways. Firstly, we are to serve God by using our time wisely. Paul sees the time he is living in as a sinful age; I think, somehow, that he would not see our time as any different, but perhaps even worse. Secondly, we are to seek a practical understanding of what God’s will is for us. We are to allow that process of discernment to guide us into wise living. We are not all the same, neither are our callings nor our gifts. Thirdly, we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God, the bringer of wisdom. Playing with words, the wisdom of the Spirit is contrasted with the folly of drunkenness.

Being filled with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit makes itself seen in our worship. Our commitment to God, and His wisdom, is seen in our praise of Him. Such worship serves to reinforces our relationship with him. It draws us closer to Him, holding us both as individuals and as the Church. Note that just as God exists in the community of Father, Son, and Spirit so, too, is worship described by Paul. It is not a singular affair but a corporate one; we worship as a community, the body of Christ.

As we have considered in previous weeks, we are only able to come to God and live out the life of discipleship through Jesus. It is his presence in each of our lives that makes it possible. So we turn, now, to what may be said to be the climax of Jesus’ teaching about himself as the bread of life. This short passage place that teaching firmly in the context of his work on the Cross. He speaks clearly of life eternal; he speaks, too, of raising people to life on the last day. The context for these happenings is the first Easter, the death and resurrection of Christ himself. Jesus says here that he will give his flesh for the life of the world, perhaps echoing the description of the Suffering Servant of the prophet Isaiah.

Scholars have debated the meaning of these verses since as long as there has been a Church. Some see in them a clear reference to the Lord’s Supper. Others see them as a metaphor describing our relationship with Jesus. No doubt, each of us will have our own opinion as to what these verses mean. In some ways, both interpretations are right. They may, however, be combined to provide a wider message, uniting the chapter and pointing beyond it.

The whole chapter describes our dependence on Jesus. The feeding miracle is one picture of this. References to the Lord’s Supper are another picture. Indeed, these verses help to put The Sacrament in context, and explain its significance. Neither picture nor interpretation is an end in itself. They both point further: back to the person of Jesus, his sacrificial love, and the need for a faithful response to that love.

It is our response to that sacrificial love that calls us to live life in Divine wisdom. It is our response that enables us to be brought closer to God. It is that response that transforms us and enables us to share the love of Jesus.
Amen.

Prayer for the World

Father God,
be with the young people as they prepare to return to school.
Help them to learn and grow and flourish.
We pray for the children and families who are feeling anxious about the new term,
knowing that school isn’t always an easy place to be.
We pray for those who are planning their future path,
reflecting upon the grades they have received this week.
God of wisdom, guide our paths.
Be with those getting ready for the Climate conference.
As reports are prepared and arrangements made,
give us bold ambition to make the changes we know are necessary
to protect the world You have created.
Let us not lose sight of the need for justice and accountability in our decision-making.
God of wisdom, guide our paths.
Be in and with our church,
as we grapple with the need for change
and the reality of a future that is going to be very different from our past.
Help us to recognise You at work already in our fellowship
and to be listening for Your whispers of new possibilities
and ways of living out our faith.
God of wisdom, guide our paths.
Amen

HYMN 465 Be Thou my vision

Benediction

Go out into the week ahead,
seeking the wisdom of God
and let us see His kingdom all around us.
And as you go,
may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
go with you now,
and always.
Amen.

Sung Amen

Finally: For those of us who like our Psalms sung unaccompanied, here’s our opening worship done in that way:

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Sunday 1st August 2021

Welcome to our joint service for this, the first Sunday of August. Today we will be reflecting on the goodness of God towards us all.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 51: 15-17)
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt-offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

HYMN 110 Glory be to God the Father

(from St. Machar’s Cathedral, Aberdeen)

Prayer

O God You know each of us well, love us deeply
and are able to sustain us in an enormous variety of ways.
We are humbled by our awareness of Your profound concern
and involvement in our petty concerns and worries,
and your keen interest in our welfare.
Given so many gifts in our daily lives to enrich us
and opportunities for love and companionship,
we come anticipating a deeper appreciation of
and wider perspective of Your grace and power.

We know Your mercy for the penitent, O loving God.
Let us experience it once again
as we place the record of our past week before You.

We recall our lack of respect and care for others
and those set in authority over us.

We acknowledged our abuse and neglect of our particular talents and gifts.

We have lived as if the world and its wonders were under our control,
and needed no reference to You.

We have failed to measure up to the standard expected of Your disciples,
and our example has not influenced the world for good.

In certain ways we have lived as if this earth and life upon it
was the limit of our horizons
and have disregarded Your encouragement to strive forward
and live as mature human beings made in Your likeness.

Hear us, O God, as in silence we now confess our individual sin before You.

Listen to the word of promise :

If we confess our sin,
God is faithful and just and will forgive our sin,
so, I declare unto You, our sin is forgiven.

Thanks be to God.

Generous provider of every good gift,
prod us awake to the opportunities and invitations You lay before us.

Give us magnanimity in defeat and denial,
so that we may trust You rather than our own wisdom and wit.

Give to those who lead,
the loyalty and support they deserve,
and to those who follow,
willing spirits and a sense of purpose of their part in Your plan for this world,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lord’s Prayer:
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

Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’

Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.

Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, “Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.”’ And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.”’

In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.’

John 6:24-35
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’

Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

HYMN 511 Thy hand, O. God has guided

Reflection

Is your God too small? In his book, ‘Your God is too small’, the late JB Phillips posed this question in the form of an accusation. Even at its time of writing, the 1960s, many could see that the people of faith had allowed their view of God to diminish. Instead of being the Creator, Saviour, and Sustainer of all that is, the Almighty had been reduced to being some form of fairy godmother like figure. In the last fifty years that hasn’t changed! So often society and the church no longer see God as He truly is, and this leads to us having an increasingly distorted understanding and vision of Him. In his conversation with the crowd in today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tackles two of these distortions of what faith in God should be.

What do we say or do when we pray? Is it a time of praise of God and reflection upon His grace? Is it a time to wait and seek to discern His call upon our life? Is it a time to be silent and be still? Or is our prayer life one that often descends into a list of requests? There are many whose life of prayer is like a shopping list of requests. This is the first distortion that Jesus addresses. It is to see God merely as the supplier of material needs. Yet this misses out on the truth of God as the giver of eternal life. We might feel safe from the temptation to take the Lord’s Prayer too literally, and regard Jesus merely as a provider of our daily bread. But what about the tendency for our prayer to lapse into lists of similarly mundane requests?

What happens when we feel our prayers are not answered? What happens when we feel that God is not hearing us, nor supplying our wants to order? How do we respond when God is not providing miracles upon demand? So often, when this happens, we are led to think that God doesn’t listen or, worse, that He doesn’t care. If people can feel this way over, perhaps, something small or trivial then imagine the response if the desired miracle is something major. Yet, this is to see God as the supplier of miracles to order. This is the second distortion dealt with by Jesus. The crowd demand a sign to enable them to believe. Yet they have already seen miracles and have not believed. ⁴⁶Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. ⁴⁷When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁸Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless yousee signs and wonders you will not believe.’ ⁴⁹The official said to him, ‘Sir, come down before my little boy dies.’ ⁵⁰Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your son will live.’ The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. (John 4: 46-50). It seemed that these miracles were not enough. Still more ‘proofs’ will not help. Already the crowds had seen signs and miracles, yet they were not convinced

How, then, do we avoid or overcome these potential distortions to our faith? In contrast to the distortions countered by Jesus, true faith is not merely driven by response to outward signs. These signs can be important, but as things that encourage faith rather than be the basis for it. Rather, true faith is commitment to the person of Jesus. It is commitment to a person and a way of life. It is not about wish fulfilment. In our Gospel story the crowd still fail to see that the gift of God in Jesus is greater than any material gift could be. And it is this gift that brings a far greater miracle than they, or we, could imagine – the salvation of the world. Amen.

Prayers for the World:

Great and Loving God
We know we are tenants of this good earth,
entrusted through Your grace and love with its abundance and harvests.

Strengthen our resolve to be worthy of Your covenant with us,
and make us more willing to hear, to obey,
and to act in protection of the fruit of Your kingdom of love.

Fill the leaders of our nation, and all nations,
with a healthy respect for the dignity of human life,
the worth of the individual
and the need to consider the everyday issues
as well as the wider issues in politics and society.

Sustain those with special talents –
of laughter, healing, teaching, leadership, parenting,
production of food and necessities of life –
and encourage them to see You as the source of all their gifts.

Accept we pray, Your children with their particular hopes and promise;
inspire them to continue in their faithful way to work for the growth of love
and cooperation, mutual dependence and trust.

Startle the wavering and the tempted;
the unsure and the procrastinating
with a sharp sense of Your interest
and Your demands of care upon them.

Refresh the weary and the war-torn,
the oppressed and the suffering
with the sense of Your unlimited and unexpected mercies.

Motivate the hearts of compassionate men and women
to the cries of the hungry and the plight of the undernourished.

Shake the complacent out of their stupor of self-satisfaction,
and grab their attention and stimulate them to action
on behalf of those with no ‘clout’, or no political weight,
and no means of being heard for themselves.

Give patience to those who labour to alter the ideas of society
and challenge the patterns of the growing gap between rich and poor.

Direct and embolden those who grapple with the problems of insufficient shelter
and inadequate clothing,
the lack of ample resources in education,
and abuse of power, oppression and injustice.

Re-ignite the passion of those who have slumped into idle lethargy
and lukewarm apathy.

Give them a boldness to correct, eradicate and transform
the wrongs which reject and isolate those
who do not fit neatly within the norms of society.

Remind the Church to tread carefully in its eagerness to be popular,
or in hastily espousing doctrines that may be popular with the world.
Challenge us when we are silent on controversial issues,
when our silence condones the destruction and rejection of goodness, truth and life.

Stir up within the councils of the Church
a passion for the Gospel and the building of God’s kingdom.
Rid them of any ecclesiastical ghetto mentality
which would threaten to overwhelm the proclamation of Your love.

Guide them in the deep waters of social and political action
so that they hold tight to spiritual truth,
and reject any seemingly expedient solutions
which are alien to the teaching of Jesus,
in whose name we pray. Amen.

HYMN 715 Behold the mountain of the Lord

(from The Metropolitan Tabernacle, London)

Benediction

Go out in the world
reflect God’s love on others,
be the love God is,
and let the light shine.

And as you go,
may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
go with you,
now and always.
Amen.

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Sunday 25th July 2021

Welcome to this worship service on Sunday 25th July 2021 and thank you for joining me today. We are going to consider how three men, Philip, Andrew, and Paul react differently when faced with difficult challenges.

Call to Worship
Psalm 105:4-5
Seek the Lord and His strength; seek his presence continually
Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles and the judgements he has uttered.

Hymn CH4 485 – “Dear Lord and Father of mankind”

Prayer of Approach

Faithful God,
We give all praise and thanks to You today,
for Your gracious love and mercies new with each morning,
for Your steadfast hand which has always guided us,
for Your promise which has never faltered.

We pray as those of us who come to You often and those who have not prayed for a long time.
We come as those who are full of faith and those who feel challenged and full of doubt.
We come as those who can hardly keep from singing, and those who can barely face the day.
We are here because You have called us,
because You love us,
because You are our God.

We are here not because we are good or pure or holy, but because of our need.
We know we have failed to live as You would have us live,
We know that we sometimes stray from the path,
that we have not loved one another,
that we have not loved You,
that we have not loved ourselves,
that we have not loved Your creation.

Forgive us, God, and renew us to be Your people.
Light our way that we may follow you more closely,
Help us to learn from our mistakes, and to show love and compassion to each other.
Remind us of our utter dependence on You for all things,
for You are at work, reproaching, redeeming, nurturing, filling, and blessing our lives.
You are our faithful and forgiving friend, and hear us as we pray together,

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Scriptures

Ephesians 3:14-21

Prayer for the Readers

For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

John 6:1-21

Feeding the Five Thousand

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so, they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also, the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So, they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Jesus Walks on the Water

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The lake became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going.

Hymn 153 CH4 “Great is thy Faithfulness”.

Reflection

How often have you been faced with a task that seemed insurmountable? Maybe you can sympathise with Philip and Andrew when Jesus asks them with finding a way to feed the 5000 people on the hillside. Philip and Andrew’s approach to the challenge is quite different. I will come back to that later. Or are we like Paul in the first reading, turning to God in prayer?

Earlier in Ephesians chapter 3, Paul tells us that it was God’s plan all along to reconcile and bring together Jews and Gentiles into one body in Christ. The controlling Jewish men had a lot of trouble accepting Paul’s mission to the Gentiles. Paul prays to God on behalf of the Christian Gentiles, asking for a few things to help them. He prays for inner strength, for faith that is rooted in love by the Holy Spirit, a love that surpasses understanding. Finally, Paul prays that, through the knowledge they gain and the power to comprehend that knowledge, that they will be filled with the fullness and love of God. Paul’s prayer ends with the words “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine”. Paul’s reaction to God’s plan is to pray and ask for the necessary resources for the Gentiles.

So, what of the reactions of Philip and Andrew to the task that Jesus has presented them with? Jesus had been teaching the crowd all day, and it was almost time for the evening meal. The disciples wanted Jesus to dismiss the people so they could go and buy food in the neighbouring towns and villages. Jesus had other ideas. He told the disciples to feed the people.

Philip saw the need for a miracle and calculated the odds. He tried to prove that it could not be done. How many times have we reacted like Philip? How often does our focus waiver and we are overcome by our selfishness? We might distance ourselves from the problem. Perhaps we would create a committee to make the decisions when what we really need is to make disciples. We should not be paralyzed by the size and scope of the tasks before us.

Andrew, on the other hand, set out to try to solve the problem. He searched for food among the people, but he found only one small boy with a small lunch that seemed inadequate for the task at hand. We have to give credit to Andrew for at least trying to find a solution to the problem. Can we be more like Andrew? As Christians we believe that God is in all that we do, God will provide everything that we will need. We can break the task down into manageable parts. We should not try to do everything all at once because we know we cannot be everything to everyone all of the time. Jesus accepts our limitations and only expects us to work with what we have.
In Paul’s mission, he prays that the Gentiles be granted the resources required to fulfil God’s plan, and in faith, he knows that these will be given “abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine”

Jesus accepted the boy’s gift, he blessed it, and in the blessing the small became great. There was an abundance of food because Jesus wanted the people to be fed. Jesus can take anything we give him, no matter how big or how small, and multiply it to be used to do his work in the world. All life and all good gifts come from God. Jesus wants us to open our hearts and our hands to those around us.

In the story, Jesus tested the disciples. Did he want them to fail so that he might strengthen them? Jesus also tests us for the same reason. Will we react in fear, in confusion, or in faith? Failure can give us strength and perseverance. We must never gauge the size of a challenge in terms of what we consider our capability to be. God calls us to commit whatever we have, and we become instruments in his service.

Jesus intended for his miracles to point people to God. That included his disciples and everyone he met. The crowds were following Jesus for the spectacle, possibly to see what his next miracle would be. They were enamoured with his words and what he might do for them.

Because he could work miracles, many people wanted to make Jesus a king. They thought that if he could feed them, he could free them from Roman rule. They wanted an earthly king who would protect them and provide for them. Instead, Jesus was a humble, servant king who would create in them a relationship with God. They wanted a Messiah who would provide for their physical needs, but Jesus was the Messiah that would provide for their spiritual needs. He wanted their undivided attention. Jesus got the disciples’ attention thanks to the storm. He wanted them to make him their chief focus even when the storms of life take over. He also wants us to pay attention to him, especially when we face the storms of life.

One of the focuses of the story is on how the disciples respond to the tests Jesus gives them. The test for us is how we will do the work Jesus wants us to do, especially when the task seems impossible. We must not concentrate on what we lack. We must concentrate on what we have. Jesus gives us the resources we need.

The two parts of this story are linked by Jesus doing something totally unexpected, and it changed the lives of those around him. There are things in life that challenge us. God sends the storms of life that we face. These storms have been engineered to strengthen us, teach us, and cause us to grow deeper in our faith.

Do we react like Philip and accept that the task is insurmountable, or do we follow the example of Andrew and respond positively using the resources available to us? Paul turns to God in prayer, asking for help in what was a task of great magnitude. Our job is to involve God, through Jesus in any problems we are facing and to count on his presence and power. Jesus is present and ready to help in any situation of need. All we have to do is come to him in faith. Amen

Prayer of Intercession

Lord, your love surpasses all understanding.
We rejoice and praise you.
Give us grace to display generosity and thanksgiving in how we share the fruits of your blessings. Help us to be like Andrew, that we will meet any challenges that we face, remembering that Your provision exceeds our need, and we share in your rich bounty.

Lord, we pray for your justice when we are confronted with the scheming and plotting of corruption and violence. We pray for compassion for all those who think that spreading racial hatred is acceptable, that they may realise the hurt that is causes,
And for those who have been subjected to insults for the colour of their skin, their sexual orientation, or their race.

We pray for those working within the Church of Scotland in places of power and influence who are making difficult decisions about the future of our churches that will affect many people. We thank you and pray for the special people in our lives, especially those who have made a difference to our knowledge and outlook.

We pray for those who have lost their relatives, friends, and homes, due to extreme weather condition. We especially remember those in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Hear our prayers for those whose lives are so unbearable in their own countries, that they would risk their lives on the dangerous seas to reach what for them is a land of hope and promise.

Stretch out your hands to bless all who long for healing and release from their suffering
We pray especially for those we know personally who are facing difficulties at this time
Fill them, Lord, with Your healing presence and remind them of Your promises.
We pray for those who are sorrowing and those who care for and console them.
Lord hold us through the darkness of death and grief.

We pray for ourselves that we might be filled with energy to serve You better in our daily living.
And that we might, even in our doubt, be reminded that You will never turn away.
Unite us as members of your family

Grant that we may find a voice to praise you for your mercy and goodness.
And we pray this in your son’s name, Amen

Hymn 510 CH4 “Jesus calls us here to meet him”.

Closing Prayer

May the God of hope go with us every day, filling our lives with love and joy and peace.
May the God of justice speed us on our way, bringing light and hope to all those that we meet,
May the God of Love bless us as we share our joy of knowing Him, with others
and may we remain faithful when we hear Christ’s call. Amen.

This service was prepared by Linda Farrer, Reid Memorial Church

Acknowledgements:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Sunday 18th July 2020

Welcome to this online service of worship for Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial churches for Sunday 18^th July 2021. Today, we think about our identity as Christians.

Call to Worship

Where shall we find you, O God?
We shall find you among the star-fields,
in super novas and solar systems.

Where shall we find you, O God?
We shall find you dancing through the mountains
that stretch high and wide across our planet.

Where shall we find you, O God?
We shall find you flowing through the rivers as they
wind their way to the vast blue oceans

Where shall we find you, O God?
We shall find you among the cedars of Lebanon
in the forests that sway and bend in the breeze.

Where shall we find you, O God?
We shall find you among the people of faith
who give your justice a home in their living.

Where shall we find you, O God?
We shall find you here and we worship you.

HYMN 200: Christ is made the sure foundation

Prayer

Lord God, we gather at this brief moment of time
to give You praise for everything and forever.
Your love, like Yourself, has no beginning or end.
Your faithfulness is eternal.
The majesty of the heavens and the myriad wonders of earth
bear witness to Your providence.

You have no competitor, no rival, no substitute.
You are right and You are just, Your plans for us are good.
We cannot exhaust Your love,
and in Jesus Christ we see enough to satisfy us forever.

Lord, there are things which contradict all this.
We do not see Your will being done on earth.
We admit to times when we ourselves have failed You,
by what we have done or what we have omitted to do.
We have sinned.
Have mercy upon us.
Have mercy on our friends.
Have mercy on our enemies,
for Your name’s sake.

O God,
our time on earth is short, and Your purpose is long.
Guide us in the week that lies ahead of us.
Help us in the things that challenge us.
Keep us faithful.
Grant us wisdom, and true humility,
as we journey with You before us and behind us,
above us and within us,
through Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray:

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

Scripture readings

2 Samuel 7: 1-14a

After David the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.’ Nathan replied to the king, ‘Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.’ But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

‘Go and tell my servant David, “This is what the Lord says: are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’”

‘Now then, tell my servant David, “This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people shall not oppress them any more, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

‘“The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: when your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.

Mark 6: 30-34; 53-56
The apostles gathered round Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognised them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognised Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried those who were ill on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went – into villages, towns or countryside – they placed those who were ill in the market-places. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Amen

HYMN 15: The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want

Reflection

Grant, O Lord, that in these words, we may behold the living Word, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

We don’t usually have three readings in our tradition of worship but for this week, it seemed appropriate. Do they seem very different to you? I suppose they must. Firstly, we have the writer of 2 Samuel, talking about the building – or not – of a temple to house God. Then the well-known and much loved words of the 23^rd Psalm, with the imagery of God as a faithful shepherd, which bring comfort to so many people in times of trial. Then the piece from Mark’s Gospel, which describes the impact Jesus had on the lives of ordinary people from around his home area.

Christians today can sometimes feel marginalised. Are you ever reluctant to disclose to someone that you are a person of faith and that you take part in worship (in person or online)? Have you met with criticism for belonging to a church or for trying to live your life in a way that honours Christ Jesus? Sometimes, even our own family members or friends may find our faith a source of amusement or gentle mockery. “You don’t really believe all that stuff, do you?” And let me advise you, never go to social media for validation of your faith – Christians are regularly abused and vilified. We are lucky, of course, that we do not (usually) face violence or persecution as Christians in other parts of the world do. But it is perhaps not surprising that we sometimes wonder about our identity as members of the Church in Scotland, particularly at a time when the Church of Scotland itself seems to be declining not just in size but in influence and even confidence. Where is God in all of this?

King David and his compatriots asked a similar question as we heard in the first reading. From being a shepherd boy, then a wandering nomad, sleeping in caves, David had settled down in his palace and, acknowledging his debt to the God who had placed him there, had decided to build a house for God, a temple, a place where God’s power and influence could become visible and present. He wanted to know and perhaps even to control where God was to be found – a splendid edifice, boasting to the world of God’s power and might. God, predictably, was having none of it. Nathan advises David not to build a temple. It seems that God does not want to be tied down but instead wants to be with his people as they move around. It is never a good idea to try to ‘contain’ God, to box him in or indeed to identify him with a building. This text is telling us that our identity as people of faith is not – or should not! – be linked to a God of place but instead to a God of people, in all the messy realities of life as we love and serve.

Do we ever really listen to and think about the words of the 23^rd psalm? I have tended to think of it as a poem of peace and tranquillity and maybe you do too. Certainly, it ends with an assurance that we will rest in the house of the Lord for ever but most of the psalm describes a wandering life; it is full of the imagery of movement. The writer is led by the waters; he is guided along the right paths; he walks, accompanied, through a dark valley. And all the time, God is by his side. Not a God of a particular place then, tied to a temple or a church, but a God of the people, out in the world with them, helping them to navigate their way through life. The kingdom of God turns out to be, not a distant land of plenty, but the context in which we live our lives. It is part of our identity as Christians to walk together and to take concrete steps towards transforming our world. We do not have a God who offers an easy, peaceful life but one who promises to be by our sides as we travel restlessly, as we try to fulfil our calling as Christ’s disciples, as we love and serve.

The passage from Mark’s gospel also describes people travelling, searching for a leader. It all sounds a bit chaotic, to be honest – Jesus and his disciples trying to find a bit of peace but being hunted down by what we might describe nowadays as fans or groupies. Think of the 1960s images of the Beatles being followed by noisy and adoring crowds of young fans desperate for a glance from their idols. Of course, the people in the story were in search of something deeper than a passing glimpse of a celebrity; they needed, and sought, a person to lead them, to teach them, to heal them. They recognised in Jesus the leader that they needed and Jesus responded generously to that need, loving and serving the people, whatever the cost to himself.

I asked a few minutes ago where God is in all the mess of our lives and, in particular, in the challenges facing the Church of Scotland today. These passages answer that question. We can say confidently, like Nathan to David, that a building is not needed. God is not confined to bricks and mortar and our identity is based not on a building but on membership of a people, a group of Christian companions placed in a distinct community for a purpose. Like the Psalmist, we can accept that we are called to a restless life, our identity based not simply on a longing for peace and tranquillity but on the need to journey through this world actively seeking justice and transformation. Like the crowds in Mark’s story, we know that Jesus will respond with compassion to our and the Church’s desperate need for direction, for leadership, for teaching and for healing.

Where is God in all of this? We are placed in God’s world, in God’s time, as God’s beloved children, to love and to serve. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

On our way through this world,
may we humbly walk
with you, God of life.

On our restless pilgrimage through life,
guide us as we wander, hesitate,
turn back, and move forward once more.

On our journey to your presence,
lead us in the way of love and service,
seeking justice, peace and joy
in the Holy Spirit.

Amen

Prayer

Good and gracious Father,
We give thanks for blessings
of home and family,
of education and nurture,
of art and science.

For all who make peace, for all who build bridges,
for all who have learned to forgive the past, we give thanks.
For all good people, and for all lovely things,
we bless Your marvellous creation.

For our identity in Christ,
and for those who have explained this and loved it into our lives,
we are truly grateful.
For our place in Christ’s church,
for opportunities to love and to serve and to be loved and served,
we say thank You.

We pray for those who are sick and weighed down in body or spirit,
for those who are overworked,
for those who need a break,
for those who near the end of life.
May they know Your peace.

We pray for all who are lost or perplexed, who need shepherding,
and for those who teach and guide others,
in their work, in their home, in their voluntary service.
May they give and receive Your peace.

We pray for those who are lonely or who have concerns

and no-one to share them with.

We pray for those in this congregation and in Priestfield and Reid Memorial

who have volunteered to be the person who listens

as part of our Lend an Ear project.

May God strengthen and comfort volunteers and service users alike.

We pray for all who hunger and thirst,
for relief organisations,
for the governments of the world,
for those who govern in our own islands.
May they find peace, create peace, work for peace.

We pray for people who do not know how much You love them,
and for all who share the gospel.
May Your Spirit break down barriers, open hearts,
bring peace.

In a moment of silence, we ask God to hear the prayers of our own minds and hearts.

These and all our prayers we ask in the name of Jesus

Amen

HYMN 511: Your hand, O God, has guided

Sending

We will walk with God, my sisters,
we will walk with God.
We will walk with God, my brothers,
we will walk with God.
We will go rejoicing
till the kingdom has come.
We will go rejoicing
till the kingdom has come.

Amen

This service was prepared by Pauline Weibye, Session Clerk at Craigmillar Park

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Sunday 11th July 2021

Welcome to this worship service on Sunday 11th July 2021.
Our relationship with God promises us love, forgiveness, freewill and eternal life, and all we have to do is promise to use that freewill to follow and serve Him.

Call to Worship
O God from whom every gift derives,
we gather to worship You this day.
You are an awesome God,
greater than our comprehension or our imagination.
You are beyond any word we could ever use to describe You.
And yet, through Jesus, we know the intimacy of Your vast Love.

Hymn CH4 512 To God Be The Glory

Prayer of Approach

God, our God, we are here to worship You.
We come, each of us from our own lives,
with our own thoughts, hopes, and worries.
Clear in our hearts and minds a space to focus on You and our relationship with You.
We come as Your children: and long to know Your love.

And here in this place of prayer;
in this quiet and unlaboured time –
we can bring to mind the paths that brought us here.
As Your people, we’ve known joy and comfort, fatigue and pain;
love and hope, loneliness and stress.
Lord, give us eyes to see that You have been with us every step of the way.
Gives us hearts to know Your presence,
not just today, but every day.

You are the God who freely loves.
Yet as infinite, majestic, and glorious God:
You concern Yourself with us.
You care for us.
You know everyone of us.
You walk among us demonstrating a perfect and often unmerited love.
We cannot comprehend its depth, width, and height.
There can be no excuse for our faults;
We ask for Your forgiveness; in hope and in faith,
You know every hair on our heads and every movement of our lives,
speak quietly to our troubled souls.

When we are fearful, still our hearts.
And so, rejoicing in the life of Christ, and in the joy of the Holy Spirit,
we ask You to restore us, renew us, and shape us in Your ways.
And hear us as together we share the words that Jesus taught us,

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Scriptures

Mark 6:14-29
The Death of John the Baptist
King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason, these powers are at work in him.’ But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’

For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him.
When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’

Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Ephesians 1:3-14
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us.

With all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

Hymn CH4 334: On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry

Reflection

Once there was a man in a park who saw some girls with skipping ropes. He challenged them to a contest. He tied a ribbon to the middle of the rope, scratched a line in the dirt and said, “I’ll promise £1 each to the team that can pull the ribbon over to their side of the line.” He was in for a big surprise. The girls divided into two teams, picked up each end of the rope, and began to sing and dance to an upbeat little song. They repeatedly took three steps forward and three steps back. Each time, the ribbon passed over the line and, as it did, they racked up another £1 each. When the man saw what they were doing, he shouted, “Stop, stop, you’ll bankrupt me!”

Rash promises. Have you ever made a rash promise? Said something on impulse that, no sooner than the words were out of your mouth, you knew you had made a big mistake? In the reading from Mark’s gospel, we hear of the promise made by Herod that resulted the gruesome death of John the Baptist.

Herod was faced with John’s rebuke for taking his brother’s wife as his own. Herod’s relationship with John seemed to be a complex mixture of fear, respect, and protective goodwill. On the one hand, John was imprisoned for his hard words over Herod’s marital affairs; on the other, Herod seemed to acknowledge John’s authority and respected him.

Herod threw a big party to celebrate his birthday and invited all of the dignitaries to come. At the height of the celebration, his stepdaughter began to dance, to entertain Herod and his dinner guests. So pleased was Herod that he blurted out for all to hear, “Ask me anything you want, and I’ll give it to you … up to half my kingdom!” It was a rash promise. What could a young woman like his stepdaughter possibly want from him? A new wardrobe? Precious jewels? A new sporting chariot? He was not worried.

She ran out to find her mother. “What shall I ask for?” Her mother, having nursed bitter contempt for John the Baptist because he condemned her for her adultery, said, “Go back and tell Herod to give you the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” Herod was too weak to extend his protection to John and his heart sank. True, John had disgraced him publicly, but he had no intention of killing him.

Yet, he had made a promise, and everyone heard it. To renege on his word would be to lose face. So, he sent an executioner to do the deed, who soon came back with John’s head on a platter. Herod was not a man of faith. His only strength was his own self-will, and he felt that he had no other choice but to make good on his promise.

But not all promises are rash promises. Sometimes we make promises thoughtfully with every good intention of keeping our word, but things do not always work out as we planned. If we are willing to act in faith, God will give us the humility to negotiate and compromise. God’s grace does not give us license to act irresponsibly. When we make a promise, we ought to do everything we can to keep it. God will give us the strength of character to man-up and admit our mistake, if we but ask. God is on our side, and that is all that really matters.

Put the shoe on the other foot: If someone promised us something they cannot deliver, would we rather see him squirm or come to us and offer to work things out, to the best of their ability?

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we read of the blessings that have been bestowed on us through Jesus, amongst them is freewill. We are adopted as God’s children and offered forgiveness. But what of God’s Will vs. Our Will? Promises are ours to make, as are decisions but sometimes we make the wrong choices. Some decisions are painless, like what am I going to wear today, or what am I going to have for lunch. But many decisions are life-altering. Should I marry this person? Should I accept this job? Should I buy this house? Should I have made a promise without thinking about the consequences? Our lives are the sum of the choices we make.

We are not chosen by God for anything we have done or would contribute to His Kingdom, it is more about our relationship with Him. Whether we choose to accept that relationship is still up to us. When we experience God’s perfect will, we are given the full measure of His boundless love. Does God choose us even if we do not want Him to? How can we know what God’s will and purpose is?

Paul was a highly intelligent and well-educated man but even he could not comprehend the infinite depths of God’s will and wisdom. Instead of being bewildered, Paul praised God’s greatness. God knows the future and He knows why He uniquely created each one of us. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses.

We may not fully understand what God is doing in our lives, but it is clear that the dominant feature is God’s love for us. He is full of grace and mercy toward us, and we can put our hope and trust in Him. And we too can praise Him for His greatness. That is why we are here at this moment. To praise God.

By accepting God into our lives means that there are promises that we can be sure of, the promise of God’s love, His forgiveness and eternal life. The choice is ours. Amen

Prayer of Intercession

God of love and freedom, we give thanks for your promise of love, forgiveness, and eternal life through Jesus Christ.
We pray for those who long to be free from imprisonment,
whether due to their behaviour against society,
Or because of a fight for justice, for speaking out against the tyranny of their government, or simply for their Christian faith.

We pray for the asylum seekers and refugees whose current home is a detention centre.

We pray for those who feel helpless and trapped due to domestic abuse, bullying or slave labour,
working unbearably long hours with little or not pay.
For the people who long to be free from human trafficking.

We pray for the people who work tirelessly in support agencies whose aim is to reduce the suffering of those in need. May they show wisdom and compassion in difficult situations.

We pray for the affluent members of society who are trapped by the desire to be bigger and better than their neighbours, and who may have forgotten to be compassionate and humble.
We ask that you lay a compassionate hand on,
Those who are struggling to cope with daily pain, or with a life changing diagnosis,
and those who are frustrated that poor health curtails the life that they want.

We pray for those who long to be free from the pain of this life.
Be alongside those who mourn, giving hope and peace to their troubled hearts.

We pray for the lives lost in the building collapse in Miami and the lives devastated by the fires in Canada, Norway, and Cyprus. We pray for the people of Ethiopian who are suffering through conflict and famine.

God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
You are the God who loves freely:
the God whose love is unconditional and infinite.
grant the fulfilment of our prayers.
All this we ask, in and through the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Hymn CH4 644: O, Jesus I have Promised.

Closing Prayer

God of Promise, may our worship today be acceptable to you.
Let the peace that surpasses our understanding be with us in the days to come.
Help us to make a difference in the world.
Bless us and help us to be a blessing to everyone that we meet and interact with.
Hear our prayers and help us never to forget that you are with us always.
In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

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Sunday 27th June 2021

Welcome to our worship on this 27th June 2021. When we face difficult situation in our daily lives, do we ask ourselves “What would Jesus do in these circumstances?” If we did, would our attitude to serving others be more full of kindness and grace?

Call to Worship

We are here to worship God,
To know the warmth of love,
To have the assurance that someone cares,
To be confident of our worth,
To be bold to love in return,
To be washed over with grace,
To be accepted as we are:
This is to know God.
Then let us worship God.

HymnCH4 130; Ye Servants of God, your Master proclaim.

Prayer of Approach

Almighty God, this is a day of blessedness,
when we take the opportunity to come to you,
to give thanks for Your goodness and grace.
This is a time when we pause, to take note,
to see and know all that is around us,
and to give thanks for Your many blessings.
We are blessed with life, the living, breathing life which is Your gift to us.
We are blessed with creation, the beauty and wonder which is beyond our comprehension.
We are blessed with love, the ability to give love, and the joy of receiving it.
We are blessed by Your Love – a challenging love; a rebuking love; a healing love; an accepting love,
As the light of Your blessings shines upon us today, may we focus on You,
acknowledging that you are the centre and foundation of our lives.
May we be drawn closer to You in the warmth of Your Spirit.
Tender God, the God who keeps loving us despite our failures,
we bow our hearts and minds in humility,
trusting in your forgiveness,
leaning on your promise of welcome.
Remind us to appreciation and give thanks for each other,
remove judgemental thoughts from our minds,
that we will follow the example that was shown to us by Jesus.
And hear us as together we speak the words that Jesus taught us,

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Scriptures

Mark 5:21-43
A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed
21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. ²²Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet ²³and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ ²⁴So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. ²⁵Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years. ²⁶She had endured much under many physicians and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ ²⁹Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. ³⁰Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ ³¹And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?”’ ³²He looked all round to see who had done it. ³³But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. ³⁴He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.’

35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ ³⁶But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ ³⁷He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. ³⁸When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ ⁴⁰And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. ⁴¹He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ ⁴²And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. ⁴³He strictly ordered them that no one should know this and told them to give her something to eat.

Psalm 123
To you I lift up my eyes,
   O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
As the eyes of servants
   look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid
   to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
   until he has mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
   for we have had more than enough of contempt.
Our soul has had more than its fill
   of the scorn of those who are at ease,
   of the contempt of the proud.

Hymn 510; Jesus calls us here to meet him.

Reflection

Anyone who knows me, will know that I am a Street Pastor. I am passionate about listening to, helping, and caring for the people that we meet on the city centre streets at night. I would like to tell you of two encounters on the same night. As we walked down the Bridges after midnight, we saw a well-dressed young man asleep in a bus shelter. When we woke him, it was apparent that he was very drunk. His phone was ringing so we answered it, to the dismay of his very distressed wife. He was clearly well-to-do in his cashmere coat but was vulnerable and in need of our help. We waited with him until his wife came with the car to collect him.

On George Street, we regularly meet the same homeless people. One of them, I will call him Jim, told us when we last met that it would be his birthday on our next patrol night. We baked him a cake and brought candles. He was in his usual spot, we lit the candles and started to sing happy birthday. Many of the young revellers on George Street joined in. Jim was all smiles, enjoyed the attention and was delighted that we had remembered. A small gesture but a big impact.

These were two people obviously from different walks of life, but both vulnerable. As Street Pastors we feel called to serve God, and in difficult situations, we ask ourselves “what would Jesus do in these circumstances?”
In our reading today from Mark’s Gospel, we have a story within a story—the story of the woman with the haemorrhage set within the story of Jairus and his daughter. Jesus is dealing with people of vastly different standing. Jairus is well-to-do and influential, while the unnamed woman is financially impoverished and a social outcast. Jesus does not favour one over the other. He neither rebukes Jairus for his money and social standing nor ignores the woman because of her poverty and marginality.

The woman is considered to be unclean but in faith she believes that she can be cured by touching Jesus’ garment. She does this quietly and secretly thinking that Jesus will not notice but, of course he does, so she tells him the truth. Jesus openly and in front of the crowds tells the woman that because of her faith she has been healed. By doing this Jesus lets the gathered people know that she is no longer unclean thus improving her status in the community.

All the while Jairus is waiting to take Jesus to his dying daughter. How must he be feeling? Perhaps a bit resentful towards the woman. Then the news comes that his daughter is dead and Jairus probably feels desolate and hopeless, but Jesus offers hope “Do not fear, only believe”.

With his select few, James, John, Peter, Jairus and his wife in attendance, Jesus tells the little girl to get up. We read in the Mark’s Gospel “At this they were overcome with amazement”. Something of an understatement for Jairus and his wife, I am sure you will agree.

They are told not to share the news that the daughter has been brought back from death. Why does Jesus do this? Jairus is a leader in the synagogue, where many of the leaders oppose Jesus but Jairus is a believer. Is Jesus trying to protect him? Or is it a matter of timing? While Jesus would disclose more fully to his disciples the meaning of his messianic mission, he would reveal to the crowds only what they were prepared to understand.

Psalm 123 is about service and servanthood, and it begins by telling us who we serve. It tells us to serve God, but not by giving us a list of possible jobs and tasks that we could do in the church or the community. There is much less interest in our actions and more so in our attitude while we serve.
There are so many ways to serve. Think of a father helping his son with his homework and the husband who cooks supper for his family. Think of all the people who do the various tasks that make it possible for this church to run; tasks big and small, obvious, and upfront, behind-the-scenes and invisible, menial and not glamorous. We see the results, but we do not see the effort. The point is that service is not a narrow slice of life; rather, service is at the heart of much of our everyday life. There are lots of ways to serve, and most of us spend a lot of our time serving in one way or another.

We are not always thanked for the jobs we do. Either the job has gone unnoticed, or people just do not feel the need to make a big deal out of it. And this can really discourage us. Maybe we wonder whether we are doing a good enough job. Maybe we would just be grateful for even one kind word. Maybe we just want to know that our efforts are appreciated. Sometimes it goes further, and people respond in a negative manner. They tell you how the job could have been done in a better way.

This is why it is crucial that our first response to being criticised or not being thanked for our service is prayer. When we face criticism or when we feel frustrated that no one has noticed our work we can turn to the first verse of the psalm: “To you I lift my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens.”
When we see someone giving themselves to service, let us be encouraging. We are called to encourage one another and build one another up—and being built up is not the same thing as giving someone a big head!

We are called to serve one another so that through such mutual service and encouragement we can all follow Christ more closely and faithfully. Jesus is our example. Jesus came to serve. He came to do the will of our God who wants us to serve for the right reasons and with the right attitude. This is why the Psalm is not about what we do to serve but rather about who and how we serve. We are each called to serve one another out of the love for the Lord, not for the praise of people. We serve others, that is true, but God is the ultimate recipient of our service because our service is a part of our worship of Him.
Amen

Prayer of Intercession

Lord, our Rock and Redeemer, thank you that you know us, and you love us. Your Word says that your people are to love one another, serve one another, honour, and teach one another, and build one another up. Bless us so that we can fulfil these commands and help each other grow in faith.

We pray for those who are anxious, isolated, lonely, or grieving because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We pray for all for whom social distance, self-isolation or shielding has caused separation from the ones they love. We pray for those who are suffering because of the impact of the pandemic on their lives, their jobs, and their financial position.

We pray for the places around the world where COVID-19 seems to be out of control and for their politicians who are trying to control the epidemic. We pray that countries who have good supplies of vaccines, and the medical equipment needed may be generous in offering help to those most in need.

We lament the stigma and prejudice that infects our attitudes. We pray for all who have not been made welcome in our churches, our communities, our homes, or our hearts. We remember especially the homeless, prisoners, the poor, members of minority ethnic groups, the marginalised, and all those who suffer because of exclusion, prejudice, discrimination, rejection, bullying, or cruel words. We pray for those who struggle with addiction due for alcohol, drugs, and gambling.

We pray for all who care for the sick and the dying, for members of therapeutic communities, for charities and support projects. We pray for those who undertake research and for those who seek to plan, build, and deliver better, more effective, and more compassionate health services.

We pray for relatives, friends, carers, and all who struggle with the impact of ill health on relationships, homes, and families. We pray for those who suffer ill health in old age, for those whose memories and faculties are taken from them by dementia, and for those who care for them.

Help us to listen well that we may be bringers of wisdom, kindness, faith, hope and love. We pray that our churches may be places within which we welcome, nurture, encourage and include one another, and in which we do not tolerate stigma and prejudice.
We give thanks for the members of society who willing and voluntarily give their time, talents and donations to help those less fortunate than themselves.
May we know your presence with us.

We offer these prayers through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord.
Amen

Hymn 527 – “Lord make us servants of your peace”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66L78JfkqxA

Closing Prayer

We need you, loving God, in every moment of every day; lover of all, we are conscious of our need of you and one another; with a wish to play our part in your mission and yet recognizing our own frailties. We ask that by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit we may love you and magnify your holy name as we go about our daily lives, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

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Sunday 20th June 2021

Welcome to this online service of worship for Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial churches. Today, 20 June 2021, has been designated as Sanctuary Sunday; it is also United Nations World Refugee Day. Our readings focus on those in peril on the sea in the Bible and we take the opportunity to remind ourselves of the need to welcome and support the storm-tossed and the frightened, recognising our common humanity, all created in the image of God.

We start with a call to worship which reminds us that people have been exiled and refugees for many thousands of years. Crying because so many loved ones died. Crying because houses and possessions are destroyed. Crying because the future does not look the way it was hoped to look . Crying out of exhaustion. Crying out of homesickness.

Call to WorshipBy the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.

There on the poplars
we hung our harps,
for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’

How can we sing the songs of the Lord
while in a foreign land? (from Psalm 137)

Hymn 251: I, the Lord of sea and sky

Prayer

Gracious and merciful God,
we gather on World Refugee Day in one heart and mind
to pray for all families and individuals
who have left or fled their country, their land, their homes, seeking safer and better lives.

We lift up to You their hopes and dreams, their fears and anxieties,
and all their needs and necessities,
that they may be protected on their storm-tossed journeys
and that they may reach safe haven.

We pray that their dignity and rights may be fostered, honoured and upheld,
and they may be welcomed with open arms
into generous and compassionate communities.

We ask Your blessing also on those whom they have left behind –
family, friends, loved ones, whom they may never see again.
For every refugee who safely reaches this country,
there are countless others who cannot leave and who must remain in harm’s way.
Protect them, Lord.

As refugees find a new life here in Scotland,
we pray that they and their families will settle here;
we pray for the children, starting a new school and making new friends;
we pray for the adults, learning a new language and a new culture;
we pray for those helping them to find their feet in their new lives.
Lord, bless refugees and displaced persons everywhere,
and bring an end to the strife in our world
which sees so many people driven from the homes and the friends and family they love.

Rejoicing in the Holy Spirit, we pray as our Saviour taught us:

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

from Psalm 107

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures for ever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story –
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.

Some went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.
They saw the works of the Lord,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.
For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.
They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.
They reeled and staggered like drunkards;
they were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
and praise him in the council of the elders.

Mark 4: 35-41

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’

They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’
Amen

HYMN 253: Inspired by love and anger

Reflection

Grant, O Lord, that in these words, we may behold the living Word, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Both of our readings today talk of storms at sea (or in the case of the Gospel reading, the inland Sea of Galilee). Both storms seem particularly violent: the Psalmist talks of a tempest and Mark talks of a furious squall, wild enough to cause the disciples – who were, remember, experienced fishermen – to wake their passenger and plead for help. In both cases, that help was forthcoming. God responded to prayers, the storms were stilled and the travellers reached home safely.

Have you heard the last 18 months or so described as a ‘perfect storm’? We have had Covid-19 and Brexit, with consequent upheavals, uncertainty, change, loss and fear. Life as we knew it has become precarious, we have missed seeing and hugging friends and family, we have been confined to our homes and local areas and have even missed the comfort and solace of regular in-person worship. Some people have lost loved ones, jobs and livelihoods have been placed at risk and our young people’s hopes and dreams have, in some cases, been compromised. We are entitled, I think, to feel a little sorry for ourselves.

But maybe just a little sorry. Today is Sanctuary Sunday and World Refugee Day. Across the world, so many people are on the move, fleeing from persecution, war, famine and economic fragility. They too have had to cope with Covid, without some of the advantages we have living in the prosperous developed West. Not for them the comfort and relief of a blue envelope promising easy and safe vaccination. They too have lost or left behind loved ones, perhaps never to see them again, they have abandoned their jobs and professions and placed not just their futures but their very lives at risk. Some of them have experienced all too literal storms. We have become familiar from news reports of people crossing water to reach a safe haven. But did you know that the Mediterranean contains the bodies of upwards of 35,000 people – babies, children, women and men – who have drowned in trying to reach a place of safety and hope? That is a shocking and shaming statistic, perhaps one to keep in mind as we pine for sunshine holidays around a sea which, for us, inspires only happy thoughts.

The bright orange of life jackets is often the only brightness in the bleak and heartbreaking stories we watch on the nightly news. Refugees deserve our sympathy and support and it is heartening to read of and see the efforts that some countries and many people of faith make to save lives and to provide homes and a warm welcome to these strangers. Remember though that the experience of the Church throughout the world is that migration enriches our common life, both secular and sacred. Refugees must never be defined by victimhood, but should be recognised as human beings, created in God’s image and with as much chance to flourish and thrive as anybody. God grant that our governments may recognise their responsibility in this regard and may act to change the public discourse around immigration and asylum seekers to one more befitting a country with Christian roots.

There are many people, this Refugee Sunday, who can tell us of being cast out because of their faith, their race, their sexuality, their political views, because of the circumstances of war or another disaster or simply because they are in the wrong place. Our readings tell us that, in the storms of life, God is with them just as God is with us in the storms of our lives. The psalm tells us that the voyagers “were glad when it grew calm, and God guided them to their desired haven”. Mark tells us that faith in God leads to peace, peace in the time of sorrow, peace in the time of loss, peace in the time of anxiety. Jesus, our anchor, holds us in the storms of life, even in our own ‘perfect storm’. If we are grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love, our reward will be safety, security and peace.

We need not, therefore, fear the storm. We can turn to Jesus. We can cry for help – and it will come. We too can be guided to our desired haven. In the certainty of Jesus’ love, we must act as he would expect. We must not forget those refugees and migrants who experience literal storms and who do not reach that safe haven on earth; we pray that they find peace as they rest in the Lord’s hands. And we pray also for those who do reach shore safely, our sisters and brothers, that we might welcome them as Jesus would, with generosity, kindness and love.

We often sing the hymn ‘Let us build a house where love can dwell’. Remember these words from that hymn:

Here the outcast and the stranger
bear the image of God’s face:
let us bring an end to fear and danger:

All are welcome,
All are welcome,
All are welcome in this place.

May God sail with refugees as Jesus sailed with the disciples.

May Christ, himself a childhood refugee, protect those who are forced out of their
homeland into peril on the sea.

May the Holy Spirit inspire and lead us as we work to extend Christian hospitality to all God’s children in need.

Amen

Prayer

God of family,
we bring before You the parents who are weeping and lamenting,
who are waiting for their children,
whose trace is lost in the sea, in the desert, on railway tracks,
in shipping containers and uncertainty:
men, women and children who had escaped from the war zones,
the famine and poverty of this world ,
with the hope for a better, safer life.

God of life,
we bring before You our lament for the dead, stranded at the borders of safety,
who died fleeing through deserts, over mountains and seas.
We call to You and join in the cry of all those who sought justice
and a better life for themselves and their children and perished in the process.

God of justice,
we bring before You political leaders, advisers and decision-makers
who hold the fate of others in their hands.
Make them aware of the causes of migration and flight.
Keep their consciences alive so that refugees are offered protection and dignity.
Let them agree rules of residence that are based on human rights
and guided by solidarity and compassion.

God of compassion,
give us the strength to be witnesses of the suffering of the world
and fill us with the fire of Your spirit to renew our efforts to serve those in need. Give us the grace to welcome, learn about and share our lives
with those of your children who come to live in our communities.

We ask these things in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ

Amen

HYMN 198: Let us build a house where love can dwell

Sending

The compassing of God be upon us,
the compassing of God, of the God of life.

The compassing of Christ be upon us,
the compassing of the Christ of love.

The compassing of the Spirit be upon us,
the compassing of the Spirit of grace.

The compassing of the Sacred Three be upon us,
the compassing of the Sacred Three protect us,
the compassing of the Sacred Three preserve us and all God’s children.

Amen

This service was prepared by Pauline Weibye, Session Clerk at Craigmillar Park

Acknowledgements:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Worship material drawn from God With Us: Worship resources on the theme of refugees, migration and sanctuary, published by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
Prayers drawn from the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship resources.
Sending prayer from Celtic Daily Prayer, Northumbria Community 2005

You can find more information on the Scottish faith groups’ response to the refugee crisis at the website of Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees, www.sfar.org.uk/. This charity is hosted by the Church of Scotland.

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Sunday 6th June 2021

Welcome to this online service of worship for Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial churches. After the high emotion of Easter, Pentecost and Trinity Sunday, we return to our reading of Mark’s Gospel. Today we give thanks to God for all our blessings and consider what it means to be ‘family’.

Call to Worship

We come before you, God,
to worship,
to praise,
to love.

We come before you, God,
to repent,
to forgive,
to love.

We come before you, God,
to grieve,
to rejoice,
to love.

We come before you, God,
in love.

Amen

Hymn 180: Give thanks with a grateful heart

Prayer

You are holy, Lord, the only God,
and your deeds are wonderful.

You are strong, you are great.
You are the Most High,
You are almighty.
You, Holy Father, are
King of heaven and earth.

You are Three and One,
Lord God, all good.
Lord God, living and true.

You are love, you are wisdom, you are justice
You are humility, you are endurance,
You are rest, you are peace.
You are joy and gladness.

You are beauty, you are gentleness.
You are our guardian and our defender.
You are courage.

You are our hope.
You are our faith,
Our great consolation,
Our eternal life.

Great and wonderful Lord,
we give you thanks.

Rejoicing in the Holy Spirit, we pray as our Saviour taught us:

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

Scripture readings

Psalm 138

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
before the ‘gods’ I will sing your praise.
I will bow down towards your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
that it surpasses your fame.
When I called, you answered me;
you greatly emboldened me.

May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord,
when they hear what you have decreed.
May they sing of the ways of the Lord,
for the glory of the Lord is great.
Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
though lofty, he sees them from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life.

You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;
with your right hand you save me. The Lord will vindicate me;
your love, Lord, endures for ever –
do not abandon the works of your hands.

Mark 3: 20-35

Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind.’

And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.’
So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: ‘How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.’

He said this because they were saying, ‘He has an impure spirit.’
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting round him, and they told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.’

‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ he asked.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle round him and said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.’
Amen

HYMN 624 In Christ there is no east or west

Reflection

Grant, O Lord, that in these words, we may behold the living Word, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Have you ever been involved in a family dispute? I suspect we all have, to some extent. Perhaps not a serious breach, if we’re lucky, but there can hardly be a family in the land which has not seen quarrels, misunderstandings, jealousy or grudges. Even the Royal Family, it appears, from recent news stories. If you’ve been unlucky there may have been a temporary estrangement or even a complete breakdown in family relationships – not always a bad thing if your family experience has been bad. It is undeniably hard to live and work together with our fellow human beings, even those closest to us. Our lives can sometimes seem to be full of divisions, at home or at work; and that’s before we even start to look at the differences of opinion in our nation and in the world. Some people seem to enjoy such discord – we sometimes find ourselves wondering if our family or our neighbours have indeed taken leave of their senses.

The story Mark tells here still seems strange to us though. Mark talks of Jesus’ family thinking that he, their beloved son and brother, had taken leave of his senses, setting out to restrain him and then finding themselves apparently disowned by him.

What is going on? Do you think that the family had good reasons for thinking that Jesus had taken leave of his senses? Remember that this episode comes at the start of his ministry. As far as we know, a precocious childhood episode in the temple notwithstanding, Jesus had led a quiet life in a quiet corner of Israel, presumably working in the family carpentry business and, as the oldest child, looking after his mother and siblings, a very real family responsibility in those pre-welfare state times. But now he had given up the family business and become a wandering preacher, with no place regularly to lay his head and presumably no income. To make matters worse, he was consorting with a rather unusual bunch of people – strangers, fishermen, tax collectors. Crowds of people were flocking around him. He was attracting enough attention that important people had travelled all the way from the capital to, what? Accuse him, trap him, even arrest him, perhaps? He had rejected society’s expectations, thrown away his security and was risking even his personal safety. No wonder that the family decided to try to ‘restrain him’. I think I might have done the same thing. What would you have done?

And what was Jesus’ reaction to his family’s stance? He asks who his mother and brothers are. Have you ever questioned your relationship to your nearest and dearest? My children, at least in their teenage years, occasionally wondered out loud if they really were related to their parents as we seemed to have quite different interests and priorities from their own. Luckily, that stage passed. But Mary, his mother, and his brothers, must have been infuriated by these comments of Jesus. He pointed to the people sitting around him and claimed them to be his nearest relatives.

What did he mean? Was he being as cruel to Mary and his family as it seems? Clearly not, since there is no record of a long-term break with his family; we know that Mary stood at the foot of his cross and that he arranged for the beloved disciple to take care of her. They must have realised that this message was not aimed at them so much as at his listeners. Maybe that means the message is also for us?

Jesus was redefining what family means. He was describing ‘true kinship’ as William Barclay says in his commentary on this passage. True kinship lies in common experiences and common interests. The disciples were all from different backgrounds and perhaps had very different interests and experiences. But they shared a deep interest in what was to become known as Christianity and they had decided, individually and as a group, to devote their lives to Jesus. They also had a common goal, to win people to faith in Jesus Christ. Those shared interests and goals should be what also define us as the people of God in this area. Do they?

Jesus was calling his followers and his family, was calling us, to a new way of being human. He invites us to think about what it means to recognise, to know and to do God’s will. He was not abandoning his own family or asking us to abandon ours but he did set out to shake our deep-seated beliefs, our cultural traditions. If this passage disturbs you and makes you think, that’s because Jesus meant it to. He was making it clear that Christians should let go of anything that gets in the way of complete devotion to God and should prepare to take risks, to be uncomfortable, to be accused, perhaps, of having taken leave of their senses. The prize for that is the fellowship we find in God’s family, the greater love that we are urged to show for our neighbours, the joy of rebalanced personal relationships with our own family and friends and, of course, the promise of eternal life.

In Christ shall true hearts everywhere
their high communion find,
his service is the golden cord
close-binding human kind.

Come, brothers, sisters of the faith,
whate’er your race may be:
whoever does my Father’s will
is surely kin to me.

Amen

Prayer

Lord, we approach you in prayer in thanksgiving for your unfailing love and your faithfulness. We thank you for the gift of your Son and for the promise that we are children of God, sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ and soulmates of the Holy Spirit. We commit anew today to doing our best to discern your will and to fulfil it.

We commend to your care all those who need your help.

You had to leave your home and family to fulfil your ministry and you travelled and died far from home. We bring before you now all those who have been driven from their homes through war, famine, natural disasters or fear. Especially we remember those in Palestine, the Rohingya from Myanmar and the Uighurs in China. Shelter the refugee in your arms.

We remember also economic migrants to our own country, from Eastern Europe, the Middle East and other places – help us to make them welcome in Scotland, in your name, extending the hand of Christian fellowship to those who need our understanding and sympathy.

You were mocked, humiliated and degraded, condemned to a shameful death on a rubbish heap. Extend your pity then to those victims of human trafficking, condemned, even in this beautiful city of ours, to slavery and degradation. Forgive us for permitting this to happen, show us how to end the evil in our midst and be with those unfortunates in their torment.

Lord Jesus, you lived on earth as one of us and you understand the challenges we face in life, and the fears and frailties that make us vulnerable. We ask also in our intercessions for those known to us who need your help:

We remember the key workers who have played such a heroic role in keeping us safe in the last year. Health and social care workers; food growers, suppliers and shop workers: water and energy suppliers; police, firefighters and other emergency responders; local authority workers, faithfully collecting our rubbish week by week and keeping our roads safe; teachers and all in education, throwing themselves into learning new skills in order to safeguard the future of our children and young people; politicians and leaders who have worked harder than ever to master a new brief and to make the right decisions. Be with them all as they cope with the stresses of an extraordinary year and help them to feel our love and our support.

We remember the sick and those who are unable to share our fellowship this morning. We remember the lonely, those who have no close family or friends and who do not know that you love them, and that we do too. We remember those who are dear to us, who need our prayers – our own families, friends with whom we have lost touch, people struggling with financial, work or relationship problems. Grant that they too may experience the comforting touch of your love.

In silence now, we name in our hearts the individuals who matter to us and who need to experience the reality of your love today.

(silence)

May all those we have named find in Your family, the family of faith, acceptance, support and courage to face another day.

We ask these things in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ

Amen

Hymn 685: For everyone born, a place at the table

Sending

Jesus came down that we might have love.

Jesus came down that we might have peace.

Jesus came down that we might have joy.

Let us go forward with hearts comforted by the promise of our faithful God.

Let us live knowing that we are beloved members of God’s family
and that love and peace and joy will be ours.

Amen

This service was prepared by Pauline Weibye, Session Clerk at Craigmillar Park

Acknowledgements:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Prayer of thanksgiving is based on a prayer of St Francis of Assisi
Reflection based on William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Mark (Edinburgh, 1997)

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Sunday 30th May 2021

Please join in this online worship service on Sunday 30th May 2021. Over the last few weeks, we have been thinking about the great events of Easter and the resurrection. This week, Trinity Sunday, it is time to focus on God; the Father, Son and Holy Spirit who is far beyond our understanding.

Call to Worship

Psalm 29
Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name,
worship the LORD in the splendour of his holiness.

Hymn 110 Glory be to God the Father.

Prayer of Approach

Creator God
We come before you today to celebrate the exciting mystery,
that you, our God, are three persons in one being.
Your essence is so awesome, it is beyond our understanding.

God the Father, we come, in wonder of you.
We are overwhelmed by your creation.
We are inspired by the mystery of life.
We are amazed by the beauty of your world.
We are astonished by your wisdom and power.
We come before you, in awe and wonder, humbled by your greatness.

God the Son, who has come amongst us in the person of Jesus.
We come, no longer in fear and trembling,
but seeking the embrace of your love,
the smile of your acceptance,
the touch of your forgiveness.
We dare to come close to you because you have come close to us.

God, the Spirit, we are thankful for your constant presence.
for the healing of your love.
for the challenge of your Word.
for the inspiration of your Gospel.
for the community of your Church.

Renew us and refresh us.
enable us and enliven us.
challenge us and change us.
prompt us and improve us …
in our worship …
in our mission …
and in our service to you.
Holy Spirit, pour love and mercy into our hearts.
giving us eyes to see and ears to hear your gift,
in every person
everywhere
at every moment.

May our words and actions be our praise of you,
reaching into your Kingdom,
made real for us in the person of Jesus.
who taught us so much,
including how to pray these words:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Scriptures

Isaiah 6: 1-8
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the LORD, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the LORD saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

John 3: 1-18
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?
Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still, you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things, and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Hymn 251 I, the Lord of sea and sky

Reflection

We encounter many conundrums in our lives. It is a mystery to me how a fax machine works, or why do we have tonsils and adenoids? I had mine removed as young child and have lived happily without them. How can I explain the definition of the words “up and down” without using my hands?

This is Trinity Sunday. The mystery of the Trinity is that our one and only God is three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We have celebrated Easter and the birth of the Church on Pentecost Sunday, last week. The God who was visible, and comprehensible in Jesus Christ is beyond our definition. We know that there is only one God so how can we explain the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The first commandment is not that we should understand God, but that we should love Him with every part of ourselves, and this is what we are trying to do as we worship God. If we measure worship by standards, like beauty, or punctuality, or liturgical correctness, or the length and the regularity of our attendance at church, or the kind of music we include, – then we will be led astray. These are not the ways to judge our worship of God. Worship is coming close to God our Father in love, and our participation of loving is the gold standard.

Much Christian tradition have been concerned with religious deeds, the things that we think that you must do to satisfy God. But if our relationship with God depends only on good conduct on our part, we have failed. God’s grace is freely given to us all. Even the faith to receive his grace is God’s gift to us. This means that the acceptance of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, has done what the heavy-duty religious works could never achieve.

In our day to day lives we tend to become quite blasé about asking for forgiveness, but we are offered God’s pardon wholeheartedly. Trust and faith can flourish when we are at peace with God and that means we can look more positively at the things which come to us in life, seeing them as opportunities rather than problems. God pours his love into our hearts and he sends us hope through His Holy Spirit, to guide and inspire us, and to fill us with the joy of his permanent presence.

He gives us the promise of sharing in His glory at our heavenly destiny. This world is only our temporary home. That is a salutary thought when we are feathering our nests and spending time and money on things, we will not be taking with us. That does not mean that as Christians we should not enjoy the lives that God has given us, but that we can be released from the excessive pride.

God’s love for man, however, does not mean that God condones man’s sin. God is also just, meaning He offers salvation freely to all who believe and are willing to received it, but He also holds man accountable for his deeds. God offers man His grace and mercy, but we cannot expect to have an easy ride or assume that Christians are destined to lead trouble-free lives. Sometimes it is when we are under pressure that we can actually be most like Jesus. Jesus did not just drift about, he lived under great pressure. Facing our troubles produces endurance… which brings God’s approval… and this creates hope. This hope does not disappoint us, God, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, pours his love into our hearts and our relationship of love with Him should be our mainstay, exciting and driving us.

In the reading from John’s Gospel, Jesus reveals to Nicodemus that the Holy Spirit’s work is in the true salvation of the believer. Human birth gives man entrance into our physical existence, and spiritual birth is required to be part of God’s Kingdom. Where the Spirit works, a person’s whole outlook on life changes.

Jesus used the illustration of the action of the wind to explain this truth to Nicodemus. We know the wind exists and we cannot see it, but we can see its effect on the things it touches. Like the wind, the Spirit is invisible to the human eyes, but His work can be clearly seen. We cannot see God, but we can see what He does.

Nicodemus rejects what Jesus was telling him. Even though Christ explained it to him, he did not understand or accept this truth. Jesus reprimanded Nicodemus, because in his mind he prided himself in being a righteous Jew and he is confident in his knowledge of the Law. Jesus exposes this as naivety.

Jesus then refers to Himself as the Son of man which is in heaven. This statement is a wonderful truth and attests to the Trinity and to Jesus as being omnipresent both in heaven and on earth at the same time.

Once we arrive at the conclusion that the Trinity is ultimately incomprehensible to our human mind, we can then focus on our relationship with God.

The mystery of the Trinity is that God is somehow three Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and yet there is only one God. In our journey of faith with God, we do not need to explain the unexplainable and fathom the unfathomable.

Prayer of Intercession

Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

We pray that we will never forget the need to care for others,
or take for granted the mystery of human life.
We pray for the problems of the world’s nations,
the decisions of our politicians,
and the threats and fears of peoples everywhere.

We pray for people who are disregarded and devalued,
because of poverty, geography, or disease.
We pray for those from whom compassion, and justice is withheld,
because of sexuality, race, or gender.
We pray for those who touch the lives of the marginalised,
that they would show patience and kindness,
and include those who were previously excluded.
We pray for wisdom for those who are leaders,
and tolerance and understanding for those who are followers.

We offer prayers,
when resources are mismanaged and abused,
and the world and its creatures are destroyed.
when motivation is scarce, and creativity is in short supply,
to address the challenges that the world faces.

The dying, the sick, the lonely and the forsaken are your special people,
for you know each one by name,
as we ask you, to remember them.

And, now in our prayers, we think of Alex and Louise,
and any other members of our congregations,
whose health is adversely affecting their day to day lives.

Lord God, Loving Saviour, Empowering Spirit,
we offer you these prayers.
Please hear us,
captivate us, call us, and deepen our trust,
that we may be carriers of the Good News of eternal life,
to the peoples of this world that you love so dearly.
Amen.

Hymn 510 Jesus calls us here to meet him.

Closing prayer

God the Father who created the world,
Jesus the Son given for the world,
Holy Spirit ever present in the world,
be with us today and for evermore,
Amen

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Sunday 23rd May 2021

This Sunday, we mark Pentecost, one of the church’s most important festivals. We celebrate the day when the Holy Spirit was poured out on all kinds of people from every nation under heaven. Our readings today describe that event and we explore what Pentecost means now, for us and for our church.

Call to Worship

Most powerful Holy Spirit
come down
upon us
and subdue us.

From heaven,
where the ordinary
is made glorious,
and glory seems
but ordinary,

bathe us
with the brilliance
of your light
like dew.
Amen

HYMN 583 Spirit Divine, attend our prayers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOXN_zzuL9c

Prayer

God’s Spirit is approaching
Through time, across continents, soaring over creation
God’s Spirit is speaking
Whispering and comforting, roaring and challenging
God’s Spirit surrounds us
Beyond touch, warmly embracing
God’s Spirit transforms us
Making our horizons wider
our faith stronger
our hopes possible.

Creator God,
Like flickering embers dancing into flame,
you revived those who looked for you,
inspiring their speech and startling onlookers.
And your Spirit nurtures us still,
a gathered people at Pentecost,
moved to celebrate, free to be ourselves,
glad to meet God and open ourselves to the world around us.

Spirit of the living God
we confess that we have not always listened to your promptings.
Forgive us.
We have not always responded in faith to your urgings.
Forgive us.
We have not always recognised and acted on your call to transform the world into the place you dream it to be.
Forgive us and transform us into the people you invite us to be,

Blow among us, Spirit of God,
fill us with your courage and care,
take us on a journey of love!

Rejoicing in the Holy Spirit, we pray as our Saviour taught us:

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

John 15: 26-27; 16: 4b-15

(Jesus said) ‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, “Where are you going?” Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

‘I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.’

Acts 2: 1-21

When the day of Pentecost came, they (the disciples) were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: ‘Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs – we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!’ Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, ‘What does this mean?’
Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine.’
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: ‘Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

‘“In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Amen

HYMN 522 The Church is wherever God’s people are praising

Reflection

Grant, O Lord, that in these words, we may behold the living Word, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Have you ever heard people in the church say “It’s aye been…” as they contemplate even the mere suggestion of a change in the way we do things? I have to say that I have never myself heard those exact words in Craigmillar Park or even come across people who won’t change anything though I remain a bit bruised by the adverse reaction the Kirk Session received when we tried to get people to sit more closely together at Communion a few years back. Maybe we are more resistant to change than we would like to think.

If so, we are not alone: Jesus’ disciples were much the same. If you were in church last Sunday, you would have heard a reading from Acts chapter 1, the verses immediately preceding today’s reading from chapter 2. Do you remember? The last few verses describe how the inner core of disciples realised that, after the death of the traitor Judas, their numbers had dropped to eleven instead of the twelve chosen by Jesus. It does not seem to have occurred to them that they could continue with 11 or even appoint 13 or more. They decided they needed a twelfth person so that they had the same number as before – it had ‘aye been’. After praying for guidance, they decided to use the traditional old-style method of selecting that person. They cast lots, as happens rather frequently in the Old Testament as a way of choosing a person or course of action. Matthias was duly elected and everything settled down into the same pattern of behaviour. You can perhaps imagine that they then set aside time to consider what they should do next, discussing and agreeing the best course of action (much like a Kirk Session of today).
And then all their careful plans were blown apart by the Holy Spirit a few days later. A sound of rushing wind, tongues of fire, the sudden ability to speak in new languages, a multitude of new converts to the faith (3,000 on day one , it says later in the chapter). So much for tradition, plans and for thinking that they were in control of events. One minute they were sitting in a house, the next they were outside facing a bewildered crowd and with a fine opportunity for witnessing to the truth about Jesus. The disciples should not have been surprised. After all, Jesus himself had warned them that the Spirit would come, as we heard in the reading from John’s Gospel.

God had done a new thing, and the lives of the disciples were, once more, turned upside down.
Pentecost, the day when the Holy Spirit was first poured out upon all kinds of people, from all over the known world, is sometimes known as the birthday of the Church. Birthdays are often a chance to look back on life: contemplating your successes if you are lucky, perhaps instead wondering where the year went and what you have achieved. We in the Church of Scotland often look back – to the glory days of the 1950s perhaps, when virtually every household in the land went to church on Sunday mornings and the pews were full. Or perhaps even further back to the founding of our denomination in the 16^th century when the church virtually ran the country, for good but sometimes also for bad. Our General Assembly is happening this week. If it were not for the impact of Covid, we would be seeing tradition unfold as usual on the Mound: splendid uniforms, trumpet fanfares, ladies in hats, bows back and forwards as the Moderator moves around. Most of that will not be happening this year; what’s ‘aye been’ will not be, this year. Instead, the church will be contemplating the urgent need for change as membership levels plummet and so too, inevitably, does the number of ministers. That change will affect us all, in Craigmillar Park, Reid Memorial and in churches and congregations the length and breadth of the country. It may well feel as if our lives in faith are turned upside down, perhaps just as the disciples felt on that first Pentecost.

Remember though what happened then. God had done a new thing, yes, but he did not leave his followers alone while they wrestled with that challenge. The Holy Spirit did not suddenly descend and then half an hour later ascend back to heaven, leaving the earth; he remained with the disciples inspiring them, prompting them, equipping them, empowering them – and we know that this resulted in the building of a worldwide movement of believers. Jesus promises, in chapter 15 of John’s Gospel, that the Holy Spirit will guide us all into the truth. That guidance, that support, that breath of life, remains on earth for us, all of us, today.

No, what’s ‘aye been’ will not do us any longer. Like the disciples, we cannot remain in a small room with eleven or twelve others and merely hope that things go well. We need instead to open our hearts and listen for the Holy Spirit, we need to dream dreams and see visions, and we need to be as brave and as trusting as the early disciples were, looking forward, not back, as we try to work out what the Spirit is guiding us towards.

God is still doing a new thing, in Scotland as elsewhere. The established order is being overturned and it is undeniably scary. We are not, however, alone. Pentecost reminds us that the Spirit is still at work in the world and that it is still empowering us to speak about Jesus and God’s love, revealed for all in his life, death and resurrection, whatever structures we find ourselves in. Let’s abandon our attachment to what’s ‘aye been’, let’s open ourselves to the renewing and refreshing wind of the Holy Spirit and let’s look forward with confidence, with faith, to what lies ahead.

We can be Pentecost people: are you ready for that challenge?

Holy Spirit,
wrap your dove wings around us,
spark your bright flame within us,
blow your refreshing wind among us,
so that we can be
your Pentecost people today.
And may the creator pursue us,
the saviour dance with us,
and the spirit sing in us,
forever. Amen

Prayer

Creator God
On the day when we celebrate the birth of your church we pray for her work across Christ’s world, in places we know and in places which are only names on a map to us but which you have in your heart. We bring before you the work of CrossReach, our own church’s social care service, and ask you to hold the staff and service users – adults with addiction issues, older people with complex care needs, children and families – in your hands. We pray also for the work of Bethany and Fresh Start here in Edinburgh, toiling to ensure that all our fellow human beings have a roof over their heads and a return to dignity and hope in their lives.

We pray for the church in Scotland, for the Church of Scotland and all denominations that share in our dreams and visions in our cities, towns, villages, countryside and islands. Especially today we pray for those meeting in General Assembly. May they be guided by the Holy Spirit and discern God’s will for the church’s future and her witness. May they be as brave and bold as the early disciples, and may we too feel encouraged and inspired by your Spirit as we face the need for change.

At this time of tension in Palestine and Israel we pray for those caught up in the seemingly endless cycle of violence in that land where your Holy Spirit first appeared. We pray that the Spirit might return to modern Jerusalem, inspiring leaders and politicians to dream a dream of peace and justice for all. All-powerful God, we pray for a new thing in that troubled corner of the world.

Gentle God, in the life of Jesus your healing touch was felt. As we remember those who are ill or troubled in our own communities we pray that you may grant them healing and peace. We bring before you those who have lost a loved one in recent days: we pray that they may know your love and be comforted. In a moment of silence, we remember those whom we know personally who need your help and your peace: be with them, we pray.

Father God, who knows each one of us by name, we pray for ourselves. Grant us the burning desire to carry out your work in the world so that all may know the Good News, and grant also that we may develop the gifts, the energy, the resources to fulfil our dreams and visions. On this day of Pentecost, we pray for courage to change what we have always done and to move forward in faith into a changing church.

We ask these things in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ

Amen

Song: Come, Holy Spirit, by John W Peterson

Sending

May the Spirit
who hovered over the waters when the world was created,
breathe into us the life he gives.

May the Spirit
who set the church on fire on the day of Pentecost,
bring the world alive with the love of the risen Christ.

And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, evermore.

AMEN

This service was prepared by Pauline Weibye, Session Clerk at Craigmillar Park

Acknowledgements:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Call to worship is from the Northumbria Community.
The prayer of approach is adapted from the Pentecost Great Thanksgiving of the Methodist Church.
Aspects of the prayers and reflection adapted from the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship resources.

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Sunday 16th May 2021

Welcome to the online service for Reid Memorial and Craigmillar Park Churches on Sunday 16th May 2021. This is the seventh Sunday after Easter. Jesus earthly ministry is almost over, and we focus today on His prayer for the disciples.

Call to Worship.

Psalm 1: 1,2

Happy are those
   who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
   or sit in the seat of scoffers;
² but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
   and on his law they meditate day and night.

Hymn 424: Blest be the everlasting God.

Prayer of Approach

God the creator, we come before you, in awe of every new day.
We are overwhelmed by the wonder of your creation,
we are amazed by the beauty and mystery of your world,
as the season changes and new life appears.

God of grace, we are humbled by your greatness.
Forgive us when we do not focus our attention on you,
When we become distracted, remind us of your constant presence,
Challenge us as Jesus’ disciples were challenged.
Forgive us for our human frailties and failings,
For our prejudices and preconceptions.

You are the light of the world. Help us to shine in your name.
You are the God of wisdom, truth, and power. Help us to see your glory.
You are the God of grace. Help us to continue on in the midst of difficulties.
You give us opportunities. Help us to use them to serve you.

Thank you for the inspiration of your Gospel,
For the healing power of your love
For the community of your church
Renew and refresh us in our worship,
In our mission,
And in our service to you,

Hear us as we join together in the prayer that Jesus taught us.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Scriptures

John 17:6-19
I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.

Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.

1 John 5:9-13
If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Hymn 547: What a friend we have in Jesus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cscMcqHquuY

Reflection

How many times have you said or heard the words “I’m glad that I don’t know what’s ahead of me”? We will know in the short term what is in our diary for next week. Now that restrictions are lifting, it might be a coffee in a café with a friend or a relative. Next month, or next year, there might be plans for a short trip away or a holiday abroad. But what about the long term, do we know what is ahead of us?
After the many sightings of the risen Jesus, His time on earth is nearly over. He spent his remaining days in prayer and in today’s reading from John’s Gospel, we hear Jesus’ praying for the disciples as they go out into the world to spread the word of God.
Jesus knows that His time with the disciples, physically speaking, is almost over and the thought of leaving them is almost too much. And so, He cries out to His Father to ‘Protect them, look after them, keep them safe!’
The disciples were chosen after a night of prayer. Jesus takes no credit for the choices and totally depending on God to ensure that these were the right people to follow him. Jesus did not simply teach this group of men, passing on the word of God, but lived among them as an example of love, goodness, righteousness, grace, and holiness. Jesus acknowledges their failings and faults. He prayed for the disciples that they would carry His message of love and redemption to the world.
Although the disciples did not fully understand the work of Jesus, they followed him in faith, in hope and in love, honestly believing that He is the Son of God.

This entire prayer was offered to God in the knowledge that his earthly existence would soon be over, and that he would have the promise of eternal life. He realized that although He would no longer remain in the world, His disciples would.
They needed prayer because the unique three years of discipleship during His earthly ministry would be over.
They needed prayer because of their association with Jesus. The circumstances surrounding his departure were difficult and unjust; He was betrayed, and arrest, had an unfair trial, was beaten, and then crucified.
They needed prayer because Jesus would not be there in His bodily presence to help them, they would be exposed to the world without His counsel and defence.
They needed prayer because of the necessary role of the Holy Spirit; both for the sending of the Spirit and their constant reliance upon Him.
In the Jewish world of that day no one continued as a disciple to a dead rabbi. Yet this group of men were to continue as disciples of Jesus. Their continued unity was important; it would have made more sense for the disciples to scatter after the death of Jesus than it would for them to stay together. Jesus prayed that they would remain as one.
He deeply cared for and prayed for fulfilling love and joy in their life and we can be assured that He is also concerned that we have fulfilling joy and love in our lives. God’s purpose is to multiply joy in our lives, not to take it away.
Although Jesus does not specifically pray for the world, the prayer for the disciples brings hope to the world. He did not pray for the disciples to be taken out of the battle but that they would be strengthened and protected by it.

We cannot imagine all that must have been in the disciples’ heads and hearts as Jesus prayed for them, they had a daunting task ahead of them. We should realise that the prayer is for us too, for the followers of Jesus in the here and now. We have the promise of eternal life, a promise made to us now, not at some time in the future.
We do not know what the future of the Church of Scotland will look like. There are difficult decisions to be made at the General Assembly this year, that will affect the church as a whole, the Presbyteries of Scotland and our churches at a local level. The current position is unsustainable.
Just as the disciples did not know what was ahead of them so we must go forward with the same faith, hope, love, and in Christian unity.
The principle focus of the prayer is Jesus’ heartfelt plea that His followers would be kept safe. Just imagine if Jesus was praying that prayer over you and me now. What wonderful comfort is to be found in that thought?
Amen

Prayer of Intercession

God of grace and compassion

You give us many blessing so that our hearts are full of love and joy.
We remember those who are less fortunate than ourselves,
In countries where they are persecuted for confessing Jesus as their saviour.

We pray for those who are facing an uncertain and difficult future,
Because of business failures, job losses and mounting debts. May they find hope.
We pray for the workers in various agencies who offer support in times of crisis.
We think of the unsung heroes who quietly and humbly volunteer behind the scenes giving comfort to those in need. We pray for donors, without whose help, charities would be unable to fulfil their function.

We pray for the church in Scotland and the Church of Scotland as they fulfil their mission throughout our land. Especially we think of those who are meeting for the General Assembly, that they would be guided by your will to discern the future of our church at local and national level.

We pray for those experiencing illness, be it physical or psychological, and for those who have the skills to treat and heal the sick. We remember families and communities emerging from the pandemic still feeling the pain of loss of loved ones. May they experience God’s love and comfort through our actions and our words.

We pray for each other and for ourselves.
May our weaknesses be replaced by strength as we try to follow Jesus’ way in faith and commitment. May we have courage and wisdom in the face of our fears. May the troubles of our day vanish as you walk with us.
We rejoice in the unpredictability and beauty of the natural world that you have placed in our hands, may we protect it and care for it as is pleasing to you.

We offer these prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
Amen

Hymn 512: To God be the Glory, Great things he hath done.

Closing Prayer

Lord God,
we rejoice in your greatness and power,
your gentleness and love,
your mercy and justice.
Enable us by your Spirit
to honour you in our thoughts,
and words and actions,
and to serve you in every aspect of our lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Acknowledgements:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Aspects of the prayers and reflection adapted from the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship resources, and from Christian Aid resources
If you wish to donate to Christian Aid, to help with their vital work throughout the world, you can do so through their website at https://www.christianaid.org.uk/

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Sunday 9th May 2021

This is the sixth Sunday of Easter and also Christian Aid Sunday. Our readings today highlight the themes of praise, love and joy that are central to the experience of Christian Aid Week. Love for our neighbours near and far inspires us to strive for an abundant life for all and brings us together to raise our voices and money. And from that connection and abundance comes joy.

Call to Worship

You are invited to join in the responses in bold below.

Come and celebrate our common home
we gather with the family of humanity.
The mountains, islands and deserts
we honour the glory of God in creation.
The lakes, rivers and seas
we come to the source of living water.
With the land, its soil, seeds and sustenance
we give thanks for God’s generous provision.
With the forests of great trees, the lungs of the planet
we will sing with joy and clap our hands.
We join with the whole of creation, inspired by those who have gone before and the prophetic voices of today.
we dare to praise and pray for another possible world.

Amen

HYMN 124 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation

Prayer of Approach and Confession

Great God,
Who makes the sun to rise, and opens the heavens,
Hear the cry of the people
Who sow in hope for rain, but reap only despair.
Hear the cry of the people
Seeking shelter from the storm, their hopes and homes submerged.
Hear the cry of the people
When creation is hitting back, with rage and resistance.

For the beauty of the Earth
desecrated by pollution, extinguished by forest fires, choked by plastic waste
Christ, our God, forgive us for our greed.For the urgency of this hour
ignored through apathy or procrastination
delayed by ineffective decisions and denied by economic interests
Christ, our God,
forgive us for our selfish short-term behaviour.

For the joy of human love
fractured by forced migration, crushed by bereavement
lost to typhoons, floods, poverty and starvation.
Christ, our God, bringer of justice, forgive us for our blindness and lack of compassion.Give us hope, grant us salvation,
Give us a new relationship with creation And say once again of the earth and all you created
It is GOOD.
Rejoicing in the love you offer us, we pray as our Saviour taught us:

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

Scripture readings

Psalm 98

Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvellous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.

John 15, 9-17

Jesus said: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

Amen

HYMN 259 Beauty for brokenness

Reflection

Praise, love, joy

Grant, O Lord, that in these words, we may behold the living Word, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Do you miss singing in church? I know that our organist does and I do too. Psalm 98 talks of a new song. Ironically, of course, we cannot sing at worship at the moment but I need you to imagine that we can. If we could sing, what song or hymn would you choose? As you’ll see from the latest issue of Prism, Craigmillar Park’s church newsletter, my favourite hymn is Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?, and I would love to be able to sing that again. Whatever your personal choice, think also about the new song we can sing together this Christian Aid Week, one that that we can sing with the Earth.

Psalm 98 also talks of floods and the roaring sea – one would certainly need a strong anchor in those conditions. To understand flooding and storms as a source of creation’s praise is maybe a bit of a stretch especially when we think of the turbulence and danger of migrant sea crossings and the chaos and loss of life in destructive floods. The psalmist reminds us though that with the coming of God even the danger of the sea and the ruin of floods are to be brought under the just and righteous administration of God’s will. There is nothing in all of creation beyond God’s redemption. Even now, floods can renew soil with nutrients and the sea teems with an abundance of life. This psalm invites us to hope and work with creation for that day when the rightness of God will reign.

Do we have to fear the day when God will return to judge us? How will he judge us, you and me, for our actions in bringing the planet to a state of climate chaos? Are we complicit, caught up, as we all are, in a consumer system that has fuelled ecological destruction and climate breakdown? The world and some of us who live in it might indeed be legitimate objects of God’s judgement.

Perhaps our Gospel reading can help us out here. Jesus’s words were spoken to his disciples just before he was arrested and led off to face Pilate’s judgement. Yet he speaks words of reassurance, of joy and love. “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” Jesus wants his followers to experience complete joy.

To speak of joy when he himself is on the threshold of trial and suffering is an indication of what joy is. It was for the joy set before him that he endured the agony of the cross. Despite the suffering of Good Friday and the silence of Holy Saturday, this is a joy that believes, that knows, that Sunday is coming. This joy does not deny sorrow or suffering but co-exists with them. Jesus’ parting words to his disciples are an encouragement to all of us to abide in the love of God and dig deep into our love for each other. Jesus knows that they and we are going to need each other to get through the challenges that face us as individuals and the challenges that our planet faces. Our love for one another and the sacrifice that we are called to make for our friends will strengthen us, and bring joy.

What could such sacrifice mean for us in our lives today? It will vary for each of us but I think it includes the challenges to daily living that arise from the pandemic. Wearing a mask, staying two metres apart, forgoing the hugs of loved ones, avoiding unnecessary travel – all of these minor sacrifices will help our friends and neighbours, and those unknown friends in countries distant from here. In this Christian Aid week, we ought also to be turning our often vague concerns for the planet into concrete acts of love: avoiding unnecessary plastic, recycling and reusing, buying locally-produced and fairly traded goods. We will all make choices: I urge you to make choices that will help ensure that everyone on our Earth has the same opportunity to experience praise, love, joy: life in all its fullness.

Praise, love and and joy lie at the heart of our experience of Christian Aid Week. It is through our generous giving and sacrificial actions that we know complete joy and that we can look forward to God’s judgement with hope, free to sing in praise. This Christian Aid week, as we witness the challenges to God’s creation, as participants in and with creation, may we bring a better world into view. May we be liberated from guilt and shame, may we be enabled to speak truth to power to bring about the transformation needed for all of creation and all of our fellow human beings to fully flourish, to experience love and joy – life in all its fullness – and to be able to praise God with a new song!

Amen

Prayer of thanksgiving and intercession (based on hymn 259)

God of the poor, friend of the weak, give us compassion, we pray.

As we contemplate a world full of brokenness, a world of uncertainty, disease, despair, suffering, war, hunger and injustice, a world whose very future is at risk from our own greed, we pray to you, our God and our creator, to grant us insight, strength, purpose, compassion and a hunger for your justice and your healing peace.

Melt our cold hearts, let tears fall like rain.

Lord, we ask that you grant bread for the children – in Mozambique, Mali and Zimbabwe and wherever the imbalance of the world’s resources leads to hunger and disease.

Lord, we ask that you grant healing and shelter for fragile lives – for the homeless in our own land, for those displaced by war in the Middle East and for the people of India suffering the ravages of Covid-19.

Lord, we ask that you grant work for the craftspeople and trade for their skills. We remember those who have lost jobs as the result of the pandemic and those who may yet be affected.

Lord, we remember those newly in authority in this country. We pray that they may be motivated only by your compassion and your justice and that they may take the right decisions for the well-being of all in Scotland, in the UK, in Europe and in the world. Let our cities, our hillsides and our islands be sanctuaries for all and let us share our freedoms.

Come, change our love from a spark to a flame.

Lord, we acknowledge our culpability in ravaging our green earth, plundering and poisoning our oceans and streams. Lord, we acknowledge that we are placing at risk the future and the dreams of our children. Be with those very children as they demonstrate in a call for urgent climate change. We pray that the energy and clear voices of the young may be joined with the knowledge and resources of the old to protect the future of the beautiful planet you granted us for home.

Lord, end our madness, carelessness, greed.

Almighty God, we seek light in the darkness – for those who are suffering illness and pain, for those who have lost a loved one and whose lives seem unbearably empty and for those who face others of life’s challenges. We take a moment of silence now to bring before you those who are particularly in our minds this morning.

We remember especially our minister, Alex, as he faces a period of ill health, that he may recover swiftly and rejoin us in health and happiness.

Lord, we also pray for ourselves. You are our refuge and strength from all the storms of life. Grant peace to our souls and joy in our hearts.

God of the poor, friend of the weak, give us compassion, we pray

Melt our cold hearts, let tears fall like rain,

Come, Lord, change our love from a spark to a flame.

We ask these things in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ

Amen.

HYMN 804 You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace

Sending

Born of God,

Born of love,

Born of light.

Abide in God,

Abide in love,

Abide in light.

Go in God,

Go in love,

Go in light.

And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, evermore.

Amen

Acknowledgements:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Aspects of the prayers and reflection adapted from the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship resources, and from Christian Aid resources
If you wish to donate to Christian Aid, to help with their vital work throughout the world, you can do so through their website at https://www.christianaid.org.uk/

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Sunday 25th April 2021

Welcome to our service from Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches in Edinburgh for the fourth Sunday of Easter. We consider what the love of Jesus meant for his’ disciples and what it means today for us.

Call to Worship. 1 John 4: 11, 12 KJV

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Prayer of Approach

God of Love,
Help us to follow the example of Jesus, to show goodness,
that we may do your will.
Create in us what is pleasing to you.
As the shepherd gathers his flock so we are gathered here today as your flock.
Draw us into the shelter of your fold that we may be nourished and refreshed.

Some of us come before You rejoicing,
because our path has led us through green pastures
such that our cup is overflowing with happiness.
Some of us have come to you in sadness,
as our journey has taken us through dark valleys.
Some of us are seeking your forgiveness,
as we have wandered from your fold and are feeling ashamed.
May each of us know that we matter to You,
however far away we may have strayed.
When we become preoccupied and distracted,
may we hear Your voice afresh that we are drawn ever closer to You.
Help us to follow Jesus’ footsteps,
to be aware of those around us.

May our actions, lives and interaction with others be a living example of the gift of giving and receiving of love.
We entrust the week ahead to You.
May we have the courage to follow You today and every day,
as we consider the words that Jesus taught us…

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Scriptures

Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

1 John 3: 16 – 24
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

Hymn 694 Brother sister let me serve you.

Reflection

Is it easier to give or receive a gift? I don’t mean a material item, like a birthday present. I’m thinking more of the gift of love, of sharing and of giving of ourselves. While we sometimes struggle with giving these gifts, it can be equally difficult to receive them.

Just over a year ago our routine lives were disrupted by the Covid pandemic. We were required to follow a new and unfamiliar road. Our journey has had many twists and turns, encountering hills and valleys. Like the shepherd we looked after our flocks offering provisions and refreshment, reassurance and support, guidance, and protection. As the shepherd moves his sheep to new pastures so we became resourceful and adapted to the changing restrictions. Under Covid, we learned to look out for and listen to those around us and how to respond to them. When others were found in need, they were welcomed into the fold, maybe not in a physical sense, but certainly by way of a phone call, kind words and thoughtful deeds.

The 23rd psalm has shaped the consciousness of God’s people over centuries. It is a promise of the presence and protection of God throughout life in all its ups and downs. Our journey in our Christian lives has different phases, it is not static and not always settled. There are times when it can be testing and difficult. How easy it is to stray for the path or to be paralysed by fear. We have all faced, or will face, such challenges. Instead of turning from God, we should accept that our only protection is in the grace and love of God.

In the second reading, John is very clear that we must love each other, although he clearly admits that it is not always infused with a sentimental glow. Sometimes those closest to us are the most difficult to love. We do not always success in what we set out to achieve and we may feel like a failure. We all fall short at times, but this is when we should turn to God, he knows us better that we know ourselves. What we can do, we should do, like offering a word of encouragement, a card in the post, an offer to go shopping, or an extra item in our shopping bag to give to the food bank. This love in action is characterised by a determined attitude of kindness and generosity toward others and is demonstrated in a myriad of small acts throughout a day.

We should not be embarrassed by the gifts and talents that God has given us. We must use them whether it be at home, at work, to help a neighbour or a friend. It may even be a stranger that needs our help. If we are to follow the example of sharing that was shown to us by Jesus, we also must be prepared to receive from others. Being offered a word of kindness, a complement or a thoughtful deed are often difficult to accept but we must do so graciously.
Indeed, many of us will have experienced the support and love of a Christian community at times of sadness or during a joyful event, whether it be at Craigmillar Park, Reid Memorial or elsewhere. It can truly be seen as love in action. Love is central to believing in the name of Christ, and, to love one another is in obedience to Him.

There are many good things to come out of the Covid pandemic. The gift of love, of sharing, of giving of ourselves, and of receiving from others has been clearly evident over the last year. As the restrictions are eased and we move into a more sociable environment, we can be grateful for the love that we have shown to each another. We have hope for the future and have learned much about the giving and the receiving of love.

Prayer of Intercession

Loving God,
As Jesus and the early Church cared for those in need,
show us how to give the help that is required rather than what makes us feel good.

We pray for all who suffer and are not cared for.
We pray for the young who are neglected, or cruelly treated.
We pray for all who have grown hopeless,
are lonely and weary as each day is like the one before.
We pray for those who face hunger and homelessness,
for refugees and asylum seekers
who have fled due to fear and have no place to call home.
In this world of so much suffering,
we pray too for all who are affluent, comfortable, warm, and loved.
For those who would like to offer help to those in need but are unable to do so, for whatever reason.

We pray for those who care and who are willing to go the extra mile,
giving of their time and talents.
Father, as we pray, increase the depth of love in us,
and in those who have the skills and training to help the ill, the troubled and the dying.

Give us voices full of compassionate and wisdom.
We thank You that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and that we are part of His flock.

You know us by name,
You understand what we are like,
You call us to follow you and You accompany us along the path,
seeking us out when we stray, keeping a loving eye on what we do.
Please accept our prayers as we offer them through Jesus Christ, your Son, and our Saviour
Amen

Hymn 259 Beauty for Brokenness

Closing prayer

Gracious God,
Help us to make a difference in the world this new week.
Let our words and actions be pleasing to you.
Help us to be a blessing to everyone that we meet and interact with.
Bless us as we leave this place.
Amen

Acknowledgements:

Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Sunday 18th April 2021

Welcome to our service from Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches in Edinburgh for the third Sunday of Easter. We consider what the resurrection meant for Jesus’ disciples and what it means today for us.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 122):
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels.
For the sake of my family and friends,
I will say, “Peace be within you.”

HYMN 352 O for a thousand tongues, to sing

Prayer

Living God, whose majesty is now apparent in the gift of your resurrected Son
Be with us now in the power of your Holy Spirit as we pray.
Lord, you step into the chaos of our lives,
and you bring peace.
You chase away the darkness and distress
of doubt and fear,
bringing calmness, confidence and strength to all who believe in you.
In your peace, we are made whole.
Grant us the courage to be witnesses
of Christ’s continuing purpose in our time.

Forgive us for the ways in which we have disappointed you
through our selfish acts and heedless behaviour.

Forgive us for the ways we have doubted you
and allowed our fears to overcome our trust in you.
Forgive us for our failure to recognise the blessings you bestow on your followers
and the gift of peace which you freely offer to us.

We ask your help, O God, in restoring right relationships with you and with each other.

Rejoicing in the peace you offer us, we pray as our Saviour taught us:

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:

Luke 24, 36-48
Two disciples who had met the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus returned to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples that the Lord had indeed risen. This passage tells what happened next.

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.
He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: the Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

Acts 3, 12-19
This passage starts abruptly so just a bit of context first. Peter and John, two of Jesus’ disciples, were going to pray at the temple in Jerusalem, probably not so very long after the events of the first Easter. They saw a lame man, begging. Rather than give him alms, Peter told him to rise up and walk, in the name of Jesus. The man did so – the writer of Acts describes him as ‘walking and jumping’ – and the onlookers were amazed. The passage we are now going to hear describes Peter’s reaction to their astonishment.

When Peter saw this, he said to them: ‘Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

‘Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
Amen

I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (Handel) — Choir of New College, Oxford

Reflection

Grant, O Lord, that in these words, we may behold the living Word, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Imagine the scene in Jerusalem that we’ve just heard described in the first reading. For us, it’s two weeks since the events of Holy Week and that first Easter, but for those eleven disciples it’s just a matter of hours. They are shocked by the brutal unfolding of their beloved leader’s prophecies and probably also by the betrayal of Judas; are they looking at each other, wondering if anyone else is going to turn on them? They are probably in hiding, terrified for their own safety and wondering too what to do next. Is this the end of their hopes and dreams? Into this mix of high emotion come, firstly, the women who reported the empty tomb, and later Peter, who saw that baffling sight for himself, and then they hear the testimony of the two who met Jesus himself on the road to Emmaus and were inspired to return to Jerusalem with the news: Jesus had indeed risen from the dead. So they start to feel a twinge of hope. Could it really be true? What if it is a trap? What should they do next? Perhaps panic sets in and the volume of talk and argument rises.

And then Jesus himself appears among them. His first words are intended to calm them: Peace be with you – shalom in Aramaic, Jesus’ own tongue. Perhaps we can all sympathise with the disciples who react, not with joy but with surprise and fear. But Jesus asks for food and they realise that this is no ghost, but a living, breathing, comforting presence. They see his wounds and they hear his explanation. They start to believe their own eyes. They have become living witnesses to the miracle of the Resurrection. We are not told whether they do indeed become calm but we do know what they do next because the passage from Acts tells us.

Just a few days after this experience, the disciples are back out in public, braving their fears even to the extent of entering the temple and coming under the eyes of those who had Jesus crucified. Peter cures a lame man in Jesus’ name, drawing more attention to themselves. Clearly, their confidence has returned and they willingly testify in public to Jesus as Messiah and Lord. “We are witnesses”, they say. They go on to found a church, a movement that has transformed the world, and of which we are part.

What has happened? How did a group of frightened men gain such strength, such confidence, such calm certainty, within just a few days? What does that mean for us?

We know, of course, what happened. They experienced the reality of Christ’s presence and they were blessed by him. Shalom, Jesus said, a word that includes in its meaning a sense of contentment, completeness, wholeness, well-being and harmony. It is a spoken assurance that all is well with the world, just as God intends.

We cannot usually claim to have faced what those first disciples experienced but we have all had our lives disrupted over this last year, in small ways and perhaps in larger ways too. We have known fear and uncertainty and we too have retreated from the world into small rooms for our own and others’ safety. We may feel isolated and, like the disciples, wonder what the world holds in store for us next.

We can, however, be sure what will happen next because these passages tell us. Jesus will break through the walls which surround us, literal or otherwise, we will experience once more the reality of his presence and we will remember that we too are witnesses to the glorious truth of the Resurrection. Like the disciples, we will receive the gifts of sureness and strength and Jesus will bless us with both peace and confidence. Shalom.

The disciples were assembled behind closed doors
when suddenly You entered, O Jesus our Almighty God.
You stood in their midst, and gave them Your peace;
You breathed the Holy Spirit on them.
And so we cry to you:
Glory to You,
our resurrection,
our light,
and our peace!
Amen.

Prayer

Generous God
In glad thanksgiving for your goodness, we offer you our gifts of money, time and talents. Help us to
make good use of these resources to further your kingdom in our land, all to your glory.
As we travel through this pandemic,
we give thanks for all those who have offered signs of resurrection
in their work and commitments.
We pray for doctors, nurses, care and support staff
who tirelessly tend those in need,
at times with potential harm to themselves.
We pray for the scientific community
as it continues research and development
in care and prevention.
We pray also for those who need health and social care; be with them as they struggle and grant
them your peace.
Christ of light,
We pray for those whose futures have become dark through unemployment, poverty and ill-health.
Give them hope and allow the light of your grace to shine on their lives.
Christ of resurrection,
we remember in deep thanksgiving those we have lost.
We grieve with those
who mourn the death of loved ones.
May we be those who share the memories and love
that allow hope to rise from loss.

In the name of Jesus Christ,
Your risen One.
Amen.

Shalom, my friend

Benediction

May God bless us.
May God keep us.
May God be gracious and look kindly on us.
And may the Lord’s face shine upon us
And give us peace, give us peace. Shalom

This service was prepared by Pauline Weibye, Session Clerk at Craigmillar Park.

Acknowledgements:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflection ends with a fragment of liturgy from the Northumbria Community, adapted from an original Greek Orthodox liturgy.
Benediction and aspects of the prayers and reflection adapted from the Church of Scotland’s Weekly Worship resources

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Sunday 11th April 2021

Welcome to our service from Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches in Edinburgh for the first Sunday after Easter. After the emotional high of Easter, this week may seem somewhat mundane, however it offers us an opportunity to reflect on the sense of belonging that being ‘in Christ’ offers us

Call to Worship (from Psalm 133)
How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life for evermore.

SGP 7 Alleluia, Alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord

(from First-Plymouth Church, Lincoln, Nebraska)

Prayer

Lord of life and eternity,
we gather in these days after Easter
to continue in thanksgiving,
and to praise your Holy Name.

The cross remains empty,
the tomb continues abandoned,
as you live victorious
in ascended glory.

In this time of adoration,
wonder, joy, and hope
take our words and our silence
as offerings to you.

Inspire us as we gather;
make us one in Your Spirit.
Show us Your light;
guide us on our way.

When we fail you,
have mercy upon us.
Lift up our heads,
and retore us once more.

Show us how to rejoice,
that we may share Your truth,
that we may share Your love,
that the whole world may cry ‘Glory’!

Rejoicing in Your new creation, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray:

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:

Acts 4:32-35 – The believers share their possessions
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there was no needy person among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

John 20:19-31 – Jesus appears to his disciples
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.’A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’The purpose of John’s gospelJesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

HYMN 522 The Church is wherever God’s people are praising

(from Hobkirk and Southdean with Ruberslaw Churches)

Reflection

Love changes everything!
I wonder how many songs have been written with either that title, or that idea, in mind? In purely human terms love can make us or break us. At one end of the scale, it can drive us to the greatest of human self-sacrifice, while at the other it can break us. As another songs asks, ‘What becomes of the broken hearted?’

In our readings today it is not human, but divine, love that changes everything. The Gospel reading sees us encounter the disciples, hiding and frightened. Their fear of the religious leaders would certainly have made them act this way. Yet is it possible that the stories of resurrection, told by the women, had also made them frightened? Remember, this was something they had never expected or understood. They may have been refusing to believe that Jesus had risen from the grave, but something was already transforming them. Now, when they are confronted by the living Jesus, their transformation is made perfect. Jesus shares his peace with them and imbues them with the Spirit too. Yet two are not there. Judas has already been lost, and Thomas is somewhere else. The disciples are not complete as a body until their companion returns. Enter, now, Thomas, complete with his questioning and often sceptical mind. He desires evidence before he will believe. A week later the evidence he needs is brought before him. Despite the offer to touch the wounds it is only the site of the Risen Lord that he needs in order for him to believe and worship. The disciples are now as one.

We fast forward a little to the events of the book of Acts. Here the disciples are being persecuted, but so great has been the transformation that they continue to meet, share, and witness in public. Shortly before the episode in our reading two of the disciples are arrested and threatened by the religious leaders. They are let off only if they promise to not mention the name of Jesus. The two refuse but are still set free as the council have nothing with which to prosecute them. What is it about the name of Jesus that causes so many to fear or feel threatened? Is it that the love of God, in Jesus, truly does transform the human heart, and then the world around?

The vary nature of Jesus means transformation, change. His presence in a life means a reorientation of the heart and mind. It means a change of focus from self to God and others. It was all these changes, brought about by the love of God, that enabled the disciples and the early church to be one. The characters and personalities remained but how they were directed was different.

How may that apply to us? Like it, or not, we need to let the Spirit of the Risen Christ transform us. Being church is not about being a member of an organisation, it is about being a disciple of Jesus. Being church is not about some private belief system, it is about recreating the world as God would have it. Being church is not about the buildings, it is about being the Body of Christ. The challenge we have to face is allowing that transformation to take place within us to such an extent that it allows us to live outwardly as one body. It is this that will allow not only the church to be ‘one’ but also enable it to reach out to those around us that do not believe. They will see the change just as the world of the ancient near-east saw the change in the early church. While we hang on to notions of membership, private faith, and buildings growth will not occur. Rather than growth, it will be the death of what we think of as church.

These words are not easy to hear, read, or even write. We enjoy and value our institutions and buildings. They often give form and history to our journey of faith. But they are not ‘the faith’. The early church grew rapidly because the believers allowed Christ to transform them in ways that made them one. It was this witness, seen in grace, compassion, and mercy, that drew the crowds to them. For us it means allowing ourselves to be transformed in the same way. It will mean allowing our hearts to be softened. It will mean seeing our treasure as being ‘in Christ’ rather than cash in the bank, or in bricks and mortar. It will mean doing things His way, not ours. It will mean living in the transformative love of God, a love that does change everything.
Amen.

Prayer

Your disciples gathered in fear,
and You offered them Your peace.
You restored and empowered them.

Many in our world know no peace.
There are those experiencing lockdown,
feeling trapped and gasping for space.
We think of those struggling with emotions,
knowing despair rather than hope,
seeing darkness rather than light.

Many in our world are lonely,
missing the presence of loved ones.
We think of those in care homes and hospitals,
with few visits and no loving touch.
We think of their loved ones,
experiencing guilt while stuck outside.

Many in our world grieve,
our cultures and traditions prohibited.
We think of those who are troubled,
and need some form of peace.
We think of those trapped in their concerns,
unable to live with joy.

You gave Your disciples peace.
You gave Your disciples Your Holy Spirit.
Send Your peace upon us and our world,
bless us through Your Spirit.
Restore and empower the peoples
that hope and joy may return.
Amen.

HYMN 516 We are marching in the light of God

(from: Episcopal Church of the Advocate, Chapel Hill, NC)

Benediction:

May the peace of the Risen Lord go with you.
May the strength of the Holy Spirit be within you.
May the love of God the Father sustain you.
This day and every day.
Amen.

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Easter Sunday 2021

Welcome to our Easter Day service from Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches. Today our time of reflection on the suffering and death of Jesus comes to an end as we celebrate his resurrection, and the hope it has to offer.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 118: 22-24)
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvellous in our eyes.
The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.

HYMN 410 Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!

from King’s College, Cambridge

Prayer

All glory is yours,
God, our creator and redeemer.

Your son was not defeated by the Cross,
nor was he silenced by the grave.
The empty cross and vacant tomb
testify to both your love and power.

On this day of celebration
fill your people with joy.
Let us rejoice in the resurrection
and proclaim your new creation.

Let us go into the world this day.
Let us proclaim that we have seen the Lord.
Let our lives show he is not some dead hero,
but the Lord of life itself.

Send your Spirit upon us
that we may share this Good News
in our words and in our actions.
May we witness to your rising.

Rejoicing in God’s new creation, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray:

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:

John 20: 1-10 – The Empty Tomb
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!’

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped round Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

HYMN 417 Now the green blade riseth

Scripture:

John 20: 11-18 – Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’

‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she said, ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’

At this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realise that it was Jesus.

He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’

Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’

She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’).

Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her.

HYMN 425 The Saviour died, but rose again

(from Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church), Edinburgh.

Scripture:

Mark 16: 9-15 – The Resurrection
When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

Afterwards Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

A Reflection for Easter Day

Many of us like to walk or sit in a beautiful garden. Even folk like me, who lack any green-fingered ability, enjoy them. Most often they are a place to relax and enjoy a cultivated form of nature. Yet in scripture gardens also have a more significant meaning. They are places representative of the perfection of creation, the nearness of the divine, and places of temptation.

The first hearers of the resurrection stories would have immediately linked the encounter in the garden with that between God and Adam in Eden. In both God is seeking out his creation; in both God calls on people by name. In Eden Adam runs and hides from God as he had given in to the temptation to place his trust in someone else. With Mary the temptation is to hold on to what is passing, the physical presence of the resurrected Jesus. Unlike Adam, she is running towards her Lord. Both people find themselves with doubts and belief, seeking answers and having questions. Two gardens, two people, two temptations, one Lord.

Mary was preoccupied with the empty tomb. When her gaze finally moved, she saw Jesus standing there before her. How long had he been standing, looking, waiting? Jesus speaks her name. Something in how he spoke opened here eyes to the truth of who he was. This is no conquering hero bent on revenge after the crucifixion, but the compassionate Lord whom she had grown to know and love.

This encounter should send out a clear message to each and all of us. We should put ourselves, in a sense, in Mary’s shoes. Is Jesus standing, watching, and waiting for us? Is he awaiting us noticing that he is there, here? Might he be calling our name, even this day? If he does, how will we respond? We seem to have two options. The first is that we turn and copy Adam in Eden. In other words, we run and hide from the Lord who sees us as we truly are. In our shame, or embarrassment, we hide from him. The other option is that we copy Mary and run to him, embracing the compassion and love he extends to us as he calls our name.

Easter and resurrection are meant to stop us and make us think. More than this they seem to demand a response. Only we will know if we will run to or from the risen Lord. But if we choose to notice him and to accept him as did Mary then we will be accepted. Perhaps then we may join with her in saying, “I have seen the Lord!”
Amen.

HYMN 416 Christ is alive! Let Christians sing.

(from First Methodist Houston, Downtown)

Prayers for the world

Risen Lord,
fill our hearts with joy.

Living Lord, the earth was shaken by your life giving power.
Shake your church that we may be restored to life once more.
Send us out to proclaim that we have seen you.

Living Lord, your resurrection startled all both friend and foe.
Shatter the fears of all whom you call by name.
Breathe life into each of our communities.

Living Lord, you call all people without discrimination.
Transform the narrowness of our vision and our decision making.
Guide us on our journey of service together.

Living Lord, your mercy endures for ever.
Strengthen all who feel weak, pained, or distressed.
Transform us that we may show your love and compassion.

Living Lord, your first disciples stood bewildered by the empty tomb.
We hold before you those who grieve or have lost joy.
Raise us all that we may hear your voice calling to us.

Risen Lord,
fill our hearts with joy.
Amen.

HYMN 419 Thine be the glory

Benediction:

Christ Jesus was raised from the dead
by the glorious power of the Father.
Go then, from this place, in new life with the Risen Lord.
And the blessings of God Almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with you all,
now and for ever more.
Amen.

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Sunday 28th March 2020

Welcome to this week’s service from Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial churches on the south side of Edinburgh. Today sees the beginning of Holy Week, and so our focus turns towards the final days of the journey to the Cross and on to Resurrection.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 31)In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
in your righteousness deliver me.
Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for I am in distress.
I trust in you, O lord;
I say, ‘You are my God.’

HYMN 279 Make way, make way

(From Holy Trinity Church, Dromore)

Prayer

God, we come before you at the start of a new week.
It is a week of darkness,
a week where we are focussed on suffering,
a week where we are focussed on the cross of Christ.

God, we come before you at the start of this week,
to seek your light,
to have the courage of our convictions,
and the strength to pick up our cross.

God, we come seeking not praise for ourselves,
but to praise you.
We come to praise Jesus for his unending grace,
for his unending love and mercy towards us.

Have mercy upon us, our God.
According to you steadfast love,
according to your abundant mercy,
blot out our sins.
Cleanse us, wash us,
renew us, restore us.
Make us anew,
that we may worthily stand before you.

Cast us not from your holy presence,
and take not your Spirit from within us.
Give us joy once again,
and restore to us a willing spirit.
We bring before you our hearts,
broken and contrite.
Once more give us life and wholeness
that we may lift high your name.

Standing at the foot of the cross, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray:

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:

Mark 11: 1-11 – Triumphal entry

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you doing this?” say, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.”’

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, ‘What are you doing, untying that colt?’ They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

‘Hosanna!’
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’
‘Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!’
‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

HYMN 367 Hosanna, loud hosanna

(from First-Plymouth Church Lincoln Nebraska)

Scriptures:

Mark 15: 1-15 – Pilate
Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.

‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ asked Pilate.

‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied.

The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, ‘Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.’

But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

‘Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?’ asked Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to get Pilate to release Barabbas instead.

‘What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked them.

‘Crucify him!’ they shouted.

‘Why? What crime has he committed?’ asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify him!’

Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Mark 15: 21-37– Crucifixion
A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means ‘the place of the skull’). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.

It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the Jews.

They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!’ In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.’ Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The death of Jesus

At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’).

When some of those standing near heard this, they said, ‘Listen, he’s calling Elijah.’

Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ‘Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,’ he said.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

HYMN 374 From heaven you came (The Servant King)

(From the Chet Valley Churches)

Scriptures:

Mark 15: 42-47 – Burial
It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.

A Reflection for Holy Week

A donkey? A donkey!
This is not how you imagine a king arriving in the city. A warhorse, yes. But, a donkey! It is an image that would have raised questions among the crowds. It is an image that raises questions now. How may we interpret it? What does it mean? Ask those last two questions of almost anyone, and you will get at least as many answers as people.

However the questions are answered, you will find running through the scene a direct challenge to understandings of power and authority. First, Jesus arrives on a donkey rather than a warhorse. Was Jesus aiming to fulfil the prophecy of Zechariah or was there more at work. The gospels relate that the donkey had never been ridden; was Jesus showing that he had authority over nature as the animal had not yet been ‘broken in’? We read elsewhere of Jesus being referred to as ‘Galilean’. Galilee was usually looked down upon by folk from Jerusalem. Was Jesus challenging this, or was it a rallying call to others that no-one is inferior? Whatever was going on in the mind of Jesus we are never told. We do know, though, that his actions caused concern and anxiety in the ruling elite. Any perceived challenge to authority was a challenge to their positions of power and influence. A change in authority could cost them their privileged position.

Perhaps those questions are simply academic. But what if reading this part of the gospel story challenges our assumptions and behaviours around issues of power and authority. What if Jesus was undermining our comfortable positions. Does that make him, and his message, less appealing? Early in May we will have elections to the Scottish Parliament – what would the actions of Jesus say to the prospective MSPs, their parties, and government? Whatever our answers we are called as disciples to follow in his footsteps; we are called to ‘speak truth to power’. This may make us uncomfortable; it may mean taking risks but that is the way of Jesus. With the impending election it means weighing up the various announcements with one eye clearly on the commands of Christ. Only then may we reasonably decide which way to vote, and why.

This coming week is Holy Week and through it we follow the final steps of the journey to the cross. The path that Christ trod was a costly one; Good Friday testifies to that. Like the first disciples we, too, are called to pick up our crosses and follow him. It probably will not require us to make the ultimate sacrifice, but it will cost. The cost for Christ was the Cross. But after that came Easter and Resurrection. If we accept the call to follow, we too will experience our own resurrection. Faithfulness does have a cost, but it also has a reward.
Amen.

HYMN 385 Here hangs a man discarded

(Recorded and performed by Everingham Music)

Prayers for the world

Let us give thanks to the Lord,
for his mercy endures for ever.

Blessed are you, our God, the king who rides on the colt of a donkey.
We lay down at your feet our lives, dedicated to your service.
Give your people grace to praise you with both word and action.

Blessed are you, our God, the servant king.
We lay down before you the decisions that we must make.
Give us the grace and wisdom to choose for the benefit of all.

Blessed are you, our God, friend of both rich and poor.
We lay down before you our friendships, and those we find it difficult to be with.
Give us mercy both to reach out, and to be touched by the lives of others.

Blessed are you, our God, suffering servant.
We lay down before you the sick and the dying, the worrying and the grieving.
Give us hope in the midst of our darkness.

Blessed are you, our God, crucified king,
We lay down before you our lives and dreams.
transform us that we may bring life and hope to all.

Let us give thanks to the Lord,
for his mercy endures for ever.
Amen.

HYMN 577 Christ be beside me

(From Methodist Temple UMC)

Benediction:

May the Father, whose glory fills the heavens,
cleanse you by his holiness.
May Christ Jesus, who has ascended to the heights,
pour upon you the riches of his grace.
May the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,
equip you and strengthen you in all that you do.
May the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always.
Amen.

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Sunday 21st Mar 2020

Welcome to our service for the fourth Sunday of Lent, from Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches. This week our focus is upon the change in perspective that Jesus demands of us if we are to be his disciples.

Call to Worship (Psalm51: 1-2 )
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

HYMN 132 Immortal, invisible, God only wise

(from Westminster Abbey)

Prayer:

(from the words of St. Augustine):
Look upon us, O Lord,
and let all the darkness of our souls
vanish before the beams of Your brightness.

Fill us with holy love,
and open to us the treasures of Your wisdom.

All our desire is known to You,
o perfect what You have begun,
and what Your Spirit has awakened us to ask.

We seek Your face,
turn Your face unto us and show us Your glory.

Only then will our longing be satisfied,
and our peace shall be perfect.

With the words that Jesus taught us, let us now pray together:

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:

Jeremiah 31:31-34
‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord,
‘when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them,’
declares the Lord.
‘This is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,’ declares the Lord.
‘I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbour,
or say to one another, “Know the Lord,”
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,’
declares the Lord.
‘For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.’

John 12:20-33
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me.

‘Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save me from this hour”? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!’

Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

Jesus said, ‘This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

HYMN 557 O love that wilt not let me go

The Celebration Choir

Reflection:

Imagine one Sunday morning you are sitting in the church awaiting the start of the service. In the corner you notice that the minister is in conversation with some visitors. Not only are they strangers, their clothes and manners mark them out as being from another part of the world, and from another faith community. How do you react? What do you think? How strange or odd would it look to you? Now imagine that it is not the church but Jerusalem. It is not now but around 30AD. You are Jewish, and the visitors are Greeks. They are not talking to the with minister but with Jesus!

We are never told just what the Greeks wanted to talk about with Jesus. Elsewhere Saint Paul states that the Greeks saw the cross as foolishness so perhaps the answer they sought was rather different from the one they got. It may be that I am being unfair to these particular Greeks. The truth is that we will never know. The culture they came from, though, would have been keen to acquire knowledge that would enhance their lives. Greek thought would have been looking for something that would lead to glory in this present life. It would not have been looking for eternal joy beyond death. Jesus spoke to them about the glory coming through suffering and death.

In a sense it does not really matter if the words of Jesus were difficult for his audience to accept. What does matter is that his words are often difficult for modern humanity to hear or accept. Contemporary Western culture is obsessed with the preservation and enhancement of this life. It is generally interested in avoiding pain or suffering rather than accepting them as a path which may lead to eventual eternal glory. Often, we will hear comments about being interested not in religion but spirituality. Yet this interest is often motivated by a desire to feel better, to become a more fulfilled and rounded person. It is about self and personal desire. It is seldom about God and eternity, yet that is what Jesus was concerned about.

Jesus challenges us to look beyond our current knowledge and experience to consider what is truly valuable. He points to dying to self as leading to change for the good in all around. He points beyond the present to frame our timeline within that of eternity. He points beyond seeking the praise of mankind to honouring God and being praised for that. If we truly seek to follow Jesus then we, too, need to look to the values and practices that matter to him. Following Jesus is more than about interesting discussion around the meaning of life. That is not easy to hear, nor is it easy to do. We do not like the idea of dying to ourselves, but it is the way of Jesus.
Amen.

Prayer:

Have mercy on us, O God, according to your loving kindness;
in your great compassion, hear our prayers.

We pray for the whole church,
all the people of God,
all who respond to the call of Jesus, ‘follow me’

Wash us through and through,
And cleanse us from our sin.

We pray for our nation, for all the nations of the earth,
and for all who govern and judge.

Purge us from our sin,
And we shall be pure.

We pray for those who hunger, those who thirst,
those who cry out for justice,
those who live under the threat of terror
and those without a place to lay their head.
May they hear of joy and gladness,
that those who are broken may rejoice.
We pray for those who are ill, those in pain,
those under stress, and those who are lonely.
Give them the joy of your saving help,
and sustain them with your bountiful Spirit.

Create in us clean hearts, O God,
and renew a right spirit within us.

We pray for those who have been bereaved
Give them your comfort and peace.

We especially pray for… (named individuals in particular need)
We pray for… (particular issues in the news, community or church)

Lord Jesus,
you taught your disciples that unless a grain of wheat
falls into the earth and dies it remains just a single grain,

but if it dies it bears much fruit;
as we prepare our hearts to remember your death and resurrection,
grant us the strength and wisdom to serve and follow you,
this day and always.
Amen.

HYMN 167 Guide me, O thou great redeemer

Benediction:

May the love of God, the Father, surround you;
may the presence of Christ, the Son, dwell within you;
may the fellowship of the Spirit empower you
now and evermore.
Amen.

Acknowledgements:
English translations of Lord’s Prayer © 1988 English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC). www.englishtexts.org. Used by permission.

Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Second Prayer comes from the online blog of Rick Morley, and is based on the readings from Psalm 51 and John 12. Used with permission – http://www.rickmorley.com/

Featured post

Sunday 14th Mar 2021

Welcome to our service for the fourth Sunday of Lent, from Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches. This week our focus is upon the love of God for humanity, and our response to that.

Call to Worship (Psalm 107: 1-3)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures for ever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story–
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.

HYMN 133 Source and Sovereign, Rock and Cloud

(from First Presbyterian Church Waynesville NC)

Prayer

Living, loving, and ever-present God,
you are with us throughout the journey of life.
In days of joy and those of sadness
your presence is ever with us.
You are faithful and true,
your promises to us are sure.
In the wildernesses of life you show us the way,
in darkness you bring us to the light.

We gather this day
to worship you,
to praise your name,
and witness to your love.
We gather this day
to humble our hearts,
to listen for your word,
and to look to the Cross.

Merciful God, ever gentle, ever forgiving,
restore us when we turn from your light and way.
When we fail to see need, open our eyes.
When we fail to hear another’s pain, open our ears.
When we fail to love our neighbour, open our heart.
Renew us once again we pray.
Make us a people who live as your children,
with lives that reach out in grace and mercy,
bringing your truth and healing to our world.

With the words that Jesus taught us, let us now pray together:

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

Numbers 21: 4-9 – The bronze snake
They travelled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go round Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!’

Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people.

The Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.’ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

John 3: 14-21 – Light has come into the world
[Jesus said] Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

HYMN 96 You are before me, God, you are behind

(from New Cumnock Parish Church)

Reflection:

How often have you been told to ‘look up’? What about ‘chin up’? They are phrases that we sometimes hear as people encourage us to look more positively at our situation. They mean us to turn from whatever is holding us down or back. Although we may respond literally and lift our head, the meaning is more metaphorical in nature. Yet in today’s Bible readings the people of God are being asked to quite literally look up. They are to look up and see their salvation.

The people of Israel faced yet another setback. Aside from their seemingly never-ending grumbling, they now faced an enemy that was not themselves. Unable to pass through Edomite lands, they had to go around them, and were forced back towards the Red Sea. The people’s discontent at this stage is both natural and understandable, but their complaints were endangering their chances of reaching the Promised Land. The need to turn back was stretching their faith in God. Yet, because of their circumstances, they needed that faith now perhaps more than ever. If they had given up, as they so often threatened to do, then everything that they had been through would have been worthless. They were so near their destination, yet in some ways they were so far away

Once again they rely on their own understanding rather than rely upon God. God acted, sending snakes into the camp. Yet he also provided a means of being saved from them. To be saved they had to look up to the sign that God gave them. This may seem bizarre to us, but it had the effect of forcing Israel to look to God rather than their own resources.

In many ways we are no different from them. When we face difficulties, in the course of our journey with God, do we not often grumble or despair and rely on our own ways to try to guide or save us. Rather, like the Israelites, we need to look to him more keenly.

Turning to the gospel, John portrays a world that is already lost. It is living according to its own perceived wisdom or ‘lights’, though which give no light at all. This parallels what was happening with the people in the wilderness. We see the lack of reliance on God leading to a fracturing of the people of God. Each has turned to their own factions at the expense of faith.

John reworks the image of God entering into human chaos and providing a means of salvation. This time it is not a bronze snake being lifted up as a sign of God’s faithful love for them. His desire to pull them through goes even further. John combines this image with that of light coming into darkness. Jesus becomes like a torch, raised to bring order to chaos, and hope to despair. As with the people in the wilderness, there are two ways of responding to God’s action. We can turn away for shame or we can turn and be forgiven.

Those are the stark choices laid before us by the cross of Jesus. We can either continue on, in our own wisdom, or turn and know the love of God. The preparations and celebration of Easter point us toward that choice. The festival seeks to drive home the depth of the love that God has for us. We no longer need to rely on ourselves for he has accomplished all that was needed for us to know salvation. All we have to do is choose.
Amen.

Prayer

In the midst of a broken humanity,
You are there,
holding out the offer of healing.

In our wanderings,
You are there,
guiding us in the path to life.

In our darkness,
You are there,
shining your light on all creation.

In our pain,
You are there,
touching us with Your peace.

In everything,
You are present,
never leaving us alone.

When we are tired,
when we are lonely,
when we are grieving
remind us of Your presence.

In all things may we see You
sustaining Your creation
leading us in love.

May we rest ourselves in You,
allowing ourselves to be restored,
and Your new creation to come.
Amen.

HYMN 558 Lord I lift your name on high

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rctVRkGz0_k

Benediction

May the steadfast love of God,
the merciful actions of Christ,
and the renewing power of the Spirit
be with you now,
and evermore.
Amen.

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Sunday 7th March 2021

Welcome to the joint service of Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches for the third Sunday of Lent. This week our focus is on the Law of God, and the foundation they create for life.

Call to Worship (Psalm 19: 7-8):
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.

HYMN 5 O lord our lord throughout the earth (Psalm 8)

(from Victoria Methodist Church, Bristol – Tune: Tramps & Hawkers)

Prayer

With all of creation we come together to praise you.
For your love, and touch upon our lives, we give you thanks.
For the gift of Jesus, your Son, we rejoice.
With our words, our songs, and our hearts, we praise you.

We praise you for you have created us and given us life.
Lead us as you have led your people throughout time,
that we may rejoice in your creation,
and nurture it as you intended.

We give thanks for the love you have shown to us.
When we wandered from your presence,
or chose paths that lead to destruction,
you called us back to you, our home.

We rejoice when we think of Christ Jesus.
When we were lost he came to us;
through his self-sacrifice he bridged the gap,
and brought us healing and wholeness.

This day, as we seek to lift your name on high,
accept our songs, hear our words, and know our thanks.
Lift and inspire us, that we may honour you
and bless the world in your name.

With the words that Jesus taught us, let us now pray together:

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:

Exodus 20: 1-17
And God spoke all these words:

‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

‘You shall have no other gods before me.

‘You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

‘You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

‘Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

‘Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

‘You shall not murder.

‘You shall not commit adultery.

‘You shall not steal.

‘You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.

‘You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.’

John 2: 13-22
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!’ His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’

The Jews then responded to him, ‘What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?’

Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’

They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’ But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

HYMN 485 Dear Lord and Father of mankind

(from the ‘Big Sing’, Newcastle, 2008)

Reflection

What makes us a community? Is it the place where we live? Is it the colour of our skin? Is it the language that we speak? The clothes we wear? Perhaps it is something less tangible. Perhaps what makes us a community is a sense of shared values, the ‘rules’ that we play by. Our first reading this week takes us to the giving of the ‘Law’ at Sinai. Often society sees the commandments only as a series of ‘thou shalt not’ statements, restricting life and reducing happiness. Yet these ‘laws’ are not about restriction or control. Actually, ‘Law’ is not a particularly good translation; ‘instruction’ would be much better. These instructions from God to his people are about the shared values and principles that would enable them to function as a positive and constructive community. They would help shape not only collective action but give a sense of identity in the process.

The commandments were given as a central part of the covenant between God and humanity. They would be the distinctives that would mark this people out as different from the neighbouring nations. They begin with what would outline the distinctives of their relationship with God. It was to be a relationship that was based on allegiance, love, and exclusivity. Next, they outline the practices of community that would flow from God’s love and would build strength and stability amongst the people. As a part of this they give basic human rights. Murder, infidelity, and theft are prohibited. The commandments, therefore, give the right to life, marriage, and property.

Any church or society that adheres to these values is one that reflects the distinctive features of the kingdom of God. These values, though, are an integral whole and are not to be divided. We cannot turn and decide that any one of them is okay to ignore without also undermining the others. This is as true of the commands not to murder or steal as it is of the commands to have no other ‘gods’ besides God. In other words, to fully live by these divine community values requires faith. It is the outflowing love of God for his creation that makes it possible for us to do this.

Turning to the gospel passage we see something of the above ideals has gone wrong. The house of prayer has become almost a centre of commerce as love for God has become a series of transactions rather than a relationship. Jesus, in turning away the money changers and traders, is proclaiming that this is not the way. Yet, he is also proclaiming something far deeper as he does. It would be interesting to know what bystanders thought when he overturned the tables and drove out the traders. It would be interesting, too, to know what those traders thought and how they responded. More important, though, is to reflect on what Jesus may have been thinking.

As Jesus cleared out the traders from the Temple he was clearing away that which was required for the sacrificial practices. By removing these, and standing in their place, he is also proclaiming himself to be the ‘true’ sacrifice. Indeed, Christianity has seen Jesus as the single sacrifice that made redundant the system of repeated ones. In driving out that which signified the imperfect system he is placing himself in the role of the ‘perfect’ one. As he does this he draws our focus back to the central point of the covenant of God with the people. That is, he draws us back to the life-giving relationship with God and the love that flows from it. This is what we are called to return to each Lent. This is what we are called to recall painfully each Good Friday. It is in so doing that we are enable to experience the joy that is resurrection and Easter.
Amen.

Prayer:

God, your set your commandments before us
to show us values that lead to life.
Inspire your people to live by them
and work toward building the community of your kingdom.

We pray for those enticed by false gods,
by money, fame or power.
May they be set free from the idols that bind them
and know life in all its freedoms.

We prayer ensnared by a web of lies,
for those who weave webs of deceit,
and for those trapped by them.
May they be set free to know truth and the healing it brings.

We pray for those touched by the hand of death.
We remember victims of evil, and the regimes that cause the hurt.
We remember those who grieve, and pray for your strengthening touch upon them.
May this world seek peace and the healing it brings.

We pray for a world touched by greed,
leaving millions to hunger, suffer illness, or feel despair.
May the world turn from the greed that leads to theft,
and share its resources among all peoples.

We pray for ourselves that we would follow you.
May we open our heart, and embrace your world with love.
May we not stand aside, but act with justice
that the world may rejoice in you.
Amen.

HYMN 527 Lord, make us servants of your peace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66L78JfkqxA

(from St. Cuthbert’s, Wells & Wookey Hole)

Benediction:

Let us go from our worship together,
sharing words that lead to life,
living lives that grow,
that build your kingdom on earth,
and lift high your holy name.
Amen.

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Sunday 28th February 2021

Welcome to this, our service for the Second Sunday of Lent, brought to you by the congregations of Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial Churches. As we continue our journey towards Easter our thoughts turn to the promises of God.

Call to worship (from Psalm 22: 22-23)

I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honour him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

HYMN 162 The God of Abraham praise

(from Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California)

Prayer

Lord, you invite us to follow you:
may we take up our cross,
and walk in your way.

Lord, you invite us to know you:
we are your disciples,
help us to grow in faith.

Lord, you ask us,
“Who do you say that I am?”
You are the One who gives us life eternal.

Lord, to whom all hearts are open,
from whom no secrets are hidden,
cleanse our hearts and minds.
By the inspiration of your Spirit
may we love you completely,
and praise your holy name.
This we ask through Christ our Saviour.

As your people,
we dare to believe you have a plan for us,
a future with hope,
with faith, and with love.
Remind us of your promises.
This day may we live in your joy,
may we worship you with all that we are,
and serve you as disciples.

With the words that Jesus taught us, let us now pray together:

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

Genesis 17: 1-7
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.’

Abram fell face down, and God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: you will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

Mark 8: 31-38
Jesus then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. ‘Get behind me, Satan!’ he said. ‘You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.’

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.’

HYMN 153 Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father

Reflection

Our lives are full of promises. We see them on our banknotes; businesses make them to customers; we make them when we are married. Promises are both common and normal parts of life. They are, though, special as they change our present by first changing our future. If we are confident in the truth of a promise, then it can radically affect our lives. We may even make decisions today based on promises that will be fulfilled tomorrow. In other words, promises invite us to take risks. People are not the only promise makers for God does too.

In our reading from Genesis we find God making a promise that stretches the credulity of both Abraham and Sarah. It was enormous in its scope, and seemingly impossible to fulfil. The promise of a son through Sarah also, to Abraham, seemed unnecessary as he already had one through Hagar. Yet God was not influenced by the hopes and expectations of Abraham as he had decided that Sarah was to be a part of his plan. God had a future for the pair that was beyond their thinking. Despite being beyond child-bearing age they would have a son. Despite being relatively unimportant they were to be the foundation of a great nation. The will and power of God made this happen.

Through Jesus that nation was expanded as Gentiles were grafted into it. This now meant that the great nation was more than just an ethnic group but would encompass all of humanity. It all was a part of the will of God. The promise of God to Abraham and Sarah is, in part, realised through us. This should be sure enough to affect the way we live our present.

Despite these promises there is often pressure upon us to rely only on that which we can see, feel, or measure. We are encouraged to rely entirely upon the rational and focus on the here and now. It is a short-term approach that does not allow us to see the future in terms that are eternal in nature. We see this in Peter’s response to Jesus in our Gospel reading. He cannot see beyond his immediate understanding or thinking; he cannot imagine a future that is as Jesus describes. He cannot get his head around the pain and suffering that is to come. Peter’s response is perfectly natural, it is instinctive, yet it leaves no room for the will and power of God. There is no space for divine promises.

Perhaps, here, it is worth noting that Jesus’ rebuttal of Peter is in no way to be interpreted as him saying that his disciple is the devil in human form. The word, or name, ‘Satan’ has a root meaning of ‘adversary’; in standing against what Jesus says Peter is taking on the role of adversary, a challenger.

Jesus expects his followers to develop a mindset that is based on a long-term view, a perspective that is based on the promises of God. Our timeframe is to be like that of the one promised to Abraham and Sarah. It means that we are to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and look to the future fulfilment of the Kingdom of God. This is not about the giving up of minor treats or luxuries for the weeks of Lent. It is about seeing ourselves as dead to the demands and expectations of this world, and alive to the life directed by God. It is to be alive to the promises of God.
Amen

Prayer

God, you are faithful and your promises are true;
you are the light, and in you is no darkness.
You are to be trusted, and your love is eternal.
As we come before you,
open our eyes to the path of Jesus,
that we may learn to truly love.
Send your Spirit upon us,
that we may be empowered
to love you and your creation.

We pray for the hungry,
both in this land and around the globe.
We see the rise in Foodbank use,
and the increase in poverty around us.
For those who tackle these issues
we give thanks and praise
seeking that we may follow their inspiration
and feed your world.

We pray for the homeless,
without shelter or security.
We see the need for your love,
shown in care vans, shelters, and charities.
For those who work in our streets
to bring hope and a future
we give thanks and praise;
may we be inspired to follow them.

We pray for the anxious or frightened
over job, or home, or health.
We see the need for your peace
to bring stillness to their hearts.
We pray for those who are peacemakers
working in our communities
to heal division and bring healing
to all who struggle.

We pray for ourselves,
bringing our hopes and concerns.
We know that you hear;
we know that you listen.
Open our eyes,
our hearts, our minds,
that we may know your touch
and bless you for your love.

These prayers we bring
in the name of Jesus
whose followers we seek to be.
Amen.

HYMN 396 And can it be?

Benediction

O Christ, the Master Carpenter,
who at the last through wood and nails
purchased our whole salvation;
wield well your tools in the workshop of your world,
so that we who come rough-hewn to your work bench
may be fashioned to a truer beauty by your hand.
Amen.

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Sunday 21st February 2021

Welcome to our joint service from Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial parishes on this, the first Sunday of Lent. From now until Easter we turn our thoughts to the journey of Jesus to the Cross on Good Friday, and to Easter and the Resurrection.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 25: 1, 4-5):

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.

HYMN 172 Sing for God’s glory that colours the dawn of creation

(from Victoria Methodist Church, Bristol)

Prayer

God, our maker and creator,
shaper of all that is,
You set the universe in motion
yet made us each on Your image.
From greatest to smallest
all creation gives thanks
and so blesses Your holy name.

God, our sustainer and encourager,
giver of hope to all,
You give us signs of possibility,
and words to encourage us on.
From weakest to strongest
all life has a future
and so blesses Your holy name.

God, bringer of light out of dark,
forgiver of all,
You offer us a future
and set us free form our past.
To both sinner and saint,
You offer us redemption
and restore us to Your side.

Almighty God,
your Son Jesus Christ
fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are but did not sin.
Give us grace to discipline ourselves
in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness,
so may we know your power to save;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

With the words that Jesus taught us, let us now pray together:

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

Genesis 9:8-17
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’

Mark 1: 9-15
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’

HYMN 334 On Jordan’s bank the Baptist cry

(From Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, Michigan)

Reflection

On this, the first Sunday of Lent, it seems appropriate that our Bible stories speak of both separation and reunion. This time of preparation for the celebration of Easter is focussed on the story of our separation from God, and our reunion with him through Jesus. Along the way we hear of creation unmade and restored.

Today’s story of Noah begins after the Flood has receded, leaving only his family and the surviving animals to repopulate the earth. God promises that never again will the people be destroyed by flood. As a seal to this promise, God places the rainbow in the sky as a sign that he will keep his word. In this act, God is restoring creation. In the beginning God separated the waters into those above and those below; he then separated the land from the sea. Separating these created space for life to come into being. In the flood these separations were overcome, the land disappeared, and the waters re-joined. Creation is undone.

Noah sets out like a new Adam. Earlier in the story the people were commanded to go and multiply, just as were the first creation. This is recreation, and we see a pattern emerging of the way in which God acts. There is a promise made from which the people of God turn leading to punishment and destruction. Then there is a new beginning, a new promise, and a sign to accompany it. This is true not just of individuals but of peoples too. In the language of faith this is described redemption. The signs matter as they are something that may be related to and understood.

We are, perhaps, overly familiar with the story of the baptism of Jesus, to the point where it loses much of its power and impact. Traditionally this passing through water is seen as a parallel to Noah surviving the flood, and a later people crossing through the sea during the Exodus. But Jesus is also making the final preparations for his approaching ministry. The next event in his life are the wilderness and temptation experiences. The temptation is a call to turn from the path that Jesus has chosen; it is an offer of something in place of the promises of God. That is the nature of temptation. If Jesus was to give in to it, then the journey would be over and there would be no story of redemption. However, Jesus resists, his public ministry begins, and the rest of the story we know.

There is another parallel to the Genesis story. The story of Noah was about the unmaking of creation followed by its remaking. This takes place in the Gospel too. When humanity fell from God’s presence in the garden so, too, did part of creation. Man was meant to be with God however the yielding to temptation separated them. As Jesus passes through the water of Baptism on the journey to the Cross and Resurrection he is undoing the breaking of creation. Jesus is recreating the work of God in reuniting that one aspect of creation that is precisely about union.

This is the first Sunday of Lent, the period where the church prepares for the commemoration of the Cross, and the celebration of Easter. It is often perceived as a time of giving up. But it should also be a time of reparation and reunion. It should be a time where we, individually or collectively, could be seeking reunion with God. We could be engaged in the remaking of creation.
Amen.

Prayer

God,
by Your gospel You call us,
one and all,
to follow You.
You call us to love You
and so we lift ourselves in praise.
You call us to love our neighbour
and so we lift our world in prayer.

We live in a world
where people walk in darkness;
blinded by self-interest,
nationalistic pride, and ignorance.
May the peoples know the truth You share;
may we see the need of others,
may we know humility,
may we see Your light.
And so, may the world be fed,
may the world be healed,
and may the world know peace.

We live in a world
plagued by fear,
troubled by doubt,
and weighed down by despair.
May the peoples know the hope You bring;
may we see the potential of others,
may we see the possibilities they offer,
may they know lives of wonder.
And so may the world look up,
may it see the dawn of a future,
may it live in a life of love.

We call ourselves Your people,
yet struggle to know You,
struggle to love You,
struggle to live the life You give.
May we open ourselves to You;
may we feel Your Spirit giving us life,
may we feel Your love giving us meaning,
may we feel Your strength carrying us on.
And so may Your people know joy,
may Your people know hope,
may Your people live in praise of You.
Amen.

HYMN 43 O God You are my God alone (Psalm 63)

(from Ballykeel Presbyterian Church)

Benediction

Go from this time
into life’s wildernesses,
through life’s troubled waters,
and on into you redemption
in the love of God.
Amen.

Acknowledgements:
Collect for the first Sunday in Lent taken from Common Order, Third edition (amended) 2005. Copyright © Panel on Worship of the Church of Scotland 1994

English translations of Lord’s Prayer © 1988 English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC). www.englishtexts.org. Used by permission.

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.

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Sunday 14th February 2021

Welcome to the joint service of Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial parishes for Sunday 14^th February. This week we focus upon God revealing His glory to mankind before next week beginning our journey towards Easter and the Resurrection.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 50: 1-3)

The Mighty One, God, the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
Our God comes
and will not be silent;

HYMN 182 Now thank we all our God

(from the Royal Albert Hall, London)

Prayer

God, our maker,
you created the light.
You speak and you summon the earth
from its rising to its setting.
You gather us to you,
faltering and imperfect.
Yet you accept our praise
and hear us when we call.
Creator of light and dark,
we worship you.

God of wonder,
to us you are mystery itself.
Out of nothing you created,
and out of love you sustain.
You are hidden from us
yet reveal yourself to your faithful.
In your Son you opened yourself fully
that we would behold your glory.
You revealed your splendour
and we worship you in awe.

In your light we see truth;
by your truth we see our failings.
Turn us from the distractions
that divert our gaze from you.
In your love we see your healing;
by your healing we are made whole.
Turn us from our focus on self
that we may share you grace with all.
Merciful God, forgive us
and renew us once again.

God of light and truth,
open our eyes to the glory of your presence
in the world around us,
but chiefly in the face
of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord;
that we may grow into his likeness,
and attain the happy fulfilment of our hope
when the splendour of the Saviour
will be revealed;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

With the words that Jesus taught us, let us now pray together:

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

II Kings 2: 1-12 – The Assumption of Elijah
When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.’

But Elisha said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel.

The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, ‘Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?’

‘Yes, I know,’ Elisha replied, ‘so be quiet.’

Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.’

And he replied, ‘As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So they went to Jericho.

The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, ‘Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?’

‘Yes, I know,’ he replied, ‘so be quiet.’

Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.’

And he replied, ‘As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So the two of them walked on.

Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?’

‘Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,’ Elisha replied.

‘You have asked a difficult thing,’ Elijah said, ‘yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours – otherwise, it will not.’

As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, ‘My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’ And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

Mark 9: 2-9 – The Transfiguration of Jesus
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’

Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

HYMN 474 Hail to the Lord’s anointed

(from Victoria Methodist Church, Bristol)

Reflection

Since the nineteen-sixties it has been popular to transform comic strips from their printed source to productions for both large and small screens. One of the most successful earlier cinematic releases was ‘The Mask’. Central to the film’s plot is the magical effect of the mask of the film’s title. It transforms its wearer from the proverbial underdog into a larger-than-life comedic superhero. It all sounds good until you realise that the mask slowly but surely takes over the persona of the wearer, transforming him into something grotesque. The magic of the mask veils his true personality. Masks, though, are not confined to theatre. Masks are not just physical items. Masks can be something we wear to hide our true selves; they can be psychological covers for our own shortcomings. The truth is that many of us wear masks much of the time.

Our two readings from scripture speak not of hiding behind a mask, but of revelation. In both stories something of God that had been unseen, hidden, is revealed to those gathered. In these events elements of Divine glory are exposed and lives are transformed. These readings reflect one of the more important paradoxes of the Bible. This is that God, who cannot be contained, chooses to limit Himself in order to act among us. He chooses to veil His glory that He may dwell among us. That God veils Himself is quite unlike one of us wearing a mask. We do so to protect ourselves; God does so to protect us. From the earliest parts of scripture it is taught that we cannot look upon the glory of God and live. Granted, there are a few special individuals who have the privilege of beholding God but they are the exception to the rule.

As we encounter the story of Elijah we find him at the end of his ministry, and preparing his assistant Elisha to follow in his footsteps. Time and again Elisha is tested in respect of his dedication and determination to follow the great prophet. This testing also stretches his emotions as he is constantly reminded that his master, mentor, and friend will be taken from him that day. We see his upset made clear as he tells those reminding him to “be quiet”. He is clearly hurting. Yet Elisha does not try to hold on to his friend but accepts the reality of the situation. Instead of clinging he wants to follow in Elijah’s footsteps and more so asks for a “double portion” of the spirit that drives and empowers him. As the story draws to a close, we see Elisha being overwhelmed by the glory of God revealed as his master is taken away. Limited by the nature of human language to describe that which cannot be described he reinforces the traditional idea that earthly realities have heavenly parallels. This unveiling of heavenly wonder does not restrict the erstwhile prophet but empowers him just as it had his master.

Turning to the gospel story we find a not dissimilar story. Here it is not the chariot of God but Jesus revealing some of His own glory such as we read of in the Gospel of John. As Jesus unveils something of His true nature we find the disciples, like Elisha, overwhelmed by what they see. Unlike Elisha, they try to hold on to the moment and we read of Peter offering to build shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. The two Biblical personalities we see alongside Jesus serve to indicate that he is in accord with the teaching of both the Law and the Prophets. To their initial Jewish followers such an endorsement would be critical for their mission to succeed. Yet despite the clear signs of Divine glory the disciples do not seem to be radically affected. As the story moves on, and Jesus turns his attention to Jerusalem the disciples do not seem to have been transformed or empowered for the mission ahead. Perhaps, though, that is the point. Perhaps the evangelist is writing this to prepare his readers for the fact that encounter with God does not necessarily lead to dynamic and visible changes to life. Perhaps, like the story itself, the life of discipleship can be rather mundane.

Stories of masks, veils. Worn by many of us to hide our fears and insecurities though, as in the film, with the danger that the real personality becomes lost behind the false. Yet when God wears a mask, or veil, it is not to protect Him but us. It is to shield us from a glory that we cannot properly begin to understand. That glory does impact on a life of discipleship even if we do not realise it. Tradition is that Elisha went on to be a great prophet, though scripture says little more about him. The disciples were empowered by the presence of the Divine, and without that it is doubtful our lands would ever have heard the good news of the love of God for us all. Today we, too, need to seek a glimpse of the Divine even if it is seen only in the mundane. We need it as it will empower and sustain us as we carry on in a life of discipleship.
Amen.

Prayer

Gracious God,
as we recall your goodness in times past
so we turn to you in a time of need.

We have prayed that your kingdom would come.
Make real your kingdom in this world
that your light may be seen,
that your truth would be known,
and that justice would flow for all.
God, may your kingdom come on earth.

We have prayed that you would give us our daily bread.
We live in a world of need;
a world that hungers;
a world that thirsts;
a world in need of shelter.
God, may your creation’s hunger be filled.

We have prayed to be freed from trial.
May the world turn outward,
sharing in its wealth,
sharing in its knowledge,
sharing in its love,
God, may your world be freed from trial.

We have prayed for deliverance.
May we turn from ourselves,
to see you more clearly,
to know you more dearly,
to love you more deeply.
May we be delivered that we may lift high your name.
Amen.

HYMN 578 Christ, whose glory fills the skies

(from Westminster Presbyterian Church, Buffalo)

Benediction

May the light of your glory
shine on each of our days
that we may see your presence
and so turn and follow.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Featured post

Sunday 7th February 2021

Welcome… to this week’s service from the parishes of Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial. Today we continue our journey through the season of Epiphany. As we do we recall the love that God has for us, and seek to lean upon Him during these darker months and times.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 147: 1-3, 10-11)

Praise the Lord.
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the broken-hearted
and binds up their wounds.

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
the Lord delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.

HYMN Joyful, Joyful, we adore thee(from the Royal Albert Hall.

(from the Royal Albert Hall. The words may be unfamiliar however the tune isn’t.)

Prayer

Lord, our God
we come before You in praise and adoration.
You are ever present even when we do not notice you.
You are ever loving even when we feel at our lowest ebb.
You are ever leading even when we feel directionless.
We worship You today with all that we are.
With our minds we seek to know you better;
with our hearts we desire to love you more;
with our eyes we seek to see you at work in our world.
Take our worship,
reforming it into something acceptable.
Welcome us into Your midst,
and remake us as Your people.

Lord, our God
we come before You seeking Your mercy.
You are always near even though we pretend You are absent.
You are ever gracious even when we cry that You have deserted us.
You ever hold us even when we say we are unloved, unwanted.
Forgive us Lord, we pray.
Open our minds that we may know Your truth;
open our hearts that we may share Your love;
open our eyes that we may behold Your glory.
Take our lives.
Restore them as Your image.
Set us upon Your paths
and make us Your Holy People.

With the words that Jesus taught us, let us now pray together:

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 40: 21-31
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

‘To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.

Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
‘My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God’?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Mark 1: 29-39
As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all who were ill and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’

Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so that I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’ So he travelled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

HYMN 718 We cannot measure how you heal

Reflection

Love songs have never really appealed to me though there is one that I like; it is a song of broken hearts. The verses ask a series of questions about events the former couple had enjoyed together, each beginning with the words, “Do you remember …”. Memory is such a strange thing. In our culture it is stretched and tested from childhood. Education provides us with so much information that many of us struggle to recall. Society, too, expects us to store up and easily remember so much trivia. Some of this had a point to it; it was practical and useful, while much of it was less so. Sometimes it seems so hard to remember. Even our faith makes demands on our memory, and at a much more significant level than recalling the kings of Judah and Israel in order.

Faith memory tends to work in the following way. When things are going well we tend to forget about God. When we feel that we have been lucky or fortunate we may “thank our lucky stars”. If we need something more tangible, we may reach out to a ‘lucky rabbit’s foot’ or ‘four-leafed clover’. Seldom do we instinctively or purposefully thank God. When things go wrong we seem to be better at remembering God. Sometimes it is along the lines of “God get me out of this”, often with some sort of bargain thrown in. Other times we rage against God with questions of “why” taking on an accusatory tone. Rarely, when life hurts, do we seem to reach out to God to thank him for His presence with us in our darkness. It is almost as if there was some form of selective amnesia at play.

We see elements of this in today’s passage from the prophet Isaiah. Here, forgetfulness of the Divine and His love towards the people prompts the questions, “Have you not known? Have you not heard?”. To emphasise his point the prophet repeats the questions. Have the people not known of the love that God has for them? Have they not heard of all that God had done to show His love? Through good times and bad, through times of faithfulness and betrayal there had always been signs of the presence of God. It was simply that the people had chosen not to see these things. The ancient Israelites didn’t use rabbit’s feet of four-leafed clover, but they had golden calves and foreign gods to fall before. They put their trust also in themselves and strength of arms. They forgot to put their trust in the God who brought them into being and who had brought them out of captivity into freedom. They were a people because God had created them as such. But they had chosen to forget.

Over two thousand five hundred years later we need to ask if the Church has done the same. Has the Church forgotten God? The Church is currently in a state of crisis, particularly in the ‘western world’. We see the numbers of the faithful dwindle; we can measure our resources decline; we feel the effect of our lessening impact upon our communities. In response we endeavour to reach out with ‘good works’, acts of kindness. We aim to be good neighbours. We experiment with new initiatives and structures. More than these we seek to be relevant. In the process we forget that we are, first and foremost, a people of faith. Have we forgotten what it is that we are called to be? Have we forgotten who it is that we are called to be? It is in our ‘forgetting’ that we will find the root of our spiritual malaise.

At the time of Jesus the people of God had also seemed to have lost their way. Instead of being one people under God they had split into a range of factions each with their own interests at heart. Jesus, however, brought memory to life. Through his ministry, in both the quiet and private events as well as in the larger public acts, he reminded them that they were the people of God. He resuscitated their faith memory making God real to them once more. In teaching and miracle Jesus renewed the spirit of the prophets and reignited the spark of faith. But note carefully that the works of Jesus were founded in prayer and not in manmade designs. He brought the written word of God to life. This time, though, the message was not just for the Israelites but for the world. It was time for the world’s memory to be reawakened to God. As a part of the world, we need to have our memory reawakened too.

When will we, as the Church, wake up and begin to remember? When will we remember that our existence, purpose, and future are bound up in the hands of God rather than the schemes of man? When will we remember in whose image we are made? The questions of the prophet to his contemporaries are relevant to us also. We need to hear again the stories of faith and let them invigorate us. We need to look once more to the example of Jesus, God made flesh, and be inspired not just to serve but to pray. We need to learn to remember once again.
Amen.

Prayer

God of the gift of light and life,
make us Your people this day
that we would share Your love
and heal this world
in Your blessed name.

May we be a blessing to those we love,
bringing both joy and peace to bear.
May our words and actions bring hope and light
that Your name would be praised.

We pray for our homes and neighbours,
may they know the completeness You bring.
May they know Your healing presence,
and the future that You promise.

We pray for our land and our leaders,
for the Queen, her ministers and parliaments.
May they act in wisdom
seeking truth and justice for all.

We pray for those in healthcare
as they seek to face the challenges of the pandemic.
May they find in you strength and courage,
and determination to carry on.

We pray for those who enable our daily lives,
those involved in retail and transport.
We give thanks for those who provide for our needs,
and seek Your blessing upon them.

We pray for those on the edge of society,
those for whom life is a constant struggle;
we remember those who are homeless or hungry,
those who are lost and alone.

We pray for ourselves.
You made us in Your image,
may we live as You meant us to be.
May we remember You in our daily lives
and so lift Your Holy name on high.
Amen.

HYMN 363 We have a gospel to proclaim

(from the Chet Valley Churches, Norfolk)

Benediction

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May He make His presence known to you.
May You feel His gracious touch upon your life,
and give you peace.
Amen.

Featured post

Sunday 31st January 2021

Call to Worship (Psalm 43: 3-4)

Send me your light and your faithful care,
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.

HYMN The God of Abraham Praise

(From Grace Presbyterian Church, USA)

Prayer

God of light and life,
we gather to remember your love.
We gather to stand for your love and light.
We gather to work for your kingdom.
We gather to work for the flourishing of all.
God of light and life, shine among us as we gather.

Friends, we are called to walk in the light.
Forgive the times we have followed ways of our own choosing.
Set us in paths of righteousness, for your name’s sake.

Friends, we are called to consider whether the light in us is not darkness.)
Forgive the times we have failed to share your light.
Give us courage to share your light, together.

Friends, the prophets denounced those who ‘who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness’.
Forgive our cynicism that costs others so dearly.
Sustain us as we seek the light of your life in the world.

Friends, God brings even deep darkness to light.
Let your light shine on us, O God, that we might live.
Open our eyes and renew us, for in your light we see light.

With the words that Jesus taught us, let us now pray together:

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

James 1:17, 22-27
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do.

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Matthew 5: 15-16
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

HYMN Lord, for the years

Reflection

At 3pm local time on the 27th January 1945 Soviet soldiers from the 322nd Rifle Division arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau. This, the largest of the Nazi death camps, had already been deserted by its SS guards. Only seven thousand prisoners remained, the others have been marched to their deaths not long beforehand. Despite the brutality of the Eastern Front nothing could prepare these battle-hardened soldiers for what they saw. It is a date that they would never forget, and neither should we. That date is now remembered annually as ‘Holocaust Memorial Day’.

This week, with the anniversary of that day, we are called to reflect on man’s inhumanity to man. We are called also to seek out how we may be light in the world, ensuring such things are never forgotten lest we do not learn from them. We are called to be light that they may never happen again. Our scripture passages today all touch on the theme of being that ‘light in the darkness’.

The call to worship, from Psalm 43, shares in the early belief that light was the creation of God. More than that light is believed to be a gift. We see that reflected still in how we make use of candles in our worship, even if not every week. Further, the psalmist calls upon God to ‘send out your light and truth’. The Psalm, itself, is a lament yet the passages concerning light tell us also that it is not without hope. This hope is also linked to the desire for the freedom to worship. The desire to worship is writ large in human nature despite the attempts of many to snuff it out. History bears witness to this whether it be the Nazis, the Soviets, the Khmer Rouge, or the Chinese Communist Party. Yet faith and worship are resilient for the faith communities always seem to survive to begin again.

The idea that light was created by God is echoed in our reading from the letter of James. Here, his references to God as the ‘Father of lights’ draws us once more to the creation stories of Genesis, and to the Psalms. James, however, takes the image a stage further linking it with the demand that people of faith respond to this gift with grace and mercy. That is, the faith community are to move beyond simply good intentions. They are to respond in actions that proclaim righteousness, justice. In the times of the Bible this often meant looking after the widow and the orphan, those whom wider society often neglected. To return to the Holocaust, Britain managed to rescue around 10,000 Jewish children through what was known as the ‘Kindertransport’; it is estimated another 1.5 million were murdered by the Nazis. In this context James reminds us of the importance of both our individual and collective actions, and of the cost of not acting.

As we turn to our final passage, we find Jesus sharing the comical scene of someone lighting a lamp, only to cover it up that its light may not be seen. He is not seeking to entertain us but is stressing the importance of action. As elsewhere faith is important but action, too, is vital. In his words Jesus stands in a long tradition of both Biblical instruction and prophetic proclamation. With his words Jesus challenges us to act. The associations with light in the ancient world challenge us to see God’s actions in these human actions of sharing light.

We cannot travel back and undo the work of the death camps. Neither can we travel back and undo the evil that took place in Cambodia, Rwanda, or any other place of genocide. But we can stand in solidarity with those who were its victims and its survivors. We can keep their stories alive, and their memories never forgotten. We are blessed by being free to be able to protest and campaign in freedom; we are blessed by being free to choose leaders that will endorse freedom and life rather than oppression and death. Let us use these blessed freedoms and act in faith. As the years roll on the witnesses to those events are fewer in number. It becomes our place to carry the light and shine it on the dark places of our world. It becomes our place to bring hope. It becomes our place to let the light of God shine in the darkness.
Amen.

A litany – Called to be Light

When faced with religious discrimination,
Jesus calls us to be a light shining in the darkness.

When faced with a global pandemic that threatens our wellbeing,
Jesus calls us to be a light shining in the darkness.

When faced with the darkness of shame and rejection,
Jesus calls us to be a light shining in the darkness.

When faced with human beings not being treated in a dignified manner,
Jesus calls us to be a light shining in the darkness.

When faced with discrimination for ‘being different’,
Jesus calls us to be a light shining in the darkness.

When faced with injustices caused in the name of religion,
Jesus calls us to be a light shining in the darkness.

When faced with people who are unable to live in their own countries and homelands,
Jesus calls us to be a light shining in the darkness.

When faced with a lack of generosity towards refugees and migrants,
Jesus calls us to be a light shining in the darkness.

When faced with genocide,
Jesus calls us to be a light shining in the darkness.

When faced with denial of the Holocaust,
Jesus calls us to be a light shining in the darkness.

We look to the light of Jesus, so that as we reflect his light in the world, it is filled with the harvest of his good works. Amen.

HYMN Ye servants of God, your master proclaim

(From Canterbury Cathedral)

Benediction

May the light of God shine on us
transforming our lives
and brightening our world.
Amen.

Acknowledgements:
‘The Council of Christians and Jews’ for permission to use elements of their service for Holocaust Memorial Day 2021. www.ccj.org.uk

English translations of Lord’s Prayer © 1988 English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC). www.englishtexts.org. Used by permission.

Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV®
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.
All rights reserved worldwide.

Featured post

Sunday 24th January 2021

Welcome and Call to Worship

You who call us to be praise in the midst of the earth: glory to you!
We praise you in the midst of the world and among all peoples,
we praise you in the midst of creation and among all creatures.

You who call us to be praise in the midst of the earth: glory to you!
We praise you among suffering and tears,
we praise you among promises and achievements.

You who call us to be praise in the midst of the earth: glory to you!
We praise you in the places of conflict and misunderstanding;
we praise you in the places of encounter and reconciliation.

You who call us to be praise in the midst of the earth: glory to you!
We praise you in the midst of rifts and divisions,
we praise you in the midst of life and death, the birth of a new heaven and a new earth.

You who call us to be praise in the midst of the earth: glory to you

HYMN The Church’s one foundation

Prayer

Lord, you are the vinedresser who cares for us with love.
You call on us to see the beauty of each branch united to the vine,
the beauty of each person.
And yet, too often the differences in others make us afraid.
We withdraw into ourselves.
Our trust in you is forsaken.
Enmity develops between us.
Come and direct our hearts toward you once again.

With the words that Jesus taught us, let us now pray together:

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

1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 3:21-23
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: one of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ.’

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul?

….. So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future – all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

John 17:20-23
‘My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

A Prayer for Unity

A united prayer to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, prepared and presented online by representatives from member congregations of Newington Churches Together.

HYMN Bind us together

Reflection

“United, united, united we stand; divided we ever shall fall.” These are not the words of a chant from the football terraces but from a commercially successful song of the late 1970s. At a time when most songs seemed to speak vaguely about ‘love’ this one stood out as different. It spoke of something that was true then and remains so today. Division is one of the great tragedies of human life. We see it from the small scale in families through to political or ideological groupings on a global scale. The Church, sadly, is not immune to this. Division within the Church has sometimes been referred to as its greatest scandal.

I wonder what Christ would have made of this division. True, he did see such among his disciples; note that they did not always agree on how things should be, and even jostled for position. Yet, they were more united than divided. Even in the earliest days of the Church we find Saint Paul having to address the issue as the believers proclaim allegiance to different leaders and so dividing a community that was meant to be one. You can almost sense Paul’s frustration when he asks if he had been the one crucified on their behalf. What would He have made of the division that has split the Church so many times in history, and has led to much pain and suffering for believer and unbeliever alike? Perhaps we may find a clue in His words on the night before the crucifixion; here Jesus prays, “that they may all be one … so that the world may believe.”

Division in the Church is more than simply politics, theology, or tradition for it has a spiritual dimension. Fragmentation in the Church reflects and influences upon our inner lives. It challenges our ability to find inner peace and strength as our energies are directed to defending our own traditions and values against those of our brothers and sisters in Christ. It impacts upon our attempts to find community and belonging as we seek out a place where we are welcome at the table and are not rejected because we were subject to the ‘wrong’ method of baptism or have the ‘wrong’ kind of institutional structures. It needs to stop!

So where do we begin? We first need to challenge our own thought processes. We often speak of other churches; the danger with this language is that we begin to see these gatherings as ‘other’, as not like us and, by implication, somehow not quite right. The truth is there is only ONE Church, though there are many congregations, traditions, and understandings of how we should be. Next, we need to take seriously the call upon us from Christ when he prayed that we may all be one. It means opening our arms in love and grace and accept each other as a part of the one family of faith. It means laying aside prejudices and working for the Kingdom of God. It means doing the difficult task of making sacrifice of things we hold dear that we may enable the world to believe. That is what Jesus prayed for his first disciples; it is what he prays for us today.

We live in a time of unprecedented change. As it impacts upon our own congregations we have the unmissable opportunity to come together in our sharing of mission and witness to the Good News. We will have to give up buildings and practices that are dear to us. It will not be easy, and it will hurt. But we can do it. In return we will gain so much more as we will see the Church unite in its purpose. Its importance is well summed up in the words of the late Brother Roger of the ecumenical community in Taize:

“Never resign yourself to the scandal of the separation of Christians who so readily profess love for their neighbour, and yet remain divided. Make the unity of the body of Christ your passionate concern.”

Amen.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, you create and re-create the Church in all places. Come and whisper in our hearts the prayer which Jesus addressed to his Father on the eve of his passion: “that they may all be one… so that the world may believe”.
Lord have mercy.

Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, light the fire of your love in us so that suspicions, contempt and misunderstanding cease in the Church. May the walls that separate us fall.
Lord have mercy

Holy Spirit, Consoler of all, open our hearts to forgiveness and reconciliation and bring us back from our wanderings.
Lord have mercy

Lord Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, give us poverty of spirit so that we may welcome the unexpectedness of your grace.
Lord have mercy

Holy Spirit, you never abandon the men, women and children who are persecuted for their fidelity to the gospel. Give them strength and courage, and support those who help them.
Lord have mercy

Amen.

HYMN Be Thou my vision

Benediction

Be one, so that the world may believe!
Abide in God’s love, go into the world and bear the fruits of this love.

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and all peace in faith, so that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Acknowledgements:
Council of Churches of Britain & Ireland for permission to adapt prayers from this year’s service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18^th-25^th January).

English translations of Lord’s Prayer © 1988 English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC). www.englishtexts.org. Used by permission.
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Sunday 17th January 2020

Welcome, and Call to Worship

(from Psalm 139: 17-18, 23-24)
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand –
when I awake, I am still with you.

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

HYMN 459 Crown Him with many crowns

Prayer

Loving God,
You have gathered us in,
and made Yourself present among us.

We come to worship You,
our Creator
who formed us in our mother’s womb.
You are our source,
our life, and our meaning.
Create in each of us a new heart
open to all that is lifegiving.

We come to worship You
our Saviour and Redeemer.
We bring before You pour fears and our hopes.
As we come before You
we entrust ourselves
to Your loving care.

We come to worship You,
our Sustainer.
We give thanks
that in the highest joy
and in the deepest depths
You are there.

We come to worship You,
father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
One God, forever.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures

I Samuel 3: 1-10
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.

One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, ‘Here I am.’ And he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’

But Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down.

Again the Lord called, ‘Samuel!’ And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’

‘My son,’ Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

A third time the Lord called, ‘Samuel!’ And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’

Then Eli realised that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’

Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’

I Corinthians 6: 12-20
‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say – but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’– but I will not be mastered by anything. You say, ‘Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.’ The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, ‘The two will become one flesh.’ But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.

John 1:43-51
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’

Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’

Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked.

‘Come and see,’ said Philip.

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, ‘Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.’

‘How do you know me?’ Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, ‘I saw you while you were still under the fig-tree before Philip called you.’

Then Nathanael declared, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.’

Jesus said, ‘You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig-tree. You will see greater things than that.’ He then added, ‘Very truly I tell you, you will see “heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on” the Son of Man.’

HYMN 97 O God, you search me and you know me

Reflection

“Who are you?” This is such a simple yet such a profound question. Its directness evokes the simplicity of language of a young child yet also raises deep questions of personal identity and understanding. It touches on deep things without any of the trappings of philosophy or theology. So, “who are you?”

Our sense of who we are is often attached to things that may be described as external. We are keen to know where someone is from, where they live, or their occupation. These things impact on who we are but do not define us. A friend of mine recently said that she used to define herself by what she did; recently she recently realised that what mattered was whose she really was.

The Psalm that forms the call to worship, and one of our hymns today, seeks partly to address the question of who we are. God is described as present at our beginning, even in our mother’s womb. Here we are knit together by Him before our existence is known through any human means. What comes from this is not a sense of self-satisfaction that we are created as images of God; rather, scripture demands we reflect on this allowing it to guide the life choices we make. Samuel, thinking he hears Eli calling him in the night eventually has to choose what to do with this very literal calling of God. The good news is that he chooses to heed his earthly master and answer affirmatively the voice of God. Further into scripture we find St. Paul cautioning us about what we do in our daily lives. He sees that what we do matters not just on a human level; it matters, too, on a divine level because we are a part of the body of Christ. In other words, we are His. What we then choose to do reflects on how we understand ourselves in the sight of God.

The importance of knowing who we are moves to a new level in the midst of a lockdown. Many of our usual ways of defining ourselves are not available. Places of work are closed and employees placed on furlough. Cafés where we meet our friends are closed to all but take-away. Gathering with family, even outdoors, is no longer possible. We can no longer worship together in one place. In this existence how do we maintain our sense of identity, how do we maintain our sense of community? In all of this we continue to have a means of identity. This is true not only as individuals but also as a community. As the scriptures tell us, what gives both identity and community is God.

At the present time, just like the time of Samuel, it seems that personal power, wealth, and influence are topmost in people’s thoughts. We see it in relation to COVID, in ongoing political turmoil, and in continuing poverty through much of the world. It is also there in fear around these matters. How, in this, do we hear the voice of God calling to us to come to Him. How do we be like the young prophet and respond, “speak for your servant is listening.”? In times like these we need to realise our identity in Christ. No matter how things may seem at present we can answer the call of God, choosing to make our decisions knowing we are all His.

Basing our life in knowing we belong to God may radically change us. In the gospel passage Nathanael, a man of faith, has his preconceived ideas and expectations dramatically changed. How do we see beyond our fears and prejudices and, instead, see people made like you and me? How do we know, hear, and see people as they are rather than as our prejudices dictate? The answer is to remember we are all made in the image of God. We are all “fearfully and wonderfully made” (PS. 139: 14). Just as we begin to find our identity in whose we are so we can bring God’s justice to bear by remembering this is true of all people. In Christ there is no them, simply us. By acting in this truth we begin to make a difference; the world begins to heal; and we give glory to the one who created it, the one whose “works are wonderful” (Psalm 139: 14).
Amen.

Prayer

God of healing and wholeness,
we pray for a world in need;
a world in pain;
a world in need of You.

As we see a world divided,
may we learn to look beyond difference
remembering that all are one in You.
As we see a world that rages,
may we bring stillness;
may we seek our peace in You.

As we see a world of fear,
may we learn to walk in trust
and banish the use of threat.
As we see a world of poverty,
may we give of our resources
and fill each life in love.

As we see a world of sickness,
may we bring a healing touch
and see a world made whole.
As we see a world despairing,
may come bearing light,
and let Your love be known.

God who creates and sustains,
let us hear Your voice and call.
Let us be Your hands and feet
transforming the world we know.
Amen.

HYMN 543 Longing for light, we wait in darkness

Benediction

In each voice we hear may God be heard;
in each face we see may God be seen;
in each word we speak may truth ring out.

And as we go may God
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
go with us,
evermore.
Amen.

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Sunday 10th January 2021

Call to Worship

(from Psalm 29):
Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name;
worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness.

HYMN 132 Immortal, invisible, God only wise

Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer:

Lord, open our lips,
that we may proclaim Your praise.
Blessed are you, our God,
maker of heaven and earth;
may Your name be praised throughout all time.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
may Your holy name be honoured.
As the light of Your Son dawns in our hearts
guide our lips in their talk of You
that we may share Your Gospel
and bring You praise throughout the earth.
Blessed be You, our God.

Lord our God,
in our sin we have avoided Your call.
Our love for You is like a morning cloud,
like the dew that goes away early.
Have mercy on us;
deliver us from judgement;
bind up our wounds and revive us;
in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Amen.

Scripture Readings:

Genesis 1: 1-5
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day’, and the darkness he called ‘night’. And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day.

Mark 1: 4-11
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the River Jordan. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’

HYMN 334 On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry

Reflection

Have you ever sat down to watch a film only to realise that you have missed the first few minutes? What do you do? Do you try to watch again from the beginning; do you give up and watch something else; or do you plough on regardless? The problem is that the first scene usually sets out the background to the story that follows. In other words, the opening sequence is vital to understanding the story. Scripture is no different.

Our first reading today, from the opening verses of Genesis, provides us with vital information that help us understand not only that book but all that follows. Contrary to contemporary, popular, understandings the Bible is not about humanity but about God. It is He who is the central character of scripture. It is God about whom the writings speak. It is not mankind that sets everything in motion but God, and it is Him who drives things forward to their conclusion.

The creation story portrays a situation where there is nothing but a watery expanse. The potential of life lies within it but without divine action, through the Spirit of God, nothing would happen. Throughout the opening verses and the first two chapters we see this happen again and again. It is a pattern that repeats throughout all of scripture even through to the New testament and the life of Jesus. Learning that we are not the centre of the story of life perhaps means we may need some consolation; it may be found when God creates humanity. All of the created order is described as ‘good’, but mankind is described as ‘very good’.

In the gospels the pattern of divine action initiating all that then takes place is found clearly in the baptism of Jesus. This apparently simple act has challenged and troubled Christian thinkers from the earliest days of the church. The problem is this: Christians believe that Jesus was without any form of sin, yet the baptism of John was one of repentance from sin. Theologians have been trying to ‘square that circle’ for almost two thousand years. There is no complete or simple answer to it, so perhaps a different approach is needed.

How would we understand Jesus and his mission if there had been no baptism? Without it we would be without a range of images that help us understand that mission. The first is that, in his baptism, Jesus identifies with us and our own baptism. Secondly, there is the parallel of the people of Israel crossing the Red Sea at the outset of their journey into salvation. Thirdly, there is the image of rebirth into a new creation as both he and we rise from the water. In this baptism the Spirit of God is at work bringing creation to bear just as in the beginning of Genesis.

There is more to this passage from Mark’s gospel than the image of the Spirit of God creating and recreating through water. This gospel also gives the account of God’s approval of Jesus, His Son. Although the relationship between Jesus and His heavenly Father is unique to a degree that is beyond our understanding, there is a parallel between the words of the Divine and our own baptism. In Paul’s letter to the Colossians he reminds us that when we are baptised we become members of the body of Christ; like Jesus that means that we, too, are the beloved of God.

These two readings remind us that we are not the centre of the story; we are not the central characters in God’s plan for creation. They also remind us that images are important as they describe our mission in the world. Images also define how people will understand and respond to us. In other words, the images we use and the image we portray will impact on the mission of Jesus as enacted through us. These are challenges to us all. Yet, in these days of a second lockdown we find ourselves also in need of consolation. Perhaps knowing that we are created as ‘very good,’ and realising that we are also the ‘beloved’ of God may offer just that.
Amen.

Prayer

From the rising of the sun to its setting,
we call on the Lord to hear our prayer.

We pray that Your people
may worship in spirit and in truth.

We pray that the Church may work towards unity,
that being the will of Christ.

We pray that the nations of the world
may work in the ways that lead to peace.

As we hear the pain of the world,
we pray that all creation would be set free.

We pray that all who have passed from life to death
may rest in peace and rise in glory,

We commend the world, for which Christ died and rose again,
to the mercy and protection of God.
Amen.

HYMN 396 And can it be, that I should gain

Benediction:

May Christ,
who makes all things new,
transform you by the riches of His grace.
And may His grace,
the fellowship of the Spirit,
and the blessing of God the Father
be with you all,
evermore.
Amen.

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Sunday 27th December 2020

Welcome and Intimations

Call to Worship (from Psalm 148)
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendour is above the earth and the heavens.
And he has raised up his people
the praise of all his faithful servants,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Praise the Lord!

HYMN 326 As with gladness men of old

Prayer

God,
as we look forward to the coming year,
may we know the hope you offer.
As we look back in grief at the year just gone
may we know the peace you bring.
As we reflect on our muted celebrations of the season
may we find joy in you.
As the world around us struggles
may we feel your love in our midst.

As we gather around your word,
we can find ourselves distracted by the colour and noise around us.
As we stand at the change of the year,
we find ourselves reflecting in the regrets we have.
yet in the distractions your voice still cries out,
calling us by name into your presence.
Yet, despite our regrets, you love us still,
seeking to restore and renew us.

As we move forward into a new year
lift up our heads that we may see you.
As we move forward in life’s struggles
may we put our trust in you.
As we journey through each day
may we lift high your holy name.
As we turn to sleep each night,
may we surrender to you.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures

Isaiah 61:10-62:3
I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the soil makes the young plant come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch.
The nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.
You will be a crown of splendour in the Lord’s hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

Luke 2: 21-40
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord’), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: ‘a pair of doves or two young pigeons’.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.’

The child’s father and mother marvelled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: ‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

HYMN 315 Once in Royal David’s City

Reflection

It is the last Sunday of the year, and it continues to be Christmastide. Yet, with all that has taken place this year, I am not sure that it is foremost in our thoughts. After all, this is the year that brought you Covid-19, lockdown, isolation, and devastating consequences for livelihoods, families, countries, mental and physical health. Many other crises beyond coronavirus have also grabbed our attention, including the refugee catastrophe, habitat destruction and species extinction, racism, and climate change. Directly or otherwise these all impact on our lives, and not for the better.

Perhaps we have had enough of this year and, instead, wish to look forward. After all, things can only get better … can’t they? Looking forward we may have hope for vaccines and treatment. Next year also brings Brexit, and Scottish Parliamentary elections. It may also bring the Olympics, and the COP26 climate change conference. Finally, there will also be the events that impact our lives but not on the remainder of the world. Like this year it will bring challenges and new possibilities for all of us, including the churches.

These thoughts have a thread that runs through them – continual change. As we look at our Bible verses for today, we see that in the time of Isaiah, and at the birth of Jesus, the world was also in a state of flux. It was not into a fanciful world of dreams that Isaiah prophesied but into a world that knew conquest and exile, slavery, and poverty. It was not into the serene calm of a nativity scene that Jesus was born but into the squalor and messiness of the real world. In both these passages God speaks into the reality of life, offering hope.

Jesus was not born into a vacuum but into a particular time and place, and within a specific cultural context. Yet it is not the details of the culture that are focussed upon but the encounters between people. The story of the reaction of Simeon reflects his hopes, both personal and for the world. Something in the child fills him with both joy and hope, and he sees the fulfilment of the promises of God. There is the reality that some would be raised up while others are brought low; in other words, there would be justice. Somehow in the infant Jesus he sees hope for all humanity. In the story of Anna we find another who is equally touched by the child before her. Like Simeon she sees promises answered and hope fulfilled. Her sense of joy overflows and she shares her excitement with others.

In these stories we see the fulfilment of the hopes of one generation made real through the presence of a younger one. Both ends of the ages of community come together for the the plans of God. In other words, no-one is to be left out on grounds of age.

After the excitement and strangeness of these events we must wonder at the conversation that took place as the family journeyed home. In Matthew’s Gospel, the story takes a darker, more sinister, tone as the despotic ruler ‘Herod the Great’ sets out on a course of mass murder. Luke, though, skips all this summarising the remainder of the youthful part of the life of Jesus in just one sentence.

This Gospel passage is one that may bring both sorrow and joy in equal measure, and that because of its comparison with our situation. Imagine a newborn child in your own family, fussed over and cuddled by all and sundry. Yet today such opportunities for contact and intimacy have mostly been taken away from us by the virus. In today’s world Simeon and Anna would have to keep their distance. In today’s world the undiscussed rites and practices that brought the holy family to Jerusalem would be close to impossible to perform. How are we to respond?

Perhaps we may begin with Mary. She is told by Simeon that a ‘sword will pierce your own soul too’. Right at this time of joy she is presented with the reality that there would be suffering and heartache. Yet Mary does not run away or break down; rather she continues. In other places we encounter the phrase that ‘she stored these things up in her own heart’ meaning that she did not ignore events but thought upon them. The mother of Jesus was there at some of the miracles; she was there, no doubt, at some of the teaching; we know she worried about him; she was there at the crucifixion. Mary was a realist yet could dwell in the promises and hope that God offers. In our time of darkness could we follow her example; could we dwell in the hope of blessings to come?
Amen.

Prayer

God, you are with us;
you know this world better than we ever could.
We share our concerns with you
knowing that you understand.

As we continue to celebrate the birth of Jesus,
we bring to mind all the children of this world.
We remember those that struggle
even in our land.
We think of those who are hungry;
we pray for them
and for those who seek to feed them.
We give thanks for the FoodBanks
and those who support their work.

As we reflect on the Gospel
we remember those who are nearing the end.
In these difficult times
we especially think of those in care homes or hospitals;
may their days be touched by grace and dignity.
We remember those who care for them,
their families and the workers;
may they find strength and compassion
to continue on in their giving.

We think of those who struggle with living,
whether through shortage of resources,
or through inner turmoil.
We pray for justice in our world,
that the hungry may be fed,
the thirsty given drink,
the naked clothed,
the homeless sheltered.
We pray for those who are ill
whether in heart or mind;
may they know your healing and peace.

We pray for ourselves;
may we find the courage to journey in faith
to live out your word in our world
and bring your kingdom to come.
Encourage and refresh us
as we seek to love you and our neighbour.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.

HYMN 324 Angels from the realms of glory

Benediction
Let us go into the world
seeing God at work around us
and calling us to join him.
As we go,
may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
go with us.
Amen.

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Christmas Day 2020

Please note that recordings of this service have been added to each section and may be listened to as well as read.

Welcome & Intimations

Call to Worship (from John 1: 1-5)
We proclaim the Word of life which was from the beginning:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
We proclaim the Word of Life.

HYMN 320 Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

Prayer
Blessed are you, our God,
maker of heaven and earth,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As Christ, your living Word
became one of us
taking on the weakness of flesh,
so may the light of hope be born in us.
May it fill our hearts as we celebrate.
Blessed be you, Our God.
Blessed be God for ever.

The Lord’s Prayer

Advent Wreath

HYMN 296 While shepherds watched their flocks by night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvegJ3wRLFE

Scripture

Isaiah 9: 2-7
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and for ever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.

HYMN 301 Hark! the herald angels sing

Scripture

Luke 2: 15-21
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

HYMN 309 Silent night, holy night

Reflection

We have arrived; it is Christmas Day, and our journey through Advent has come to its natural end. Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus – God with us.

The story of Christmas is a tale of the improbable, the unlikely. God becomes human through the birth of a vulnerable baby. The parents are poor and outcast – the story of the census tells us that Joseph was in his ancestral home, yet there is no family to welcome him or offer accommodation. Mary is heavily pregnant, yet it is not Joseph’s child. It is a deeply fragmented society. The land struggles under both occupation and dictatorship. It is a place of unrest, poverty, and violence. Into this Jesus is born – God with us.

Change only a few minor details in this story and it could be one of many places in our world today

Today we celebrate the incarnation – God with us. At the same time we are acutely aware that so many of us are separated from those we love. How do we make real in our circumstances the truth of the presence of God? How can we meaningfully reach out and share the love of God through the unreal gathering via the internet? How do we celebrate when we are wearied by all that the pandemic has drained from us? How do we feast when UNICEF are diverting funds to aid hungry children in our land? How can we be a wealthy nation, yet the reality of Brexit threatens in just days from now?

Christmas – God with us. How can this be?

Perhaps we are looking at this from the wrong angle. Perhaps we should be looking for the presence of God not in the big celebrations and signs but the small and subtle. Perhaps we should be looking for God in the neighbour and the stranger. Perhaps we should be looking for God in the simple gesture of care or concern. Perhaps we should be looking for God in the simple gift of another’s presence, real or virtual. In the pain and confusion of the present crisis perhaps we should be looking for God in places other than the usual.

God is present when we are concerned for others. God is with us when we get it wrong too. God is with us in the midst of our pain and isolation. God is with us in the smallest of things. God came to us in the most vulnerable of ways – the birth of a child. That is the clue for where to find to find God. If we open our eyes to the least obvious of things, there we will see God. He is both present and at work. – in you – in me – in the friend – in the stranger. We just need to look at the world a little differently from our usual ways.

Christmas – God with us – if we would simply look.

Amen.

Prayer

God,
Your Son was born, to us Your Son was given;
we pray for the people He came to save.

Wonderful Counsellor,
in wisdom you made and sustain all things:
guide the Church as it seeks to reveal the mystery of your love
and fill her with the Spirit of truth.

Mighty God,
the government is upon your shoulders:
guide the leaders of the nations,
bringing them to work for your kingdom of justice and peace.

Everlasting Father,
you call us to live as one:
in your mercy watch over your people,
blessing our families and renewing our communities.

Prince of Peace,
you bring healing through the cross:
by your Spirit touch all who suffer
giving them gifts of wholeness and peace.

God,
we commend to you the world that your Son came to save;
praying for its mercy and protection.
Amen.

HYMN 306 O come, all ye faithful

Benediction
May God, who calls us out of darkness
bring us into his marvellous light,
filling us with his peace.
Amen.

A treat:
Here is a link to a rather different arrangement of our final hymn, in its original Latin, by Irish singer Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin:

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Sunday 20th December 2020

Please note that recordings of this service have been added to each section and may be listened to as well as read.

Welcome & Intimations

Call to Worship (from Psalm 126: 1-3)
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
‘The Lord has done great things for them.’
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.

HYMN 474 Hail to the Lord’s anointed

Prayer

Lord God,
You came among us
that we may know You,
and be restored.
You came among us,
that we may be blessed.
You came among us,
that we may be a blessing.

Lord God,
as You come among us now,
may we stand in awe.
As Your presence enfolds us,
may we turn our gaze upon You.
As your closeness touches us,
may we lift our hearts in praise.

Lord Jesus,
as we recall your first coming amongst us
may we lift up thankful hearts.
As we gather around your word,
may we share in its truth.
As we await your coming again,
may we make ready our world.

Loving God,
in the silences of each day
we are drawn to our own faults.
We recall the times where we have failed;
where we have been impatient,
where we have been deaf to the cries of others,
where we have been blind to the struggles around us.

Yet we remember Your love for us.
we recall your patience,
we remember you hearing our cries,
we know that You see us as we truly are.
Continue to restore and renew us.
Make us worthy to be Your people.
And send us out into the world
to be a blessing.

These things we ask in the name of Jesus
and who taught us when we pray to say together:

The Lord’s Prayer

Advent Wreath

Scripture Readings

Isaiah 61:8-11
‘For I, the Lord, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the Lord has blessed.’

I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the soil makes the young plant come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.

John 1:6-8, 19-28
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Messiah.’

They asked him, ‘Then who are you? Are you Elijah?’

He said, ‘I am not.’

‘Are you the Prophet?’

He answered, ‘No.’

Finally they said, ‘Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Make straight the way for the Lord.”’

Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, ‘Why then do you baptise if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’

‘I baptise with water,’ John replied, ‘but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.

HYMN SGP 34 Go tell everyone

Reflection:

What do you want for Christmas? By now you may be fed up with being asked that but do not worry as today will be the last time. Thus far we have asked ourselves whether we would like peace, hope, or joy as our gift this year. It is okay to want all three. Today, though, I wonder if you would like to be blessed for Christmas? Yes, it is okay to want all four. But what is it to be blessed? To begin with it is not a warm fuzzy feeling of the kind you have when someone does something nice for you. Rather, being blessed is about being right with God. It is, though, more than an inward feeling or understanding for it has an outward expression too.

Our Bible readings today are those of the season, yet they may not feel as if they have much to do with Christmas. Perhaps that is because they continue to guide our preparations rather than mark the day itself. Yet all the readings may be taken to hint at what the birth of Jesus means, and all the hopes that were placed upon him by his followers. The readings also point us to a time to come when Jesus will return. The earliest followers of Jesus expected him to fulfil all the promises of scripture during his life however the plans and purposes of God were not quite as they had hoped. Many of the promises remain to be fulfilled and will only be so once he returns. The preparations for Christmas invite us to look forward to that time as one of completeness. It will be a time of hope; a time of peace; a time of joy; a time for being blessed.

The reading from the Psalm, the one that formed our call to worship today, seems to be a rather upbeat song about the recovery of all that was lost. Known, technically, as a Psalm of Ascent it would have been familiar to Jesus as one of those sung as the people ascended the mount to celebrate within the Temple in Jerusalem. It is a song of hope, peace, and joy. It is a song about being blessed when God restores the fortunes of the people. Many see this poem as looking forward to a time when the land and material wealth of the nation are restored. That may be the case, but to stop there is to miss out on something more wonderful. That is because the Psalm speaks of the restoration of the people; it is a celebration of the people being restored to their rightful place with God. It is a song of being blessed. One former British Prime Minister stated that there was no such thing as ‘society’ only a ‘collection of individuals’; the Psalmist would disagree. It is a people, a society, that are being restored not a collection of individuals. The people are a whole, and not a collection of component parts. It is the restoration of the whole that is regarded as being blessed.

Lockdown, in all its various forms, has robbed us not of material wealth but of the riches of being part of something, a people. It has impinged on our relationships at work, rest, and play. It has taken away significant parts of what it means to be community. Positively, it has reminded us of the value of our relationships. As Christmas nears we have heard time and again the refrain that ‘we just want to be with those we love’; this year we have heard that more loudly and clearly than the demands for presents of a material kind. This outward drive for community can be a sign of an inward state of blessedness. Blessedness is that which drives us toward being right with others just as we have been made right with God. It is blessedness that drives us to seek healing and wholeness; it is that which drives us to seek restoration. It does not mean that we will get things right, that we will succeed in our relationships and striving for community. It is the intent that makes the difference.

What do you want for Christmas? Do you want to know hope? Do you want to know peace? Do you want to know joy? Do you want to know blessedness? To know these we must first be right with God. To know these we must then seek to enact them in our daily living whether we are successful or not. We must work together to build positive relationships, to build a people who are whole. But it is not just for the season or for during the pandemic. To paraphrase the advert, blessedness is not just for Christmas – it is for life.
Amen.

Prayer

Our God,
we thank You for Jesus, the Light of the world.
We thank You for those in every generation
who have faithfully pointed to Him
and have spread His light.
May we find the courage to point to the hope,
peace, and joy that You offer.
May we witness to Your grace and mercy,
Your love and compassion.

We thank You for Your people gathering this day.
May Your Spirit fan the spark of faith,
and transform us into a people
who work for Your kingdom.

We think of those who struggle this day.
We think of the grieving,
of those who are left alone,
and of those who struggle in heart or mind.
Lord God,
You understand the tears and silences,
disappointments and regrets.
Bring Your Spirit to bear,
filling the world with hope
and light.

Lord God,
We pray for places where conflict and violence are the norm;
for places where the changing environment has brought disaster
because we have been careless with Your creation.
Bring Your Spirit to bear,
filling the world with peace.
Give us greater concern for one another
for both the neighbour and the stranger,
giving us willingness to serve each other.

Lord God,
may we follow the example of Jesus,
making this a world of Hope,
a world of Peace,
a world of Joy,
that we may be both blessed and blessing.
This we pray,
in the name of the holy one,
born at Christmas.
Amen.

HYMN 320 Joy to the world

Benediction
May hope, peace, and joy be yours.
Know that you are blessed,
and go into the world being a blessing to all.
And may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with you always.
Amen.

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Sunday 13th December 2020

Please note that recordings of this service have been added to each section and may be listened to as well as read.

Welcome & Intimations

Call to Worship (from Psalm 89: 1-2)
I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known
through all generations.
I will declare that your love stands firm for ever,
that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

HYMN 290 The race that long in darkness pined

Prayer

God, we gather this day,
seeking to know your presence,
seeking to feel your touch.
Prepare our hearts
that we may feel the joy of your nearness
and see your presence in all who surround us.

God, we gather this day,
seeking your cleansing Spirit,
seeking your healing love.
Transform us
that we may be made whole in your sight
and be your presence in this world.

God, we gather this day,
to light candles as reminders,
and to pray for your light to shine.
Let us proclaim your love;
let us live out your truth,
that we may praise your name.

The Lord’s Prayer

Advent Wreath

Scriptures

Isaiah 61: 1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion –
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendour.

Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants for ever; his kingdom will never end.’

‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’

The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.’

‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her.

HYMN 286 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord

Reflection

Tell me, what do you want for Christmas? I know that I have asked that of you already however I wondered if our thoughts on the matter had changed. Recently we have thought about what the Israelites were hoping for when Jesus was born. We have also considered our desire for peace. This week I would like us to think about our desire for joy in our lives.

Today, the 3rd Sunday of Advent, is known as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for ‘rejoice’. It is a reminder that as Christians, we are to be joyful people. However, we must be careful to distinguish between ‘happiness’ which is a passing emotion, and ‘joy’ that is a state of being. Joyfulness should be seen in Christians. It should be seen in their witness to their faith. It should draw others to the joy of knowing God. It should inspire others to know the joy that brings. Yet so often it seems strangely absent.

Why? For many of us it is to do with our relationship with God or, rather, the lack of that relationship. We tend to keep God distant or parcelled up only to be released when our situation is dire or for the celebrations of Christmas and Easter. But what if He is already here in our midst? What if the presence of God was here among us, now? What difference would that make? Here is a story that I heard; it exists in many different forms. Perhaps it will help answer our question.

There once was a church that realised it was going through a crisis. Over time many of the members had left and there were no new ones joining. People were no longer coming for worship and Bible study. The few that remained were becoming old, bitter, and fed-up. The relationships between the members were becoming stressed and sometimes unpleasant. Gossip, rumour, and complaint were becoming the norm. The minister had no clue about what to do so he decided to seek the advice of an older, now retired, colleague. The minister told his colleague how the church had dwindled and now looked like a shadow of what it once was. Only a few dozen folk now came on a regular basis. The older minister told the younger that he had a secret for him. He told him that one of the members of the congregation was the Messiah, but he was living in such a way that no one could recognize him. With this revelation, the minister went back to his church, gathered the congregation on a Sunday morning and told them what he had heard. The people looked at each other in disbelief, trying to figure out who among them could be the Christ.

Could it be the one who is always in a church somewhere praying all the time, but has a “Holier-than-thou” attitude? Could it be the one who is always willing to help but who is always bemoaning that others don’t do as much? Could it be the one who is always complaining because they are not the centre of attention or because things are done differently now.

The minister reminded them that the messiah had adopted some bad habits as a way of hiding his real identity. This only made them more confused and they could not figure out who was the Christ amongst them. At the end of the service what each of them knew for sure was that any of them, excluding himself, could be the Christ. From that day, the congregation began to treat one another with greater respect and humility, knowing that the person they were speaking to could be the Christ. They began to show more love for one another, their community life became more compassionate, and their prayers deeper. Slowly people began to take notice of the new spirit in the church and began attending. Word began to spread, and before long new faces began to appear. The church began to grow again in numbers as the people grew in holiness. All this because their attention was drawn to the truth that Christ was living in their midst as one of them. If the truth be told, Christ was present in all of them.

Living in the presence of Christ is living in joy. It should cause us to be transformed and lead us to rejoice. But to rejoice also takes faith. Many of us are experiencing tough times, much of which is heightened or caused by the pandemic. Despite all of this we may still know joy!

It may seem impossible yet, it is true. But for it to be true we need to exercise a little faith. We are to have faith that God, in Christ, is in our midst. In the here and now it life may hurt but joy is not about short time highs. Joy is a long-term commitment between God and man.

We can know joy in our lives. We can know that presence that gives meaning and the strength to carry on even when life is miserable. That joy can transform us and renew us just as in our story.

So, for Christmas, would you like the gift of joy?

Prayer

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.”

Just as Mary knew the joy of your presence
so may we bring that presence to bear in our world.
Each day this week, we will continue to go through our everyday life;
and we seek that our faith will make a difference.
Where we encounter broken spirits may we bring hope;
where we encounter troubled minds may we bring peace;
where we encounter broken hearts may we bring your love.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.”

Just as Mary knew the light of your presence
so may your people bring light to the world.
Each day this week, we will continue through daily life,
hearing and seeing the fallenness of this world.
May we seek out truth rather than lies;
may we work for justice rather than domination;
may we proclaim freedom rather than bondage.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.”

Just as Mary knew to rejoice in your presence
so may we learn to give thanks to you.
Each day of this week, we will continue through daily life
encountering the signs of your grace and mercy.
May we know and share your grace;
may we know and work with mercy;
may our actions be based in faith in you.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.”
Amen.

HYMN 277 Hark the glad sound! The Saviour comes

Benediction
May you go from here
in the joy of the Lord.

And as you go
may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
go with you
evermore.
Amen.

Featured post

Sunday 6th December 2020

Please note that recordings of this service have been added to each section and may be listened to as well as read.

Welcome & Intimations

Call to Worship (from Psalm 85: 1-2, 8)
You, Lord, showed favour to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people
and covered all their sins.

I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants –
but let them not turn to folly.

SGP 45 How lovely on the mountain (Our God reigns)

Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer

Though we cannot always gather in person
God is with us
Though some of our traditions have had to go
God is with us
Though we may not get to be with family and friends
God is with us
Though we cannot sing together
God is with us
Though Christmas is harder this year
God is with us

God, your presence is at hand
and Your word calls out to us.
Your love is not rationed,
Your grace is not conditioned,
You are present as we call upon You.
We come to bless You as our Creator.
We come to honour You as our God.
You are our heavenly Father,
and we have come to delight in You

Almighty God,
You sent Your servant John the Baptist
to prepare Your people to welcome the Messiah.
Inspire our disobedient hearts to turn to you,
that when Christ shall come again
to be our judge
we may stand with confidence before his glory;
who is alive and reigns
with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Advent Wreath

Scriptures

Isaiah 40: 1-11
Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.

A voice of one calling:
‘In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’

A voice says, ‘Cry out.’
And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’

‘All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures for ever.’

You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
‘Here is your God!’
See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
he gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

Mark 1: 1-8
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way’ –
‘a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.”’

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the River Jordan. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’

HYMN 600 Spirit of God, unseen as the wind

Reflection

The Bible passages for today are typical of what you would expect to hear on the second Sunday of our preparation for Christmas. They speak of hope and of promises fulfilled; they speak also of reunion with God. Yet, without mentioning the word, they speak also of peace. This is a peace that is not of this world, but one that only God can give.

In your imagination can you picture the people of Israel as they were carried off into exile. Words are not needed for we recognise in their body language the sense of defeat they felt. You can readily imagine them as they move onward at a trudging pace with heads bowed low. We can see from the text that after decades away from their homeland their sense of self-worth is low. Perhaps the people cannot believe that there is anything left for God to love, or reason for Him to come to the rescue of the nation. Into this God sends his servant, Isaiah, commanding him to speak tenderly to the people for they are frail. He is commanded to announce that she has, like a criminal, served her time and that it is time to return home.

Like a prisoner released, Israel is gently led into the light of hope. There are obstacles in the path to restoration, but they are being supernaturally overcome by God himself. A path to a reunion has been made across the desert, a place equated with trial and testing. Their joy rises as they are led home by the one who is like a shepherd to them.

That same picture of the desert road leading from exile to homecoming is the one that opens the Gospel of Mark. This time, though, it is not just the people of Israel being led home from exile but the whole of humanity that is journeying to reunion with God. This time the path is not through a literal desert but through everyday life. The mountains between captivity in a distant land and freedom become the challenges of life; the dark valleys the places where we are brought low. We may not be distant from the land we call ‘home’ however for both them and us the exile is real. It is real since for both the exile is from God, our true home. This is why we do not know peace in all its fulness.

So often when we refer to peace we are thinking of the absence of things. We often say we find peace when we are not ill, when we are not troubled by noise or others, when we are not at war, when we are not required to be active, when we are not in need of anything. Yet that understanding of peace is a passing one; it seldom lasts long and does not give us strength or hope or growth. The words we translate as ‘peace’ in scripture have a different understanding. They speak of being bound together, of being woven into something, of having strength, of being satisfied, of being at one, of being whole. This greater understanding of peace is achievable only through God.

As we read the passage from Isaiah, we read of a people who were journeying to peace as they travelled to being at one with God. In the Gospel we read of the call of the prophet summoning us all to make a like journey into being one with God. Both, ultimately, end in peace. In a world where we are experiencing a pandemic, war, political and economic unrest we desperately need to know and experience peace. But who offers a peace that is lasting? The celebration of Christmas is in part the rejoicing over the birth of the one who would be dubbed the ‘Prince of Peace’. The Bible tells us that it is this Jesus who will bring us to that place of true peace if we would follow him. In celebrating the birth and in seeking to know him better we are engaging on a path to reunion, a path to peace.
Amen.

Prayers

Let us give thanks to the Lord for all His goodness:
For the freedom to worship without fear,
thanks be to God.
For all the goodness we have seen or experienced in this last week,
thanks be to God
For those who provide for our needs, supplying our food, healthcare and education,
thanks be to God.
For those who lead us in paths of hope,
thanks be to God.
For friends and family, and for companions in the way of Christ,
thanks be to God.
For all that makes life a wonder,
thanks be to God.
For all that directs ourselves and others to Jesus,
thanks be to God.
For those who have gone before us, entering into the life of glory,
thanks be to God.
Amen.

HYMN 476 Mine eyes have seen the glory

Benediction
May the peace of God,
which passes all understanding,
go with you this day,
and every day.

And as you go,
may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
go with you
now and evermore.
Amen.

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Sunday 29th November 2020

Please note that recordings of this service have been added to each section and may be listened to as well as read.

Welcome & Intimations

Call to Worship (from Psalm 80: 1-23)
Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,
shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Awaken your might;
come and save us.

Restore us, O God;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.

HYMN 273 O come, O come, Emmanuel

Prayer

O come, O come, we pray our God.
we call upon Your name,
seeking to know your truth,
seeking to know your touch,
seeking to know Your love.

O come, O come, we pray our God.
Reveal Yourself to us
that we may know Your presence,
that we may know your touch,
that we may praise Your Holy Name.

O come, O come, we pray our God.
As we begin our journey toward Christmas
may we open our hearts,
may we open our minds,
may we open our arms
to embrace the Good News of Your coming among us.

Ransome us, we pray, our God.
As we call on You, so too do we turn away.
As the world cries out for help,
so do we turn deaf.
As the world reaches out for love,
so to do we close our hearts.

Ransome us, we pray, our God.
Claim us once more as Your own.
Restore us once more as Your people.
Open us up to the needs of our neighbour.
show us how to love,
even as You have loved us.

Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures

Isaiah 64: 1-9
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains would tremble before you!
As when fire sets twigs ablaze
and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name known to your enemies
and cause the nations to quake before you!
For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
You come to the help of those who gladly do right,
who remember your ways.
But when we continued to sin against them,
you were angry.
How then can we be saved?
All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
No one calls on your name
or strives to lay hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us
and have given us over to our sins.

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord;
do not remember our sins for ever.
Oh, look upon us we pray,
for we are all your people.

Mark 13: 24-37
‘But in those days, following that distress,

‘“the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”

‘At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

‘Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it[b] is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

‘But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: he leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

‘Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back – whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: “Watch!”’

HYMN 472 Come though long expected Jesus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkZFhzNbp8k

Reflection

What do you want for Christmas? Depending on who you ask you will get a variety of answers; you may even get a list. It is a question that comes up every year in so many households and families. Sometimes the question is put subtly before the rush to buy presents takes over the local shopping centre. Other times the question could be quite blunt. If you ask it of your loved ones will the answer be straight or will they try to avoid the question so as not to seem presumptuous or greedy. Perhaps the answer may be that all you want for Christmas is your two front teeth! Whatever you want for Christmas I imagine that, like most folk in the world, your desire is not the same as that of the people of God as they approached what would become the first Christmas. What were they doing on that first Christmas? What were they hoping for?

One thing is for sure, they were not waiting for anything similar to what we look for each year. The people of God were waiting for many things; they wanted freedom from a despotic ruler; they wanted to come back to the halcyon days of the time of King David; they wanted peace. Some were waiting for a coming King like David who would restore the nation. They were not waiting for presents wrapped and lying under an evergreen tree; they were not awaiting the birth of a child who was wondrous; they were not awaiting mysterious strangers and scholars from afar. Theirs was a grounded expectation. Theirs was a hope that sometimes seemed as if it would never be fulfilled.

As they waited to be set free from all that kept them apart form God they turned to ancient stories and prophecies that warned them to prepare for a coming day. It was to be a day of God’s favour, but it was also to be a day of God’s wrath. That, perhaps, helps to explain the two readings set for today. The people were awaiting a time of judgment. Yet they were also awaiting a day that would see judgement turn to wonder, grace, and mercy. Some continue to await that coming King from David’s line. As Christians we believe that these hopes were fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, son of Joseph, in Bethlehem. That birth was not into the sanitised crib scene we so often see in our churches. That birth was not into the sentimental scene that we have created that is palatable and inoffensive. The truth is far different. That birth was into a stable full of dirt and smells that have to be experienced to be understood. That birth was marked by strange signs. The visitors from nearby were shepherds, a group often regarded as untrustworthy, who had just been terrified by angels. The visitors from afar brought strange gifts that hinted at sacrifice and death, and whose presence hinted at prophecies of last days.

What do you want for Christmas? Do you want the safety of the tame and manageable? Want do you want for Christmas? Do you want the sanitised version that causes no offence? Want do you want for Christmas? Do you want the real story in all its messiness and grim reality? It is this, latter, story that changed the world and has the power to continue to do so. If you want the real story of Christmas then it is a story of hopes and fears rolled up in the promise of a coming King. If you want the real story of Christmas then it is the story of the God who forsook heavenly glory to be at one with His people in the flesh and blood of the one we know as Jesus. If you want the real Christmas then you are opening yourself up to be transformed and transfigured into the image of God.

So tell me, what do you want for Christmas?

Amen.

Prayer for the World

Listening God,
we thank You that You are God with us,
that we can glimpse Your Kingdom around us,
that we can see signs of You in our world,
that we can be part of Your story.
God, we wait and we listen;
we hope for what is not seen.
Shine the light of Your kingdom
into the darkness of our world.

Listening God,
will You come into the darkness of today’s world?
To the places where once You walked among us
but are now places of despair, conflict and occupation.
Be with those whose stories we have heard
and the countless others whose voices are silenced.

Help us to be a voice of peace,
to speak out against oppression
to share the real Bethlehem with others this Advent.
Bring Your wisdom to a situation which seems to have no end.
God, we wait and we listen;
we hope for what is not seen.
Shine the light of Your kingdom
into the darkness of our world.

Listening God,
will You come into the darkness of our community?
To the people living with fear and worry,
to the people whose Advent is not full of joy,
to the people needing support.
Open our eyes to the situations all around us that we do not see
and open our minds to the ways we can respond.
God, we wait and we listen,
we hope for what is not seen.
Shine the light of Your kingdom
into the darkness of our world.

Listening God,
will You come into the darkness of our lives?
To our human doubts and failings,
the times we do not live out our faith,
the situations we have not used our power to change.
Help us to be as open to you as You were to us
when You were as vulnerable as a baby
trusting in the world for Your safety.
Show us glimpses of Your Kingdom.
Help us to hear Your story.
Reveal to us our part in Your Advent Hope.
God, we wait and we listen.
We hope for what is not seen.
Shine the light of Your kingdom
into the darkness of our world.
Amen.

HYMN 279 Make way, make way, for Christ the King

Benediction

Go from this time
in the name of God
whose promises are ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’.

Go from this time
in hope and expectation,
of promises fulfilled.

And as you go
may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
go with you, evermore,.
Amen.

Acknowledgements
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV®
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Prayer for the World adapted from Church of Scotland Weekly Worship.

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Sunday 22nd November 2020

Please note that recordings of this service have been added to each section and may be listened to at any time.

Welcome & Intimations

Call to Worship (from Psalm 95)
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.

HYMN 458 At the name of Jesus

Prayer

Let us worship the Lord with gladness
as we come into his presence.
Let us remember that the Lord is God.
It is God who made us, and we belong to Him;
we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving,
giving thanks to God,
blessing the name of God.
Let us give thanks to God for His goodness,
for His steadfast love which endures for ever,
for His faithfulness to all generations.

You, God, are our one and only King.
We seek Your forgiveness for when we turn from you,
and seek to serve other “kings” and false gods of our own making:
the false gods of wealth, influence, and position.
We seek Your forgiveness, we who are broken
by our own choices and actions.
Guide us that we may be the sheep of Your pasture.
Lead us to trust in You as our King and Shepherd.
Show us how to walk once more
in the name of Jesus, Your Son,
and in the power of Your Holy Spirit.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures

Ezekiel 34:11-24
‘“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and make them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

‘“As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

‘“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: see, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.

Matthew 25:31-46
‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

‘Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was ill and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

‘Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison and go to visit you?”

‘The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

‘Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was ill and in prison and you did not look after me.”

‘They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or ill or in prison, and did not help you?”

‘He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”

‘Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.’

HYMN 360 Jesus Christ is waiting

Reflection

This Sunday is sometimes known as ‘Christ the King’; it marks the end of the church’s year and prepares us for the countdown to Christmas that commences next Sunday. It is also a celebration that is relatively new having originated shortly after the end of the First World War. It arose out of the sense that humanity had abandoned the teachings of Christ and had again followed the desires of man. Against a growing move toward totalitarian rule in Europe the feast was meant to point us back towards our true and rightful King, Christ Jesus.

This week’s readings tie in with those of recent weeks as they give rise to questions of eternity, judgement, and loyalty. They are designed to provoke us to ask, ‘who’s side are we one’ or ‘who is it that we follow’. They provide us with glimpses of both wonder and judgement; the former for those on the side of Christ with the latter for those who prefer to choose the ways of humanity. Since these writings, both by prophet and evangelist, were written for the faith community we must also face another question: why are we being warned?

Ezekiel was called to be a messenger from God to His disobedient people. The people were in exile, sent there because they had made foolish alliances and worshipped false gods. Time and again the people had been warned of the consequences; time and again they had ignored the prophets or messengers of God. The consequence was punishment, in this case exile. Yet even in exile God did not fully abandon his people. Just as we may chastise one of our children for their wrongdoing so, too, does God chastise his children for theirs. Just as we do not stop loving our children neither does God stop loving His, even in exile. Ezekiel is sent to both warn the people concerning their continued foolishness, and to guide them back toward God.

As we look at the Gospel we see the warnings laid out more clearly, more starkly. Here we have a simple division of the people into the faithful and the unfaithful, the saved and the judged. We must, though, note an important point; belief is not enough! Remember, it is believers that are being judged. Our faith in Christ, in God, must lead to changed perspectives and changed actions. In the reading Jesus warns that it is those who fed the hungry, clothed the naked, or visited the prisoner who were saved. Note, too, that this is not some form of what the Reformers entitled ‘works salvation’. The good works of which Jesus refers are not the cause of being right with God but an outworking of it. In other words, the love of God for us transforms us in ways that see us love God and then show this through the love of our neighbour.

This Sunday is about judgement, yet it is also about transformation and renewal. It is about turning away from false gods and idols of our own making. It is not about seeing yourself as the sheep in the parable and breathing a sigh of relief. It is about following the example of the sheep and reaching out to our neighbour, whoever he or she may be. It is about bringing compassion and grace to bear in world that truly hurts. It is also about doing this not to make oneself feel safe and secure but to be faithful and obedient to our Lord.

In our world faith is often seen as something personal; it’s rarely seen as something to be shared. This can see our faith become nothing more than a series of propositions with little to no impact on the remainder of creation. That is not how it is meant to be. The love of God for us is meant to transform us from inward looking and selfish to outward looking and generous. The love of God is meant to transform us ‘creatures of wrath’ to become channels of grace and mercy. The love of God is meant to transform us from ‘goats’ to ‘sheep’.

Prayers for the world

Lord, you sent Your Son to set us free,
to bring good news to the poor,
to bring sight to the blind,
to bring freedom to captives
to usher in Your Kingdom.
Lord, may Your Kingdom come,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord, send us to bring help to the poor
and freedom to the oppressed.
Send us to proclaim Your truth
working for justice in the world.
Send us to tell the world of Your love,
spreading the Good News of Your Kingdom.
Lord, may Your Kingdom come,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord, may we tend us to those who mourn,
to bring light and hope to those who grieve.
Send us that we may a healing presence
to all who struggle in body, heart, or mind.
Send us to proclaim that the time is here
for You to save Your people.
Lord, may Your Kingdom come,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord of the Church,
hear our prayer.
Make us one in heart and mind
to serve You in Christ our Lord.
Make us to work from Your kingdom
where grace and mercy flow.
Lord, may Your Kingdom come,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Amen

HYMN 804 You shall go out with joy

The Blessing

Go into the world from this time of worship
knowing Christ Jesus as your Lord and King.
Go from this time to work for the coming
of His Kingdom on earth as in heaven.

And as you go,
may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
go with you
now and evermore.
Amen.

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Sunday 15th November 2020

Call to Worship and Opening Sentence

God who is the ground of hope, fill you with joy and peace as you lead the life of faith until, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you overflow with hope.
(Romans 15:13)

HYMN 132 Immortal Invisible God only Wise

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Loving God, thank you for bringing us together for worship today. Thank you for the beauty of this church and for all the people who have worshipped here over the years that makes this sanctuary a place where we can experience love, joy and peace.
God of all time and space,
You were with Your people of the Old and New Testament.
You are with us now.
You have promised to be with us until the end of time.
We give You thanks,
that in Your presence we are not alone.
Your love has held us from before we were born,.
Your grace has infiltrated our lives, never letting us go
Your hope leads us on, encouraging us to find You
in new and ever surprising ways.
We confess that sometimes we lose faith and trust.
We look at our lives and our world
and do not like what we see.
We are impatient, ungrateful and sometimes angry.
and we question the meaning of life.

In this time of worship,
remind us of Your promise never to forsake us.
Help us to trust Your promise that You will be with us.
Teach us again about your mighty power and your unfailing love.
In Jesus Christ, you revealed your salvation in all the world, which gives us confidence of the heavenly world to come.
Through your Holy Spirit, you give us love, joy and peace.

Keep us firm in faith, that we may serve and praise you all our days.
But gracious Lord, so often we fail to do and say what you have taught us to do and say, so forgive us for getting things wrong –
sometimes we know we are selfish or unhelpful to others, so hear us now as we pray to you in silence with penitent hearts as we seek your forgiveness

……. SILENCE

As we worship you again this day forgiving God, we gladly say together the prayer that your Son and our saviour taught us to say, by saying:

Our Father, who art in heaven
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil,
for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,

Amen

Introduction to readings:
Our Old Testament Reading is from Judges 4: 1-7.

The book of Judges probably comes to us from a series of songs, poems and stories about the history of Israel and the ‘heroes of the faith’, known as the judges, one of whom is Deborah the Prophetess.

The book was probably written in about 550 BC when the Jews were in exile and covers the period between Joshua and King Saul that is about 1300 years to 1051BC

Very little is known about Deborah. However in today’s reading her role is to motivate Barak, the military leader of the Israelites, to attack a much stronger force led by a ‘superior-enemy’, Sisera. The passage reveals Deborah’s role and Barak wins the battle, against the odds.

The story lends itself to a consideration of what can be achieved with God’s help.

The gospel lesson is from Matthew 25: 14-30 and is the parable of the three servants, often known as the Parable of the Talents. It makes it clear that God expects us to use whatever talent and energy we have in His service.

The three servants had different talents, but they are expected to use them fruitfully and not waste that which has been given to them.

Let’s hear the Word of God now.

Judges 4: 1-7 (Good News Translation)

After Ehud died, the people of Israel sinned against the Lord again. So the Lord let them be conquered by Jabin, a Canaanite king who ruled in the city of Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived at Harosheth-of-the-Gentiles.Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, and he ruled the people of Israel with cruelty and violence for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help.

⁴Now Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet, and she was serving as a judge for the Israelites at that time.She would sit under a certain palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel would go there for her decisions.One day she sent for Barak son of Abinoam from the city of Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given you this command: ‘Take ten thousand men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them to Mount Tabor. I will bring Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, to fight you at the Kishon River. He will have his chariots and soldiers, but I will give you victory over him.’”

New Testament Reading: Matthew 25: 14-30 The Parable of the Three Servants

“At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property. He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave five thousand gold coins, to another he gave two thousand, and to another he gave one thousand. Then he left on his trip. The servant who had received five thousand coins went at once and invested his money and earned another five thousand. In the same way the servant who had received two thousand coins earned another two thousand.

But the servant who had received one thousand coins went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

“After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.

The servant who had received five thousand coins came in and handed over the other five thousand. ‘You gave me five thousand coins, sir,’ he said. ‘Look! Here are another five thousand that I have earned.’ ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant!’ said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!’

Then the servant who had been given two thousand coins came in and said, ‘You gave me two thousand coins, sir. Look! Here are another two thousand that I have earned.’ ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant!’ said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!’

Then the servant who had received one thousand coins came in and said, ‘Sir, I know you are a hard man; you reap harvests where you did not plant, and you gather crops where you did not scatter seed. I was afraid, so I went off and hid your money in the ground. Look! Here is what belongs to you.’ ‘You bad and lazy servant!’ his master said. ‘You knew, did you, that I reap harvests where I did not plant, and gather crops where I did not scatter seed? Well, then, you should have deposited my money in the bank, and I would have received it all back with interest when I returned. Now, take the money away from him and give it to the one who has ten thousand coins.

For to every person who has something, even more will be given, and he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing, even the little that he has will be taken away from him. As for this useless servant—throw him outside in the darkness; there he will cry and gnash his teeth.’

CH4 HYMN 502: Take my life, Lord, let it be

Reflection: Matthew 25: 14-30

I imagine many of you know the Parable of the Talents sometimes called the Parable of the Three Servants, but let’s recap on the story and see if God speaks to us afresh today.

A wealthy landowner is ready to go on a long journey. Before he left, he entrusted various amounts of money to his servants. He gave five thousand coins to one, two thousand to another, and one thousand to another – each according to his ability.

When the landowner returned from his travels, he called the servants to give an account of what they had done with the money. The first two put had invested wisely and as a result, they doubled the original investment.

The third buried his money in the ground. The landowner was furious: “At least you could have deposited in the bank where it would have gained interest,” he said.

In a fit of anger, he took back the one thousand coins and gave it to the servant who now had ten thousand coins. As for the one-thousand-coin man, the landowner told his servants to cast him into outer darkness, where men weep and gnash their teeth.

That’s the story, and the lesson that follows is sometimes summarised like this:
Use whatever talent you have, however much or little, to the best of your ability to the glory of God.

That is one of the messages of the Parable of the Talents. But let’s take a closer look at this one-thousand-coin man. He might be like you and me.

First, he didn’t do anything wrong.
In fact, knowing what we know about Jewish law in Jesus’ day, he did the most prudent thing he could do – he buried it in the ground because that was the safest option.

So, if he didn’t do anything wrong, is it not harsh that he was thrown into the darkness given that he acted responsibly in keeping with the custom of his day?
His failure was he wasted this opportunity – he had the opportunity to do something to make a difference, but he played it safe.
That’s the reason for the landowner’s condemnation – not that he did something wrong, but that he didn’t do anything at all.

Why not, – because of fear.

He was afraid of incurring the wrath of the landowner. Here’s what the servant said:

‘Sir, I know you are a hard man; you reap harvests where you did not plant, and you gather crops where you did not scatter seed. I was afraid, so I went off and hid your money in the ground’ (verses 24 & 25a)

The servant was afraid of his master, and his fear led to the paralysis of mind. And so, the question that arises for us is: what are we afraid of?

Fear affects people of every age and walk of life.
What are you afraid of? What keeps you from taking a chance to make a positive difference to someone or to your church?

Are you afraid that, if you venture out of your comfort zone, all will go wrong? A lot of people are afraid of failure.
Surprisingly some people are afraid of success. Often a successful man or woman has less free time, less freedom, greater responsibilities and more stress.
A common fear is about our health. We fear getting sick or being diagnosed with a crippling, even terminal illness such as Covid 19.
There are lots of things – both real and imagined – to be afraid of.

The question is what are you afraid of? Naming your fears is the first step to overcoming them.

And the second step is turning your worries over to God.

The point is, with God on our side, we have nothing to fear.
We are free to live without worrying about failing in life because we have the assurance of God’s sustaining grace and love.In today’s Old Testament reading, Deborah tells Barak:

God will bring Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, to fight you at the Kishon River. He will have his chariots and soldiers, but God will give you victory over him. (Judges 4: 7)

And that is what happened. The story lends itself to a consideration of what can be achieved with God’s help…. even when the odds are against you.

Food for thought for each of us at the personal level perhaps? What is God calling you to do?

But also consider this:

As a church family in this parish church, God has given you some very committed Christians with considerable talent and abilities. God has blessed you with assets and resources. God has given you the freedom to use them any way you see fit to build up this church family here and across our city and nation. And, if that weren’t enough, God has promised to be with you and watch over you.

What are you going to do with the talent, and resources in this church family?

Are we going to sit back and let the coronavirus pandemic overwhelm us and just let the church fade away?

We need new members, worshippers and supporters of our Parish Churches. How are we going to make these relationships?

Phoning people, meeting for coffee one to one, praying for them…. inviting them to coffee get-togethers and quizzes using computer conference facilities. It is indeed hard but not impossible when God helps us as he will surely do when we pray for his help.

The pandemic has given us the opportunity to restructure the church and grow our church families again……that is what the message of the Parable of the talents is about for us today.

Conclusion

Finding hope in Christ in the face of some very bleak situations can be a profound demonstration of God’s power against the odds. The fact that no matter what happens, we are not alone – we always have God with us…..and nothing can separate us from God:

Paul wrote in Romans 8:38 & 39

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So what are we afraid of in building up our church family again here and throughout our country?

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession

Loving Lord,
We thank you for our talents.
The gifts You have given us
The people You have made us.
Knowing that You accept us and love us,
even when we fail you.

Use our lives to build Your people.
Use Your people to build a better world
Use this world to show the beauty of life with You.

When we get complacent or downhearted
teach us to count our blessings.
When we count our blessings,
teach us to pray for those who need Your blessing.

We continue to pray for our church family.
For all who serve you faithfully here.
We pray for our minister Alex as he fulfils his many duties and ministry.
We pray for our elders and all the leaders of this church that they will continue to manage our finances, property and administration in these changing times.

We ask you to bless our offerings today and those given through the banking system to build up the church here and in the wider world.
May you encourage us all to be joyful givers of our time, talent and resources.

We give thanks for all our church family whether they read this service on-line or are here today. We pray for all those known to us in silence who need your comforting presence and healing power…Silence

We pray for people everywhere throughout your world.
So many people suffering the great loss of life from war, famine, strife and now from the coronavirus pandemic.
Bring the nations together to overcome all these problems
and give all people peace in their souls.

May our hearts and arms be opened to you and to one another.
May our imagination be filled with Spirit inspired creativity
To become the church, you mean us to be tomorrow
To become the church, you call us to be today.
To become the church, you have been planning to build since yesterday.

For these prayers and all the unspoken prayers of our hearts, we pray though your son and our saviour Jesus Christ,
Amen.

CH4 517: Fight the good fight with all your might

Benediction
Let us go from this place
with hearts that grow in hope,
with lives that shine Christ’s light.
Let us go to serve,
to reconcile, to bring peace,
and to stand united
as people of the light.

And now may the peace of God, which is beyond all understanding, guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

And the blessing of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit be with you this day and evermore.

Amen

Acknowledgements:

Holy Bible, Good News Bible Translation
Church of Scotland weekly worship
The Gospel of Matthew – The Bible Speaks Today –
Michael Green/John Stott

Featured post

Sunday 1st November 2020

Call to Worship (based on the Beatitudes):Happy are we
when our treasures cannot be counted.
Happy are we
when our knowledge is balanced by mystery.
Happy are we
when our pain is held in the arms of God.
Happy are we
when our joy comes from beyond ourselves.

HYMN 130 Ye servants of God

Prayer

Living God, this is a day of blessedness,
when we take the opportunity to come together,
to the very House of God,
to give thanks for Your goodness and grace.

This is a day when we pause,
to take note,
to see and know what’s around us,
and to give thanks for Your many blessings.

We are blessed with life,
the living, breathing life which is Your gift to us.
We are blessed with creation,
the beauty and wonder of which is beyond our comprehension.

We are blessed with love,
the ability to give love,
and the joy of receiving it.
We are blessed with the Church,
with the Community of God’s Faithful People,
with whom we are bound
and in which we have our place.

We are blessed with the Gospel,
with the Salvation won for us by Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Living God,
we are richly blessed,
and so we pause and give thanks
for Your goodness and grace.
But above all and beyond all,
in all and through all,
we are blessed by Your Love –
a challenging love;
a rebuking love;
a healing love;
an accepting love;
a forgiving love.
So we are blessed again when we can confess our fallings,
and hear Your words of love,
“Arise sinner, and sin no more.”

So, as Your cloak of blessedness is cast around us once again,
may we be drawn closer to You in the warmth of Your Spirit.

As the light of Your blessedness shines upon us today,
may we rise, wakeful and watchful,
to share that blessedness with those around us.

As the peace of Your blessedness restores our very soul,
may we rest in You,
knowing our blessedness is deep and secure.

These prayers we bring You,
in and through the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures

Revelation 7: 9-17
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

‘Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.’

All the angels were standing round the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying:

‘Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honour
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!’

Then one of the elders asked me, ‘These in white robes – who are they, and where did they come from?’

I answered, ‘Sir, you know.’

And he said, ‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore,

‘they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
will shelter them with his presence.
“Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,”
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the centre of the throne
will be their shepherd;
“he will lead them to springs of living water.”
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”’

Matthew 5:1-12
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.

He said:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

HYMN 557 O Love that wilt not let me go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWO55U3xDew

Reflection:
The Occupy Movement gained a great deal of attention over the years. Do you remember them occupying streets around the Parliament in Westminster? What about their blockade of Lothian Road on a busy Saturday, or the east end of Princess Street during the evening rush hour? These kinds of activities were carried out across many of the westernised countries of the world. The list of places affected goes on and on. The tactic of occupying, or blocking streets, was certainly not a new one, and it is an approach taken up by other groups. Last week we saw Extinction Rebellion occupy the main road outside the ‘Ineos’ plant in Grangemouth.

The Occupy movement pointed to economic inequality, corporate greed and wrongdoing, the need for jobs. The movement rightly identified places of injustice, places where change still is needed. Many of us will share their concerns. They are right to speak out. We need to hear and pay attention. I wonder, though, whether much will change or can change. The movement to occupy is not new. It has been the way of humanity from the beginning. Adam and Eve wanted to occupy the garden. Egypt wanted to occupy Israel. Israel wanted to occupy ‘the promised land’. Rome wanted to occupy the Jews. The Pharisees and Herodians wanted to occupy Jesus.

The desire to occupy has never ended. The desire to occupy is a desire to take over. It is often an unspoken reason for our wars. It is one thing that is held in common by the conservatives and liberals of the Church. It keeps what is effectively the two-party system of Westminster campaigning and debating. The struggle to occupy is not just limited to national or global issues. It is also personal and local. Each one of us could probably describe the ways in which we have tried to occupy situations, places, even people. It is in our marriages, our business disputes, our local communities and organizations. We learn to occupy at a young age. Watch two children arguing over a toy and you will see the struggle to occupy. Wherever you find conflict, violence, or brokenness you are also likely to find the struggle to occupy.

Everyone wants to occupy but not many want to be occupied. Before one can be trusted to occupy, however, one must first be occupied. That is, perhaps, what sets apart the saints; why their lives are worth studying, their words worth reading, their example worth emulating. Think of Mother Theresa in the streets of Calcutta. Recall the Catholic Archbishop Oscar Romero assassinated for his work and words in El Salvador. Go read about Archbishop Desmond Tutu working for reconciliation in South Africa. Each one was willing to be occupied by a life other than their own and values greater than the ones of their own time and place. That is the way of saints and the way of discipleship.

That is why I am not convinced the Occupy Movement, and groups who use the same approach, will be able to change much. Both sides are occupying from the same set of values: power, control, security, opportunity, wealth. They are trying to occupy the same space. The rich have taken from the poor so now the poor will take back from the rich. The score may change but the game goes on and on. We cannot overcome evil by fighting it head on, on its own terms, but by transcending it.

Until we move to a different place, a different perspective, a different way of being we will continue to do the same thing over and over. Despite our best intentions we will continue to get the same results we always have. This is true in our families, our schools, our churches, our county, our world. The only thing that will change is who occupies.

Reallocation is not enough. Christ did not come to simply redistribute resources but to demonstrate, teach, and call us to a new way of being. We do not need another new way of doing the same old thing. We need to learn how to be different. The new way does not begin in an economic or political system, but in the human heart. That is, I think, why St. Anthony moved to the desert, St. Francis renounced his father’s wealth, and St. Julian of Norwich locked herself in a life of prayer. They wanted a new way. Throughout the ages the saints have echoed Christ’s call to a new level of being and living.

Einstein is attributed with saying, “No problem can solved by the same level of consciousness that created it.” Remember the children and the toy? Until they can rise to a consciousness of sharing, the bickering back and forth will continue. Before Einstein ever said his words, however, Jesus understood, lived, and demonstrated them. That is why he took the disciples “up the mountain,” the place that reaches toward heaven. It is the invitation to life in the kingdom.

Going up the mountain is more about an interior movement than a geographical one. Jesus was raising the disciples’ perspective, giving them a different view, offering a larger vision. He took them to a new level of being. There he taught them to be occupied by poverty in spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger and thirst for righteousness, mercy, purity in heart, peace-making, and the willingness to be persecuted for the righteousness of Jesus himself. That is a hard way of being. It is about surrender rather than control, vulnerability rather than risk, searching rather than satisfaction. It is the way of Christ. Jesus knows and has shown us that this new way of being heals the human heart, transforms lives, and reveals the blessing of God.

The beatitudes are not a to do list, eight helpful hints for happy living, or utopian ideals. They are Jesus’ core values. They define Jesus’ life and ministry. They are at the heart of his teaching, his healing, his life and death. Jesus is not telling us what to do but how to be.

The world does not need smarter, harder working, more beautiful, busier, or more successful people. The world needs people of the Beatitudes, occupied people, who speak, act, pray, and relate from the level of kingdom consciousness. That is who the saints of every age are. It is who we are to become. The saints are not God’s little overachievers. They are ordinary people who allowed themselves to be occupied by the life of Christ and his values.

If the Feast of All Saints is about remembering, honouring, and learning from the saints then it is also about examining our own lives. Where and how do the beatitudes shape our lives? How do our lives manifest the beatitudes? In every relationship, place, and circumstance we must answer this question: Do we occupy or do we allow ourselves to be occupied? Power and headlines may come by occupying but life and blessings come by being occupied.
Amen.

Prayer

O Lord our God,
we thank you for the many people
who have followed your way of life joyfully:
for the many saints and martyrs, men and women
who have offered up their very lived
so that your life abundant
may become manifest
and your kingdom may advance

They chose the way of your Son,
our brother, Jesus Christ.
In the midst of trial, they held out hope;
in the midst of persecutions, they witnessed to your power;
in the midst of despair, they clung to your promise.

O Lord, we thank you for the truth
they have learned and passed on to us.
Give us courage to follow their way of life.
For your love and faithfulness
we will at all times praise your name.

We pray for the millions in our world who must go hungry today,
all who are exploited and marginalized
because of their caste or class, colour or sex,
that they may not lose their hope,
and may find the strength to struggle for their dignity.

We call upon you for those who are persecuted, imprisoned, tortured
or threatened with death because of their witness to justice and peace.
For those who have “disappeared” because they dared to speak,
that their spirits may not be broken by their bodies’ pain.

We remember those who live in regions torn by tension and war,
by disaster, famine and poverty…
We pray especially for those countries whose struggle with pandemic
is more difficult than ours.
We pray for the people of the United States, as they approach their elections;
may they vote with wisdom and generosity of spirit.

We pray for the millions of refugees around the world,
that in the midst of tears and bitterness
they may discern signs of hope.

Lord, into your hands we commend our earth,
ever threatened with disaster,
and all persons and situations we have spoken about,
written down or remembered in the silence of our hearts this day.

Strengthen our will for peace and justice;
increase our faith in your kingdom
where “love and faithfulness will meet,
righteousness and peace will embrace”
and may your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven.
Amen.

HYMN 738 Glorious things of Thee are spoken

Benediction:
God is the glory and joy of all His holy ones,
whose memory we celebrate today.
May His blessing be with you always.

May their example of holy living
turn your thoughts to service of God and neighbour
until you come to share in the joys of our Father’s house.

May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen!

Acknowledgements:
Scripture Readings: Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV®
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Opening Prayers by Tom Gordon; from Church of Scotland Weekly worship for today.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession from “Choose Life; Choose Peace with Justice,” in Midday Prayers for Peace and Justice on Hiroshima Day, August, 2010. Posted on the World Council of Churches website. http://www.oikoumene.org/

Featured post

Sunday 25th October 2020

Call to worship
Come, Immortal One, high and exalted
Come into our midst and share Your love
Come, Saviour Jesus, who reaches out to embrace the needy
Come and heal us with Your love
Come, Holy Spirit of light and life
Let Your love be in the praise we offer.

HYMN 160 Praise, my soul, the King of heaven

Prayer

Eternal God,
before whom the book of history is laid
and who sees every event,
knows every character,
experiences every moment,
compared to You we are but a dandelion clock
blowing in the wind,
or a speck of dust caught in the sunlight;

For we exist only in the moment,
what we call the present – a gift from You:
we cannot return to yesterday
and correct our errors,
we cannot venture into tomorrow
and discover what lies ahead,
now is all we have,
we are a limited people, confined, restricted;

And yet, from beyond time and all the stars,
You reach out to us in love
to embrace us, to enfold us,
to make us welcome,
and we rejoice and give You thanks
for Your mercy and Your grace.

God of mercy,
whose heart is full of forgiveness,
and who does not deal with us as we deserve:
When we have thought of ourselves more highly than we ought
and forgotten to put our relationship with You first;
Forgive us, we pray.

When we have loved only those who love us
and ignored or turned aside from those who need a smile
and a hand of friendship;
Forgive us, we pray.
When we have acted as if all tomorrow was ours
yet neglected to do good in the moment of this day;
Forgive us, we pray.

May Christ Jesus,
who healed the sick,
gave sight to the blind,
and loosened the tongues of the dumb,
free us from our faults
and all that would hold us back
from being the children
that the eternal and loving God desires
Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Scripture Readings:

Leviticus 19: 1-2, 15-18
The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

‘“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairly.

‘“Do not go about spreading slander among your people.

‘“Do not do anything that endangers your neighbour’s life. I am the Lord.

‘“Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbour frankly so that you will not share in their guilt.

‘“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord.

Matthew 22: 34-40
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’

Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’

HYMN 536 May the mind of Christ my saviour

Reflection
For many of us living in Britain today the phrase ‘back to basics’ may have become rather tainted. Its overuse by politicians of a generation ago seemed to transform its meaning from something radical to something slightly suspect. Yet, in our Gospel passage today, we find Jesus taking his listeners ‘back to basics’. In his continuing confrontation with the religious leaders they come to the very principles of their faith.

Before us is one of those Gospel stories with which we are so familiar that it fails to surprise us any longer. To us, Jesus is simply stating what we know – love God and love your neighbour. It seems obvious to us, however it may not have been so to Jesus’ original hearers.

For the religious leaders of the time, and for the people they taught, the Law given by God, through Moses was sacrosanct. There are not really that many laws or commandments but as scholars and teachers interpreted these according to different times and circumstances, a huge body of oral tradition and oral law began to emerge. In Jesus’ days these unwritten community laws and traditions were beginning to be recorded. The scribes and rabbis debated at some length about which of these were the most important. The Pharisees concluded that they all were; none had precedence over another, as all came from God.

So what Jesus is doing is taking his hearers back to first principles, back to basics. To “love God” with heart, soul and mind is a direct echo of the fundamental creed of Judaism (see Deuteronomy 6:4-5). The second command Jesus gives, to “love our neighbour”, again reflects the Old Testament Law (Leviticus 19:18). While many scribes of the time were expanding the legal precepts and making them more detailed, and more complex, Jesus acts to simplify things for the ordinary people.

But Jesus was not alone in this endeavour as other rabbis, too, had sought to make the Law clearer, and to reduce it to single principles. One of the great rabbis, for example, urged, “Whatever you wish men should do to you, do so to them.” Jesus did not set himself against the Law; what Jesus did was to challenge the assumption that rules about ceremonial Law was of equal importance with ethical Law. He also sought to end the growing practice of the day of making God’s Law more and more complicated, thus confusing the ordinary people. Jesus’ approach was simple and succinct. It was these changes that would have surprised Jesus’ audience.

All of the foregoing is, at best, only interesting if it has a practical meaning for our lives today. As followers of Jesus it is perhaps easier for us to reflect and act upon our understanding of what it means to “love God”. That may be simply because we spend time focussing on our worship of Him. But how easy is it for us to reflect and act upon the other command that we have looked at? How difficult do we find it to “love our neighbour”? Yet, if we take Jesus seriously, we are required to do just that. We may be okay with giving money to help eradicate poverty or disease; those would be acts of loving our neighbour. We may sign a petition, or write to our elected representatives, in a bid to have unjust laws changed; those would be seeking to love our neighbour too. But what about more difficult acts of love, the ones that require us to change our perspectives on humanity? In an age of ‘Black Lives Matter’ do we continue to speak of ‘Pakis’ and ‘Chinkies’? In the age of ‘#me to’, do men continue look at women as something to be used or abused? Those understandings of race and gender, just two examples of injustice among many possible ones, are prevalent among Christian communities as well as outside of them. We need to change. We need to change not just our outward actions, but our inner thoughts too.

Jesus, echoing the words of the Law in the Book of Leviticus, commands us to love our neighbour. However, the command does not end there; rather, it ends with the words “as yourself”. We are to love as we would wish ourselves to be loved. We are to give as we wish to be given to. We are to uphold as we wish to be upheld. This is not, though, about giving to receive a reward from either mankind or God. It is to give to complete that first command … to love God.

These are not easy things to do. It is easy to lose focus. It is easy to slip into old habits. We need to rely on God for the strength and willpower to see these through. Yet in our loving of our neighbour we are, in fact, giving worship to God. Loving our neighbour is honouring that creation of God who is made in the image of God. As we fulfil the second command we are also fulfilling the first.
Amen.

Prayer

Holy God,
who gave Your Law to Moses,
and who personified Your Law of Love
in Jesus your Son,
as Jesus reached out to those on the margins,
so now in our prayers we do likewise:

We pray for all who have little love in their lives –
those who are lonely and afraid,
those who are addicted and trapped,
those who grieve and mourn,
those whose relationships
have shattered into a thousand shards;
God of love,
help us to hold them close.

We pray for those who love the wrong things –
those for whom money or possessions are “god”
and where greed has taken over,
those who love only for gaining the approval of others, flattery, or power,
those who can only love self
and where bitterness or hurt has made them inward-looking;
God of love,
help us to unlock their hearts.

We pray for those who love to such an extent
as to give totally of self –
those who are persecuted for truth
or oppressed because they take a stand for justice,
those who face discrimination
because of skin colour, gender sexuality or class,
those who strive tirelessly for the Good News of Jesus
often facing hostility or apathy from others;
God of love,
help us to work in solidarity with them.

[A moment of silence to bring personal prayers to God…]

God of Love,
hear our prayers spoken and unspoken,
and receive them in Your grace and mercy,
through Jesus, our loving Saviour;
Amen

HYMN 166 Lord of all hopefulness

Benediction
May Almighty God,
who gave the Law through Moses
and grace and mercy in Jesus Christ
grant that this Law of love may be so written upon our hearts,
that we live both humbly, and faithfully.
As we do,
May that same God go with us,
blessing and keeping us,
each day of our lives.
Amen

Acknowledgements
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV®
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Prayers, and other liturgical items, from Church of Scotland Weekly Worship

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Sunday 18th October 2020

Call to Worship (from Psalm 99)
The Lord reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake.
Great is the Lord in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
Let them praise your great and awesome name –
he is holy.

HYMN 470 Jesus Shall Reign Where’re the Sun

Prayer

Loving Lord, Jesus,
we come into Your presence to worship and praise You.
We come from different places,
different families
and different circumstances.

However we have come here today –
whether the last week has been good or bad,
whether we have known joy or sorrow,
let us leave our cares and concerns aside
and come united in our faith and hopes for the future.

We bring our skills and our talents which You have given us,
and we promise to use them to help others
and to reach out in love
showing others what it means to be a child of God.

Help us not just to listen to Your voice but to obey.
Help us not just to talk, but to put our words in to action,
so that all we do is done in Your name.

Gracious and merciful God,
we are sorry that we seldom live up to Your expectations.
We are sorry that our promise to follow Your example
and to share Your never-ending love
are too often promises made in vain.
So, forgive us, Lord.

We are ashamed that we fail You so often.
We are ashamed that we do not always follow in Your footsteps.
We ask You to guide us and set us on the right path.
When we are weak, make us strong.
When we are discouraged, encourage us.
When we take for granted all You have given us
and do not share what we have with those who live in poverty,
forgive us, Lord.

Remind us that everything we have comes from You
and everything we do is done for the work
and the glory of Your kingdom. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures:

I Thessalonians 1: 1-10
Paul, Silas and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you.

We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia – your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Matthew 22: 15-22
Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the poll-tax to Caesar or not?’

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, ‘You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax. ’They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, ‘Whose image is this? And whose inscription?’

‘Caesar’s,’ they replied.

Then he said to them, ‘So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.’

When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

HYMN 192 All My Hope on God is Founded

Reflection:

Which side are you on?
So goes the opening line and title of one of the most famous protest or union songs of the twentieth century. From its creation in 1931 until very recently it has been a staple of many folk singers in the English-speaking world. The background to it is the violent disputes between the unions and mine owners in depression era Kentucky; against this setting it says that there can be no neutrality. In other words, you are either on one side or the other.
The song raises issues of loyalty and allegiance, as do both our scripture readings today.

Matthew:
As we continue our journey through the Gospel of Matthew we find that the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders of his day continues to develop. This time around, though, the Pharisees seem to have asked an unanswerable question. In a society divided along lines of tribe, politics, and faith, matters of loyalty or allegiance are paramount.
The Pharisees have taken quite a lot of criticism from Jesus, and not surprisingly they are keen to get their own back. The question about paying taxes is intended to force him into antagonizing either the crowds or the Romans with his reply. Jesus’ answer might appear evasive, but it shows how nuanced an answer must be given to what is quite a complex question. The question of loyalty to the state vis-à-vis loyalty to God is always a difficult one, and in general the New Testament writers advocate compliance with the worldly authorities. This is largely because they thought that with the end of the world being imminent, spiritual reform was more important than political or societal reform. Jesus’ saying is compatible with this sort of outlook; it implies that there is a duty to the state that is not necessarily incompatible with duty to God. On the other hand, the two are not the same; at times they may overlap, and at times they may clash. In the end, it depends on the individual circumstances where the duties to God and Caesar begin and end.

Thessalonians:
If you look closely at our reading from Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica you will not find the word ’loyalty’, though the idea is there. Paul congratulates his audience on their faith, hope, and love, and it is the former of these that we should look at more closely. The word used in the original Greek can also be translated as ‘allegiance’, which is a form of loyalty. What Paul is flagging up for praise is not the abstract idea of ‘faith’ but the very concrete practice of loyalty. Surrounded by opportunities and incentives to turn from Christ, and to follow other gods, they chose to remain faithful. In other words, the Thessalonian Christians remained loyal. It is this allegiance, or loyalty, that matters here. It earns them praise but, more importantly, it illustrates the underlying depth and strength of their faith.
Paul refers to how their loyalty to Christ is reflected in how they live life, and for this they are to be praised. However, he immediately goes on to say that the Thessalonians have been chosen by God, and that their joyful reception of the gospel in the face of persecution was inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is not just a matter of the Thessalonians’ own excellence, but a case of God working in them to inspire such praiseworthy responses. Both divine initiative and human response are important components in any Christian endeavour, and we need to hold on to the sense of balance between them.

What about us?
Today, we face many of the same challenges as the people of both the time of Jesus, and the church in Thessalonica. We are expected to show multiple loyalties, not all of which are in harmony. Likewise, our allegiance, or loyalty, to Christ is also challenged as we find ourselves enticed or distracted by other gods, both ancient and modern. Like the listeners and readers of these stories when they were first told, we need to learn to walk a fine line between our faith and the world in which we live. We will be challenged to stray; our loyalty to Christ will not meet the approval of all, especially where it inconveniences them. However, like Paul’s readers we must remain firm. Like them we are not alone, for the God who chose us also inspires us to continue. That loyalty, allegiance, or faithfulness is what will be noticed and remembered. It is this that will draw others to Christ more than fine words or ceremonies. It is this that will bring us the praise of God.
Amen.

Prayer

Lord,
We bring to You now our prayers for others and for ourselves.
Lord we ask that You bless and guide Your church
here in this parish and throughout the world,
helping us to reach out to others,
sharing with them the good news of Christ
and standing with those who are most in need of our help,
love and support.

Guide us in our relationships with others,
within our families, with friends, neighbours
and those who we struggle to love or try to avoid.
Fill our homes and communities with the warmth of Your love,
may we learn to love and accept all.

Pour out Your Spirit into the world,
bless those struggling with poverty and homelessness,
evil and war.
Help us to reach out to those who are in need.

Bless those who are ill at home or in hospital,
those who are feeling anxious or low,
feeling like they would rather just give up than live on.
May they know Your love and sense Your presence with them
and may we as a church
reach out to them in their time of need.

Bless the leaders of nations and people.
Guide them in the decisions that they make,
ensuring they work hard and fight for the people they represent.
Lord, may we always sense Your presence in our lives
and in the lives of others.

Transform us to be the people that You would have us be.
All of this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Saviour.
Amen

HYMN 562 Through the Love of God Our Saviour

Benediction
As our time of worship closes
let us go out into the world
loyal to Him who died
and rose again for us,
Christ our Lord.

And as we go,
may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with us all,
now and evermore.
Amen.

Featured post

Sunday 11th October 2020

The service this week is led by Pauline Weibye.

Call to worship (from Psalm 90)

Lord, you have been a refuge
from one generation to another.

Before the mountains were brought forth,
or the land and the earth were born,
from age to age, you are God.

Satisfy us by your loving kindness in the morning:
so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

Glory to the Father and the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever.

Amen

Hymn 159 Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided

Prayer

God of presence

You invite us your people to listen, to read, to look and to question. Meet with us now through our worship. Challenge our thinking and deepen our understanding that we may be ready to follow You wherever your work needs to be done.

God of mercy

We thank you that you always listen even when our voices are hushed, when we fail to pray. We thank you that you still wait for us even when we dawdle or drag our feet. We thank you that your generosity always overflows even when we are less than generous to others.

God of grace

The stories from your word show us how great the gap can sometimes be between the divine and the human. Forgive us when we have let attachment to our own comfort and convenience deter us from committing to your way.

If we can remember a time when we loved more than we currently do, restore.

If we have become good friends with some favourite sin, rebuke.

If the flame of our commitment to the world’s immense needs is flickering instead of burning brightly, rekindle.

If, along the way, our relationships to our brothers and sisters in the faith are endangered through some wrong, real or imagined, reunite.

Show us the relevance of Christ for the life we live within and the world we make for others, that we may no longer live to ourselves, but in the light of him whom we call Saviour, Lord, and Friend,

in whose name we ask it and in whose name we further pray:

Our father
Who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come
They will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory

Amen

Scriptures

Daniel 22, 1-13

Daniel in the den of lions

It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three chief ministers over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the chief ministers and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the chief ministers and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, ‘We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.’

So these chief ministers and satraps went as a group to the king and said: ‘May King Darius live for ever! The royal ministers, prefects, satraps, advisors and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered – in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.’ So King Darius put the decree in writing.

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened towards Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: ‘Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?’

The king answered, ‘The decree stands – in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.’

Then they said to the king, ‘Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.’

Luke 22, 39-46

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

Hymn 493 Standing in the need of prayer

Reflection

Daniel – before the lions’ den

The Minister asked me to lead worship today and didn’t tell me I had to stick to the lectionary reading – so I didn’t. We’ve been following Matthew’s Gospel but today I’m departing from that to look at a passage from the book of Daniel that you, like me, may not have read or thought about for many years. The second part of this chapter, not included in the readings today, has long been a beloved Bible story – and no wonder. It’s a very dramatic story and, if you went to Sunday School when you were little, you will almost certainly have acted out the lions in the den. But the first part of the chapter, that we are reading today, is less well-known, though here too there are dramatic features aplenty – the jealousy of political subordinates, the vanity of a king and the courage of a faithful man. It also explains how Daniel overcame the challenge of the lions’ den, with God’s help.

Let’s think about the characters first. We’re not actually sure who this King Darius was. Secular history of this period has no record of a ruler named Darius and the chapter comes in the middle of stories about a ruler called Belshazzar – he of the feast with the writing on the wall, if you remember another story from Sunday School. Nor, actually, do we know who Daniel was. Does that matter?
It is clear that Daniel, whoever he was, was a Jew in exile in Babylon but had managed to rise to the dizzy heights of the civil service and he had won the trust of the king, whoever it was at the time. He was able, hard-working and honest, a man of conspicuous integrity, but this made him an object of scorn and fear to his rivals for power at the court. They planned to trap him by using what we would nowadays call ‘fake news’ since they could find no skeletons in his closet (the Sun newspaper would have despaired).

We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God. These men knew Daniel well. They knew he could not be trapped into evil, but they also knew that he would be faithful to his God in all circumstances. Every Christian should consider if others could say the same about them. If Christianity were a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you, or me? It is said that former American President, Jimmy Carter, a devout man, used that question to guide his life and to place his faith at the centre of his being. Do we do the same?

And what about Darius the king? Daniel’s enemies clearly knew the king well too. They knew they could exploit Darius’ pride and his desire for a unified kingdom. They decided to persuade Darius to forbid prayer to any god – and that in a polytheistic world – or to any person but himself for 30 days. Darius, perhaps flattered by the proposal, agreed. He either did not think about the implications for Daniel and his people, with their strong faith in the one true God, or he did not care. For him, this was a way of showing his power and strength and he clearly gave little thought to the likely reactions of his subject peoples.

So King Darius put the decree in writing. If that law were to be introduced in Scotland, how many of us would continue to pray? Or would we give up? After all, it’s just for a month… and no-one wants to be torn in pieces by wild beasts. Would we look for excuses to postpone public worship too for a few weeks?
Daniel did not react this way. We assume, given his high position, that he was a faithful servant to Darius the king but he clearly placed his loyalty to God above that, whatever the consequences for himself. What did Daniel do? He went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened towards Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. He kept up his prayers and he did not even try to keep them private but opened his windows so that he could be seen. Not for show, although he was obviously spotted, but because he was not ashamed of his faith. He had made a lifetime commitment to God and he held to that commitment whatever the cost to himself. Daniel didn’t let the decree change his actions one way or another. He didn’t do more praying or less; he simply continued his excellent prayer life. He was duly cast to the lions but emerged unscathed, saved by God precisely because of his faith and his courageous public profession of that faith.

We too have made a commitment to God and Daniel’s story reminds us that God comes first. Do we put enough emphasis on our prayer life and on other private devotions? Do we bend with the weight of public opinion and perhaps try not to offend others by outward signs of our faith? Do we give ill-wishers like Daniel’s colleagues the power to control our behaviour?

Daniel prayed just as Jesus did, in the hours before his arrest, as he too faced torture and death. And both prayers were answered though in different ways.
Our prayers too will be answered. But we are required to be faithful, to admit to what God means to us and to show others where our loyalties lie. We are not generally asked to enter a lion’s den so how much easier is it for us to remain constant in prayer and personal devotions? Let’s set ourselves that challenge in the coming weeks; let the world see the evidence that would convict us of being faithful servants of God and his Son.
Amen

Prayer of the people

God of the harvest
Bless the gifts we have brought to you today or in other ways.
We give you what we can afford because we delight in your service
and in freely offering to you and your world
the products of our hard work and our good fortune.
Hold us to account for what we do with the riches
with which we are blessed;
grant us wisdom; make us generous;
and continue to work out your purpose in and through us.

God of all mercies
hear our prayer

God of compassion,
we remember before you
the poor and the hungry,
the sick and the dying,
prisoners and all who are lonely,
the victims of war, injustice and inhumanity,
and those who face persecution because of their colour, their faith or their nationality.

God of all mercies.
hear our prayer

Lord of all providence
holding the destiny of nations in your hand,
we pray for our country.
Inspire the hearts and minds of our leaders
that they, together with all nations,
may seek your kingdom and righteousness
and not their own glory,
so that order, liberty and peace may dwell with all your people.

God of all mercies
hear our prayer

God the Creator,
we pray for all nations and peoples.
Take away the mistrust and lack of understanding that divide your creatures;
help us understand that we are all your children.

God of all mercies
hear our prayer

Amen

Hymn 510 Jesus calls us here to meet him

Blessing

May God, who is the ground of hope,
fill us with all joy and peace
as we lead a life of faith and prayer
until, by the power of the Holy Spirit,
we overflow with hope.

Amen

Acknowledgements

Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV®
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Prayers based on material from the Church of Scotland and from the World Council of Churches

Featured post

Sunday 4th October 2020

Call to Worship (Psalm 80: 1-3)
Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,
shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Awaken your might;
come and save us.
Restore us, O God;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.

HYMN 543 Christ be our light

Prayer
Faithful God,
we awaken ourselves to Your presence
as we awaken too,
to our discovery of who we have become.
We know we were created in Your image,
that You have a history of bringing us out of slavery
and into freedom
and we long to find that freedom today.
We know You as the great restorer –
able to transform all injustice
into the kingdom of heaven on earth
and we open ourselves
to be part of Your future that is coming.
We hold You to account God, for the things that do not go to plan.
We blame You.
We are angry.
We see You stopping justice from being served.
For we know You could do it better.
We know that You could make it perfect
And so who else to rage at but You?

And it is in this moment of honesty that we find ourselves
And our part in the story –
the things we stayed quiet about,
the things we accepted as being okay,
when deep down we know they are not,
the times we served ourselves first
so that there wasn’t enough to go round.

We ask for Your restoration,
for You to make Your face shine upon us
that, having released our anger and blame
we discover the tools for planting again.
The hope for our future becoming our vision
that together, we can be Your people again.
Forgotten God
You are hidden beneath our idea of being “good Christians”.
We long to rediscover Your faithfulness and love.
We want to reflect Your grace and mercy in our lives
so that we may become the tenants of Your vineyard,
ready to share our harvest with all.
Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures:

Isaiah 5: 1-7
I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
my loved one had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside.
He dug it up and cleared it of stones
and planted it with the choicest vines.
He built a watchtower in it
and cut out a winepress as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
but it yielded only bad fruit.
‘Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
What more could have been done for my vineyard
than I have done for it?
When I looked for good grapes,
why did it yield only bad?

Now I will tell you
what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,
and it will be destroyed;
I will break down its wall,
and it will be trampled.
I will make it a wasteland,
neither pruned nor cultivated,
and briers and thorns will grow there.
I will command the clouds
not to rain on it.’
The vineyard of the Lord Almighty
is the nation of Israel,
and the people of Judah
are the vines he delighted in.
And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed;
for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.

Matthew 21: 33-46
‘Listen to another parable: there was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall round it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
‘The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them in the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. “They will respect my son,” he said.

‘But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, “This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.” So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

‘Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’
‘He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,’ they replied, ‘and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.’

Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvellous in our eyes”?

‘Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.’
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

HYMN 259 Beauty for brokenness

Reflection:
One of the features of the Gospel of Matthew is the matter of authority. Our reading today is the third response to queries about the origins of Jesus’ authority for his activity in the Temple. The first response was a counter-challenge about the authority of John the Baptiser; the second was a parable that directly challenged the Temple leaders’ understanding of the activity of God. Now Jesus recalled and re-interpreted Isaiah’s love-song about a vineyard.
The allusion to Isaiah was unmistakable. The prophet made clear that the vineyard was a metaphor for the “house of Israel and the people of Judah”, and that God was the caretaker of this vineyard. Despite careful attention, the vineyard produced only “wild grapes.” The vineyard’s failure to produce better fruit forced the owner to end his care. If the land was unable to produce with proper care, what would it do without it?

In Jesus’ parable the problem was with the tenants themselves. These were extremely violent tenant farmers, harming and slaughtering the various groups of slaves sent by the landowner. The rationale for their brutality and murderous ways was stated explicitly when the son visited: “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance”.

On the surface, the landowner’s decision to send his son despite the tragedy of his servants seemed unwise but the parable did not highlight it as such. Rather, in that culture, the landowner’s decision to send his son was appropriate since he could expect proper respect for his appointed heir.

Culturally, the leasing of land to tenant farmers was a common experience in the first century. Landowners could expect tenants to turn over a portion of the crop. Those who failed to meet the landowner’s standards would be removed from the land.

In addition to a twist on Isaiah’s vineyard, Jesus cites Psalm 118. This shifts the focus of the parable, from a critique of the tenants to a statement about the son (or stone). The story was no longer about the vineyard, the produce, or the tenant farmers. Now, Jesus turned attention toward the abused son: “they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him”.

For Matthew, this twist was important as the abused son became “the stone that the builders rejected” which, in turn, determined who was in or out. The son who was sent becomes an allegory for God’s son, Jesus. The tenant farmers, who represented the temple leadership, would be replaced by other tenants. What looked like a landowner’s foolishness was really God’s plan: “this was the Lord’s doing”.

In Matthew’s account, the temple leadership realized the parables question their leadership abilities over the vineyard (i.e., Israel, the kingdom of God). Yet they are unable to act, despite their anger, due to the crowds. The leadership’s concern was that the crowd viewed both John and Jesus as prophets.
A note on the “landowner” is in order. The term may be translated as “household master”, and was used an analogy for God in Jesus’ teaching in Matthew’s Gospel. To the modern reader the analogy may cause concern, since many of these masters owned slaves. Within Jesus’ parables, household masters generally make wise decisions, even if misunderstood.
While this was a parable about the actions of evil tenant farmers, it was also a story about the abused son, especially once Jesus refocused the story with the attachment of a passage from Psalm 118.

Proper care and oversight of those people and things entrusted to us should receive fair hearing from this parable. We, too, are like those who wish to receive more credit for our labour, as if we “own” the “land.”

In Jesus’ teaching, there was a fundamental reminder that only the Creator owns everything and we, too, are simply tenants leasing out the talents God has granted to be used for the greater good in the kingdom. This means, for us, that we should consider the gifts that we have been given, and how we use them to further the Kingdom of God. Unlike the characters in either Isaiah or the parable we should be endeavouring to be good tenants, worthy of the land.
Amen.

Prayer

Loving and amazing God,
Your constant relationship of love and faithfulness
is one which sustains us through all things.

Your stories speak to us,
transcending time and place,
meeting us here today.

We give You thanks for the choice to let go
of who we have thought ourselves to be
and become a runner in Your race,
with the experience of the love of Christ as our only goal.

We give thanks too, that You call us again and again
to be Your people,
that You love us and want us to live together
in fullness of community and life,
that You send people, prophets and Jesus,
to show us Your love.

In turn, send us as Your people and prophets,
and as Christ to those who need to meet You.

We give thanks that You want us to be part of the harvest,
In the gathering of it and the sharing,
so that we might learn more
of what it is to be like You. Amen

When it is our walls coming down
and we see our family under attack,
when we see the hope of harvest crumbling before us
May Your presence be revealed
When it is the walls of others that are crumbling
when the family under attack are our neighbour’s,
when we have enough, but they do not
May Your justice be stirred within us
When we are tearing down the walls
when we are attacking our neighbours
when we are taking what is not ours
May Your mercy be upon us

When we have a choice to restore the walls
when we have room for others
when harvest will feed everyone
May Christ’s light shine from our hearts
as we share what we have.
Amen

HYMN 359 He came down that we may have love

Benediction
May we be blessed with the restoration of Your vineyard
May we all have a part to play in that joyous task
May we see you in the tearing down of walls
and in our discovery of the Cornerstone that is Christ –
yesterday, today and forever.
Amen

Acknowledgements
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV®
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Prayers adapted from ‘Church of Scotland Weekly Worship’ for this Sunday.

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Sunday 27th September 2020

Call to Worship (from Joshua 1:9b)
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

HYMN 181: For the beauty of the earth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpEbQGsPqHE

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Loving God, thank you for bringing us together for worship today. Thank you for the beauty of this church and for all the people who have worshipped here over the years that makes this sanctuary unique.

We recognise you as the God of creation and of life.
We praise you that through your Son and Spirit you give us hope in a troubled world.
And yet we know,
When we open our eyes Lord, we can see your presence more clearly.
When we open our ears Lord, we can hear your scripture afresh.
When we respond to your Spirit, we can journey through life by serving you faithfully within this church family and beyond.

God, on the journey of your people through the wilderness
we see and hear how you help people through difficult times.
God, as your Son Jesus journeyed through life on earth, both human and divine, we see and hear many things, which challenge our prejudices and comfort zones.
God, in the passage of your Spirit, we see and hear many things,
which show us that we can change and follow your ways.
God, we open ourselves to all that you would show us now, through worship, Word and prayer.

In Jesus Christ, you revealed your salvation in all the world, which gives us confidence of the heavenly world to come.
Through your Holy Spirit, you give us love, joy and peace.
Keep us firm in faith, that we may serve and praise you all our days.
But gracious Lord, so often we fail to do and say what you have taught us to do and say, so forgive us for getting things wrong –
sometimes we know we are selfish or unhelpful to others, so hear us now as we pray to you in silence with penitent hearts as we seek your forgiveness

… SILENCE

As we worship you again this day gracious Lord God, we gladly say together the prayer that your Son and our saviour taught us to say, by saying:

Our Father, who art in heaven
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil,
for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,

Amen

Scriptures

Old Testament Reading: Joshua 1: 1- 9

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the River Jordan into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites.I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates – all the Hittite country– to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
‘Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’

New Testament Reading: John 14:15-27

‘If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever –the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.Before long, the world will not see me any more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.’
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, ‘But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’
Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
‘All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Amen

HYMN 528: Make me a channel of your peace

Reflection

John 14: 27: Theme – Inner Peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Jesus offers us a peace that the world cannot give.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid, he says, no matter what your situation………
and yet most of us are afraid of some things: illness, ageing, bereavement, misfortune, anxieties about loved ones and the threat of the coronavirus……. but Jesus says, in spite of all that can happen to us, we can be at peace when we let Jesus and the Holy Spirit into our hearts.

Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you (verse 27a). Jesus had no money or property or a book to leave to his followers, but he could leave them with his peace. And Jesus also left his disciples with love (15:9-10) and joy (15:11).

I do not give to you as the world gives. (verse 27b). Christ offers real peace. We see it in the lives of those who have truly entrusted their lives to Christ. We admire their calm strength and sense of inner peace, like the saints over the centuries.
St Cuthbert for example spent much time in peace with God as a hermit on a remote island of Inner Farne, close to Lindisfarne, before becoming a bishop for a period of his life when he promoted evangelism because he was concerned to save ordinary souls.
Saint Columba also had a strong sense of inner peace that enabled him to have the drive to set up a monastery in Ireland and then later one on Iona. His followers sometimes watched him at prayer and witnessed a blinding light on him…. he was at peace with God, which enabled him to become a Christian leader.

Christ offers real peace to all who truly turn to him. We see it in the lives of those who have entrusted their lives to Christ. We envy their calm strength but God does not offer anyone a trouble-free life.

Jesus was preparing himself for his death on the cross when he was speaking these words to his disciples in order to prepare them for persecution because they too would be pursued by powerful enemies.

Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (v. 27c). Faith drives away fear. The person who knows that in life and in death he or she is in God’s hands has peace that transcends anxiety and fear.

Charles Spurgeon, the renowned Victorian preacher, in 1878 preached on peace.
He took his text from Philippians 4: verse 7 which says: And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (KJV)
And this is what Charles Spurgeon wrote:
Peace, in the form of perfect calm and serenity, is a very delicate and sensitive feeling, and needs more careful handling than the most expensive crystal glass.
It is hard for the sea of our heart to remain long in a smooth state, it may be rippled and ruffled by a word of anger or frustration.
Perhaps, too, some of us here have not been walking near to God; and if so, our sense of inner peace will not be perfect.
It may be that your faith has become lukewarm and if so, your peace has fled.
Your heart may be troubled, and though you are believing in Christ for salvation, and therefore have eternal life to look forward to.
Yet for all that, your inward peace may be troubled; therefore, we seek God’s peace — which passeth all understanding
May you all know the serene inner peace by experience preached Charles Spurgeon, as we too search for an inner peace to cope with all the anxieties we encounter today, not least the impact of the coronavirus.
But what about Joshua in our Old Testament reading…. did he know such peace?
The length of Joshua’s rule is not specified in the Bible; however, the number of years have been estimated on the basis of Joshua’s age and in consequence some scholars suggest Joshua ruled for 52 years.

(Note: Joshua started ruling when he was 59 and continued to rule until his death at the age of 110 (Josh. 24: 29).)

During that time, he was a warrior leader, a spiritual leader and a political leader of the Israelites in Canaan as they established their kingdom after years in the wilderness. To have ruled effectively for so long, Joshua must have known the peace of God at different times as he coped with the pressures of leadership.

Our Old Testament reading records how Joshua sought inner peace from God: Verse 7 & 8 says:
‘Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night.

In the New Testament, Paul the great evangelist of the emerging Christian communities in the First Century sometimes experienced such inner peace even in the darkness of a prison or after beatings and at the prospect of a sudden death.
Paul loved peace, preached peace, lived in peace, died in peace, and dwells in peace before the throne of God.
We acquire inner peace by praying for everything. We give thanks for the good things and we pray for deliverance from the bad things that happen to us in life.
We pray for our families and loved ones and we pray for the world. We pray for everything and in every situation.

Life is full of things to worry about, but to worry about the things we cannot change does not help our spiritual, mental and emotional health. So, pray about everything and accept God’s gift of inner peace.

PeaceI leave with you; my peace I give you. (said Jesus) I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Amen

Acknowledgements:
1. Charles Spurgeon Sermon – January 1878 on Philippians 4:7 From: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 24 speaking about Peace
2. Reference: The length of the rule of Joshua and periods of Subjugation in the Book of Judges by Elihu A Schatz

Prayer

Almighty God, we pray for your soothing love and wisdom as we struggle at times with the anxieties we have for loved ones and all the challenges we face each day.

Sometimes we allow our emotions to overwhelm us. We know that only your presence in our hearts, minds and souls can bring us calm and inner peace.
We ask you to help us through difficult times, not least with the coronavirus pandemic on-going, to give us hope and strength. Encourage us to use the talents and skills you have given us to help our neighbours, and to fulfil your purposes.

Give us a peaceful perspective on everything that happens each day. Lead us on the right path as we encounter choices we need to make. Enlighten us on how to cope in our daily lives and give us inner peace.

We pause now Heavenly Father in silence as we seek your peace in our hearts, minds, and souls, and ask you to take away our anxieties and worries this very moment…

We continue to pray for our church family. For all who serve you faithfully here.
We pray for our minister Alex and for Louise as they take a holiday that they will indeed find peace during this time of refreshment. We pray for our elders and all the leaders of this church that they will continue to manage our finances, property and administration in these changing times.

We ask you to bless our offerings today and those given through the banking system to build up the church here and in the wider world. May you encourage us all to be joyful givers of our time, talent and resources.

We give thanks for all our church family whether they read this service on-line or are here today. We pray for all those known to us in silence who need your comforting presence and healing power…Silence

We pray for people everywhere throughout your world. So many suffering the great loss of life from war, famine, strife and now from the coronavirus pandemic. Bring the nations together to overcome all these problems and give all people peace in their souls.

May our eyes be open to what you remake from the aftermath of the pandemic.

May our hearts and arms be opened to you and to one another.

May our imagination be filled with Spirit inspired creativity
To become the church, you mean us to be tomorrow
To become the church, you call us to be today.
To become the church, you have been planning to build since yesterday.

For these prayers and all the unspoken prayers of our hearts, we pray though your son and our saviour Jesus Christ,
Amen.

**HYMN 561: Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine.**

Benediction

If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in the character, there will be peace in the home.
If there is peace in the home, there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.

And now may the peace of God, which is beyond all understanding, guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

And the blessing of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit be with you this day and evermore.

Amen

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CHURCH RE-OPENING

We are delighted to tell you that we have reopened the church building for worship on a Sunday morning – our first service back in the church was on Sunday 6 September 2020, at 9.45am, and we will meet weekly thereafter.

It was wonderful to meet again in person to worship God and we enjoyed seeing members and visitors once more.

We expect each service to last for approximately 30 minutes; we very much regret that we cannot offer refreshments after the service. We have made many changes to the church building to ensure that worshippers can attend safely but we recognise that some members may prefer, for health reasons, to stay away from church for the moment. We will continue to provide a service on the website and we will also be exploring other ways of ensuring that everyone can be involved in worship, prayer and mission.

Our first priority will have to be the safety and health of all who attend. We have put in place a robust system of cleaning and disinfection. When you enter the church, you will see that seating spaces have been marked out to ensure physical distancing. You will be asked to sit two metres away from any person who is not a member of your own household; a one-way system will be in operation. We will ask for your contact details to assist with the Scottish Government’s Test and Protect system. You are required to wear a face covering (we have spares if you require them). The biggest change that you may notice is the absence of singing; this too is a Government requirement for the moment. Unfortunately, distancing requirements mean that you will not be able to speak to the Minister after the service for any length of time; if you require his assistance, you should telephone him on 0131 667 1623.

Even with all of these changes and restrictions, it is a joy to be back together, to worship and honour God.

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Sunday 23rd August 2020

A couple of weeks ago we said that over the latter part of the summer our Sunday services would be created by various members of our congregations, all of whom have experience in leading worship. This week leading us in our praise and reflection is Louise McAspurren.

Call to worship (Psalm 128: 1-2)
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart …
I will bow down towards your holy temple and will praise your name
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness’.

Hymn 739 The Church’s One Foundation

Prayer

Faithful One,
Everlasting and true,
We give you thanks
For your unending love.
Thank you that when we call, you listen.
When we are scared, you comfort us.
When we feel tired, you renew us.
When we grieve, you weep with us.
In all times and all places, you stand with us.

And so, you are with us now.
As we come to worship you.
Forgive us our failings,
Help us begin again in your grace.
Open our eyes to see you.
May we feel your Spirit’s presence.
Open our ears to hear your truth.
Guide our steps to walk the journey ahead of us,
Living and working to the glory of your holy name.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scripture Readings

Romans 12: 1-8
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Matthew 16:13-20
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’
They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’
‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’
Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’
Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. ’Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Hymn 559 There is a Redeemer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61CJdXmxxLU

Reflection

In our gospel reading, we find Jesus and his disciples at a time where Jesus’ miracles and teaching had brought him both supporters and critics. To many he offered hope, healing, and forgiveness. To others he threated their understanding of faith.
It is in this context, that Jesus asked his disciples, ‘who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ The disciples gave several answers. People had different ideas about who Jesus was. Interestingly, rather than trying to define him as someone new, folk tried to link him back to their faith history, identifying him as a manifestation of prophets or leaders from the past.
However, then comes the BIG question – ‘But who do you say I am?’. This was no longer an academic question about what other people thought – this was a direct challenge to those closest to him. In other words, Jesus was asking his disciples whether they really knew him.
It is Simon who answers: ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God’.
Jesus blesses him immediately, making it clear that this was not an answer based on public opinion or harking back to history – this was an answer given by God. This was new – this was the start of recognising Jesus as both Son of Man and Son of God, the Messiah! A different kind of leader to save his people.
But Jesus did not leave it there – this was also a new start for Simon. From now on, his name was to be Peter – he would become the rock of the church and the keys to the kingdom of heaven would be his. Imagine Peter’s reaction! What would he be thinking? Did he really understand what Jesus was saying to him? Did he grasp what kind of Messiah Jesus was, and how that would affect his future life?
Today, as Christians we know the story of the resurrection. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit. We believe that Jesus defeated death, overcame the power of sin, and sits at the right hand of the Father. In many ways, it is easier for us to call Jesus the Messiah. But, how ready are we to hear our Messiah as he calls to us? For just as Jesus responded to Peter, can he not also speak to us? In this time of COVID19 the church is being called to reflect on how to develop its worship and mission. Perhaps this is also the time for us, as individuals, to ask questions of ourselves and of God. Is now the time to know our Lord better and to seek our place in Him? In knowing Jesus as the Messiah, Peter found his purpose– he became the rock for the church. We can find our calling in Christ, too.
We may be called to do different work, to use our God given gifts to spread the good news and show God’s love for all (whether in the church, at home or in the community). No one person or one gift is greater than another, and all are accountable to each other. As Romans 12: 4-5 puts it ‘For just as each of us has one body with many members and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others’
It may not be a straight forward path. After being told he would receive the keys to the kingdom of heaven, Peter went on to deny Christ three times. Yet, Christ’s love for him remained. After Jesus rose from the dead, he sought out Peter. He strengthened him and commissioned him to shepherd his flock. There were challenges, but Peter continued to build up the church because this was his destiny. In the same way, Christ will strengthen us to find and bring about our purpose regardless of the challenges we face, if we let Him. In Christ we can learn of God. In Christ we can learn who we are. In Christ we can find our place in this world and in His kingdom. Let us take this time and opportunity to do so. Amen.

Prayers

Listening God, You call us to come to You with our prayers for others. And we do so in a spirit of gratitude for all the ways Your grace and mercy fills our lives …
We thank You for creation, and for all the blessings of this life, and, most of all, for Your boundless love in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our redeeming presence.
Give us a constant awareness of Your mercy. Call us to take time to immerse ourselves in Your grace. Make us aware of signs and symbols of Your love in action.
You made all things in Your wisdom, and, in Your love, You save us. So we pray for all creation, that evil might be cast down, that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness might be fed, and that all Your children might enjoy in equal measure the fruits of Your world.
We pray for the Church. Keep us one in faith and service, so that Your Good News might be proclaimed, and so that Your love and light might be a beacon of hope and purpose in the darkest places.
We cannot love You fully unless we love our neighbours as ourselves. So we pray for all those in need, in body, mind and spirit; we pray for all who suffer from pain and sorrow; especially those who are affected by the COVID19 pandemic. We remember those known to us at this time …
God of compassion, bless us and those we love, that, drawing close to You, we may be drawn closer to each other. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen

Hymn In Christ Alone (This is a new one to us, and is not found in CH4.)

Benediction
Let us go out into the world in peace.
Let us love our God with all our heart.
Let us be challenged by the Spirit’s promptings
Let us hear the call to serve Christ and be obedient to God’s will.

And may God bless us,
the Spirit restore us,
and Christ’s presence strengthen us,
now and always.
Amen.

Acknowledgements:
Scripture readings: Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV®
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Second Prayer, and Benediction: adapted from:
Church of Scotland Weekly Worship, 23^rd August 2020, by Tom Gordon.

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Sunday 16th August 2020

Call to Worship (Psalm 67: 3-5)
May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.

HYMN 182 Now thank we all our God

Prayer

God, our maker
the wonders of your creation,
the beauty of the earth,
the diversity of nature,
all speak to us of your glory.
The coming of your Son,
the presence of your Spirit,
the fellowship of your Church,
speak to us of your love.
We worship and adore you,
God of grace and glory,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God of mercy, God of love,
with humble hearts
we confess our sins.
We forget to love and serve you,
and wander from your ways.
We are careless of your world,
and put its life in danger.
We talk of our concern for others,
but fail to match our words with action.

Merciful God,
forgive us our sins
and bring us to everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ
your Son, our Saviour.

Heavenly Father,
be with us in each step of life.
When we forget you,
remind us of your presence;
when we are frightened,
give us courage;
when we are tempted,
give us strength to resist;
when we are anxious or worried,
give us peace;
when we are weary in service,
give us enthusiasm;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures:

Isaiah 56: 1-8
This is what the Lord says:
‘Maintain justice
and do what is right,
for my salvation is close at hand
and my righteousness will soon be revealed.
Blessed is the one who does this –
the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it,
and keeps their hands from doing any evil.’
Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say,
The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.’
And let no eunuch complain,
‘I am only a dry tree.’
For this is what the Lord says:
‘To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose what pleases me
and hold fast to my covenant –
to them I will give within my temple and its walls
a memorial and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that will endure for ever.
And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord
to minister to him,
to love the name of the Lord,
and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
and who hold fast to my covenant –
these I will bring to my holy mountain
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations.’
The Sovereign Lord declares –
he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
‘I will gather still others to them
besides those already gathered.’

Matthew 15: 10-28
Jesus called the crowd to him and said, ‘Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.’
Then the disciples came to him and asked, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?’
He replied, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.’
Peter said, ‘Explain the parable to us.’
‘Are you still so dull?’ Jesus asked them. ‘Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts – murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.’

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.’
Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, ‘Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.’
He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.’
The woman came and knelt before him. ‘Lord, help me!’ she said.
He replied, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.’
‘Yes it is, Lord,’ she said. ‘Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.’
Then Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed at that moment.

HYMN 198 Let us build a house where love can dwell

Reflection

Perhaps you recognise this: #MeToo. If not, then perhaps you’ll know this one: BLM. Both are recent movements centred on the call to justice and equality. Justice and equality are two values promoted by Jesus yet, at times, they seem to be strangely missing from the life of the church.
Our Gospel passage seeks partly to address these issues. It is located in the midst of a debate between Jesus and the Pharisees where the focus seems to be about what makes a person clean or unclean. In other words, they’re arguing over what makes someone acceptable to God. Is it following all the rules and traditions of the faith, or is it something more difficult to pinpoint? This is not a friendly encounter; there is offence and insult to be found. The Pharisees, accused of being focussed on rule-following, are described as blind guides leading others astray.
Our focus, though, is on a short passage that is very difficult. On the surface Jesus and the disciples seems to be acting out of character. They are seen to be dismissing a woman coming to him seeking help for her daughter. Other people coming to Jesus in similar circumstances have been met with compassion. The words of Jesus that He had been sent only to the ‘lost sheep of Israel’ seem flat. Jesus had chosen to come to a place where he would not have been able to avoid people from other ethnic backgrounds, so we have to wonder about what is going on.
The way in which you read this text affects what meaning you give to it. You could read it as speaking of a Jesus who is bound by ancient prejudice, only giving in to get peace from a woman who persists in her cause. You could read it as speaking of a Jesus who is demanding of real faith and persistence in contrast to a life of rule-following and tradition. If we turn to look at our reading from the prophet Isaiah we find support for the latter interpretation of our Gospel text. Here we find an affirmation of all who call upon God, irrespective of how they may be perceived by the dominant culture. For Isaiah, the Canaanite woman in the Gospel is welcome.
In the Gospel, the contrast between the Canaanite woman and the Pharisees passes without comment. It is stark and, no doubt, further offended the Pharisees. According to Jesus the Pharisees, for all their focus on purity, are defiled on the inside. Meanwhile the Canaanite woman, who was seen as impure, is spiritually alive and commended for her faith.
We began with mention of #MeToo, and BLM. These are relevant not only to wider society but to the church. If Jesus is correct in his words, then what makes a person ‘clean’ is not what comes from the outside but what arises from the heart. This means that we are not to judge based on external factors. It means that we are not to judge based on gender or skin colour. We live in a world that continues to see the rise of movements based on ethnic identity, ancient prejudices, and gender superiority. Our own land is not exempt. We, as the church, are called to share a different perspective. We have the opportunity to stand with those who are oppressed or devalued, and to proclaim that we all have value. Everyone is, after all, made in the image of God.
Both prophet and Christ in proclaiming that the Temple was to be a house of prayer for all nations refused to be drawn into ancient prejudices. We, the church, should be doing the same.
Amen.

Prayers

God of love and power,
we pray for your Church in this place
and throughout the world;
may the courage and faith of your people,
preach and live out your word.

We pray for the Queen and those in authority.
In the fulfilling of their duties,
may they be guided by your Spirit
and upheld by your grace.

We pray for our community, our country,
and the nations of the world.
Following the ways of truth and justice,
may they be free from bitterness and strife.
By the power of your love, may they live in peace.

We pray for all who are in trouble.
May those who are sick may be cared for.
May those who are lonely be sustained.
May those who are oppressed be strengthened.
May those who mourn be comforted.
May those who are close to death
know their risen Lord.

We give thanks
for those who have died in the faith,
especially those known to us,
who have entered into the joy and peace
of your nearer presence.
Grant that we may follow their example,
and come to share with them
the glory of everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with the Father and the Holy Spirit
is worshipped and glorified for ever.
Amen.

HYMN 624 In Christ there is no east or west

Benediction
May the peace of God
which passes all understanding,
keep our hearts and minds
in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let us go in the strength of God.
And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with us, and remain with us,
now and always.
Amen.

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Sunday 26th July 2020

Call to Worship (from Psalm 105: 1-3)
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

HYMN 123 God is love: let heaven adore him(Tune: Hyfrydol)

Prayer

We give you thanks, our God,
that we have risen this day
into your presence
and into life itself.
We give you thanks, our God
that your hand is upon us
holding us in your plan
joining us to each other.
We give you thanks, our God
that Christ is between us,
that Christ is around us,
that Christ unites us.
This day, our God,
we come to your light,
seeking its leading,
following into eternity.

God of life,
grant us your forgiveness,
for our careless thoughts,
for our thoughtless deeds,
for our empty speech.
God of life,
grant us your forgiveness,
for our false desires,
for our hateful actions,
for our wastefulness,
for all we have left untended.

Loving Christ,
crucified on a tree,
yet risen on the third day,
scatter the sin from our lives.
Begin what we do,
inform what we say,
redeem who we are.
In you we place our hope,
our great hope, our living hope,
this day and evermore.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.’
He told them still another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about thirty kilograms of flour until it worked all through the dough.’

‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
‘Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
‘Have you understood all these things?’ Jesus asked.
‘Yes,’ they replied.
He said to them, ‘Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.’

HYMN 555 Amazing Grace

Reflection:

Upside Down
Have you ever had your world turned upside down? I don’t mean, of course, in a literal sense. Rather, I mean has someone or something so affected your life that it’s almost as if it had been turned upside down. For some this happens when they meet the love of their life; for others it may be a life changing incident or event; while for some it’s an encounter with God. For each, though, it is different even if externally it seems the same. Today’s reading from the Gospel is about turning things upside down. In the reading Jesus takes everyday ideas and images and turns their meanings upon their heads. At times this may be a little confusing as the same images are often used in the normal way elsewhere in the Gospel. That said, sometimes things do need to be turned upside down ……As in the last few weeks we once again see Jesus use images from nature and everyday life to illustrate the Kingdom of God. It is important to note that when Jesus uses these images he does not say, ‘The Kingdom of God is like a such-and-such’, and leave it at that. Rather, he says, ‘The Kingdom of God is like a such-and-such, which …’ It is not the object or image that describes the kingdom but what happens to it that provides the illustration of the Kingdom of God.
In a short reflection, such as this, the lectionary reading provides us with, perhaps, too much material. For that reason we will focus on just one example, ‘yeast’. Usually we think of yeast as a negative when in the context of scripture, however this week we read of Jesus inverting that idea. This week yeast becomes a good thing, and example to us.In what way does the activity of yeast illustrate the Kingdom of God? Jesus describes the Realm of God as like the work of a woman. Like in so many other passages Jesus begins by inverting the social order by not using the image of a man at work but that of a woman; he uses the image of a woman in a household doing the chores. This is someone who readies the place and provides for others, and the result is always greater than the effort put in. Whatever the kingdom of God is, and however it works, it grows.
It is worth noting here that the woman is preparing ordinary, everyday, bread as shown by the inclusion of yeast; it’s not unleavened bread that is usually thought of as ‘holy bread’ of the kind used in the Passover. There may be a sense of imperfection and impurity here with the inclusion of the yeast however what matters is the everyday nature of what is described. This is the context of the image of leavened bread and the image Jesus uses for the kingdom. The yeast, the kingdom, is hidden in the flour and it changes things unseen.
Unseen! That’s the message; that’s what Jesus is trying to get us to see. He is trying to get us to look beyond the great gestures, the fine words, and the magnificent buildings. He is trying to get us to see what goes on in the usual, the normal, and the everyday. Jesus is turning things upside down.
So how does this apply to the church today? We are regularly encouraged to make great efforts to carry out activities, and engage in programmes to attract new folk into the kingdom. We stage events, and create ‘seeker sensitive services’. We seek out enthralling speakers, and often make lots of noise and show along the way. Yet this parable shows us that the kingdom grows in the quiet, normal, and often unseen ways. There is room for better communications, and services that engage more meaningfully with the surrounding culture. But it is through the quiet everyday prayer of the faithful that the kingdom will grow. It is through those gentle daily acts of faithfulness to Christ that the kingdom will grow. Historians of revival have shown that this is how those great revivals of past centuries began. Yeast, by way of the scriptures, has sometimes gained a bad reputation but, perhaps, it is time for us to become yeast. Perhaps it is time to turn things upside down.
Amen.

Prayer

Let us pray for those who may be born this day,
and bless them in the name of Jesus.
May the joy of God shine from them,
may the presence of God be within them,
may the love of God surround them.

Let us pray for those who must work this day,
and bless them in the name of Jesus.
May the Creator bless the work of hand and mind,
may the will of God be in your desires,
may the peace of God grant you rest at the end of the day.

Let us pray for those who must travel this day,
and bless them in the name of Jesus.
May the presence of Christ be around them,
may the guarding of Christ be with them,
may the light of God guide them.

Let us pray for those who may face death this day,
and bless them in the name of Jesus.
May God provide all that is needed,
for body, mind, and soul,
as they face the final journey.

Let us pray for ourselves this day,
and may the blessing of Jesus be upon us.
May we pass this day as saints of God,
may we live this day as workers for the Kingdom,
may we end this day in the love of God.
Amen.

HYMN 167 Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah

Benediction
May the kingdom of God,
be seen in each of us,
in our words, in our actions, in our gestures.
And may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all,
now and always.
Amen.

Acknowledgements
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Prayers based on Morning Liturgy D, in the Iona Community’s ‘A Wee Worship Book’ (Fourth Incarnation).

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Sunday 19th July 2020

Call to Worship (Psalm 139: 23-24)
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

HYMN 154 Oh Lord my God when I in awesome wonder (How great Thou art)

Prayer

Lord God,
the wonders of your creation,
the splendour of the heavens,
the beauty of the earth,
the order and richness of nature,
all speak to us of your glory.
The coming of your Son,
the presence of your Spirit,
the fellowship of your Church,
show us the marvel of your love.
We worship and adore you,
God of grace and glory,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God of mercy, God of love
in humbleness of heart
we confess our sins.

We forget to love and serve you,
and wander from your ways.
We are careless of your world,
and put its life in danger.
We talk of our concern for others,
but fail to match our words with action.

Merciful God,
forgive us our sins
and bring us to everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ
your Son, our Saviour. Amen.

Heavenly Father,
be with us in every experience of life.
When we neglect you,
remind us of your presence;
when we are frightened,
give us courage;
when we are tempted,
give us power to resist;
when we are anxious and worried,
give us peace;
when we are weary in service,
give us energy and zeal;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures:

Isaiah 44: 6-8
‘This is what the Lord says –
Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
apart from me there is no God.
Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.
Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
and what is yet to come –
yes, let them foretell what will come.
Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me?
No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.’

Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43
Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed ears, then the weeds also appeared.
‘The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?”
‘“An enemy did this,” he replied.
‘The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?”
‘“No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: first collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”’

Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.’
He answered, ‘The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
‘As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

HYMN 528 Make me a channel of your peace

Reflection

For those who formed the first audience for Isaiah’s words the goal was clear. It was a return to the land of promise, and to the holy city of Jerusalem. It was a return to that which they held dear, to what mattered to them. That was the goal, but they were stuck in Babylon. They were in exile. There was no clear sign of their hope of return being fulfilled. This week we, too, have a hope of return. Certainly what we hope for is not, perhaps, as significant as that of the Israelites yet for each one of us it may feel equally as profound. The goal for us is a return to the activities and places that we hold dear, the ones from which we have had to remain distant for these last months. In the air is both excitement and anxiety. The government has said that it is now safe to return as long as we are careful. We are cautious and we are hopeful.
Like the Israelites we may have our doubts. We may wonder why this happened. We may ask why God did not prevent this. We may wonder if God is truly as powerful, or benevolent, as we had previously thought. We may have many other questions on our mind, too. Of course, some of the answers to our questions may aid us as we seek to move onward in hope, trust, and safety. But there are some other, darker, questions that we may find ourselves asking. Some will, no doubt, ask who is to blame for all of this. Some will blame the Chinese; after all, didn’t the virus originate in China? Some will blame the telephone masts for the new 5G network; that’s convenient as inanimate objects don’t usually get the chance to defend themselves. The fact that science is not on the side of that idea is something that can be readily sidestepped by many. What about closer to home? What about blaming any of our governments or agencies for inadequacy in their planning and preparation? What about blaming ourselves but, then again, that’s not something we usually do? We like blame as blaming others is easy. It doesn’t, though, answer questions or help us move onward.
This latter, darker, path is one that we are warned against in today’s Gospel reading. Many of us will be familiar with it under an older name, ‘the parable of the wheat and the tares’. The old title is more accurate in setting the story in context. Tares, also known as darnel, are no ordinary weed as until harvest is almost due they look very like the wheat that grows alongside. The difference is that darnel is toxic to ingest, and can be fatal. Although the parable has a theme of eternal judgement running through it there is also a very practical message for the hearer or reader. That message is that we are not to judge, as we are not qualified to do so. As it says in the seventh chapter of Matthew, ‘don’t judge or you too will be judged.’ The questions we have that lead us to no more than a blame game are also nothing more than us being judgemental.
As we move on we are to find our hope in the same God of whom we have questions. The Israelites found that God had not deserted them but had journeyed with them even in exile. God was with them in the midst of their pain, their sufferings, and their doubt. God was not absent but present. As we continue our journey through this pandemic we, too, need to adopt the same attitude as did the Israelites. We need to trust, moving onward in faith and hope. We are not to judge. As we move we will see some of our goals fulfilled; those familiar faces will be there to greet us. The familiar places will be very much as we left them; the activities will have to change in some ways but there will be much of the familiar remaining. To live we must move on and, just as He was with the exiles, God will be with us. Amen.

Prayer

God of love and power,
We pray for your Church in this parish
and throughout the world,
that, through the courage and faith of your people,
your word may be preached and lived.

We pray for the Queen and those in authority,
that, in the fulfilling of their duties
they may be guided by your Spirit
and upheld by your grace.

We pray for our community, our country,
and the nations of the world,
that, following the ways of truth and justice,
they may be free from bitterness and strife,
and by the power of your love, live in peace.

We pray for all who are in trouble,
that those who are sick may be cared for,
those who are lonely sustained,
those who are oppressed strengthened,
those who mourn comforted,
and that those who are close to death
may know their risen Lord.

We give thanks
for those who have died in the faith,
especially those known to us,
who have entered into the joy and peace
of your nearer presence.
Grant that we may follow their example,
and come to share with them
the glory of everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with the Father and the Holy Spirit
is worshipped and glorified for ever.
Amen.

HYMN 531 My Jesus, My Saviour

Benediction
Let us go forward in faith, love, and hope,
and as we go, may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
go with us now, and evermore.
Amen.

Acknowledgements
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Prayers taken from the Third Morning Service, Church of Scotland Book of Common Order (1994)

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Sunday 12th July 2020

Call to Worship (Psalm 65: 1-2)
Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.

HYMN 130 Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim

Prayer

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
long-suffering and ever faithful.
The Lord is good to all;
his compassion rests upon all his creatures.

God our Father,
your love is at work in all that you have made.
In your grace,
you renew us in the likeness of your Son.
Through your Spirit,
you touch our lives with hope.
Receive our worship,
setting us free to honour you today.

Holy God, giver of light and grace,
we have sinned against you
and against our fellow men and women,
through ignorance, through weakness,
and through our own deliberate fault.
We are sorry, we are ashamed,
and we repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
forgive us all that is past,
and lead us from darkness
to walk as children of light.

silence

Jesus died and rose again for us.
With humble hearts,
we receive his pardon,
and know his peace.

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
from you alone come everlasting joy and peace.
Fill us with joy in your promises,
and send us out to be bearers of your peace;
through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures

Isaiah 55: 10-13
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
it will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn-bush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure for ever.’

Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.’

‘Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: when anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.’

HYMN 562 Through the love of God, our Saviour

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFE8CCkoXa4

Reflection

Headlong
Have you ever noticed how quick we are to rush into things? Humanity likes to charge ahead, rushing headlong on a course of action without pausing to think things through. As a species we are often guilty of the kneejerk reaction. It’s nothing new. At times we’ve even tried to legislate against it. The Kirk has also tried to mitigate against this reactive approach. Back in the seventeenth century it even passed an act to stop the General Assembly reacting impulsively, making sweeping changes, in response to current events. If you are curious it’s called the ‘Barrier Act’ (1697), and it is remains in force today.
It is said that, “fools rush in where angels fear to tread”. That’s a particularly helpful phrase as it reminds us that the spiritual dimension of life is not exempt from this striving to do everything yesterday, if not sooner. In a sense that quote should serve as a warning to us that the church needs to slow down, or pause, to reflect before reacting. If we hasten into potentially ‘quick-fix’ approaches to attend to our perceived ills then there is the danger that the outcome will be worse than the initial problem. We need to learn to take our time. Our Bible readings today point us toward a longer term, slower, approach.
For many years we have been witness to a declining number of folk attending services within our congregations. We’ve seen the proportion of our membership who are of working age steadily reduce until we have reached the point where we are often seen as something for “older folk”. In some congregations that is truly the case while for others it is most certainly not. But is that really a problem? We have tried all kinds of programmes to address this issue. There have been a multitude of activities and courses that seek to draw people in. Many of these have been successful, especially when well used, and done in the right context. However, there is a significant weakness (isn’t there always?). Folk who come from without any Christian faith background, who then over a very short time find faith, tend not often to last for long. Joining the church and engaging in many of its activities keeps them busy but it misses something. If we may refer to such as ‘converts’ then we will find that they have a ‘shelf-life’! Research from one of the largest churches in the USA has shown that after around three years these folk move out, never to return. Perhaps that’s because we believe our role is to fill seats or pews, making converts along the way. Rather, our role is to make disciples, and that takes time. It takes lots of time.
This is where our readings from the prophet Isaiah and the Gospel of Mathew become relevant. In the writing of the prophet we have this striking image of mountains and fields “breaking forth in joy”, and the trees clapping “their hands”. It’s not to be taken literally as it’s to be taken as a metaphor. As such it is quite powerful. Mountains and trees do not spring up overnight. Geology teaches us that mountains are created, and changed, over a period of time beyond human experience. Botany also shows us that trees evolve and develop over the millennia, even if any individual tree lives for only a tiny fraction of this time. .These things do not happen overnight. The natural world does not exist as an instant reaction. If we turn to the Gospel we find the parable of the sower. Here we find that the seed that grows successfully is the one that needs nourishment and time. The seed that sprouts too quickly or is not nourished soon perishes. The parable reminds us that growth is not an overnight reaction.
This truth, that God takes time to grow each disciple into a mature believer is something we need to apply to each congregation. It requires great effort and many resources. More than these it requires time. We need to learn to take our time to prepare the ground, sow the seed, and nourish it. We need to take the lead from scripture and not from models of instant business success. Like the sower in another Bible story we may not see the harvest as perhaps that’s the role for others. Yet if we act in this way we will be acting in trust in God. Remember that the timeframe in which God operates is not the same as hours. We need to slow down, pause, and reflect. So, why the rush? Amen.

Prayer

Gracious God,
we rejoice in your blessings,
and trust in your love for all.
We now bring our prayers for the world.

We pray for the created world:
for those who rebuild
where things have been destroyed;
for those who fight hunger, poverty, and disease;
for those who have power
to bring change for the better and to renew hope.

We pray for our country:
for our Queen and her family;
for those who frame our laws
and shape our common life;
for those who keep the peace
and administer justice;
for those who teach,
those who heal,
all who serve the community.

We pray for people in need:
those for whom life is a bitter struggle;
those whose lives are clouded
by death or loss,
by pain or disability,
by discouragement or fear,
by shame or rejection.

We pray for those
in the circle of friendship and love around us:
children and parents;
sisters and brothers;
friends and neighbours;
and for those especially in our thoughts today.

We pray for the Church
in its stand with the poor,
in its love for the outcast and the ashamed,
in its service to the sick and the neglected,
in its proclamation of the Gospel,
in this land, in this place.

Eternal God,
we give thanks to you
for the great community of faith
into which you have brought us:
for those who have kept safe our Scriptures,
gathered our songs,
built our sanctuaries,
and taught us to know and trust you.
Grant us grace in our day
to live as faithfully as they did,
and to provide as generously for our children,
until you bring us with all your people
into the fullness of your eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you, and the Holy Spirit,
be all praise and glory for ever.
Amen.

HYMN 804 You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace

Benediction
Let us go in the peace of God.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all
now and evermore
Amen

Acknowldgements

Scripture verses from: Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV®
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Prayers base on Church of Scotland Book of Common Order (1994), second morning service.

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Sunday 5th July 2020

Call to Worship (Psalm 145: 8-9)
The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.

HYMN 145 All creatures of our God and King

Prayer

Worthy of praise from every mouth,
of love from ever heart,
of devotion of every mind,
are you, our God.

Through love you created the world,
and in compassion you redeemed it.
Heaven and earth are full of your praises;
all glory belongs to you.
All of heaven worships you.

God, our Father,
your power we cannot measure,
your wisdom passes our understanding,
your love is beyond all.
You have put eternity into our hearts,
and made us hunger and thirst for you.
Satisfy the longings you have implanted
that we may find you in life,
and find life in you.

Merciful God,
you made us in your image,
to know you, to love you,
and to serve you.
Yet each day we fail to be what you call us to;
yet you are slow to be angry with us.
In the name of Jesus,
do not hold our sins against us,
but forgive.

May the Lord forgive us,
cleanse us, and heal us,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Give us a mind forgetful of past ill-will
and a heart to love one another;
through Jesus Christ,
your Son, our Saviour
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures:

Romans 7: 15-25a
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do– this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Matthew 11: 16-19, 25-30
‘To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the market-places and calling out to others:
‘“We played the pipe for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not mourn.”
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon.” The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.’

At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
‘All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’

HYMN 251 I, the Lord of sea and sky

Reflection

No win situation?
Please indulge me for a few moments as I share a story. The ship Kobayashi Maru lies adrift without power, and is in a neutral area between disputed zones. You are the captain of the nearest friendly ship and, on receiving a distress call, head off to the rescue. It’s a trap, the call being faked as the enemy lie in wait seeking some form of provocation to war. You, and your crew, are killed. That’s the scenario in the story and, no matter how it is played out, the outcome is the same. It’s a no win situation, but that’s the point. It’s meant to be a training test to see how you, as captain, cope with defeat and death. It’s a test of character. This story comes from Star Trek, where the only person to ‘pass’ the test was Captain Kirk who did so by cheating! That, however, is fiction, while we live in the real world. In our world, we have to face up to no win situations.
Our readings today both address no win situations. For Paul it’s both personal and internal. He wants to do the right thing yet always seems to end up doing the wrong thing instead. He doesn’t want to do the wrong thing, yet his nature means that he often does. The parable told by Jesus illustrates a no win situation due to the behaviours of others. No matter what the children do the crowd never join in the appropriate activity It’s as if they are standing back, critical of all that they observe, the children never being seen to do anything right. As if the parable wasn’t enough for his hearers, he then drives home the point by outlining their responses to both him and the Baptist. John had been a model of godly behaviour yet they accused him of being demon possessed. Jesus, however, met the outcasts of his community, and so was decried as a glutton and drunkard. It was a no win situation.
There are times when we find ourselves in such situations. Like Paul our struggle may be internal, or like Jesus it may be caused by others. Yet these challenges are not confined to our relationships with other folk, rather they may also take place within our spiritual lives. When these things happen we need to find hope to enable us to carry on and carry through the difficulty.
It is common to feel or believe that we are not living life as we should; it may even cause us to struggle with faith as we come to doubt our relationship with God. However Paul’s letter shows us that our behaviours and our relationship with God are not the same thing. Note that as Paul laments his apparent inability to do what is right he does not doubt his relationship with God. Rather, he is right with God because he trusts in God. Paul is reminding us that being right with God is a gift not something we have earned. This means that we can err yet still be right with God. We do get things wrong, making poor choices and carrying out wrong actions but if our desire is to do the right thing as we trust in God then we need not stress.
Our difficulties may also arise from our relationships with others. Like Jesus we sometimes find ourselves in situations that, no matter what we do, we will always be deemed to be in the wrong. It is a sad fact that this form of rejection may also arise from others who cannot, or choose not to, understand our faith in God. In these kinds of situations we are like the children in the parable. Yet note that the children are seen as being in the right. As the gospel reading moves on to the way John and Jesus were treated it becomes apparent that there are some who will just not engage but will choose to turn away. In each of these it is those who seek to live as God intends, those who trust in God, who are not judged or condemned.
We live in challenging times, even without the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We may find ourselves doubting our relationship with God, or ‘salvation’ as we may call it. Others may choose to reject us because of it. Yet as we continue to strive for a godly life we will find ourselves in good company, such as St. Paul. Look back at our two readings and see if you find yourself reflected there. We need to learn to have a little compassion for ourselves just as we do for others. We all fall short of the standards to which God calls us. However our relationship with him, our salvation, is based on trust and faith through love; it is not based on degrees or moral perfection or understanding. Let us try to remember that. Let us try to live in that. Amen.

Prayers

Loving God,
you care for all your children;
you know us, hear us, and see each need.
Give peace to those who call upon you,
and welcome us into your presence.

Empower your Church around the world.
Strengthen your people in the truth,
inspire them with your love,
and give them joy in your service.

Guide those who rule over us
that they may fulfil their service
for the wellbeing of all the people
and the glory of your name.

Bless the whole world with peace.
Nurture in all people the love of peace;
give wisdom to the leaders of the nations,
that your kingdom may advance
until the earth be filled with your love and justice.

Be with all who are in trouble or pain.
Comfort those who are sick;
give peace to those who are dying;
comfort those who mourn;
refresh those who are in need.
And be near to those whom now we name …..

Eternal God,
in you may we find mercy and joy.
We thank you for your people
of every age and place,
who shared your good news,
built our places of worship,
and who kept the faith.
Inspire us by their example,
and bring us to join with them
in glory everlasting.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

HYMN 396 And can it be

Benediction
Let us go in peace and serve the Lord.

And may the blessing of God almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with us all,
evermore.
Amen.

Acknowledgements: Scripture readings taken from Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Sunday 28th June 2020

Call to Worship (Psalm 89: 1-2)
I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known
through all generations.
I will declare that your love stands firm for ever,
that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

HYMN 153 Great is Thy faithfulness

Prayers

God of love,
light a flame of love in our hearts to you,
a flame of love to our families and friends,
a flame of love to our neighbours,
a flame of love to our enemies.

Jesus, Son of Mary,
light a flame of love in our hearts to all,
from the lowliest thing that lives,
to the Name that is highest of all.

God of life,
grant us your forgiveness.
We have been heedless in our thoughts,
cruel in our words,
shameful in our actions.
We are indifferent to a world made sad
by want and wastefulness;
we pass by on the other side
when we see our neighbour in need;
we wander from the way that leads to peace
in paths of our own pleasing.

God of life,
grant us your forgiveness.

silence

God of the new day and God of love,
you created us and you have redeemed us.
As you scatter the mist
from the hills,
banish the deeds of darkness
from the sons and daughters of your light.
Help us to know and believe
that, as the children of your love,
we are free to begin again;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures:

Jeremiah 28: 5-9
Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord. He said, ‘Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfil the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon. Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: from early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognised as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.’

Matthew 10: 40-42
‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.’

HYMN 739 The church’s one foundation

(To play, click on the link below – it is not automatic.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHCqXL3mCwU

Reflection

Why?
The question on the philosophy exam was ‘Why?’ Lost for anything else to say the student answered ‘Why not?’ It’s a question that children often ask, usually when confronted with a simple fact. It’s a question adults often ask when dealing with trauma. In faith and theological circles it’s a question that’s often asked when we consider suffering and evil.
It’s a question I believe that we should be asking today. I do not mean in terms of the great general themes of meaning and existence, but in specific reference to the church. Let me explain. At present we are looking toward how we may re-open our buildings after a period of lockdown. Initially we are focussed on making our properties safe for private prayer; all being well this will progress onto being free to celebrate together on the Lord’s Day. Before we may open there are many things that we need to do. This involves lots of questions and many answers; it is no small task. Yet these questions focus around two things, ‘what do we want to do’, and ‘how are we going to do it’. These are appropriate and helpful in their context. Yet few are asking what, to me, is a more fundamental question, namely ‘why do we want to re-open our building?’
Over time our buildings have become more than places for praise and prayer. They are places where we may meet regularly with friends; often they have the role of contributing to our sense of identity; importantly, they also have become resources for the wider community. Re-opening may also contribute to our sense that some form of ‘normality’ is returning. These are all good things, but are they the reasons that we want to re-open our buildings? To answer that we need to consider our primary purpose in having them.
So what is our primary purpose? Ask many Christians that question today and there’s the likelihood that you’ll get more answers that the number of people you ask. Perhaps it would help if I rephrased it: What is the chief end of man? Some of you will immediately recognise those words while others may find them to be new although a little antiquated in terms of language. The precise words of that last question date from the seventeenth century. They come from the ‘Shorter Catechism’ that, until reasonably recent times, was one of the main teaching tools of the faith as understood by our tradition. However, it is the answer to that question that is important; it is ‘the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.’ That, I would argue, is what our primary purpose should be, and should also apply to our reasoning for re-opening our buildings. We should be re-opening so as to be able to gather to praise, or enjoy, God together.
In our Bible readings we see some challenging things that relate to this. In Jeremiah we find him asserting that we must be truthful about the plans and purposes of God, for there are consequences involved. In the gospel, too, we find that there are consequences for those that share the good news, and also for those that provide welcome and hospitality for those who are doing the sharing. In part these readings both speak about forms of obedience, but they also speak about honouring, or glorifying, God through speaking His truth. The consequence of glorifying God is the experience of ‘enjoying’ His presence.
Glorifying God has to be our primary purpose and reason for re-opening our buildings. If you accept the argument of the catechism it should also be the primary purpose of our lives. So how does this apply to the question of buildings? In scripture we see that obedience to God has consequences. If we are obedient to God in seeking primarily to glorify Him through meeting to praise and honour him then we will see consequences. These actions of faith will see these other good actions follow. It is the glorifying of God that will see our buildings be the community resources, meeting places, and life shapers that they could be. It is the glorifying of God that will lead us to knowing His presence and love more deeply. It is glorifying God, as our chief end, that will see us know the answer to the ultimate question of ‘why?’
Amen.

Prayers

Let us pray for the Church,
the world, and one another.

For the Church we pray, the bright lamp of faith,
her ministers and people, and this parish.
May the Christ, our King, protect her,
keep her, and save her.

For the world we pray, the creation of God,
seeking its healing, its peace, and its prosperity.
May the Christ the Son move through all the earth,
blessing it.

For those who are ill we pray,
and for those who suffer.
May the Good Shepherd
who knows and loves his sheep
make them whole and well, active and content.

For those who work we pray,
and for all who shape
the patterns of this world’s life.
May the King of grace
give to their labour
growth and fruitfulness,
until the day of gladness come.

For those we love, and for ourselves we pray.
May the guarding of God be theirs and ours,
until together we come
to the High King’s house in heaven,
in the name of Father, Son, and Spirit Holy.
Amen

HYMN 516 We are marching in the light of God

Benediction
The guarding of the God of life be on you,
the guarding of the loving Christ be on you,
the guarding of the Holy Spirit be on you,
every day and night,
to aid you and enfold you,
each day, each night.
Amen.

If you have ever wondered what our last hymn sounds like in its original style and language, then follow this link:

Acknowledgements
Scripture readings taken from Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized,
NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide

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Sunday 21st June 2020

Call to Worship (Psalm 69: 13)
But I pray to you, Lord,
in the time of your favour;
in your great love, O God,
answer me with your sure salvation.

HYMN 127 O worship the King, all glorious above

Prayer

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hid;
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord

Almighty God, our Father, we have sinned against you and one another,
in thought, word and deed,
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to correct what we are,
and direct what we shall be; through Jesus

Christ our Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

May God forgive us our sins,
strengthen us by his Spirit,
and keep you in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lord, you have assured us of your continuing love and grace.
Help us now in faith, hope and love
to share in this worship to your honour and glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lord God our Father,
through our Saviour Jesus Christ
you have assured mankind of eternal life
and in baptism have made us one with him.
Deliver us from the death of sin
and raise us to new life in your love,
by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures

Jeremiah 20: 7-13
You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived;
you overpowered me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed all day long;
everyone mocks me.
Whenever I speak, I cry out
proclaiming violence and destruction.
So the word of the Lord has brought me
insult and reproach all day long.
But if I say, ‘I will not mention his word
or speak any more in his name,’
his word is in my heart like a fire,
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
indeed, I cannot.
I hear many whispering,
Terror on every side!
Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!’
All my friends
are waiting for me to slip, saying,
‘Perhaps he will be deceived;
then we will prevail over him
and take our revenge on him.’

But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior;
so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;
their dishonour will never be forgotten.
Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
and probe the heart and mind,
let me see your vengeance on them,
for to you I have committed my cause.

Sing to the Lord!
Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues the life of the needy
from the hands of the wicked.

Matthew 10: 24-39
‘The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
‘So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
‘Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn
‘“a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law –
a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”
‘Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

HYMN 187 There’s a wideness in God’s mercy

Reflection

‘A Burning Desire’
What really drives you? What really excites you? What is it that truly motivates you to action? For each of us it will be something different. For some of us it will be a hobby or interest; for some of us it will be a job or career path; for others of us it will a particular relationship or person. All of these, whether they be things or activities or people, can be forces for good because they arouse in us a drive to do something positive. Many of us who read this will consider ourselves to be Christian; for us there is also something else that should drive, excite, or motivate. That ‘something else’ is our faith. Jeremiah, in today’s reading, describes this drive as being, ‘like a burning fire shut up in my bones’. What, though, does it mean when Jeremiah speaks like this?
Jeremiah was a prophet who earned himself the unenviable reputation of being messenger of ‘doom and gloom’. To an extent this was true, however he earned this label by speaking the truth. He did this while others around him would speak what the rulers of the people wanted to hear. This made him unpopular facing slander, violence, and persecution because of it. Jeremiah, however, was not alone. Others, before and after his time, also spoke ‘truth to power’ with similar outcomes.
If we move forward some six hundred years to the time of Jesus we find that not much had changed. Jesus, like the prophets before him, spoke truth. He spoke it irrespective of his audience. He didn’t modify his message to appease the powerful. Like Jeremiah, Jesus retained his personal integrity. With Jesus there was also another dimension to his speaking out. He spoke ‘truth to power’ but he also spoke truth about power. This was a power that is not of this world. Jesus spoke truth about the power of God. Unlike Jeremiah there was a dimension of Jesus’ message that was about his identity and place in God’s order of things. This combination made Jesus doubly unpopular. It cost him his life.
When Jeremiah spoke of the fire in his bones he was speaking of the drive that God had placed within him to speak the truth. Like Jesus, this truth was spiritual in nature but for both it also had direct implications for the physical world. Their message was also relevant to the worlds of politics, economy, and society. Today we like to keep matters of spirituality and religion in those spheres of our lives that are ‘marked’ as personal and private but that wasn’t the way for Jeremiah or Jesus. For both the prophet and the Christ the message had a much wider, public, dimension. In our culture such a message would not be popular.
Today’s reading from the Gospel presents us with stark choices. The disciples of Jesus are called to acknowledge him in public; they are called to share that they are his followers. The starkness comes in the consequences of denying that truth, that relationship. That’s a demand that is as true today as it was in their time. Jesus warned that such would not be a popular move, and that it could result in the same outcomes as we find with Jeremiah. History does have the habit of repeating itself.
For us, speaking truth to power may mean many things. It may mean speaking out about homelessness in our city; it may mean challenging poverty as it effects people through food or healthcare; it may mean challenging lethargy or corruption in places of power. For Christians, though, it also means sharing the good news that through Jesus we may know God. It means acknowledging, or confessing, that he is the Lord of our lives. If he is truly our Lord, then it’s him we follow, him we obey, him to whom we show allegiance. Speaking truth has never really been popular, the lives of the prophets and Jesus show that, but it’s the path that the people of God have been called to walk. Amen.

Prayer

We believe it to be your will, our God,
to bless in answer to prayer.
Hear us as we pray:
for the whole world, for all nations and their governments,
that we may work together for freedom, peace, and healing
in all parts of the earth;
for the Church in all its branches,
that its energy may be rekindled, and its faith renewed,
that it may bring hope in these troubled times;
for one another,
that we may all truly know the peace and blessing
Christ offers us in each moment;
for those who are not with us today,
and whose presence we miss;
may the peace of Christ may be known to them also;
for our homes and families, for our neighbours,
and for the places where we would work, learn or rest;
for our schools and universities,
that they are able once more to be places of safety,
where our children and young people may meet and learn;
for the sick and the suffering, the careworn and the sad,
remembering in silence any whose need lies heavily upon our hearts
… and for the dying, that they may depart unafraid
and in peace;
This we ask in the name and for the sake of him who lives
to make prayer for us: Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

HYMN 396 And can it be

Benediction
Let us go from this time of praise,
in the name of him who died, and rose again,
Christ Jesus the Lord;
to love and serve him,
throughout our daily lives. Amen.

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Sunday 7th June2020

Call to Worship (from Psalm 8)
O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.

HYMN 111 Holy, holy, holy

Prayers

The earth belongs to the Lord,
the world and all its people.
How good and wonderful it is
To be one in your name.

As we worship you this day
move among us, giving us life
that we may rejoice in you.
Make our hearts fresh within us;
renewing us in mind and spirit.

Before you we confess our brokenness:
to the ways we wound our lives,
the lives of others,
and the life of the world.

Father forgive us;
Christ renew us;
Holy Spirit grow us in love.

[silent prayer]

You have made us in your own image,
befriended by Christ,
empowered by the Spirit.
Set us free this day,
to know you,
and to serve you
to whom alone belongs all praise.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures

II Corinthians 13: 11-13
Final Greetings and Benediction
Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Matthew 28: 16-20
The Commissioning of the Disciples
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

HYMN 596 Breathe on me, Breath of God

Reflection

Today is Trinity Sunday. It’s one of those dates in the church calendar that doesn’t tie in to an event in the life of Jesus. Rather, it’s a day to reflect upon one of the teachings of the church. That teaching is that Jesus was not only God in human flesh but that he was also one with the Holy Spirit of God too. That’s three persons but only one being! Does your head hurt? This may be why it has often been said that the subject of Trinity should only be preached upon once per year. Any less and people will forget; more and they will be confused.

Trinity seeks to find a way through the impasse created when the world of Greek and Roman thought collide head on with Jewish notions of the uniqueness, holiness, and unity of God. Abstract theological notions designed as a stop-gap answer to the problem of just who and what Jesus is are not always helpful. Neither are the often practical. So, what are we to do with it?

The answer to that question may, in part, be found in our reading from Matthew’s gospel. It recounts the last encounter between Jesus and his disciples. The ending is sudden. There is no drawn out goodbye. There is also something different going on; something has changed since the resurrection. The disciples are said to ‘worship’ Jesus. We see this word used once before in this chapter, in reference to the women encountering the risen Jesus. No self-respecting Jewish man would get down on his knees to prostrate himself before another man or an idol. The disciples are Jewish men, so something must have changed. Did Jesus seem different? Was it how he looked? Was it the way he spoke? Perhaps it was something less tangible. Perhaps they were thinking of various texts from their scriptures and, putting two and two together, saw Jesus as the Son of Man spoken of in the book of Daniel. This person would come from God and have the full authority of the divine on earth. Is that what they saw or thought? Jesus takes this connection further, stating that he also had ‘full authority in heaven’ too.

Without having a chance to ponder what’s going on the disciples are given an instruction. They are to go into the world to makes disciples, to baptize, to teach, and to obey God’s commands. As the church we have often strived to fulfil the last part of the command yet we have struggled to make much progress with the first three. In almost his last words to them, Jesus instructs the eleven with a mission imperative. In the time of a shrinking church these words of Christ should make us sit up, and take stock of what we are doing. But these are not the last words he utters.

In the gospel according to Matthew the last words of Jesus are these: “ … surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” As we seek to follow God, as revealed to us in and through Jesus, we are not left alone. We are not abandoned. We are, rather, accompanied and resourced. In the last three months many have found how truly difficult it is to live, let alone thrive, alone. By ‘alone’ I mean without the human contact and fellowship that is necessary for life to flourish. Digital communications are fine for sharing information, but not for growing in our mutual humanity. Jesus does not leave his followers alone. Having the authority of God, he accompanies us through the Holy Spirit that he sends upon us. He is there in the highs of celebration. He is there in the depths of despair and solitude. Only God can be relied upon to be ever present in this way.

The doctrine of Trinity may leave you confused, and with a headache. The reality of a God who is ever present with us will not. The practical value of this doctrine is that it reminds us that God exists in relationship. From the beginning that has been as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yet throughout history God has offered relationship to people like you and me. This is a relationship that extends throughout the whole range of human experience. He doesn’t desert us when the going gets tough. That is the point of Trinity.

Amen.

Prayers

Lord of life, grace and truth
may all creation come to know your peace.
God of love, you are at the root of all creation;
deepen our awareness of your presence among us.
Everlasting God, let us lift high your name in all the world.

[silence]

God of grace, you reach out to touch our lives.
We set our concerns before you, seeking your vision for our world.
As you share our life, so may we come to see your glory.

Holy Spirit of fellowship, move between us to unite all people as one.
Strengthen all that builds true community both near and far.
We pray for places of unrest, especially today in the United States.
God of peace, be present in our midst.

[silence]

Eternal God, you hold creation from its beginning to its end.
Sustain in your love all who are faint or whose strength is failing.
In our current pandemic be with our healers, our scientists, and our leaders.
Restore our faith that you are with us to the end of the age.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you make us a little lower than the angels.
Remind us of your love for us, remind us that you have a plan for each of us.
In love we give thanks to you for all who have died;
may they know the glory and honour of your eternal presence.

[silence]

Father of mercy, we pray for ourselves.
When we are weak, may we find strength.
When we despair or doubt, may we find hope.
We pray, as ever, in the name of Jesus.
Amen.

HYMN 200 Christ is made the sure foundation

Benediction

May the Lord who created the earth
by the power of his Word and Spirit
reveal to you his love
made real in Christ Jesus.
And as we move from this time of worship
may that same Lord,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
remain with us
now and evermore.
Amen.

Acknowledgement: Scripture Readings are taken from the 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.

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Sunday 24th May 2020

Ascension
We gather for worship today in celebration of the Ascension of Christ. Just as this was a new experience to the disciples who witnessed these events so today our worship will bring us new experiences, in song.

Call to Worship (Psalm 68: 4)
Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds—
his name is the Lord—
be exultant before him.

HYMN 558 Lord, the light of your love is shining (Shine, Jesus, Shine)

Prayers
God of love,
light a flame of love in our hearts to you,
a flame of love to our families and friends,
a flame of love to our neighbours,
a flame of love to our enemies.

Son of the Mary,
light a flame of love in our hearts to all,
from the lowliest thing that lives,
to the Name that is highest of all.

God of life,
grant us your forgiveness.

We have been heedless in our thoughts,
cruel in our words,
shameful in our actions.
We are indifferent to a world made sad
by want and wastefulness;
we pass by on the other side
when we see our neighbour in need;
we wander from the way that leads to peace
in paths of our own pleasing.
God of life,
grant us your forgiveness.

silence

God of the new day and God of love,
you created us and you have redeemed us.
As you scatter the mist
from the hills,
banish the deeds of darkness
from the sons and daughters of your light.
Help us to know and believe
that, as the children of your love,
we are free to begin again;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God and Jesus and Spirit of wholeness,
as Three and as One,
shield us and save us,
possess us and aid us,
clear our path,
go before our souls
each step of the stormy world.

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures

Acts 1: 6-14
The Ascension of Jesus
So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

John 17: 1-11
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

HYMN 437 He is exalted

Reflection

Parting is such sweet sorrow

So says Juliet to Romeo in Act 2 of Shakespeare’s well known tragedy. However, in light of today’s Bible readings, we have to wonder if the disciples would have agreed with her. True, the contexts are different; she is bidding a good night to her lover, Romeo, whereas the disciples were in a very different, and much more complex, situation. Today is the nearest Sunday to the celebration of Ascension, and the disciples are once more being parted from their beloved Lord. They had already suffered his traumatic loss once before in the events that we now call Easter; yet their joy had been restored when the Risen Jesus had appeared to them not just once in the upper room but on a number of times and places. Each time he had been there to prepare them for the next stage of their faith journey. It hadn’t been long since he had been restored to them, and now he was being taken away once more. How must they have felt? What grief must they have known? How did they find the strength, and will, to go on?

Grief is something with which we are all acquainted. We will have experienced it through the death of a loved one, or the permanent breakdown of an important relationship. Today, though, we are also experiencing forms of loss that are new to us. We are experiencing loss as elements of our freedom are restricted; we fell hurt as elements of our culture are closed down; we experience estrangement as our social circles, our community, is prevented from meeting as we would prefer. Psychologists tell us that these are all recognised causes of grief, and more.

To return to the disciples, how did they cope in their grief? The answer lies, in part, in their faith heritage. To us the events of the Ascension are strange, but to the disciples they would have resonated with familiar stories. They would have been immediately drawn to the stories of the prophet Elijah; today we tend to think of him only in reference to either his encounter with the still, small, voice of God, or with his fatal encounter on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal. The disciples would also have been drawn to the story of the ascension, the rapture, of Elijah. In this story (to be found in II Kings) he is swept up into the presence of God rather than allowed to face natural death and decay. The disciples would have recognised not only this, but a number of other stories alongside, it that would have given them hope. They would have had hope that this parting was not the end, but the beginning of something new.

Moses spent forty days on the mountain; Elijah spent forty days on Mount Horeb; Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness; the disciples were prepared for forty days by the Risen Jesus. The disciples would have seen this pattern of preparation and growth. Moses and Elijah prepared disciples (Joshua and Elisha) to take on their ministry, and now Jesus had done the same. But the parallels do not end there; Joshua and Elisha also ‘inherited’ something of their former teacher. Importantly for the disciples, Elisha gained a double portion of the Spirit that had empowered Elijah; this enabled him to serve and do great things for God. Knowing these stories, the disciples would have been encouraged to view their position as similar; they would have been getting ready to move on with their mission.

We turn to ourselves. In our grieving for what, and who, we have lost during this pandemic what may we do to begin to look forward? Perhaps we can take our lead from the disciples, and look to this as a time when we can prepare ourselves to serve. We can ready ourselves to reach out to our community. We can become bearers of a message of grace and hope that strengthens others in difficult times. We can, ultimately, take this time to prepare ourselves for mission. And we begin, as did the disciples, in prayer.

Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

Let us pray for the Church,
the world, and one another.

For the Church we pray, the bright lamp of faith,
her ministers and people, and this parish.
May the King of angels protect her,
keep her, and save her.

For the world we pray, the creation of God,
its land and sea, its peace and prosperity.
May the Christ move through all the earth,
blessing it.

For those who are ill we pray,
and for those who suffer.
May the Good Shepherd
who knows and loves his sheep
make them whole and well, active and content.

For those who work we pray,
and for all who weave
the patterns of this world’s life.
May the King of grace
give to their labour
growth and substance,
until the day of gladness come.

For those we love, and for ourselves we pray.
May the guarding of God be theirs and ours,
until together we come
to the High King’s house in heaven,
in the name of Father, Son, and Spirit Holy.

God of surprises,
in every age you have called men and women
from security to danger,
from comfort to hardship,
from silence to speaking-out:
we honour you and we honour them.

We remember with gratitude and wonder
the impetuous fisherman,
the despised tax-collector,
the zealous persecutor,
and all the other friends
and witnesses of Christ,
who lived out what they heard and saw
and wrote for us the story of his life.

We remember with gratitude and wonder
those courageous souls
who first brought the Gospel to our shores,
and braved wild northern seas,
defied rocks and skerries,
crossed moorland and mountain,
to offer Christ to our ancient peoples.

We remember with gratitude and wonder
holy men and women of later days,
who made Christ’s presence bright
in word, and water, wine and bread;
and lit a flame of glory to his name
in places which became,
through praise and prayer,
beacons of hope and sanctuaries of his grace.

We remember with gratitude and affection
those who first led us to you,
parents, teachers, ministers,
men and women who worshipped with us;
and those we once loved here on earth.

We celebrate their faith-filled lives,
and pray that they may be
bright flames before us,
guiding stars above us,
smooth paths below us,
a sure defence behind us,
until we reach our home,
the court of Christ, the peace of heaven.
Amen.

HYMN 558 Lord, I lift your name on high

Acknowledgements
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)
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.
Prayers are based on those in the Church of Scotland Book of Common Order – Third Ed. (2005) – ©Panel on Worship of the Church of Scotland 1994

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Sunday 10th May 2020

Call to Worship (from Psalm 35: 9-10)
…. my soul shall rejoice in the Lord,
exulting in his deliverance.
All my bones shall say,
‘O Lord, who is like you?
You deliver the weak
from those too strong for them,
the weak and needy from those who despoil them.

HYMN 198 Let us build a house where love can dwell

Prayer
Our souls sing out a joyful song, our souls sing out
how great Thou art.
We consider the works You have made;
the stars of the night, the leaves of the trees,
the birds of the air, the oceans and streams.

Our souls sing out a mournful song,
our souls grieve before our God.
We consider the works our hands have made;
the warming of the planet, the rising of seas,
the wilting of the harvest, devastating communities.

Our souls sing out a contrite song,
our souls bow down low.
We regret the works our hands have made
the impact on the poorest, the livelihoods lost,
the deepening of poverty, the environmental and human cost.

Our souls sing out a penitent song,
our souls turn back to what is right.
We consider the good works our hands can make;
the words of justice we can speak, the acts of love we can give,
the hand of solidarity we can extend, for others to fully live.

Our souls sing out a hopeful song,
our souls look to the Lord, where our hope comes from.
We consider the works you call us to;
the love of our neighbour, the stewardship of the earth,
the flourishing of all creation, the wonder of its worth.
Amen

As our Risen Saviour taught us, so we pray:
Lord’s Prayer.

Scriptures:

I Peter 2: 2-10

Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation – if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:

‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’

To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner’,
and
‘A stone that makes them stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall.’

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.

John 14: 1-14
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going. ’Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’

Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

Common Ground #12 Be still for the presence of the Lord

Reflection

We often hear selected verses of John 14 at funerals. In the context of bereavement, these words become ones of threat or promise relating to eternal life understood as life after death, with or without Jesus. The passage is concerned with leaving and loss, as Jesus prepares his friends for his death and glorification. ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled’, he says. In John’s context, and ours, hearts are troubled and afraid. Isn’t this true to the human condition, especially as we become more aware of our own mortality and that of those we love? Is there a sense of grasping, a familiar troubled, human, need to hold on to something or someone? When Jesus and Mary meet in the garden (John 20) he engages with Mary’s understandable desire to hold on tight, encouraging her to let go. How do we respond to the conversation involving Jesus, Philip and Thomas? Are we troubled, puzzled, comforted, or something else? For us, how do the words of Jesus address his disciples’ questions?

John’s Gospel begins with the hymn of the Word become flesh, pitching his tent among us (this is the actual meaning of the Greek words that are usually translated, ‘became flesh’). The Word of life: everything that truly matters and matters truly, at once beneath and beyond all things. The word of Life: intimately at one with God and yet intimately at one with us. We live in an individualised, consumer culture, where daily we are invited to desire, own, consume, covet ever more stuff. Is it any surprise that we struggle not to perceive everything in that way, even our faith itself? Has it become another lifestyle accessory that we ‘need’, have or aspire to?

John’s gospel begins with a creative relationship, with God and God’s Word. The Word who became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus, the Word made human, who engages in relationships with the disciples and their situations. Thomas and Philip appear to be squinting off into the distance, as if they were peering off-stage. Jesus invites them to remain, to abide with the eternal in the here and now. He invites us to do the same. It is as if he was saying, “I am intimately related to my Father, here and now. You can be too.”

What is prayer, how do we pray? For what do we pray? If prayer is an expression of acquisitiveness, what would we pray for? If prayer is an expression of mutuality, what then would we pray for? If we enjoy a graceful, just and loving relationship with God, indwelling one another in God in Christ, then what kinds of things will we pray for?

Is Jesus a spiritual acquisition to be held tight? No, rather he is the one who invites us into deepening, growing, indwelling, life together. The Word of Life: the Way, the Truth and the Life, leading to the Father. It is this relationship with God, in Christ, that draws us to love our neighbour; this is equally true irrespective of whether our neighbour is stranger or known, friend or foe, near or far. It is this relationship with God, in Christ, that cries out to us to support the work of the agencies that stand up for the troubled and the fearful across our globe.

Whatever our response to these questions, the central fact is that Jesus embodies an intimate indwelling relationship with the God he calls upon as Father, and invites us and others to participate in his Way, his Truth, and his Life.
Amen.

Prayer

This prayer reflects Christian Aid’s focus on the Climate Emergency

‘There was a time when… the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.’ Martin Luther King Jr.

God of justice and love,
help us listen to our sisters and brothers
who are living with the reality of the climate emergency.

We pray for people who are hungry
because of failed harvests and dry river beds.
For people who are homeless
because of unpredictable and extreme weather,
for people who are struggling to make a living
in ever more challenging circumstances.

We pray alongside people everywhere
who show that another world is possible
through their words and actions.
We stand in solidarity with all those who are suffering.

Give us the strength we need
to play our part in restoring Your world
to act justly and to walk humbly.
May our love for our neighbours,
even for those far from us,
make known our love for You.

In the name of Christ,
Amen

HYMN 465 Be Thou my vision

Benediction

May God bless us with wonder at creation’s glory.
May God bless us with fury at creation’s spoiling.
May God bless us with courage at this critical hour.
And may the blessing of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
rest upon us and on all creation,
this day and for the future to come.
Amen

Acknowledgements:

Christian Aid Scotland Writing collective & Spill the Beans for the prayers, and basis of the reflection. Material published by the Church of Scotland.
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)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.

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Sunday 3rd May 2020

Call to Worship (from Psalm 96)
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvellous works among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.

HYMN 63 All people that on earth do dwell

Prayer
God of love and wisdom
we gather this day to give you thanks and praise;
we come before you to lift high Your holy name.
As this new day dawns
we once more experience your love
and mercy toward us.
You are our Good Shepherd,
calling us to be Your flock,
and leading us to times of refreshing.

Offering us your wisdom,
you seek only our trust and devotion.
God of love and wisdom,
Your holy name be praised.

Merciful Lord,
at times our lives lead us into places of shadow.
Although You are by our side we turn away;
although your love surrounds us we fear;
although you refresh and renew us
we turn and seek life elsewhere.
Forgive us; restore us; renew us.
Lead us in paths of Your choosing,
giving us hearts that will follow.

silence

Generous God,
we give thanks that You give of yourself for us.

ife-giving God,
we give thanks that you restore us each new day.Embracing God,
we give thanks that you surround us in Your love.
May we turn this day over to Your service;
may we love You and love our neighbour;
may we do this in the name of the Risen Jesus.
Amen

As our Risen Saviour taught us, so we pray:
Lord’s Prayer.

Scriptures:

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.

John 10:1-10
‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

HYMN 462 The King of love my shepherd is

Reflection

There’s an old saying that, ‘familiarity breeds contempt’. This refers to our relationships but it could be applied to Bible texts with which we are very familiar. Today’s readings are examples of this. For many of us the 23^rd Psalm is something that we often associate with funerals, especially when sung to the tune ‘Crimmond’; it’s not something that we immediately associate with living. In our urban environment we are somewhat estranged from traditional pastoral practices such as shepherding. Yet in our texts the imagery of sheep and shepherd have something to say to us.

In the times of both the author of the Psalm, and later in the time of Jesus, the role of shepherd was an important one even though it was often cast near the bottom of the social scale. As well as guiding sheep to safe pasture, he would also have to face up to predators and thieves; any losses would be deducted from the shepherd’s pay. Sheepfolds were enclosures without a gate, where the shepherd would block the entrance with his own body. This prevented the sheep escaping under cover of darkness. The shepherd had to be both strong and resourceful. It was in this way that Israel also viewed its kings and leaders. They had to be strong enough to command the respect of both the people and their neighbouring states, and resourceful enough to guide the people through times of both feast and famine.

Sheep have not fared so well in terms of reputation. Today, as in ancient times, they are viewed as not being the most intelligent of animals. A minister I know had formerly been a sheep farmer and he would share stories of the exploits of the flock. From his perspective sheep were not even as intelligent as the stories would credit them! Yet we are expected, in the imagery of the Bible, to become like sheep. We are expected to faithfully follow our Shepherd, trusting in his good intentions towards us.

As followers of Jesus, we are expected to fulfil not only the role of sheep but that of shepherd too. We are called to follow faithfully showing both trust and allegiance to our Shepherd, Jesus. Yet we are also called to set an example leading in the ways of Jesus; we are called to be shepherds. So how do we live as both follower and leader? We follow by seeking after our Lord in prayer; seeking him in the scriptures of the Bible; sharing in fellowship with others who follow Him; finally, we are to live our lives following his example. We are to lead, too, in a similar manner. We are to let His life live in us to the extent that we become examples that others would want to emulate; this isn’t to seek praise for ourselves but for Him.

In this, the second month of lockdown in our country, we need to learn to be both sheep and shepherd. We need to learn to follow God’s wisdom that will guide us as we live for the good of all, both near and far. We need to learn to lead, setting an example of what it means to love our neighbour as ourselves. During the First World War there was the famous poster with the proclamation, ‘Your Country Needs you’. Today our world needs you, not to fight in the trenches but to be both sheep and shepherd.

Prayers of thanksgiving and intercession

Lord, our Shepherd, we come to You in need;
our world, our communities, and ourselves stand before You.

We pray for our world.
In a time of disease, wars and conflicts continue;
in a time of fear, hunger touches millions.
You call your people to be both sheep and shepherd;
guide and inspire us that we may reach out,
that we may reach out in mercy;
that we may reach out in love;
that we may reach out in grace,
that our world may know healing,
healing that comes only from You.

silence

We pray for our communities.
In a time of lockdown, many are lonely;
In a time of challenge, many struggle.You call your people to be both sheep and shepherd;
guide and inspire us that we may reach out,
that we may reach out in compassion,
that we may reach out in peace,
that we may reach out in hope,
that our communities may know unity,
unity that comes only from You.

silence

We pray for ourselves.
In a time of change, we feel overwhelmed;
in a time of uncertainty, we feel frightened.
You call each of us to be both sheep and shepherd;
guide us and inspire us we pray.
Guide each of us that we may follow You more closely;
guide each of us that we may love You more dearly;
guide each of us that we may see You more clearly,
that we may feel Your loving presence,
and walk in Your ways all of our days.
Amen.

HYMN 644 O Jesus, I have promised!

Benediction

May we know the power of the Christ,
risen victorious over all evil.May we know the love of the Christ,
driving out all fear.
May we know the life of the Christ,
bringing eternity to each day.
Amen.

Acknowledgements/Copyright Information
Scripture readings courtesy of:
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)
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.

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Sunday 19th April 2020

How to use this order of service:
This service makes use of pre-recorded materials enabling you to make use of it at whatever time of day, and at whatever pace, suits you. Don’t immediately print it off, rather keep it on your screen so that you may access the hymns at the click of a mouse. When you click on any of the links you’ll be taken to the appropriate video on Youtube; once you are there simply press play. You are then free to listen or join in as you see fit. After each video ends simply switch back to the order of service and pick up where you left off.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 113)
Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time on and for evermore.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
the name of the Lord is to be praised.

HYMN 459 Crown him with many crowns

Prayers of approach and confession

Let us pray:

Glorious God of all,
You are the giver of new life,
You are the one to whom we owe each breath,
You are the reason for our hope.
Send your enlivening spirit, be present with us as we come close to You,
seeking Your light to see what has been revealed
seeking Your warmth to set hearts aglow with Your love
seeking Your truth, that we might trust.
As we proclaim the Easter gospel, that in You is life which conquers death, make us anew Your beloved children.

Merciful God,
We confess that too often we have lived lives of those not worthy to be called Your children.
Though You are light, we have preferred to lurk in shadow,
though You are truth, we have made idols of lies and falsehood,
though You are love, we have been hard of heart.
Too often You show us the Way, and we have wandered far off course.
We turn to You with repentant hearts, and seek Your forgiveness.
We lay claim to your promise, and pray that You will transform us, re-make us, that we will live as Your children, and by word, thought and deed, we might lead lives worthy of subjects within Your kingdom of love, peace and mercy.
Amen

Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures

I Peter 1: 3-9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

John 20: 19-31

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’

Jesus and Thomas

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’

The Purpose of This Book

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

HYMN 596 Breathe of me, breath of God

Reflection

Behind closed doors

Behind closed doors; that’s where we find the disciples today as we continue to reflect upon the events around the resurrection of Jesus. Behind closed doors out of fear of the populace and the authorities. Yet one is missing; Thomas is not there. We do not know where he was or what he was doing, and so he misses the appearance of the risen Jesus. His absence, and his response on hearing the news from his brethren, leads to how we generally think of him. Thomas is forever remembered as the ‘doubter’. He sought evidence for what he was told but had not seen, and for that he gets a bad name yet the others had seen; the others had evidence.

The reputation gained by Thomas isn’t really fair. He was no worse than the others. After all, Peter could open his mouth and put both feet in it (think of the three denials of Jesus) whereas brothers James and John could probably start a fight in an empty room (they jostled for the best positions in the coming kingdom). Don’t forget, either, that Judas was a disciple too.

But let’s stand back from the reputation of Thomas for a moment, and look and the context. The disciples were in hiding; if they had gone out they could have been arrested, flogged, beaten, and possibly executed. Hiding was the wise thing to do. Staying behind closed doors offered them safety. It must have been hard for them. Having spent at least three years out on the road with Jesus travelling the land and encountering so many people their current isolation must have been hard. They would, however, have needed to eat so someone would have had to go out for provisions. Although, culturally, that would have been a woman’s role perhaps, on this occasion, Thomas had picked up the task. To go out in twos or threes would have increased the chance of their being recognised, and facing the dire consequences. It was safer for all for just one to go.

We naturally consider the disciples’ hiding to be a bad thing, but is that necessarily the case? It was, after all, in hiding that the risen Jesus came to them. Their moment of awakening as they realise the resurrection is real takes place behind closed doors. It doesn’t take place in the noise and tumult of the market place or street or playground but in the effectual solitude of the locked room.

Today many of us are, like the disciples, in behind closed doors. Like the disciples we may be experiencing fear however unlike them it is not of persecution but due to the current circumstances. For safety we cannot all go out at once but one of us could go out to get provisions. But might we allow the restrictions placed upon us free us for something else? I do not mean being freed up to replace one activity with another but freeing us to be present and available to God. What if, as our daily patterns and practices are changed, we allow ourselves space to encounter God and to have our own epiphanies; what if we have our own encounters with the risen Christ?

Behind closed doors the disciples encounter the risen Christ; perhaps, behind our closed doors, we too may encounter him.

Amen.

Prayers of thanksgiving and intercession

Let us pray:
God of bountiful blessing,
we thank You for the promise of Jesus Christ,
who is the Life by which we live,
and the perfection of Your holy glory.
We thank You for the faith to believe that which we have not seen,
and for Your mercy upon us as we clumsily grasp the significance of Your love.
We thank You for Your sustaining strength as we try to lead lives which reflect Your glory,
and for Your ever-present Spirit as our guide, helper and advocate.
With thankful hearts we give You praise.
We offer our prayers for those whom we trust will be fed by Your goodness:
who will be nourished by Your presence.

We pray for all people around the world in fear of such violence:
acts of war and destruction committed in the midst of peaceful civilian lives.

Where terror has a grip, where violence dominates,
Lord, bring justice, bring peace.

We pray for those who know the harshness of natural disaster;
where lives are lost in unpredictable catastrophe.
Where floods ruin crops, where there will be no bountiful harvest this year;
we pray for generosity and provision for all Your people.

We pray for those who are of poor health.
We pray for those known to us, where poor health prevents full living;
where pain is a daily reality; where frailty causes bodies to falter.
Lord, give healing, give comfort, give perseverance.

We pray for those who mourn:
those who mourn lives that have been lost;
long lives well lived, which have come to an end;
and lives which had still much promise and feel to us to have ended far, far too soon.
We trust each life to You, saving God,
and we trust that each soul finds its home in Your eternal love;
but for those who mourn, who know any loss;
give comfort, give reassurance,
give Your gentle presence in the lives of us still living.

We pray for all those growing:
for young people who so often are at the heart of a story of faith that we can overlook.
We trust them to Your nurturing, and we pray that all those involved in the lives of young people and children
will empower them to flourish today and tomorrow.

We lift all of these things to You now
Offering the prayers of our own hearts; trusting them to You now
in a moment of quietness

[PAUSE for silent prayer]

In all our prayers, we pray trusting in Your sure and certain promise,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

HYMN 465 Be Thou My Vision

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY54pCBs-1o

Benediction

Behind closed doors
Jesus is waiting.
Behind closed doors
Jesus is calling.
Do not be afraid,
Jesus is with you.
Amen.

Copyright Information
Church of Scotland for Prayers from ‘Weekly Worship’Scripture readings courtesy of:
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)
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.

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New Minister

We are delighted to welcome the Rev Alex McAspurren as the minister of the linked charge of Craigmillar Park and Reid Memorial, following his induction on 11 June 2019.

Mr McAspurren was ordained in 2002 and has served in parishes in Edinburgh, Stevenston and Corby. He has a qualification in substance misuse management and a long-standing interest in homelessness and addiction issues. He has been involved with Street Pastors and with local foodbanks, is a member of the Church of Scotland’s Society, Religion and Technology Project, is a recognised mentor for people exploring their call to ministry and is an occasional radio and television broadcaster on faith issues. We are very much looking forward to working with Mr McAspurren and with our friends in Reid Memorial and Priestfield Churches on developing a mission project for this part of Edinburgh.

There is much to be done and we face the future with faith and gratitude that God has shown us a way forward.

Mr McAspurren will lead worship in both congregations every Sunday, at 9.45 in Craigmillar Park and at 11.15 in Reid Memorial. Visitors are always made most welcome.

HYMN 202 Stand up and bless the Lord

Prayer

Scriptures:

HYMN 606 Lord, you sometimes speak in wonders

Reflection:

HYMN 405 We sing the praise of him who died

Prayers

HYMN 465 Be thou my Vision

Benediction:

Sung Amen

HYMN 110 Glory be to God the Father

Prayer with Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures:

HYMN 484 Great God, your love has called us here (St. Petersburg)

Reflection:

HYMN 188 Thou hidden Love of God, whose height (Melita)

Prayers:

HYMN 624 In Christ there is no east or west (Kilmarnock)

Benediction:

Sung Amen

HYMN 111 Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty

Prayer:

Scriptures:

HYMN 457 All hail the power of Jesus’ Name!

Reflection:

HYMN 500 Lord of creation, to you be all praise

Prayers:

HYMN 441 Blessing and honour and glory and power

Benediction

Sung Amen

HYMN 436 Christ triumphant, ever reigning

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer:

Scriptures:

HYMN 598 Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire

Reflection:

HYMN 668 According to thy gracious word

Prayers:

HYMN 352 O for a thousand tongues, to sing

Benediction:

Sung Amen

HYMN 124 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Prayer

Scriptures

HYMN 462 The King of Love my shepherd is

Reflection

HYMN 189 Be Still

Prayers

HYMN The Lord’s My Shepherd (I will trust in you)

Benediction

HYMN 74 Not to us be glory given (Psalm 115)

Prayer c/w Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures:

HYMN 277 Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes

Reflection:Psalm 23 in an Age of Terror

HYMN 547 What a friend we have in Jesus

Prayers:

HYMN 173 Sing to God new songs of worship

Benediction:

HYMN 210 Awake my soul and with the sun

Prayer:

Scriptures:

HYMN 355 You, Lord, are both Lamb and Shepherd

Reflection:

HYMN 557 O Love that wilt not let me go

Prayers:

HYMN 468 Son of God, eternal Saviour

Benediction:

HYMN 739 The Church’s one foundation

Prayer c/w Lord’s Prayer

Scriptures:

HYMN 14 The Lord’s my ShepherdThis is a modern version of Psalm 23, arranged and performed by Stuart Townend.

Reflection:

HYMN 745 How bright these glorious spirits shine!

Prayers:

HYMN 738 Glorious things of thee are spoken

Benediction:

Sung Amen

Call to Worship: Psalm 30:4-5

HYMN 423 I know that my Redeemer lives

Prayer:

Reflection:
Psalm 23 in an Age of Terror

HYMN 14 The Lord’s my Shepherd
This is a modern version of Psalm 23, arranged and performed by Stuart Townend.