We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the 4th Sunday of Lent.
We gather together to worship our loving, nurturing God, who, like a mother, knows us intimately, loves us unconditionally, teaches us the way we should go, and comforts us in times of need. Hymn 694 – Brother, sister let me serve you Prayer of Adoration and Confession Gracious God,Great and wonderful are your works!Where there is darkness, you bring light.Where there is sadness, you speak words of hope. Where there is despair, you bring new possibilities. Stir us with your Spirit, O God, in this time of worship. Awaken a sense of joy and reverence within us as we offer you our songs and our silence, our prayers and praises, for you are our God. Mothering God, embrace us in your fierce love, enfold us in your protective care, Calm our anxious worrying and quieten our teeming minds. Still us, body, mind and spirit, to rest in you. Merciful God,Even as we praise you, we are aware of our failures as your disciples. We take your love and acceptance of us for granted.We are often careless with our relationships,more focused on ourselves than on you or those around us. Forgive us. Awaken our spirit of commitment and compassion, so we may serve you more faithfully, day by day. Friends in Christ, by grace we have been saved through faith. Know that God forgives you and forgive one another. So may the peace of Christ be with you. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Numbers 21: 4-9 (Pg 158) John 3: 14-21 (pg 1066) Hymn 181 – For the beauty of the earth Weekly Prayer Father God, as we celebrate Mothering Sunday today, help us reflect your love for us, love in our families, our church and our community. May we be true followers of your son Jesus Christ, lifted high on the Cross so that all who believe might have life eternal. Amen Sermon Have you any phobias? Is there anything you are really scared of, to the point of your legs turning to jelly or that you have to hide behind the couch? I remember some people who were scared of thunder and lightening, for example. Some people don’t like fire or heights; for so many these days, there are certain foods which they react against or which they couldn’t even look at. I can eat almost anything, apart from okra, which admittedly you don’t get much in this country, but cooked the African way becomes really slimy. But one big phobia would be snakes. Even now, if I snake comes on television, I close my eyes, switch it off, get out of the room. That said, when I was in Africa, just shortly after I arrived, I saw a long black snake outside my house, and I didn’t freak out, but the very fact of facing the thing that terrified me actually helped me. Which brings us to this strange story in the book of Numbers. It is a story we would probably avoid, but it is in the lectionary simply because Jesus refers to it in the Gospel. Jesus had been in the wilderness, tempted by Satan, but he resisted the temptations. The Israelites were in the wilderness, but they fell straight into temptation – and they whined and they complained. Complained about the lack of water, complained about the boring manna – remember the melons and cucumbers we had in Egypt, they said. Maybe life in slavery wasn’t too bad after all. Even when they were brought to the verge of the Promised Land, they heard from the spies they sent out that the inhabitants were like giants, and maybe they had a phobia of giants, but they didn’t trust in Moses and they didn’t trust in God. And in this story today, poisonous snakes were sent and bit them, and many died. They realised that their complaining had led them here, so they went to Moses, asking for help. The outcome was the making of the bronze snake on a pole. The snakes didn’t go away, but if they were bitten, the people had to look at the bronze snake, and they would be healed. It was an antidote to the venom, you could say. The story and a God who punished the people with snakes doesn’t quite fit into our idea of a loving, caring God. But there is a psychological aspect to the story, for it is sometimes strengthening to confront what fears us, to face the things that somehow diminish us. Lent is a time for self-examination and we can identify things which hold us back from fullness of life in God’s service and seek to do something about it. In Kings we read how Hezekiah got rid of the bronze snake from the |temple, because people had turned it into an idol. But in John’s Gospel we hear Jesus referring to the story, of how the snake on the pole was lifted high to bring healing, and how he himself would be lifted up also to bring salvation. He was of course referring to the Cross and how he would be nailed to the cross and it lifted up for all to see. A terrible sight of suffering and agony, yet by his death we are healed, we are saved. Here we get a glimpse into the heart of God, a God who loved the world so much, he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. That wonderful verse from chapter 3, verse 14. One of the most beloved verses in the Bible. So, as the Israelites looked to the bronze serpent, we can gaze at the cross this season of Lent. We are not asked to do anything heroic, but simply gaze and see what God has done for us on the cross, behold the crucified Christ, arms outstretched, embracing the world. The Son of God is lifted up before us, and somehow we are drawn into the scope of his salvation. And we see love is at the heart of God. Love for the world. Love for you and me. Today is Mothering Sunday and we think of a mother’s love, whether it be a mother or an auntie or a granny or a lollipop woman – or someone like Rio Ferdinand, a macho footballer, whose wife died and who had to bring up their three children and be a father and a mother to them, discovering new sides to his personality he wasn’t aware of before. So God is a parent to us: Isaiah says: Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! Hosea says: It was I who taught Ephraim to walk and took them up into my arms. I led them with cords of kindness; I bent down and fed them. Jesus says: How often have I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings… For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, should not perish but have everlasting life. Hymn 549 – How deep the father’s love Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise him all creatures here below Praise him above, ye heavenly host, Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost Loving God, we thank you for the gift of motherhood and for the many examples of faithful mothers in scripture, like Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth, Mary, and Lois. We give thanks for mothers the world over. We celebrate all those who have nurtured and cared for us, remembering especially mothers, stepmothers, aunts, grandmothers, teachers, neighbours, and all women who have mothered us. We celebrate today our mothers who bore us and cradled us as infants. We also remember mothers who have lost their children through illness or violence, whose tears still flow from their broken hearts. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well We remember families who are separated and those exiled from the land of their birth by frontiers, by barbed wire, and by war’s violence. We pray for all mothers who are struggling to be the parent they want to be. We remember those who through choice or circumstance cannot be mothers. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well We express gratitude to our spiritual mothers and fathers who guided us throughout life, modelling for us the love of God. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well We give thanks for our Mother Church; for our experience of being loved by a family that is as wide and broad as the human race. Creator God we thank you for always holding us in the palm of your hand. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well Silence All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well Hymn 167 – Guide me, O thou great Jehovah Benediction
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We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Linton (11.15) on the 3rd Sunday of Lent.
Call to Worship The heavens are telling out the glory of God The firmament proclaims God’s handiwork. The law of the Lord revives the soul May God’s teaching bring wisdom in our worship Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts Be acceptable in your sight, O Lord Hymn 212 – Morning has broken Prayer of Adoration and Confession God of majesty and mercy, you set the whirling cosmos in motion and call all creatures into being. Mountains and molehills alike speak of your majesty, for no detail misses your care and attention. You know each of us by name, and make yourself known to those who seek you. We gather in your presence to listen for your wisdom for our times and our lives. To you, O God, we offer all honour and glory in our prayers and our praise this day and every day, now and always. Wise and welcoming God, You are always seeking us out, yet we confess we are easily distracted from your presence. We envy those who are successful in the world’s terms, and pursue our own desires. We fail to question the cost of our desires to the earth or those in need. Forgive us, O God. Re-awaken us to your purposes and re-ignite our commitment to pursue them for the sake of Jesus Christ Brothers and sisters in Christ, here is the good news: God loves and values us and forgives what is past. Trust in your hearts the promise of new life and proclaim with your lips the goodness of God. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Exodus 20 : 1-17 (Pg 77) John 2: 13-22 (pg 1065) Hymn 360 – Jesus Christ is waiting (vv 1,2,5) Weekly Prayer Everlasting God, help us to feel your presence as we worship You and You only. Mindful of the Commandments that you gave to Moses, we pray that you would be worshiped above all else. Grant us the strength to reject all the idolatry of our secular world. Amen. Sermon In the National Gallery in Edinburgh there are many wonderful pictures, including a stunning new gallery for Scottish art. Some pictures stand out like the Monarch of the Glen, Landseer’s picture of a majestic stag. But somehow even more iconic is the picture of a minister skating on Duddingston Loch. He skates so effortlessly, seemingly without a care in the world, though I am sure that wasn’t the case. It reminds me of a story about a Dutch pastor, who had two churches, and after he finished the first service would go across country to the next church. But the winter was hard, and snow blocked the route overland. So the pastor took his skates and skated along the frozen canals to arrive at the other church. Afterwards the elders called the minister, who thought they might congratulate him on his ingenuity. But no, they expressed their concern that he had broken the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy. They debated the issue, and in the end decided that is was fine to skate, as long as he didn’t enjoy himself while skating. They had misunderstood the commandment, but maybe we all misunderstand the commandments. The Israelites had fled Egypt and were at Mt Sinai, and Moses went up the mountain, and when he eventually came down he brought the 10 commandments. God was providing the framework of how they would live as a community, as a society. The first 3 commands were ‘vertical’, you could say, relating to how they would interact with God, while the rest were ‘horizontal’, dealing with how the Israelites related to their neighbour. Most of the laws were common to other societies around them. Do not kill, do not steal, don’t commit adultery. You would find these laws in Egypt, in Mesopotamia. But some were unique, such as worshipping God and God alone, whereas in Egypt there had been many gods, you could take your pick. But maybe the most radical was to keep the Sabbath holy. The Dutch elders maybe thought it was about going to church and doing little else, and we can think about the Sabbath in that way too. But for people who had been slaves in Egypt, who had worked all day, every day, the prospect of a day off was very radical. It still is, with all the mental health issues of today, we need time to recharge our batteries to rest, as well as to worship. Of course, over time these 10 laws were developed to cover all sort of situations the Israelites might find themselves in, just as our laws do today, reflecting the culture and values of today, the role of women in society comes to mind. In time, as the Israelites settled, the worship of God became centred on the temple in Jerusalem, where sacrifices were made, and there were rules about what to sacrifice and when. The Temple should have been a place where people could feel close to God. But in our Gospel reading, we find that this was not the case when Jesus went to the Temple in John’s Gospel. It was like a market place, full of the clamour of buying and selling. There were various booths, changing money into Temple currency and selling animals and birds for the various sacrifices. In seeing it, Jesus was filled with righteous anger, that God’s house should be defiled in this way. What’s more, they had taken over the Courtyard of the Gentiles, so they were depriving people, excluded from other parts of the Temple, space from worshipping, and Jesus proceeded to overturn their tables and drive them out. It seems out of character with the gentle Jesus meek and mild image we sometimes have, but he felt strongly that God was being dishonoured. Similarly, there are so many injustices in our world, and over the centuries and indeed today many Christians have channelled their frustration with injustice to reform society and keep it more in line with the vision of Christ’s kingdom. So may we live our lives, seeking to live out God’s commandments and overturn the barriers of fear and injustice and manipulation and greed and build a society where love and respect and compassion hold sway, build the Kingdom of God. Hymn 535 – Who would true valour see Prayers of Dedication & Intercession As offer ourselves in service to the work of the Kingdom, so we bring our gifts of money, time and energy, offering all that we are, for the sake of Christ. Loving God, we thank you for the world you created, its beauty and its life sustaining promise. When we breathe in fresh air and enjoy the outdoors, remind us of our partnership with you to care for creation. As spring comes and the sun shines longer each day, reawaken our hope in your promise of new life. Ever present God, thank you for walking with us through days of uncertainty as well as times of pleasure and satisfaction. In times of stress and worry, you provide a still point of calm. In times of challenge, you inspire courage and confidence in us. Thank you for the wisdom and encouragement we receive from you. Today we pray for those who find this year hard going, For those worrying about making ends meet, and for those concerned about the way the world is going. Give us all peace and patience through your love. We pray for all churches searching for new ways to worship and witness in a changing culture. Keep us strong in faith and fellowship, and make us creative agents of healing and hope in our communities. We pray for our nation and the nations of this world. Raise up leaders the with courage, wisdom, and compassion to confront the challenges of these times. We pray for innocent victims of violence around the world. Work through advocates for peace with justice to bring an end to conflict, to inspire change where it is needed, and offer daily bread to those whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted. And we pray for all those who are enduring pain and illness, those who are facing grief and loss, and those who work to relieve suffering in so many ways. Grant rest and renewal to all who find their situations exhausting. Be our comfort and encouragement day by day. Amen Hymn 396 – And can it be Benediction We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the 2nd Sunday of Lent. We celebrate communion.
Call to Worship How shall we come before our God? We come to celebrate God’s goodness As we worship, what does the Lord require of us? God calls us to do justice and to love kindness. As we serve, what does the Lord require of us? God calls us to walk and worship in humility Hymn 160 – Praise my soul, the King of heaven Prayer of Adoration and Confession Loving God, you speak words of life to us. In you we find our hearts’ desire; by your grace we are saved. When the way forward is unclear, you shed light. When times are difficult, you stir courage and hope. Our deepest longing is to know you, and to be known by you. Draw near to us in our time of worship, O God, and open the way before us, so that we may follow Jesus without wavering, putting our trust in him. Although following you brings joy, O God, we confess the way is sometimes hard for us. We get tired and would prefer an easier road. Some days the task of loving others seems hard, and we ignore the needs of our neighbours. Forgive us when our commitment to you wavers, and we take that easier path. Strengthen our determination to follow where you lead and renew our energy to serve in Jesus’ name. Amen Readings – Genesis 17: 1–7, 15-16 (Pg 16) Mark 8: 31-8 (pg 1012) Hymn 392 – When I survey the wondrous cross Weekly Prayer Gracious God, during this period of Lent, give us a new awareness of your presence here in our Cheviot Churches and teach us the humility to accept that everything we have comes from you. Help us never to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ and let us be useful in His service to your people. Amen Sermon The Galilee Employment Agency had been given a challenge – to identify someone to fill the number 2 spot in a new organisation headed by one, Jesus of Nazareth. There were twelve candidates, but some were quickly discounted because they lacked profile. The report highlighted the various strengths and weaknesses before making their conclusion. James and John, for example, had their strengths but were seen as overly ambitious and with a dominating, interfering mother. Andrew, despite being one of the first members of the organisation and good at teamwork, was deemed to be too content to be in the background and lacked the leadership skills necessary. Simon was too impulsive and outspoken, lacking the diplomacy needed for the role. But the report concluded that the person most suited to the post, with financial acumen and contacts in high places, was Judas Iscariot. Sometimes we do choose the wrong people for particular jobs, and that is why the interviewing panel needs to have the right information and most crucially a job description where some attributes are deemed essential and others desirable, perhaps not essential, but they would be quite nice to have anyway. But what about a job description for being a Christian, what would be the essentials? What would be the desirable things that would go on that list? Perhaps in the essential list you might have things like a certain set of beliefs, perhaps a particular view of faith and trust in Christ, perhaps a life of prayer, of study of scripture, or perhaps it's more about being compassionate, kind and loving, having a real sense of integrity. These would all be essential. But what about the readiness to deny yourself and take up the cross? Would that be on your list? Some scholars when they examine Mark’s Gospel see that in the first half, Mark explores who Jesus is and what he was like. And the second half is about how we respond to Christ? And we see that through the lens of the disciples as they follow Christ. And here at the pivot point as we change from being in the first half to the second half of Mark's Gospel, as we change from concentrating on who Jesus is to how we might respond, we get this little passage in which Jesus seems to lay down for us the job description of what it means to be a disciple. To deny ourselves. As we mentioned last week, as we journey through Lent, we often give up something as a discipline, a self-sacrifice. We are somehow making space to focus more on God. In the Bible when people focused on God, they were sometimes so transformed they were given a new name. Jacob became Israel; Simon became Peter’ Saul became Paul. Sarai and Abram became Sarah and Abraham. When we focus on God we too can be transformed. But we are also called to take up the cross. We all have crosses to bear, be they small or large, be they illnesses or anxieties. For many in our world to bear the name of Christ can lead to persecution and suffering and even death. Today at Communion we focus on the extent of Christ’s love for us that he would endure suffering and death on the cross for us, that we might be saved, know the fullness of God’s love. That gives us the strength and encouragement to carry the cross. Our response is to follow. To follow Christ means showing that integrity to the world, that in seeing us, people may know that we are Christians. Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Lord Jesus, you challenge your followers to give to God like you did, without counting the cost. Use these gifts to continue your ministry of healing in this hurting world. And grant us courage so that our lives speak to others of our love for you and for them’ Loving God, as descendants of Abraham we offer our prayers; for a world in turmoil, as we think of the many places in the world that are in the grip of war, oppression and tyranny. We pray for peace; in Gaza, Ukraine, Yemen and all countries where there is conflict. We pray too, for those whose lives are forfeit or endangered by hostile regimes: that kill or imprison those who dare oppose dangerous leaders. We remember the family of Alexi Navalny and all those who supported his views. Loving God, we pray for our own country and our particular communities; for peaceful relationships amongst diverse people. May we always seek for common ground and agreement rather than difference and argument. We pray for all affected by the increase in knife crime which has claimed too many young lives recently. Loving God, we pray for all who are sick in body or mind; for those who face the increasing challenges of an aging body; for those who have recently received a tough diagnosis; for those with life-limiting conditions. In a moment of silence, we name those most on our hearts this day. Loving God, we pray for ourselves, for our friends and our families; May we ever seek to be brave enough to answer the challenge to take up the cross and walk with you; to seek your ways, not our own and to remember that you have promised to be with us, always. Amen Invitation Lent is not simply a time for temporary self-discipline. It is time to refashion our relationship with God and to be refashioned by God’s strength and grace. This meal is the gift of that strength and grace and reminds us there will always be enough for everyone who seeks a place at this table. So come, you who have much faith and you who have a little, you who have been here often and you who have not been for a long time.Our Saviour invites all those who trust his grace to share this feast as a foretaste of his kingdom. Hymn 19 – Ye gates Communion Hymn 518 – Lift up your hearts Benediction We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the first Sunday of Lent. Please stay for refreshments after the Yetholm service.
Call to Worship We are beginning our journey through Lent. God is with us on the way. We come to find light in the shadows and strength in our weakness. We remember God’s faithfulness. We seek God’s mercy and truth step by step, day by day. We trust in God’s steadfast love, so we worship with grateful hearts! Hymn 93 – Let us with a gladsome mind Prayer of Adoration and Confession Good and gracious God, Creator of earth and sky, Maker of rainbows and raindrops, we praise you for the beauty of the world us, and for the hope of life with you now and always. We praise you for your faithfulness and loving kindness throughout all generations, for your promise of grace, for your compassion and redemption revealed to us in Christ Jesus. Receive our prayers and praises this day and teach us how to live by your love. Wise and Merciful God, you made a covenant with us in faithfulness, but we confess we are not always so faithful to you. We grow tired and restless when things don’t go our way. We lose patience with others. We lack compassion for our neighbours in need, and forget to express love for those closest to us. Forgive us. Make us prisms of your love, making rainbows of your light, creating beauty and deepening hope wherever we go. Jesus says, ‘Do not be afraid. I love you. You are forgiven. Go sin no more’ Lord’s Prayer Readings – Genesis 9:8–17 (Pg 10) Mark 1: 9-15 (pg 1002) Hymn 337 – Forty days and forty nights Weekly Prayer Heavenly Father, help us to see this time of Lent as an opportunity to develop our discipleship and discipline and as your Son Jesus showed us how to reject temptation, fill us with grace to be faithful to his example in this Lenten season and the years ahead. Amen Sermon Satan had a problem. The Good news of Jesus was just too popular, and people were being changed by the message and the truth it contained. They were paying less attention to Satan. Now I think there was something of the Presbyterian in Satan, for what did he do, but call a meeting. He called all his demons and presented the problem to them. ‘How do we stop people listening to the good news Jesus offers. What lie can we tell them to confuse them. I will give you 48 hours to come up with a plan’, he said. So 48 hours later they reconvened, and Satan asked them what they had come up with. One demon immediately said, We can tell the people that there is no such thing as right, then no-one will be inspired to do anything good or beautiful, for nothing is right. But Satan wasn’t convinced. But then a shy demon raised his hand and said, ‘Let us just tell humans that there is no hurry’. Satan clapped his hands and said, ‘Perfect. We will tell them that there is no hurry.’ And we humans have been listening to that lie ever since. There is plenty of time to change, to do what Jesus is asking of me. But there is no hurry. I will be more serious about prayer, I will volunteer, I will up my giving - but there is always tomorrow. We keep procrastinating, and we are all very good at it. But this is the 1st Sunday of Lent, and Mark’s Gospel tells us that there is a hurry. Whereas Matthew and Luke go into a lot of detail about the temptations, Mark is terse and leaves a lot to the imagination, but in these few verses Jesus goes from baptism to temptation to ministry. It leaves you out of breath. There is a Greek phrase he uses, kai euthys, which means ‘and immediately, and Mark uses this phrase 49 times. There is a real sense of urgency. There is no procrastination in Mark. We start at the Jordan River, where Jesus has come to be baptised by John. Like at the Transfiguration last week, there is a voice from heaven, affirming ‘You are my beloved son. With you I am well pleased’. What special words. It is what every child longs to hear – that they are loved, that they are special, that they are valued, that they belong. Sometimes we can be shy of telling our children or the people around us that they are special. Valentine’s day last week maybe saw an increase in people sending cards or flowers to loved ones, but we should be doing it all the time. As children of God, we need to know that we are loved by God and by our brothers and sisters in the faith. Dripping wet still from being immersed in the Jordan, Jesus is ‘immediately’ driven by the Spirit to the wilderness. No time to revel in the words spoken at baptism, but Jesus rather finds himself in the wilderness for 40 days, biblical shorthand for a very long time. The season of Lent lasts 40 days to represent this time in the desert. We remember how the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years; it was a place of trial and danger. They were tempted to complain about the boring manna from heaven; to worship the Golden calf; to ignore Moses’ leadership, and they fell straight into these temptations. The desert is a dangerous place, but Jesus spent time struggling no doubt with who he was and the way he had to go, but although the temptation to go back to the carpenter shop in Nazareth and a normal life must have been strong, he resisted it. Mark’s story about the temptations is so short, but it ends with a lovely phrase that wild animals were with him, and angels ministered to him. There is a picture by Stanley Spencer of Jesus in the wilderness playing with a scorpion. Did the dangerous animals become tame like the lions in Daniel’s den? Our Old Testament reading was the culmination of the Flood story, when the animals went two by two into the ark and seemed not to fight. But the reading was of the gift of the rainbow, God’s love letter in the sky. It was a sign that God would not destroy the earth again – though we do a jolly good job ourselves. Jesus’ time in the wilderness gave him the strength to go ‘immediately’ to Galilee to offer a new start for all humanity. Satan’s lie was to say that there was no hurry, but Jesus gives the message of God’s love, and we are called to respond, not to shove it into a safe place called ‘tomorrow’. As we begin this season of Lent, let us know ourselves beloved children of God, but let us show it by acting out the Gospel here and now. Hymn 557 – O love that wilt not let me go Prayers of Dedication God of courage and compassion, we bring our gifts to you in Jesus’ name. This year the world badly needs both his courage and compassion. Bless our gifts so that they bring hope to others in these challenging times. Amen. Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession As we enter this holy season, Lord God, we give you thanks for your promise of new life that sustains us, encouraging us when in the trials and tribulations of life. We come with our thanks for all the good things; for the beauty of the natural world, glimpsed in mountains and sunsets, and in the abundance of snowdrops and the stirring of spring bulbs; for the warmth of human love, whenever we find it and whoever we are stirred to love; for the thrill of discovery and curiosity, of new things learned and gifts we can share; for the pleasures of life, known in laughter and company, in good food and the tiredness of a fulfilling day. For all that merits our heartfelt thanks, we express now our gratitude and joy. In sorrow, we recognise that life is not always joy, and that many; human beings, creatures and all things, may suffer injury, hurt, and pain. We pray for all those who do not ever see much beauty; those in prison, or working in buildings with little light, people deep in depression or those abused by others. We pray for those who live in the pain of grief, or who have suffered such a trauma that they are afraid, for all whose days feel beyond their control. We pray for those for whom hunger is physical and painful, those made poor by ruthless economies or cruel wars, all enslaved to hard and relentless labour. God of the garden and the desert, of all pain and every joy, be with each of us in the wild places and send your angels to bless us. Give us grace and courage too, to accompany those in any kind of wilderness and to offer blessings where we can. We offer these prayers, in the name of Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, Amen. Hymn 519 – Love divine Benediction As we begin our journey through the season of Lent, May God’s loving kindness comfort you, God’s justice inspire you, And Jesus walk beside you in humility and hope. We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the last Sunday of Epiphany. Please stay for refreshments after the Yetholm service.
Call to Worship God said, “Let light shine in the darkness!” Lord, shine your light into our lives. We see God’s glory in the face of Christ. The light of Christ is with us day by day. Let us follow the light of Christ together. Let us worship God with thanks and praise. Hymn 132 – Immortal invisible Prayer of Adoration and Confession God of grace and glory, you reveal your presence to this worried world in radiant glory and gentle whispers, on mountain tops and in shadowed valleys, in homes and churches, in the quiet of nature and on busy streets. Yours is the presence that pushes past our fear to calm us; yours is the love that transforms our doubt with reassurance. We have come to dwell in your goodness this day and to offer the praise you deserve, grateful for all the ways we meet you. God of patience and purpose, we confess we don’t expect you to surprise us. We think we know what you expect of us and so we’re reluctant to consider a new challenge or a new opportunity to serve you. Forgive us when we are set in our ways. Work in us by your Spirit to keep us open to new encounters with you in the world as it changes so you will always find us faithful. On this Transfiguration Sunday, help us to see you in all your glory, the Word made flesh and may this glory, through the Holy Spirit, transform our lives. In a world filled with hate, and injustice, inspire us to build the tabernacles of justice, peace and love, until the earth is full of your glory, as the waters cover the seas. Lord’s Prayer Readings – 2 Kings 2: 1-12 (Pg 369) Mark 9: 2 - 9 (pg 1012) Hymn 34/35 – O send thy light forth Weekly Prayer Almighty God, at the Transfiguration you showed Jesus in a new state of glory and gave His disciples a glimpse of what they would see in his risen life. As we worship together week by week help us to see Jesus only, giving us a foretaste of your heavenly kingdom. Amen Reflection The road zigzagged up the mountain. It was really quite scary, but at the top the views were breathtaking and inside the church there was a real sense of peace. It was the church of the transfiguration, and many scholars think it was the mountain that Jesus and the disciples climbed. It was once covered in oak trees, but these were cut down by the Ottomans to build the railway to Mecca, the one that Lawrence of Arabia and his friends kept trying to sabotage. Th pilgrims who came in droves before the Gaza conflict would get off their buses at the bottom and be driven up by Kamikaze Bedouins negotiating all the bends, but some would hike up as Jesus and the disciples had done. It was quite a climb for Jesus and the three disciples, and a lot had been happening. Jesus had been ministering to the villages in the North and had asked who people said he was. Now, what he was interested in was who the disciples said he was, and Peter had said that he was the Messiah, and had gone straight to the top of the class. But then when Jesus explained how the Messiah had to suffer and even die, it was so outside their picture of the messiah that Peter objected, and Jesus had rebuked him saying, ‘Get thee behind me Satan’. That rebuke must have still been ringing in Peter’s mind as they climbed up the mountain. But it would have been a relief to get away from the constant demands of the villagers, even from the other disciples, to go somewhere quiet just to clear his head. Little did the disciples realise what was in store for them. When they reached the top of the mountain, Jesus seemed to be transformed. Light radiated from him and his robe became a dazzling white. What’s more, there were two figures appearing beside him, two powerhouses – Moses and Elijah. Moses who had led the Israelites out of oppression in Egypt, had given them the Law and formed them into a community. Elijah who was a faithful prophet battling against the worship of Baal, who, as we read earlier, was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire, having passed on his mantle to his apprentice Elisha. What was happening here? It was God’s affirmation of Jesus. There is even a voice from heaven saying’ this is my Son. Listen to him’. And it was a blessing on Jesus and the way he had chosen to go, for from this mountain he would turn his face towards Jerusalem and, yes, to the cross of Calvary. Jesus needed the affirmation, and the disciples needed to have this experience. Of course, it was too overwhelming, and Peter blabbers on about building shelters. Often commentators condemn him for wanting to prolong the experience, stay up the mountain forever. But the Jewish festival of Tabernacles was a time when they remembered how they stayed in shelters during their time in the wilderness – nothing was permanent. But it was also a festival when people anticipated the end times, and maybe seeing Moses and Elijah with Jesus made Peter think that a new age was being ushered in. But then the experience passes, and Moses and Elijah disappear, and Jesus beckons the disciples to start to descend the mountain. It is all so strange and other-worldly. But what can it mean for us today. I think there is the openness of Jesus to reveal his divinity, that he was the son of God, to the disciples. He had told them in words, but this experience hammered home the point. This week King Charles revealed that he had cancer, and we wish him a full recovery. We can often try to keep things hidden, we bottle things up, but maybe it is healthier to be open. Though I am also conscious that Jesus told the disciples on the way back down to keep what they had seen to themselves. It also tells us the importance of our encounters with God, the times when we feel a closeness to God. It can be on the mountaintop; it can be at thin places like a beautiful old church Linton or a place like Holy Island, in can be in worship here in Yetholm/ Morebattle; it can be a piece of music or picture that can uplift us or a beautiful scene; family gathered around us; it can also be that we encounter God in the valley, in the pain, and indeed Jesus and the disciples did go down the mountain to heal, to affirm, to transform. Down to the mundane nature of everyday life, down to the nitty-gritty, down to the squabbling, disbelieving disciples, down to the jealousies and rivalries that colour our relationships, down to the pain which is part and parcel of our world, down to the Valley, for that is where we find God as well, almost more so than on the mountaintops. That is where we as followers of Jesus must find ourselves too. I pray that we can have our mountaintop experiences, for we need them to sustain us in our journey, especially as during Lent we walk with Jesus the Way of the Cross. Hymn 448 – Lord the light of your love Prayers of Dedication Generous God, bless all that is given in this church: the time, the love, the talents, the laughter, the ability to share with friend and stranger, the welcome to the lost and lonely, the light of love shining here, the treasures given and found, that, at the end, we may be transformed. Amen. Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession God of all life and each life: You created us to live in relationship with each other - with friends and families, in communities and cultures, in neighborhoods and nations. We give you thanks for all the supportive relationships which bring meaning and encouragement to our lives, and help in times of trouble. Help us contribute what we can to sustain the wellbeing of our community for all who call it home. God, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. God of our faith and our future, there are so many pressures on homes and families today. Draw near to those who are in economic difficulty, anxious about bills, and those burdened by the challenges to health and happiness this winter. Work with parents and children and neighbours who face conflict their relationships; offer them solutions that express mutual respect and resolve tension. God, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. God of mercy and forgiveness, You call us to live together in peace and unity. We pray for our neighbourhoods and our nation. Where people are divided and bitterness turns into resentment, show us how to work for reconciliation. Wherever there is conflict and daily danger in the world, raise up peacemakers and negotiators to bring violence to an end. And give courage and protection to all who fear what tomorrow could bring. God, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Today we give thanks for our church family and the years of worship and witness offered here. Bless our leaders and our volunteers and renew their creativity and commitment to enliven our congregation in its mission. We remember those of our number in need of your special attention today. We think of those who are sick. We remember King Charles and the Royal family at this time and also everyone with cancer or with other medical issues. For those waiting for operations and for those recovering. Silence Open our eyes to opportunities to reach out beyond our own fellowship as agents of your healing and hope. Hymn 458 – At the name of Jesus Benediction As we journey between the mountaintops and the plains of life, may the transforming power of God inspire you. May the challenging and comforting grace of Jesus guide you and may the companionship of the Holy Spirit walk with you. Go knowing the love of God within you, today and every day We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Linton (11.15) on the fifth Sunday of Epiphany.
Call to Worship Come to this time of worship We bring our hearts and our minds. Come with your joys and your wounds. We bring them all before God. Come, trust that God will raise you up. We sing praise to the Lord of Creation. Hymn 184 – Sing to the Lord a joyful song Prayer of Adoration and Confession O Lord our God, Creator and Ruler of the universe, you are great beyond all things. You are clothed in honour and majesty, wrapped in light as a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent, you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind, you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers. You gave us your son Jesus Christ as Saviour and Messiah and the Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter. We give you glory, honour and praise now and forever. Draw us into a moment of quiet now as we remember our frailty. We acknowledge what has been difficult in our lives. The things that we have done, the significant things that we have left undone. The wrong paths taken, or the opportunities missed. Help us to bring it all to you in a moment of quiet…… Forgive us our wrongs and create in us new hearts and new minds. Grant us enlarged visions to see your image in everyone we encounter regardless of their background, race and ethnicity. God’s love is there new every morning. Let us know ourselves a forgiven, accepted and loved. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Isaiah 40:21-31 (Pg 724) Mark 1: 29-39 (pg 1003) Hymn 162 – The God of Abraham praise Weekly Prayer Ever Living God, our Creator and Redeemer, you love us and know us better than we know ourselves. With a word you created all things and so we ask you to renew our strength as we trust in you. We pray for all those who need your touch today, remembering that your touch has still its ancient power to heal. Amen Reflection It brings in all back. The Covid Inquiry, that is. It brings back all the uncertainty, the anxiety, the fear. Except a few years on, we see the crisis from a different angle, as the various politicians and scientists and medics tell it from their point of view. It seems another world to when we were clapping every Thursday and glued to television or radio when the First Minister spoke. And if some were winging it, weren’t we all. Trying to make sense amidst the uncertainty. The Israelites in Babylon were winging it, as they tried to make sense of their own chaotic situation. Jerusalem had fallen to Nebuchadnezzar’s armies; the Temple ransacked and destroyed, the city walls torn down, the great and the good taken into exile to Babylon. They had to adjust to a new culture, a new set of values, as their own religion didn’t fit any more. And they sat by the rivers of Babylon, and they wept remembering Zion. Where was God now? Why wasn’t God doing something? Fortunately, they had Isaiah the prophet to keep them grounded. ‘Do you not know, haven’t you seen?’ Isaiah asks them. God is the eternal one, who sees the wider picture. ‘Do you not know, haven’t you seen?’ Just because we are impatient, it doesn’t mean that God has stopped working. God is in it for the long haul. For the Israelites, they had to learn to wait on the Lord and trust in the Lord. So must we too. Like the Israelites we can be impatient and want God to keep to our timeline and grow discouraged when he doesn’t. But Isaiah gives a wonderful picture of even when the youth growing weary, those who wait on the Lord, those who put their trust in God, will renew their strength and rise up with eagles’ wings. They will walk and not faint, not grow weary. They are being held by God. Sometimes I see birds of prey, which I call hawks or eagles, but probably are something else, and they don’t get from place to place by continually flapping their wings, but rather seem to catch the breeze and are lifted up in it. So wait for the Lord and can be lifted by the Spirit and held in the palm of God’s hand. The disciples had to learn this as well. Jesus had become a sensation in Capernaum. He had cast out evil spirits, which we looked at last week, and this week we read what happened next. There were several little scenes. Firstly, Jesus goes to the house of Simon Peter and finds his wife’s mother sick. Jesus heals her, and immediately she gets up and starts to make dinner. The word used is related to diakonia, service, and Simon’s mother-in-law is seen to embody service. But then the scene changes to the threshold of the house. The sabbath is finishing, and people are beginning to gather looking for Jesus. He has become the talk of the town, he has become a sensation. People have brought loved ones for healing; they have brought themselves for healing. Eventually they go home and Jesus must have caught some sleep, but the scene changes again, and he has risen early and gone to a private place to pray, to fill the batteries, but also reflect on what had happened. Matt Perry, the actor who died last year, was a star in Friends. At one time he was writing another show with a friend. They needed a break. I’ll go for a walk, the friend said, to clear my head. Do you want to come?’ Matt Perry said, That’s precisely what I can’t do’. If he went for a walk, immediately people would recognise him and want to talk or watch. It was getting like that for Jesus. The disciples didn’t know where he was; they were hunting for him, and when they found him, they said. ‘Come back to Capernaum. Everyone is talking about you. They are queuing up to see you’. He could have spent his whole life in Capernaum, healing people. Set up a clinic and capitalise on his success, and people would have travelled from far and wide. But that wasn’t why he had come. It is like the temptation to turn rocks into bread. So good, but there was more to do. There was the message of wholeness and salvation to preach. And so they moved on to preach in other places. The disciples had to learn to see the wider picture. With the Covid Inquiry we need to see the wider picture. With the state of our world we need to see the wider picture and work for a world where the kingdom values of peace and hope and justice and God’s shalom flourish. We have to learn to wait on the Lord. Hymn 705 – It is God who holds the nations Prayers of Dedication Jesus touched so many lives in so many different ways. We ask that these gifts will touch many lives, too, with your healing and hope in these difficult days. Amen Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession Holy and loving God, we thank you for the story of Christ’s life among us, a pattern for the way we live. We give you thanks for moments of quiet and contemplation that restore us. Teach us to trust in your strength, so that we can live with confidence and courage even in the midst of stress and anxiety. God of love, you give power to the faint and strength to the powerless. Many of us can feel exhausted, caring for children and grandchildren, responding to demands of work or family life or dealing with a sense of isolation or anxiety. Renew us, we pray. We pray for all church leaders. Encourage and strengthen them in their work, and give us all fresh vision for the future of church and renew our Imagination, creativity and wisdom. God of love, you restore what is broken and you bring together what has been split apart. Today we continue to pray for the Middle East and Ukraine and Yemen. We ask for peace in a dangerous and fragile situation. We pray for Northern Ireland as we hope the power-sharing agreement begins to operate again. God of all creation, you restore the face of the earth : stir us up to action to protect our planet. May our feet tread lightly on the earth and our actions and priorities bring healing to our battered world. God of love, you heal the broken hearted and you gather in all who are lost. We pray for all who are mourning the loss of family members or friends. We place before you all who are suffering in mind or body… asking for peace, and for your healing presence in their need. Send your blessing on all who are afraid or alone or hungry, on those whose lives are being destroyed by abuse or violence and on all for whom home is not a safe place. Amen Hymn 517 – Fight the good fight Benediction May your strength be renewed this day, so that you may run into the world to live the gospel and never be weary. And the blessing of God Almighty, Our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, be with you and those you love, this day and always. Amen. We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the fourth Sunday of Epiphany. Please stay for refreshments after the Yetholm service.
Call to Worship As Christians living in a broken world, we are aware of the need for healing in our own lives, in the lives of others, and in our world. Christ offers us that healing, wholeness, and transformation. So come and praise the God who makes us whole. Come and hear his life-giving word. As we gather to worship in God's name: may the Lord be with us. Hymn 198 – Let us build a house Prayer of Adoration and Confession Loving God, you are the wisdom behind all mystery, the glory hidden in all that makes us wonder, the strength in all that nourishes. With eyes open and spirits alert, we experience your glory around us. Scattered throughout the earth, smoldering deep inside us and radiating in acts of love, sparks of your glory reside. We feel joy each time we encounter you. So we gather to express our praise and gratitude for all the good we have experienced, knowing it all comes from your hand, for you are Creator, Christ and Spirit, Ever Three and Ever One. Healing and forgiving God, we confess to you before this congregation, the times we have failed to recognise you in those whom we meet. We confess to you the times we have walked away from those who need your healing presence. We confess to you the times we have hurt and failed others. Be gracious, be merciful and heal us. Hear the good news: Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone. New life has begun. Thanks be to God that we can make a new start, forgiven and set free. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Mark 1:21- 28 Hymn 36 – God is our refuge and our strength Weekly Prayer Lord God, we thank you that you have raised up Jesus who us our Prophet, Priest and King. We ask that in all we do, we may we walk more closely with you at our side, safe in the knowledge that your Fatherly love and care knows no bounds. Amen Reflection A new hotel was being built just up the coast from Tiberias. Right on the Sea of Galilee, it would be a brilliant position, especially for pilgrim groups. Work was going steadily; they had earmarked the opening for the following year. Then as they dug the foundations for the restaurant, they discovered ancient remains. Not a body, but walls. The archaeologists were brought in, and work on the hotel would stop for several years, for what they had uncovered were the remains of an ancient synagogue. AND from the time of Jesus. I was there at the time, and it was fascinating to watch as they excavated the whole area and exciting to visit knowing Jesus could have preached at that very spot. It was at Magdala, where Mary Magdalene came from, and they even found a stone slab where the scrolls of Scripture would be read from. In the Gospels we don’t have any record of Jesus preaching at Magdala, but I am sure he would have; but today we read of him preaching at Capernaum, several miles along the Lake. There are ruins of a synagogue there, but from a later time than Jesus. But let’s go back 2000 years. For the worshippers, it was just any other Sabbath; they went along, expecting to pray and hear Scriptures read and someone expounding them. But they would also meet friends, chat about the price of fish or who was new in the area. They didn’t expect anything out of the ordinary to happen. Little did they know!. But that particular Sabbath, someone got up, the carpenter chappie who sometimes helped mend the fishing boats, and he began to read the Scripture and speak about it. Immediately there was silence, no fidgeting, for he spoke with such weightiness, with such power. He seemed to speak to their very hearts, and everything seemed so clear. In fact they wanted to hear more. Two things happened in Capernaum. Firstly, the young man interpreting the Scriptures spoke with such authority. They couldn’t daydream or let their minds drift to what’s for dinner. He was offering something new; the Scripture came alive when he spoke. But the other thing that happened was that there was a commotion at the back. A man in the congregation started to shout out. Well, people just didn’t know where to look. How embarrassing. But the man seemed overcome; it was an evil spirit that seemed to speak from within him, challenging Jesus. ‘Why have you come? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – Jesus of Nazareth, the holy one from God’. The evil Spirit recognised Jesus, but Jesus confronted the spirit and did indeed drive it out of the man. What do you think of this story? It seems alien to us here in 21st Century Scotland. It is surely something which happened in 1st Century Palestine. There are no evil spirits here. Apart from in horror movies. We can readily believe in angels watching over us, but what about evil spirits? But in some parts of the world this is very real. In Africa I remember in my first church there someone convulsing in the church and people praying over her. The students I taught at the Theological College were positively eager to cast out demons. While I would regularly be asked to bless houses and cars. There was an awareness of evil and evil spirits. There was an awareness of evil and having to confront it. But then there is evil still round us. We look at the news and get depressed. But where we see the killing of civilians and children, that’s evil. Where we see targeted destruction of homes and hospitals and shipping, that’s evil. Where there is rape and humiliation, where people are smuggled into this country to be exploited and abused, their freedom taken away, that’s evil. Where young people are introduced to drugs and become addicted, that’s evil. Someone said that "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing." God invites all of us to work together in overcoming evil, in its many forms: disease, injustice, oppression, greed, war, etc., by following Jesus, doing what we can each day, loving our neighbour as ourselves and working with others to care for those most disadvantaged, to promote wellbeing and justice in the world. As Paul says in Romans, "Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good". There is so much seeking to undermine us; let us put our trust in the one who spoke with authority and liberates and heals the broken. Let us challenge the evils in our society in the small ways we can and speak ever of God’s love. Hymn 718 – We cannot measure how you heal Prayers of Dedication Generous God, giver of life and full of grace and mercy, we come humbly before you and present our offerings. Take and use them for the building of your kingdom, may they enable your word to be spread far and wide for everyone to hear. Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession Holy God, Lord of heaven and earth, Your energy fills the cosmos. You are around us, within us, and beyond us. Thank you for the simple pleasures of each day, and for the strength to meet the challenges that arise. When it feels like we have come to the end of our own resources, replenish us with the energy of your Spirit so that we know you are there for us. In these uncertain times, we are grateful for prayer in its many forms which lead us to be at one with you - through word and silence, music and movement, feeling the Spirit’s breath within us. Draw close to us whenever we need you, and renew our spirits to continue serving you as best we can. We pray for those with power, shaping the lives of nations, changing the world as they make their choices. Grant them wisdom, touch their hearts with gentleness, fire their imaginations with generosity, reveal to them your will. Some in power are wielding power to kill and destroy. We pray for those in Israel and those in Gaza and the West Bank. We pray for those in Ukraine and those in Russia. We pray for those in Yemen and on the Red Sea. We pray for the prophetic words and actions of those willing to seek and build peace with justice. Some in power are wielding power to hide and abuse. We pray for those caught up in the Post Office scandal. We pray for those fearful as jobs are lost and money dries up. We pray for those trapped in poverty and exploitation. We pray for the prophetic words and actions of those who turn compassion into food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, justice for the ignored. Some in power are wielding power to care and to mend. Some devote themselves to looking after others and healing the wounds of your world. We pray for those giving care in hospital, hospice or home. We pray for those seeking healing and hope wherever they may be. We pray for our own circle of family and friends. Heal, bless, lead and encourage them. We pray for neighbours and strangers in our community who face struggles and sorrows we can’t even imagine. Remind us that we belong to each other and to you and help us respond to one another with compassion and kindness. Finally, in silence, we bring to you the cares and hopes on our minds today. [Silence] Hymn MP 617 - Stand up, stand up for Jesus Benediction Recessional Hymn 786 – May the God of peace We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the third Sunday of Epiphany. Please stay for refreshments after the Yetholm service. The services today will be led by Arthur and Kathleen Bates, as Colin is on Interim Moderator duties at Makerstoun.
Call to Worship (Psalm 62: 5 -8) Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honour depend on God[c]; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Hymn 489 - Come Down O Love Divine. Prayers of Adoration, Confession/ Lord’s Prayer. Bible Readings: Jonah 3: 1-5 + 10 (Pg 928) Mark 1: 14 – 20 (Pg 1002) Hymn 166 – Lord of all hopefulness. Weekly Prayer Almighty God, today finds us in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity; help us to listen to your voice still calling us to unity in our diversity. Thank you that you are aways a God of the second chance. Help us to keep our commitment to always follow you with our whole heart and trust in you. Amen Sermon Hymn 402 -Take up the cross the Saviour said. Prayers of dedication and intercession Hymn 644 - O Jesus, I have promised. Benediction Our united service is at 11am at Linton on Epiphany Sunday. Please stay for refreshments after the service. Please note that there are NO services at Yetholm or Morebattle this Sunday
Call to Worship Arise, shine: for your light has come! The glory of the Lord has risen upon us. Lift up your eyes and look around! We shall see and be radiant; our hearts shall rejoice. For the Lord will be our everlasting light and our glory! And so we worship God in humble expectation. Carol 327 – Brightest and Best Prayer of Adoration and Confession Since the beginning, O Ancient of Days, You have called people to follow. Inspiring humanity with moon and star, sun and rain, majestic mountain, fast flowing river, and with the very mystery of life itself, You have called people to be Your own. In the simplicity of Your manger, Lord Jesus, You drew people to Yourself; awe filled shepherds and exotic magi came to worship and to see in You the hopes and fulfilment of all their yearnings. Like a light in the gloom, O Holy Spirit, we see Your brilliance, feel our hearts warmed and gain a sense of direction and purpose. Forgive us, O Most High, when we fail to see you in Creation, and so exploit and misuse the abundance of life with which we share the planet. Help us to learn, soon, O God, how to live in harmony with nature. Forgive us Lord Jesus, when we seek fulfilment in other things and turn away from You. Teach us, quickly, O Christ that our restless hearts will only find their rest in You. Forgive us, Most Holy Spirit, when we look for warmth and purpose in strange places instead of in Your all-powerful love. Forgive us, and give us time to change! Hear good news: God’s love seeks us out at great cost. When we turn back to God we find that, like a father, God runs towards us with arms open wide in welcome. Like a mother, God surrounds us with fierce love. Like a rock upon which we stand, God gives us a secure foundation for life. So accept the forgiveness on offer, learn to forgive others, and find the strength to forgive yourself. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Isaiah 60: 1-6 (Pg 747) Matthew 2: 1-12 (pg 966) Carol – We three kings (MP 740) Weekly Prayer We are reminded that the Magi came from the East to worship your Son Jesus. Father, grant us the spirit of adoration so that through our worship we may reflect the glorious light of Christ which has come among us. Amen Reflection ‘We three kings of Orient are’. These figures from the East fascinate us coming from afar with their flowing robes and exotic gifts to stoop in the cold stable to worship the baby Jesus. We give them names, Caspar and Melchior and Bathasar, and have grown stories around them, even saying there was a 4th wise man, even saying that there were the three wise woman. But we don’t know their names, we don’t even know how many there were. If they were important, they would surely have travelled in a caravan with their servants. Yet for Matthew they were so important that he has them adoring the Christ child. Here is what the poet T.S Eliot wrote of their journey: ‘Journey off the Magi’ There is so much in the poem, but maybe suffice to say it captures something of their mystique, that they were from another culture and had to make an arduous journey, led by a star. Kings, priests, more likely astrologers who noticed something strange in the sky and felt compelled to follow it, believing something momentous was happening. So they left behind their comfort, their sherbet and summer palaces, for a quest, a puzzle, from which they would return changed, transformed. They were from the afar, and Matthew places them at the birth of Christ; Matthew who was sure to place Jesus in the genealogy tracing him back to figures of faith like Abraham, but who also has foreigners recognising his royalty and bathing in the light of the Christ child. The Gospel writer is saying that all are included, that the birth of Christ connects everyone. All people may claim Christ as king. It doesn’t matter how mysterious or plain or ordinary your background is. But these travellers were also human, fallible, made assumptions. But then the star that they followed seemed to come and go. To be seen brightly one night, then the next be covered in cloud. So they went to the capital city, Jerusalem, for where else would someone born to be king be found? And so they spoke with Herod and set in motion the events leading to the awful massacre of the infant boys in Bethlehem. But in the meantime, Herod instructed his scholars to research into where a Messiah would be born, and their answer was Bethlehem. Martin Luther, the great Reformer, when asked why the star didn’t lead them straight to Bethlehem, said that it was to teach us that we should follow scriptures and not our own ideas. The Magi were drawn to the baby, but what draws us to Christ? What leads us to seek his company? What brings us to worship on a regular basis? When we reflect on the wise men’s trek from afar, we realise that each of us has our own journey across life’s plains and deserts and hills to come face to face with our Lord. What is the star that leads us? For some it could be the Bible or it could be the words or a presence of a particular person who shared God’s love? Or it may be the life of selfless care as embodied in the Church. The Church can be many things. It needs to be a centre for worship and community service, a place we learn more about our faith and how to love. It needs to be a voice for justice and compassion in the world, but it also needs to be a welcoming place, where people are drawn to get to know Christ When the wise men did reach their destination and met the baby, they were transformed. Matthew says that they didn’t return to Jerusalem but left by a different way. Eliot in his poem tells powerfully of their unease with the old familiar ways. An encounter with Christ changes us if we are but open to Him. An encounter with Christ demands a reaction. The Magi fell down on their knees and worshipped. What about us? Later in the service we will have our covenant prayer which we may use to dedicate ourselves at the start of a new year to another year of service, and with the wise men adore the Christ. Carol 326 – As with gladness Epiphany opens with the story of the Magi offering gifts to the newborn king. Our gifts today and throughout the year honour Jesus as Lord of our lives and Saviour of the world. We may not bring gold, frankincense and myrrh, but all our gifts are welcome to keep the light of Christ shining into the world. Prayers of Dedication God of majesty and mystery, we bring our gifts to you, grateful that you are always with us. We do not know what the year ahead will hold, but your love shines like a star to guide us. Bless these gifts that they may keep the light of Christ shining through the church to embrace the world you love. Amen. Covenant Prayer I am no longer my own but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, exalted for you, or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing: I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal. And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.' Prayers of Intercession God of the stars, we gaze at the heavens in awe, we see the moon and the planets, satellites orbiting the earth, twinkling light from millions of miles away, we wonder at how the ancients navigated by these lights, and saw meaning in their movement. We gaze and wonder if humanity is alone in the universe or if, in some far off corner, You’ve got other civilizations, other worlds that You care about. We pray today for all who study the stars, who seek to explore our solar system, and to increase our knowledge of the vast abyss of space. pause God of the stable, we gaze at the nativity scene and struggle to take it all in. God in the dirt; animals attending like courtiers, smelly shepherds and exotic magi. We wonder at the danger of it all, the cruelty of the tyrant Herod, the protection of Joseph, the trust of Mary. We pray today for all who are living in danger, refugees and asylum seekers, the poor and hungry, those on the edge of our societies to whom the wealth never seems to trickle down, those struggling to pay their rent, mortgage or power bills. pause God of the Scriptures, we gaze at the magi and wonder they trusted in ancient words and clear dreams. We are horrified that those who knew Your word turned to murder, whilst outsiders turned to worship. We thank You for the ways in which You speak to us, through ancient words and contemporary dreams, through the Church and deep in our own hearts. We pray today for those who search for You, in Scripture, stable and star, that You may be found and that we may be signposts pointing to You. Pause We remember in prayer this week the Leadership and church community of Bonnyrigg, praying for their shared youth worker Josh, for links with all the local churches so that they would be a bright light for Jesus in Bonnyrigg. God of star, stable and Scripture, we pray now for all those we love and worry about Amen Hymn 235 – God is working his purpose out Benediction May the light of God lead you, the light of Christ embrace you, and the light of the Holy Spirit enliven you So that you know both hope and peace this day and each coming day. We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the First Sunday after Christmas. Please stay for refreshments after the Yetholm service.
Call to Worship As we approach 2024 May the God of hope be with us. In our celebrations of Christmas May the God of joy be with us In our caring for the world May the God of peace be with us In our living of life in all its fullness May we know that God is with us Carol 313 – See in yonder manger low Prayer of Adoration and Confession God of grace and glory, we praise you from the heights and from the depths; from the courts of power and from the pathways of our lives. Your splendour shines from a manger, where the Light of the World was born for us. In fragile flesh, you are revealed to us face to face reaching out to claim our love. And so we gather with those who have glimpsed that love to rejoice that you have claimed us in Christ. We offer you our praise, Creator, Son, and Spirit; Source of life, Glorious light, and Wisdom of the ages. God of our lives, we know you are with us through thick and thin, in times of great joy and at moments of disappointment. As we think of the year past, Lord, we remember the times when we have not shown love through our thoughts, words and actions. We seek forgiveness. Lord, we remember the times when we have been hurt by the words and actions of others. Help us to forgive. Lord, we remember the times when we have been distracted from seeking after you. Lord, make yourself known to us, help us to see you in the midst of the noise and clamour of this world. Hear the good news of the Gospel: Jesus Christ is our light and our salvation. In him we are made new. Let us give thanks to God and be at peace with ourselves and with one another. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Isaiah 61:10-62:3 (Pg 748) Luke 2:22-40 (pg 1028) Carol 331 – Unto us a boy is born Weekly Prayer Lord our God, thank you for letting your light shine every day of every year. Thank you that we may always lift our eyes to you, whose right hand will bring true order to everything, even in difficult times. Give our hearts the strength to be faithful in this coming year and help us all to glorify your precious name. Amen Reflection The whirl of Christmas is over. At least all the waiting and anticipation has been realised, the family and friends have visited and maybe gone away again and maybe there is a sense of anticlimax – that’s it for another year. But it isn’t, as Christmas and the message of Christmas is till with us. I always love this poem: When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and the princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flocks, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among people, To make music in the heart. That is certainly the message from our first reading. In Isaiah’s time, some of the exiles had returned to Jerusalem. The excitement of the return had been tempered by the reality on the ground. There was so much to do; the opposition of those who remained to win over, the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem to begin; the routine work to accomplish, and they just had to get on with it. As we have to get on with clearing up dishes and clearing wrapping paper and making sure we have enough milk in the fridge for the New year. As we have to get on with the work of proclaiming the God who is with us through thick and thin. Christmas is still here, and this is the First Sunday of Christmas. Christmas week sees the feast of Stephen, marking Stephen’s martyrdom; it marks Holy Innocent’s day, remembering the slaughter of the children by Herod’s soldiers. But this year we focus rather appropriately on the dedication of Jesus in the Temple, appropriate on Hogmany, because we have the meeting of the old and the new. The new is represented by Mary and Joseph, bringing their new born child to be dedicated in accordance with Jewish practice. The first born was dedicated to the Lord. They sacrificed a pair of turtle doves, a sign of their poverty, as Leviticus stated that it should be a lamb. The whole of life lay ahead for the newborn, but first the baby was placed before God. And in the Temple they encountered firstly Simeon and then Anna. Anna was 84 and had been widowed most of her adult life, and while we are not told Simeon’s age, we get the impression that he too was an old man. Both would have seen much in their lives. Perhaps they had even witnessed the coming of the Romans to occupy Palestine. Anna as a widow would have relied on the charity of others, and both seemed to frequent the temple, praying, hoping, trusting. They both were people of faith and believed that the Messiah would come to bring change and usher in the Kingdom of God. Both, in turn, held Jesus in their arms and recognised him as the One, as the Messiah. Simeon utters what we now call the Nunc Dimittis, ‘Now, Lord, let your servant depart in peace…’ Maybe he was just going home happy, though we tend to interpret it as Simeon saying he can die in peace. They just have a tiny cameo in the Gospel story, but Anna and Simeon represent the old and the wisdom and life experiences that the elderly bring. I am always reminded of the group called the ‘Elders’, made up of Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter and others, who a decade or so ago tried to bring their wisdom and experience to situations of conflict. Simeon and Anna brought their wisdom and their faithfulness. But they also recognised something new was about to happen, and they were letting go of the old to pass on the baton to the new, to the couple and their baby. We meet here at the last day of 2023. We look back, and for some it has been a good year, with many memories to carry us on; for others we are maybe happy to see the back of it. But we stand at the threshold of 2024, and only God knows what kind of year it will be, but with Anna and with Simeon we can enter it with hope, with faithfulness and hopefully with a little wisdom, ready to face changes and make transitions in the knowledge that God journeys with us, the God who has been faithful in the past and beckons us on to a new tomorrow. And the work of Christmas goes on, ‘finding the lost, healing the broken… making music in the heart’. Hymn 237 – Look forward in faith Prayers of Dedication and Intercession Good and gracious God, your love overflows in goodness. As one year closes and another begins, help us trust your goodness. Bless these gifts so that they may provide others with the hope we know in Christ Jesus and the love you share with the world through him. God of love, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Saviour, we are filled with thanks that he has shared human life and knows well both our joys and heartaches. We bring our prayers for the world you love, grateful that Jesus walks ahead of us into the year ahead. We pray for all children for they embody our future. Protect them from danger, strengthen their characters, and give them joy. Help them look to the future with hope and trust. God of the ages, Hear our prayer. We pray for the most aged among us, those whom Simeon and Anna bring to mind. Protect them in these days of rising costs and rising tensions and reassure them of their value to you and to the whole community. God of the ages, Hear our prayer. We pray for those whose hearts are filled with pain and fear and for those whose Christmas has been touched with loss or grief. (Keep a time of silence) Surround each one with your comforting embrace. God of the ages, Hear our prayer. We pray for those who cannot afford enough to eat, and for those who lack adequate shelter here and in desperate corners of the world. We pray for those who fear violence in their daily lives here and in so many regions of conflict. And we pray for those whose are anxious about the year ahead for whatever reason, (Keep a brief time of silence) Grant each one the courage and strength to face the days ahead. God of the ages, Hear our prayer. As this year draws to a close, we surrender to you, O God, the challenges it has held for us so that they will not remain as burdens. Remind us of the good things that have offered us encouragement and pleasure. (Keep a brief time of silence) Give us wisdom to navigate whatever the coming year brings. God of the ages, Hear our prayer. In the new year, grant our leaders the wisdom and generosity of spirit to collaborate on decisions they face for the wellbeing of society and of the earth itself. Inspire us all with the hope, joy and peace we find through trusting you. Amen Carol – Good King Wenceslas Benediction May the tenderness of God enfold you, the promise of the Christ uphold you, and the strength of the Spirit lead you on, to greet the year ahead, filled with grace and truth, and the blessing…. |