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Lord, You are making all things new. A new heaven A new earth A new way of thinking A new way of being. You are making all things new. Renew our minds to renew the world by living out your commandment of love. Hymn 165 – Praise to the Lord for the joys.. Prayers of Adoration and Confession Almighty God, Lord of Creation, we come to worship and to praise you and give thanks for all your gifts. We are glad to live in this beautiful part of your world and rejoice in all the new growth of field, wood and garden and in all living creatures, especially those come to new life in this springtime. We give thanks for all the many and varied resources that the Earth offers for our use, but as we reflect on an ever more troubled world we confess that we have often abused these riches and not used them for the good of all. We have exploited and misused our fellow human beings to their detriment and our shame. You are a God of mercy and of justice. Forgive us for our selfishness and greed, our lack of compassion and our failure to love as you would have us love; a love shown in the life and teaching of your beloved Son, given even to death for our sakes. In repentance may we learn to show justice, mercy and compassion and to remember that all are equal in your sight and that all people are our neighbours whatever their ethnicity, social standing or faith. As the globe spins and the day starts around the world and as followers of Jesus Christ we join with our Christian neighbours in prayer and say together in whatever language is most comfortable to us the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples so long ago and which unites us as one family…... Our Father.. Readings – Revelation 21: 1-6 John 13: 31-35 Hymn 195 – Here to the house of God (1,2,4) Weekly Prayer Heavenly Father, your son Jesus said “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” In our worship today, we testify to God’s love shown perfectly in Christ and we re-commit ourselves to love one another as a community of faith and to drink again from the spring of the water of life. Amen Reflection Many years ago I exchanged pulpits for the summer with a minister in Alaska and, on the way back home, stopped to stay with friends in Seattle. We visited Mount St Helen’s nearby. It was a volcano. I remember passing through thick forests, but as we neared the top, it suddenly became very barren. There had been a big eruption a few years before and then sporadic eruptions, and the top of the mountain was laid waste. There were maybe some skeletons of trees, but then nothing. Well, nothing until you looked closely and suddenly you could see green shoots. Nature was recovering through the devastation of the lava flow. As a minister I saw it as resurrection with signs of new life where all had been dead. John of Patmos in his revelation had a glimpse of God’s plan for creation when he pictures a God who wants to make all things new. The old things have passed away, and the new has come. God is in the business of renewing, refreshing, redeeming – ever making things new. A new heaven and a new earth. But John also says that God has his dwelling among humanity. God will be with them – God is in our midst. John isn’t just talking about some time in the future, but very much in the here and now. God is ever seeking to create new possibilities and new life in the world today. Yet when we look round the world, what do we see? We see war and suffering; hunger and homelessness; the enormous gap between those who are incredibly wealthy and powerful and those with nothing. Yet God sees everything as redeemable – and call us to do something about it. In John’s Gospel Jesus shows us the way by loving one another AS he loved us. The ‘as’ is important. Love can be vague; it can mean many things. Someone can beat their partner, but then say they loved her or him. Like Peter or Judas, we can love someone yet deny them or even betray them. But Jesus tells us to love as he loves, and that makes a difference, for Jesus’ love is an unselfish, self-giving love we see in his life and on the cross. It is a love that embraced the leper, that sat with the woman caught in adultery and offered forgiveness. It is the love that reached out to those beyond the borders and social barriers. We are called to have that kind of love. Today is the start of Christian Aid Week, and Christian Aid was started after the 2nd World War to address a devastated Europe, seeking to recover. It has expanded to seek to help people throughout the world and to raise awareness about issues like debt cancellation and climate change. It is on the cutting edge, seeking to bring hope and newness of life. New life to people like Jessica, who lives in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe was once the breadbasket of Africa, but for various reasons, including climate change, it now suffers from prolonged periods of drought. Jessica’s husband is sick, so she has to provide food for the family, and with the drought, crops aren’t giving any yield. The family are going hungry, and how awful is it for a parent to have nothing to give their children to eat. Jessica says, ‘One year we had no rain. The scorching sun burnt my crops, just as they were about to bloom. It was so disheartening. Christian Aid helps people like Jessica by providing drought-resistant seeds, so she can grow tomatoes, beans and cucumbers, even in a drought. Jessica wants her children to be healthy and have a better future, a new and fairer world. But through the help of Christian Aid, at least some of her tears can be wiped from her eyes. The suffering in our world can be overwhelming, but we do what we can – and we seek to love one another as Jesus loved. That way there can be green shoots springing to life bringing hope. That way we can truly proclaim that God is with us. Hymn 238 – Lord, bring the day to pass Prayers of Dedication and Intercession Generous God, we bring offerings of money for the use of your church here. May it be used wisely in the service of your Kingdom. Bless too the many talents we have that they also may be used for your glory. We ask especially for sensible and productive use of gifts given for the alleviation of suffering for those in conflict areas. And this Christian Aid Week we pray that hearts and pockets will be generous in filling the envelopes delivered by volunteers that they may be encouraged in their efforts and know that many lives can be improved by the work of Christian Aid partners in their desire to bring sufficiency and a hopeful future to those living on the margins. In our prayers may we remember their work in skills training, education and in advocacy as so many struggle against changing weather patterns, conflict and injustice. May we share in their joy in successful ventures and lives turned around for the better and for the benefit of future generations. We pray for those in authority, whether in charge of a food bank or a country, that their decisions may be just and fair and that everyone is treated with dignity. We remember all in areas of fighting and where there is corruption, although sometimes we find it difficult to pray for those we see as enemies. For those injured and lost we would ask for care as we do for all people suffering illness, be it of body, mind or spirit. For those on long term care or facing death we ask a special blessing and for those with the care and responsibility for them. Give comfort O Lord, to all the many who mourn lost loved ones or grieve over lost opportunities, lost homes and fractured relationships. As the needs of many near and far increase give us loving hearts as we try to find ways to offer support in both great and small ways as our abilities and circumstances allow. We offer these prayers in the name of your Son and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen Hymn 724 – Christ’s is the world (1,3,4) Benediction
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Day by day, God leads us: to the deep, deep pools of peace, Day by day, Jesus calls us: to pour out ourselves in service, Day by day, the Holy Spirit shows us: the community we could be, the family we are called to become Hymn 16 – The Lord’s my shepherd Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of the ages, God of today, You are compassion; our cup overflows. You are hope; you lead us into green pastures. You are truth; you lead us beside quiet streams. You are life; you restore our souls. Morning, noon and night, O God, you are the source of our joy. As a shepherd gathers their flock so, Good Shepherd, 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 battered and bruised by life because our path has led through dark and frightening valleys. We need to know Your strength restoring our souls; some of us, like foolish sheep, come before You ashamed because we have wandered astray instead of following You and now we come seeking Your forgiveness. Thank You that in your grace You seek us out, You find us, You help us, and give us now joy and hope. Merciful God, we confess we stray from your ways like lost sheep. We follow the desires of our own hearts, ignoring the needs of others. We judge ourselves more generously than others. We fail to offer others the forgiveness we seek from you. We nurse grudges and cling to our own opinions. Forgive the ways we betray your love, and return us to your paths of truth and mercy. Christ’s forgiveness he offers is a gift of this love. Receive God’s forgiveness with faithful hearts, and be at peace with God, with yourself and with each other. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 9: 36- 43 John 10: 22 -30 Hymn 351 – Jesus’ hands were kind hands Weekly Prayer Risen Lord as we reflect on Peter’s healing of the seamstress Dorcas, we give thanks for all those pursuing activities throughout our Cheviot Churches and the valuable and ongoing function they fulfil. We remember too that Jesus himself, our Good Shepherd promised eternal life to all who follow Him and for this we give you our heartfelt thanks. Amen Reflection The phone rang the other day; I picked it up, and immediately the person began to speak, ‘Hello Colin. How are you?’ I recognised the voice, but could I come up with a name. I am sure we have all been in such situations. I desperately looked for hints in what she said, but it was only after we finished the call that it clicked who it was. Of course, I should have just asked straight out who it was, but they seemed to know me so well. In the Gospel we read: my sheep know my voice. The phone rang the other day. There was a pause, then someone I didn’t know sought to persuade me that I was eligible for a health monitor and asked what age was I exactly. I politely declined. That was mild. I know that many of us have been plagued with callers, saying, for example, they are from the bank and needing our details; seeking to bamboozle us into giving them money. ‘My sheep know my voice’, but there are other voices we don’t know and shouldn’t trust. Today is Good Shepherd Sunday, when every year we look at a different section of John 10, the chapter in which Jesus says that he is the Good Shepherd, and John talks about Christ’s relationship with his flock. How he protects them from the robbers and thieves who seem determined to waylay the sheep. But in our passage today we are taken to winter, to the feast of Dedication, more commonly called Hannukah. It is a festival of lights commemorating how, at a time of severe oppression, when the Jewish faith was threatened, the oil to light the candelabra in the Temple had run out, but the lights kept burning. At this feast, people asked Jesus if he were the Messiah. They were most probably laying a trap, for it was putting Jesus in an impossible position. If he said Yes, then they would jump to conclusions that he would lead the fight against the Romans; if he said No, he would be lying. Instead, he continues to talk about his relationship to the flock, and how he knows his flock, and his flock know his voice; they recognise him and follow him. What’s more, he says that to those sheep who listen to his voice and follow him, Jesus promises eternal life, and no-one can snatch them from his hand. No thief, no robber, for, we are told that the Father is more powerful than anyone. That is an incredible promise. It is not us holding onto God, but God holds on to us, and God won’t let go. That is a wonderful assurance. The Lord knows the sheep and knows them all by name and won’t let go of us, but will ever keep us in his care. That is shown in the Acts reading. In Acts we see the Early Church in action and how the disciples were transformed into people to turn the world upside down. Today we read of Dorcas, who had become a follower of Jesus, who listened for his voice and was led to do good works. She had made a name for herself in her community for helping the poor. Here, she would be a member of the Craft group in Yetholm or the group in Morebattle who knit for Lebanon, for she made clothes. She died, and there was much grief and her neighbours held up clothes she had made. She had made a real impact on her community through her kind works and through her generosity, touched people with the live of God. No-one could snatch her away; she was held in God’s care. Peter comes and, just as Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter to life, so Peter raises Dorcas, an affirmation of the good and faithful life she led. She is held in the embrace of God. In our world there are many voices coming to us; we must attune our ears to hear the voice of Christ, the Christ who leads us on and calls us to acts of service and love. Hymn 528 – Make me a channel of your peace Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession Generous God, thank you for all the many good things we have received from you in Christ and in creation. Bless the gifts we bring and use them in the service of your reign of justice and peace. Lord Jesus Christ, You came to us bearing God’s love, to walk with us as our Good Shepherd, showing us how to love each other. You pray with us and for us day by day. Today we turn to you with our hopes and concerns in these uncertain times. Draw near to us and to all those for whom we pray, so that your love will be known in our world this day. Lord Jesus, we pray for our community and the world in these uncertain times. We remember everyone in need: those struggling with economic upheaval and the high cost of living, those who know sorrow because someone has died or gone away, those who live in pain or fear, or face some kind of discrimination. Surround them with your love and courage; bring them support from their neighbours, and guide each child and young person into the future. Today we pray for all who suffer and are not cared for the old who die alone, the young who are neglected or cruelly treated, young and old whose weaknesses are exploited, and sensitivities abused, all who are led astray, all who are exploited, for the vulnerable who are taken advantage of and have no-one to stand by their side. We pray for all who have 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 do not understand and cannot affect or change, victims of military aggression ethnic cleansing or political ideology Bring peace with justice to this troubled world. Lord Jesus, We pray for all young people as they sit exams at this time, that they may give of their best effort. We pray for their future, that they may make a full contribution to society. Lord Jesus, you are our Good Shepherd, guiding us through dark valleys and green pastures. We thank you for your presence with us in all times and situations Hear us as in silence we offer the prayers of our hearts. Hymn 355 – You Lord are both lamb and shepherd Benediction My dearest Lord. Be Thou a bright flame before me. Be Thou a guiding star above me. Be Thou a smooth path beneath me. Be Thou a kindly shepherd behind me. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, and may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you, now and always. Amen.  Notices:
Sing praises to the Lord, you faithful; We will give thanks to God's holy name. Weeping may linger for the night But joy comes with the morning. God has turned our mourning into dancing! Let us praise and not be silent! Hymn 127 – O worship the King (vv 1,2,3,6) Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of the Risen Christ, we come before you this day giving thanks for all the wonder in your creation: for the tiny perfection revealed in a baby’s fingers grasping ours, in each daffodil unzipping its jacket to greet the spring, and each rock face worn by wind and water, bearing its rugged beauty with your praise. These details lift our hearts to praise you. So let the details of the story the Risen Christ lift our hearts this day, that we may greet a new week as an occasion to discover him in our midst, making all things new with the springtime of your Spirit. Receive our heartfelt worship, O God. 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, 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. So set the Spirit free to move among us here and now to inspire us ever to work for your justice and your peace. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 9: 1-6 John 21: 1 -19 Hymn 532 Lord, you have come to the seashore (1,2,4) Weekly Prayer Almighty God, your Son Jesus revealed himself again and again, convincing his disciples of his glorious resurrection. Help us to feel his risen presence, so that we too can lovingly feed his sheep, and care for the lambs of his flock here in the community of our Cheviot Churches. Amen Reflection You can almost smell the fish cooking. There is nothing like barbecue out in the open and listening to the sizzling of meat or fish or even peppers for the vegetarian option. Jesus shows that he is a dab hand at cooking in our Gospel reading today and has breakfast on when the disciples come ashore. But there is a lot more to this story. We have been looking at the disciples after the resurrection. Jesus has appeared at least twice to them, but we see that they are still traumatised by what has happened – by Jesus’ death and indeed their own part in it, for they didn’t exactly cover themselves in glory. And so they go back to the familiar, to their home area, to the lakeshore and back to the boats. ‘Let’s go fishing’, Peter says. Perhaps there was an element of running away and keeping their heads down, but also maybe it was a reminder of how things used to be. To remember the time when their faith was strong and vital, when the adventure had begun and the future seemed full of hope and possibilities – when life seemed abundant with potential, and indeed this story from John is so reminiscent of the call of the disciples. There is a touch of déjà vu. But sometimes we need to get away to a place where we can reflect on where we are in our spiritual journey, and that’s why people go on pilgrimages to Lindisfarne or the Holy Land or to places associated with the holy and where earth seems to come closer to heaven. Maybe the disciples returned hoping to rekindle their faith. And Peter said, Let’s go fishing. But Peter was the one who was caught! They were professionals, but somehow that night their skill and their luck deserted them. They didn’t catch a thing. To make it even worse, a chap appeared on the lakeshore and made suggestions. They were professionals, how dare he! But, hey, they had not a single bite, so what did they have to lose, and they followed his directions – and their nets were groaning with the weight of their catch. And it dawned on them who this solitary walker on the shore was. Jesus. And we have this wonderful picture of Peter jumping in the water to rush and greet him. Interestingly he puts on his clothes before jumping in the water, as if somehow ashamed to appear less than covered up before Jesus. Jesus invites them to eat. I think here, and in the passage which follows, Jesus is doing something special. He is reaffirming the disciples. By giving them a bumper catch after their own failure, he is re-instating them to service. But more so Peter, and after they have their breakfast on the beach, Jesus takes Peter aside and asks him three times to feed his sheep, and Peter’s triple confession by that charcoal fire, erases his threefold denial of Jesus. In doing this, Jesus offers Pater and us two things: He offers firstly a sense of belonging. We all need to belong, to feel part of something. That we are part of a larger group to have a sense of identity. One of the tragedies of modern living is perhaps the number of people who feel isolated, who don’t feel they belong – who even feel rejected. ‘I am afraid to tell you who I am, because if I tell you who I am, you may not like who I am – and it is all I have’ Yet the church should always be a place to welcome people as they are. Peter is acutely aware he has let down Jesus, but here but Jesus reinstates him and drawing him back into the community where he belongs. But Jesus is doing something else. He is giving Peter a sense of purpose. Feed my sheep. Jesus is giving Peter not only a sense of belonging, but giving him a job to do – feeding the sheep meant being a leader, looking out for others and looking after others. Again, all of us need a sense of purpose in our lives, a belief that what we do matters. A belief that we can contribute to society in some way. And certainly in the Church and in the community we can make vital contributions. Peter was given a sense of belonging and reinstated; he was given a sense of purpose and commissioned to be a leader. He took him beyond the fishing to a wider scenario. For us, we are accepted for whom we are, not as Super-Christians, but just who we are– by God’s grace, and invited to be part of the church community and we can each of us be used by God in God’s service, in small or big ways. Jesus can be on the lakeshore beckoning us, ready to welcome and ready to use us to bless the world around us and to give glory to God. Hymn 416 – Christ is alive Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession 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. Take these gifts we pray, and let them symbolise the giving of ourselves afresh to You this day. Use them and use us, to spread and to share Your love, Influencing this world with hope, joy and peace. Lord Jesus Christ, We draw near to you in prayer this day, trusting that your love does change lives and your resurrection brings renewal and redemption into the world God loves. We lay before you the concerns on our hearts today, We lay before you the concerns we share from the news headlines and the many world situations where hope and change are desperately needed. In your great mercy, Hear our prayers. We lay before you, Lord, those who are in hospital or care and all those who struggle with illness, pain or health burdens of any sort; and we remember those facing grief and loss, bearing burdens of sorrow and worry. In your great mercy, Hear our prayers. We lay before you, Lord, families under stress, relationships that are strained, friends and neighbours in need of reconciliation, and we pray for the healing of divisions in our country. In your great mercy, Hear our prayers. We lay before you, Lord, the earth itself, struggling in so many places to maintain its fruitfulness, and we pray for all the vulnerable creatures and communities who are finding it harder and harder to live on land, sea or sky. In your great mercy, Hear our prayers. Amen Hymn 533 – Will you come and follow me Benediction Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, and may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you, now and always. Amen.  Notices:
In life, in death, and in life beyond death, The Risen Christ is Lord. In success and discouragement, in fear and in hope, The Risen Christ is Lord. In Church and community, in our hearts and our homes, The Risen Christ is Lord, and so we gather to worship in his name. Hymn 410 – Jesus Christ is risen today Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, we rejoice in this new day you have made. We praise you for all the beauty that surrounds us as spring takes hold with lambs and calves in the field and flowers blooming all around. We praise you for your Son Jesus, and the power of new life promised in his resurrection. We praise you for your Spirit at work in human history, to restore and redeem our hope with that power of new life. God of steadfast love, we worship you and claim your gift of new life, even in the face of any doubt or danger within the world you love. O God of might and mercy, In his resurrection, Jesus promised to be with us everywhere and always. Yet we confess we are sometimes uncertain about your promises. We doubt the promise of resurrection for our own lives. Upheaval and anxiety eat away at our peace. Forgive us when we struggle to trust your goodness and your steadfast love for us. Hear and believe the good news of the Gospel. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and set free from sin and sorrow. In Jesus Christ, God offers us the gift of peace. May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ fill your hearts this day. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 5: 27-32 John 20: 19-31 Hymn 432 – How often we like Thomas Weekly Prayer Everlasting God, as Jesus appeared in the locked room to show his disciples the beginning of a new world, draw us closer to you. Like Thomas, may we examine the wounded hands and feet of Jesus in order to know and understand the depth of his love for us. Thank you that as believers we have life in His name. Amen Reflection Life is sometimes unfair, and I am sure we all agree to that. I always think that on the Sunday after Easter. It is sometimes called Low Sunday, coming a week after the celebrations of Easter Day, and on this Sunday, we traditionally remember the disciple, Thomas. Thomas really gets a raw deal – he is called Doubting Thomas, and the name sticks. It seems so unfair. All the disciples had deserted Jesus at the time of his greatest need; Peter had even gone so far as denying that he knew him. They had all let him down – but somehow only Thomas is branded with this unfortunate title – the Doubter. Scene One was the evening of Easter Day. Mary had been with the news that she had met the risen Jesus. You might have expected a scene of jubilation – but far from it. The disciples were huddled behind locked doors, and they were terrified. Terrified that they would be linked by association with Jesus and arrested. Terrified to brave the streets. Also they were lost, leaderless, still grieving. And the news of Jesus’ resurrection – they obviously didn’t know what to make of it. Didn’t quite believe it. It was into this scene of fear and doubt that Jesus somehow appeared. Gatecrashed the party! He showed his wounds. He spoke words of peace and breathed words of forgiveness. But Thomas wasn’t there. Maybe he had drawn the short straw and had been sent out to buy some food. Maybe he needed a break from the doleful company. But he wasn’t there. He had missed all the excitement. There is nothing worse – when everybody else shares an experience, but you miss out. He dismissed their talk as hysterical, and said he would only believe if he could see the wounds in Jesus’s hands where the nails had been driven in, put his hand in the spear wound in his side. Scene Two. The disciples are again together, but this time Thomas is with them. Jesus appears and stands among them. The Risen Lord shows his wounds to Thomas, and that is important. They hadn’t disappeared. He still bore the wounds. And he says blessed are those who believe without seeing. Thomas responds with one of the greatest affirmations of faith in the Gospels – My Lord and my God. It is unfair, as I say, for Thomas shows healthy questioning, but also faith. He is patron saint to all who test and explore our human existence and indeed legend has it he took the Gospel message to India, where there is a strong church which sees its roots in Thomas. Scene Three is really immediately afterwards, and for this we go to the Acts reading. For these tired, defeated, terrified people are completely transformed. Where they had been behind locked doors, now they are out in the open. Where they had run away and instinctively denied knowing Jesus, now they are openly testifying in his name. Where they had feared, now they were fearless – and they were fearless because they believed. It was a complete transformation. The disciples to me are proof of the resurrection, that such an inarticulate and fearful group could suddenly turn the world upside down. There is a Scene Four too, and that is now. The characters in scene 4 are you and me and Christians everywhere. Christians in Ukraine rising above the pain and destruction to be a resurrection people and bear faith. Christians in Egypt where a priest was killed only a week or so ago, but the Church still seeks to be an agent of healing and reconciliation. Jesus still stands among us, and he calls us to be an Easter people in our scarred and wounded world and love it, and keep loving it and seek to bring Christ’s peace. Hymn 415 – This joyful Eastertide Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession We thank you, God, for the many ways you provide for our needs: for air and water, for food and shelter, for work to do and rest to sustain us. We pray for your creation, too often at risk because of the choices we’ve made. Help us care for the earth and all its creatures. Show us how to cherish the gifts you have given and protect them for future generations. We thank you, God, for family: the families we were born into, the families we married into, and other families who welcomed us into their midst We pray for those who have lost family members and relationships, and for any who know pain within the family circle. God, we also thank you for friendship: for friends who have supported us through months of pandemic restriction sand for those who bring us joy and wise counsel. Help us extend the gift of friendship to those who are experiencing isolation, loneliness or grief. We thank you, God, for the peace and freedom we enjoy in UK, but pray for those who know neither freedom nor peace: those living under oppressive regimes or in conflict zones, and those who have fled their homelands, in search of safety. Ukraine; Palestine. Give us courage to stand up for people who cannot stand up for themselves, so that they too will know peace and freedom. We thank you, God, for your Church, for our congregation and its leaders, and for all who volunteer time, talent and energy to the work we undertake in Jesus’ name. By your Spirit, guide us and inspire us with new insight into mission and ministry. We pray for other churches in our community and in our presbytery, and the sense of mission that guides each one into service. Amen Hymn 413 – The day of Resurrection Benediction  The Lord is risen.
He is risen indeed! Alleluia Notices:
Jesus was dead, laid in a tomb. But the stone is rolled away. Hallelujah Morning has broken, the tomb now empty. Hallelujah! Christ is risen! A new day has come, life not undone Hallelujah! Christ is risen! Come and worship, the Lord is here! Hymn 404 – I danced in the morning Prayers of Adoration and Confession Risen Lord, we are the Easter people, and Alleluia is our song. We are the Easter people come to worship, released from tombs of pain and doubt and fear and death into the freedom of this new day, and its promise of hope fulfilled. We are the Easter people, Emerging into the brightness of faith, Blinking, questioning, wondering, hoping. Come to us, into the garden of our lives, and touch all that is barren, and wasted and dried with Your healing hand. Forgive our half-lived lives, our broken promises, and our failed kindness. Call to us by our name, that we might turn from all that limits and burdens us, and lift us up into forgiveness and freedom. Open the gateways of our hearts and minds, and call us out into Your world to be embraced by Your unfailing and renewing mercy. Today, in silence, prayer and song, may we encounter Jesus and His grace. For we are the Easter people, and Alleluia is our song. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 10:34–43 John 20:1–18 Hymn SGP 3 – Alleluia, alleluia Weekly Prayer Faithful God, we think of your church today celebrating the Resurrection all over the world. Language, race and nationalities may be different but our worship and our joy on the Day Of Resurrection make us one in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Help us to capture the excitement of those who first saw The Lord on that glorious resurrection day. Amen Reflection To every human tyrant and dictator, to every warmonger and oppressor, today is a fearful day. To every extremist or bigot, today is a fearful day. For today we celebrate the triumph of love over hate, the triumph of life over death; the triumph of good over evil. For today the power of fear and despair is defeated; the power of death is vanquished. And today we can dare to hope, for Jesus who was killed on the cross is risen. Jesus who was laid in the tomb is alive. We are an Easter people, filled with hope. And yet when Mary went to the tomb that first Easter morning, her eyes were blinded by tears. She was distraught, in grief. Confused by all that had happened. It was all made worse by the sight of the stone which covered the tomb had been rolled away, and the tomb empty. Someone had stolen the body. She even accused a stranger, whom she assumed tended the garden. Tears had maybe blinded her eyes. But they hadn’t blocked her ears. And it was when he spoke her name, she knew it was her Lord. There is an intense, rapturous reunion as she turns to embrace him and responds with an answering cry, Rabboni, my teacher. Maybe the clock could be turned back; maybe it could be like it was before. Yet this isn’t the end of the story, like some final scene in a Hollywood movie where the two embrace. There’s further to go and yet another twist in the psychological drama. At the very moment of reunion, Christ rejects her touch. ‘Do not cling to me,’ he says to her. ‘Do not hold on to me.’ At the heart of resurrection is rupture and refusal, rather than reunion. There is no return to the way things were before for Mary – or indeed for us. Resurrection is not return, nor the restoration of an old state of affairs, but a total reorientation to a radically new reality. ‘Do not hold on to me … but go to my brothers and sisters …’ How traumatic was it for Mary to hear these words and act on them? Yet this is what Resurrection demanded of her – and of us. Christ commands us to go, to leave the safe garden and to risk the loss of all we have known. Yet, as Mary obeys the Lord’s command, she discovers the deeper miracle and truth of the resurrection which, until now, she could not know. She finds that Christ is there, wherever she goes, the living one present with her, within her, beside her and before her, not simply in the particular space and time of the garden encounter, but released in the world everywhere … Hymn 417 – Now the green blade riseth Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession God of Resurrecting Hope, we thank you with grateful hearts, recognizing how much you have given us in Christ, and what his gift has cost. Bless the gifts we bring so they may help spread the hope and joy we feel today in the world you love so dearly. God of new beginnings, Break into your church with resurrecting power. Where congregations have drifted apart through these months of Pandemic, re-energize the connections and commitment needed for ministry. Bless the Church throughout the world this Easter Day, and especially where your people are persecuted. Resurrect, renew and revive your people, O God. Hear our prayer. God of new possibilities, Break into our relationships with resurrecting power. Where they are vibrant and life-giving, nurture and sustain them. Where they are marked by memories of hurt or current misunderstanding, refresh them with forgiveness and reconciliation. Where they are neglected or taken for granted, open eyes to the great gift we offer each other. Resurrect, renew and revive your people, O God. Hear our prayer. God of new opportunity, Break into the governance of your world with resurrecting power. Stir the minds and hearts of leaders to work for justice, understanding and the equitable sharing of resources. We continue to pray for the Ukraine and Russia and all caught up in the war, where Christian fights against Christian and where terrible acts have shocked us. Resurrect, renew and revive your people, O God. Hear our prayer. God of new life, Break into situations of illness, pain, grief and loss with resurrecting power. Where there is sickness of body, mind, or spirit, bring healing and hope. Where people mourn the loss of relationships or dreams, bring comfort and courage to go on. Where those who serve and care and maintain our common life are exhausted, bring rest and renewal. Resurrect, renew and revive your people, O God. Hear our prayer. God of Easter Day, In silence we bring before you the prayers of our hearts. Silence Resurrect, renew and revive our spirits. Hear our prayer. Amen Hymn 419 – Thine be the glory Benediction God of new possibilities, new beginnings, new hope, Bless us now with your resurrection life! Jesus calling us each by name Bless us now with your resurrection life! Spirit equipping and energizing us, sending us out Bless us now with your resurrection life! And may the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, be with you and with those whom you love, wherever they may be, now and always. Amen  Welcome, Cheviot churches! We worship together on this Palm Sunday/ Passion Sunday.
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Through the hosannas and waving palms, Come walk the road with Christ Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We will walk with him Through the betrayal and the denial. Come walk the road with Christ Behold the lamb of God. We will walk with him Through the palms and the passion, the prayers and the pain, come and walk the road with him Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We will walk with him Hymn 367 – Hosanna, loud hosanna Prayers of Adoration and Confession Lord Jesus, you enter our lives humbly, Riding on a donkey, staying at our level, inviting our response. Circle our hearts, centre our minds, still our bodies. Be present to us now. Almighty God, whose love endures forever, who meets us where we are, who meets us as we are— our true selves: flawed and broken, sick and well, sad and joyous, doubtful and sure; but forever held in your steadfast love. As we begin this week of contemplation and reflection, guide our thoughts towards the life and teachings of our saviour Jesus. Show us the way forward and through the difficulties of this life and these troubling times; lead us towards the gates of your kingdom We confess it is easier for us to follow the crowd than follow Christ; we prefer to avoid conflict rather than stand up for your mercy and understanding. We allow strident voices in our times to drown out your wisdom and truth. Forgive us, O God. Fill us with the courage to take up our cross and follow Jesus, even when the cost to follow is high and reputations are at stake. Jesus says, ‘No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends’. Jesus brings light to those in darkness, forgiveness to those who truly confess, and pardon to all who seek to follow Jesus. We are a forgiven people. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Isaiah 50: 4-9a Luke 19: 28-40 Blessing of Palm Crosses We thank you Lord for these palm crosses, A simple reminder of the love you showed for us. As we take them into our homes, May they remind us through this special week That you gave your life for us upon the cross. May they remind us of how deep and wide and high Is the love you have for us. As we take them into our homes, So may we take your love into our hearts And worship you as Saviour and King. And like the people on that first Palm Sunday, May we also cry ‘Hosanna, Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord’. Hymn MP 167 – Give me joy in my heart (1,3,4) Weekly Prayer Sovereign Lord, we thank you for loving our world so much that you freely gave your one and only Son to bring eternal life. Help us to welcome Him as we worship the one who brings much-needed peace on earth. "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of The Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" Amen Reflection (with thanks to Michael Rummiger) He was minding his own business. But he ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time…. or so it seemed. He was from the town of Cyrene on the coast of Libya. Now, every Jew wanted to go to Jerusalem for Passover, at least once in their lifetime, and so Simon arrived in Jerusalem. If it was his first trip, he must have been filled with excitement, to be there right at the centre of things for the Passover feast. Jerusalem at Passover was always crowded, but this year, the crowd seemed more tense. People were angry and shouting ‘Crucify him’. Others looked sad. Maybe Simon saw a women, crying out ‘My son’ or a man saying ‘He healed me’. Simon from Cyrene was stuck in the middle of the crowd, the wrong place at the wrong time. For suddenly Simon felt a hand grabbing him – a Roman soldier. Simon may have wanted to go to the Temple to pray, but instead he is in the grip of a soldier – and you don’t mess with them. Then Simon sees another man, hardly recognisable because of all the blood. He was one of those to be executed, but too weak to carry his cross. Why had they beaten him? Why the crown of thorns? He was losing so much blood – would they even need to crucify him? But the soldier was saying something to him, which made no sense. ‘Carry his cross’. What? ‘Carry the cross’. Maybe Simon tried to object, but Roman soldiers expected obedience. So Simon picks up the cross. A cross he didn’t deserve; a cross that didn’t belong to him; a cross that made no sense. Then they started to walk, Simon and Jesus. Both of them suffering; both burdened. But they kept going, one step at a time. Did they say anything to each other? We don’t know, But perhaps Simon recognised that Jesus was no ordinary person and certainly no criminal. He didn’t deserve to die. On this Palm Sunday, we remember how Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem to acclaim, but it is also Passion Sunday and by his very action, Jesus was a threat to those in power. He had to die. In the account of the Passion, Simon of Cyrene is only mentioned briefly, though Mark mentioned the possibility that his two sons became Christians. Simon may have thought that he was stuck in the crowd, in the wrong place at the wrong time, but with hindsight, maybe he realised that he was in the right place at the right time. Because every human being can have a moment when a cross is handed to us. We don’t deserve it. It makes no sense. It confuses and frightens us. But one thing becomes clear. We are not walking alone. As Simon carried the cross, he was walking with Jesus. As we carry our crosses, we walk with Jesus, and in Him, that’s where we find our peace and strength. Jesus didn’t deserve to die. But it happened. Simon didn’t deserve to carry a muckle big cross. But it happened. We don’t deserve the cancer or the depression or the heart trouble. We don’t deserve to lose a job or lose a loved one or undergo a family crisis. The people of Ukraine don’t deserve their sufferings. But these crosses are handed to us. And you pick it up. And you put one foot in front of the other. And you slowly realize – we are not walking alone. The One who suffered is walking beside us. The One whose hands were nailed is waving us forward. The One whose heart was pierced with a sword is loving us. And the One who rose from the dead is promising that we will rise too. Simon was in the right place at the right time. How else could he have discovered that this undeserved cross was the tool God would use to reveal the closeness of Jesus? And how else could God teach Simon that the greatest gift we can give to one another is to help our brother and sister carry their crosses? Hymn 399 – My song is love unknown (1-4,7) Prayers of Dedication & Intercession God of justice, in a world that continues to tell the tired old story that might is right, we give you thanks that, in Jesus, you have shown a new and different way— that real strength is found in vulnerability and through self-giving acts of humble service. We pray for those in positions of power— for heads of state, and for those who serve in government at local and national level, that they govern wisely and well, and with integrity, putting the needs of constituents and country above their own desires. We pray for people who live under the heel of oppressive regimes, for countries where lawlessness has replaced the rule of law, for places where human wrongs are the order of the day, not human rights. We remember the ones forced to flee their homelands for daring to speak truth to power, or who are discriminated against because of their faith, gender, orientation, or the colour of their skin. Lord, may your kingdom come where justice is mixed with mercy. We continue to remember the terrible war in Ukraine and also the suffering in Yemen and Syria. God of compassion, we pray for the most vulnerable in our communities, those who have been bruised by life, those for whom hope has gone, who see only darkness and despair. We especially think of those worried about the cost of living. We think of joyous events and celebrations, of births and weddings, and especially today of long marriages, and we thank you for Caroline and Kenneth. We pray for those who are ill and those who tend to them. Give comfort to all who wait and watch, to those who are weary and overwhelmed, and to those who are walking the way of grief. Lord, may your kingdom come where compassion is a by-word, and no-one is left without care. In a moment of quiet prayer, we bring before you all who are on our minds and in our hearts at this time, and we pray for our own particular needs God, who makes all things new, we offer you these, our prayers, in Jesus’ name. Amen Hymn 370 - Ride on, ride on – the time is right The time is not yet, but the darkness is gathering. The time is not yet, but the main players are taking their positions. Dither not, but come back tomorrow and wait with the Son of God, for his friends are few in this world of hatred. The time is not yet, but our time is now: to be here and trust a love that will see this thing through. Go, but be back, for Jesus needs his friends. Benediction Go into Holy Week, walking in the footsteps of Christ and may the blessing of God, Creator, Guide and Inspirer, rest and remain with you, now and forevermore. Amen  Welcome, Cheviot churches! We worship together on this Fifth Sunday of Lent.
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On the fifth Sunday in Lent we gather. We come to remember and celebrate the good news of Jesus, who enjoyed time with friends, even with one who would betray him. We come to share in his company at communion. We come as we are, full of faults and failings, yet loved by God. Let us come close to God, as God comes close to us. Hymn 198 – Let us build a house (1,3,5) Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of time and space, we come before you today, in awe and wonder of your creation. As we look to the heavens, we see formed in plant and star, the glory of your majesty, made manifest in all we see. God of land and sea, we come before you today with thanksgiving, for a planet that provides all we need to sustain us in its provision for our needs, and its beauty for our wonder. God of storm and calm, we come before you as followers of your Son, Jesus Christ; who quelled the waves, who spoke with tenderness, who, in word and deed, showed us how to live in step with you. God of love and forgiveness, we come before you today, aware of who and what we are:- of the promise we show as your beloved children, and of our propensity to fail you in what we think, say and do. In a time of quiet, we offer to you our prayers of confession, and ask that you will forgive us and make us new. [Silence] In repentance and faith, receive the promise of grace and the assurance of pardon. Here are words you may trust, words that merit full acceptance: 'Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.' To all who turn to him he says; 'Your sins are forgiven.' He also says follow me. Let us turn, then, from our past failings, assured that we are made new, and look forward in faith and in hope Lord’s Prayer Readings – Isaiah 43: 16-21 John 12: 1-8 Hymn 659 – Put peace into each other’s hands Weekly Prayer Eternal God, may your House once again be filled with fragrance as we celebrate the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ through the partaking of bread and wine. Help us to proclaim your praise as we go out into our community to share the good news of his kingdom. Amen Reflection I had 4 hours to kill at Heathrow airport and glanced at the aftershave. An assistant came over, recommending a new woody fragrance. Usually, they spray a little onto a piece of card for you to sniff but maybe he was new to the job, maybe he was being mischievous, but he proceeded to spray it very generously all over me. I was glad I did have 4 hours for it to fade a little. But I thought of the passage we read today, of the women anointing Jesus with a pint of perfume. That’s a lot! All four Gospels record this story, though they differ in the setting and Luke even has it earlier in Jesus’ ministry. John has it in the house of Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus. It is therefore a very intimate setting. Jesus is with friends and can relax. He would have been accompanied by the disciples too. Martha was busying away in the kitchen. It seemed a moment of calm, for Jesus was about to make his entry to Jerusalem and the storm clouds were gathering. Now, this story is told in the aftermath of Lazarus being raised from the dead; he had died, and Mary and Martha were distraught, and Jesus had brought him to life again, so it would be a celebration. But then something unexpected happened. Mary is often portrayed as being mild and devout, hanging on Jesus’ every word, but here she takes action and lavishly anoints Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume and then unties her hair and proceeds to dry Jesus’ feet. A woman’s hair was only for her husband to see, so this was quite outrageous. But in doing this, in anointing Jesus, it was as if she was preparing his body for death. There is here a foreshadowing of the crucifixion which would happen less than a week later. Judas makes the very valid point that the money could have been spent more wisely, but Jesus defends Mary and says she has done a beautiful thing. God is always doing the unexpected. People expected the Messiah to look like King David – instead they got a carpenter and itinerant preacher. They expected Jesus to throw out the Romans; instead, he was crucified by them. Even his followers expected the crucifixion to be the end; instead, it was a beginning. God was like that. In Isaiah we read how God was going to do a new thing. He was addressing the exiles in Babylon, who were living in the past, remembering past glories, dreaming of Zion. ‘How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land’? God was going to do a new thing, and they reshaped their theology and some did return to Zion and rebuilt the walls. We are all like the exiles – a lot of us remember how Sunday schools were busy and churches were fuller. We live on past glories. But God is ever doing new things now, as we face new challenges like climate change and refugees and a changing world. As we seek to be relevant in our communities. God is ever at work, and working through the unexpected. And what more unexpected than through such ordinary things as bread and wine. Jesus and his friends were enjoying an intimate evening in Bethany when Mary anointed Jesus. So, on the Thursday of Holy Week Jesus was again sharing a meal with his friends, and he took bread and broke it; took wine and shared it and asked his followers to do this to remember him. We meet in this intimate setting with our brothers and sisters in Christ around us, and we too share in a meal, as has happened down the centuries. We remember Christ’s body broken on the cross and his blood shed, that we might have life and life in all its fullness. May we be strengthened by it and may God continue to work through the unexpected to do many new things and indeed many beautiful things in and through us. Prayers of Dedication & Intercession We come before you in dedication, offering what we have as a token of our commitment to your mission and message, take them and use them in Jesus’ name we pray. God of all peoples and nations, Who created all things alive and breathing, United and whole, show us the way of peace that is your overwhelming presence. We hold before you the peoples of Ukraine and Russia, Every child and every adult. We long for the time When weapons of war are beaten into ploughshares When nations no longer lift up sword against nation. We cry out to you for peace; Protect those who only desire and deserve to live in security and safety Comfort those who fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones Be with those who are bereaved. Change the hearts of those set on violence and aggression And fill leaders with the wisdom that leads to peace. Kindle again in us a love of our neighbour, And a passion for justice to prevail and a renewed recognition that we all play a part in peace. Creator of all hear our prayer And bring us peace. make us whole. Amen. (Christian Aid) Invitation to the Table The table is set for all; around it there are no divisions. Just as one loaf is made from many grains, - and as one cup is filled from the fruit of many grapes, so, we, though many, are made one in Christ, nourished by him to nourish the world. Jesus calls us to this table, and all are welcome here. Hymn 19 – Ye gates Communion Hymn 518 – Lift up your hearts Benediction  Welcome, Cheviot churches! We worship together on this Fourth Sunday of Lent and Mothering Sunday.
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When Israel was I child I loved him Out of Egypt I called my son I taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms I led them with cords of kindness, with bands of love I was like those who lift infants to their cheeks I bent down to them and fed them (From Hosea 11) Hymn 118 – Womb of life Prayers of Adoration and Confession Gracious God, As a mother loves her child, so you love us. You have watched over us from our birth, Tenderly nurturing us, showering us with love. You have given us strength in times of need, comfort in times of distress, guidance in times of uncertainty. Whatever we have faced, you have been with us. For that great truth, we praise and thank you. God of love and mercy, We confess that we have not always appreciated your love. We have ignored what you would teach us and disobeyed your instructions. We have taken you for granted and wandered far from your side. Forgive us. Yet through all this, you are constant, caring for us and ready to sacrifice your all for our sakes and loving us with an unquenchable love. We thank you that we are your forgiven children. Mothering God, Embrace us in your fierce love, enfold us in your protective care, calm our anxious worrying and still us, body, mind and spirit, to rest in you. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Joshua 5: 9-12 Luke 15: 11-32 Hymn MP 225 – He’s got the whole world Weekly Prayer Loving God, we give you thanks for our mothers and our other family members, people to love, enjoy, work for and pray for. As we are reminded of your welcome to the prodigal son, we too confess our own sinfulness before you and thank you for your forgiveness. Make us messengers of your reconciling love, within our families and to the wider world. Amen Reflection The war in Ukraine goes on, and we continue to be shocked by the devastation caused by weapons and bombs and the heart-wrenching scenes of people fleeing from their homes and being separated from loved ones. It is good to see the warm welcome those fleeing have received, but as any refugee will tell you, there is no place like home. I worked with Ethiopian refugees in Cairo, and when we talked of their homeland their eyes glazed over and they spoke with such love, in the knowledge that they would probably never see their homeland again. Many people in our world today are exiled because of war and oppression and persecution. For others, they move to make a better life. Certainly, many people have left these shores to make a new life in North America or Australia and New Zealand or elsewhere, but they keep alive the traditions from their homeland. Our readings today focus on exile and homecoming. It is a strong theme in the Bible. In the Old Testament, the exiles in Babylon yearn to return to Zion, while in the New Testament Peter tells us we are not strangers in exile, but pilgrims, longing to return to our homeland which is in Christ Jesus. But today we read these few verses from Joshua, but they are important, for they mark a homecoming. The long years of exile and oppression in Egypt, the long wandering in the wilderness are now finished. They cross the Jordan River at Gilgal into the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey. The manna which has sustained them in their journey stops. It is not the end of the story; they have to make the land their own, but they are now back where their ancestors left so many generations before. In the parable of the two sons in Luke, we again see a sense of exile. The younger son has demanded his inheritance, which was really quite shocking. He was treating his father as if he were dead. Then he distances himself, going into self-exile, going to the city and living it up. He is as far from home as he could get, both physically but also spiritually. But he makes no provision for the future, and we know what happens; he hits rock bottom. His fair-weather friends desert him and he ends up looking after pigs, which would have been shocking to Jesus’ hearers. It is at that point that he reflects on his self-made plight and has to come to a decision; stay as he is – or swallow his pride and go back home. He realises that at home things can only be better. It was a big decision. It would involve humiliation as he saw his family again (his mother, incidentally, isn’t mentioned in the story, so perhaps she had died). He has to confront what he has done and the hurt he has caused, but only by facing it can he go back home. When he does go back home, he probably expects condemnation or at least, ‘I told you so!’; but instead, his father runs out in joy. The lost son has been found and he is embraced right into the heart of the family. It is a homecoming. But of course, his return isn’t universally well-received. The elder brother is also in an exile of sorts – he is staying at home, but not completely feeling at home. From his reaction to his brother, he has obviously been building up grudges and is not completely at ease with his father. The younger son has found humility, but the elder is still full of pride and is unable to look in the mirror and confront himself with his faults. Where are we in all this? God is relentless in pursuing us, beckoning us back home. He offers forgiveness and grace, if we but come humbly, confronting our failings. Do we, like the elder brother, nurse our pride or like the younger one, turn our lives around and feel the joy of homecoming. And certainly we pray that for the many refugees in our world, there will be a homecoming or at least a place of safety and security, which they can make a home. Hymn 555 – Amazing Grace Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession God who provides for us, we give you our thanks for our homes and all we associate with them. For the joy of family life, the debt we owe our parents and especially this day, the love of our mothers across the years. We thank you that we are part of a wider family – the family of humankind the world over and the family of the Church, here and everywhere. We pray for all who parent children, however young, however old, and especially we think of those who struggle to cope and those who feel overwhelmed. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of things shall be well We pray for parents struggling to stay together, and for those faced with raising a child on their own, with no-one to share the demands and joys of parenthood. Give them patience, dedication and devotion. We pray for those who have lost their mothers or never known them; those orphaned as children or given up for adoption. Those whose mothers have died and all for whom this day brings pain rather than pleasure. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of things shall be well We pray for all parents who struggle to feed their children and provide security for them. We especially think of mothers and children in the Ukraine and other areas of conflict. Bless them we pray. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of things shall be well We pray for all who have not been able to have had children. We pray for adoptive parents and foster parents. We think of children living in abusive situations. We pray for those whose mental illness has led to a loss of memory or recognition. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of things shall be well We bring before you now all who suffer at this time; for those who are ill and for those who are bereaved. In a moment of silence we name them in our hearts All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of things shall be well. Amen Hymn 694 – Brother, sister, let me serve you Benediction Mother, Father God, bringing the universe to birth, Nurturing and feeding, healing and reconciling, bless us now, your sons and daughters. May the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer be with you, now and always. Amen.  Welcome, Cheviot churches! We worship together on this Third Sunday of Lent.
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Seek the Lord while he may be found. Turn to God, generous in forgiving God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. God’s ways are not our ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth So are God’s ways higher than ours. Hymn 132 - Immortal Invisible Prayers of Adoration and Confession God, our Creator and Sustainer, in you we live and move and have our being. In your depths we find meaning; in your heights we find light and joy. You are the source of peace and hope for all who turn to you. You alone have been our help and our guide; you give us strength and courage when we face challenges. In you we find rest and welcome along the way. We praise you, O God, for your steadfast love. Draw near to us once more in this time of worship. Reveal your purposes for us and prepare us for the days ahead so that our lives may witness to your mercy and grace as we follow Jesus. God of grace and mercy, We confess that our thoughts are so often not your thoughts; our way are rarely your ways. Our tempers are short and we fail to act with kindness. Our confidence is weak and we treat others without respect. Our faith falters and we lose track of you. Forgive the many ways we fail you, and inspire us to follow you more faithfully. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Isaiah 55: 1-9 Luke 13: 1-9 Hymn 540 – I heard the voice of Jesus say Weekly Prayer Heavenly Father as we go out into the world help us to live in the warmth of Your love, to listen to the cries of hurt, especially as we remember the people of Ukraine. Help us to speak words of compassion as we seek the Lord, in the certain knowledge that He will have mercy upon us as we call upon Him. Amen Reflection It is always good to go away on holiday, but it is always good to come back – and good to come back to the mild Borders climate, because Cairo was cold! It was however good to meet up with old friends and to visit old haunts. On Monday I was with a friend in one of the Cairo suburbs, and we noticed a shop selling Syrian groceries and went in, as I wanted to buy something for the Syrian family I visit in Gala. Immediately we were welcomed. We were given some dates to sample. We were given some hot stuffed vine leaves, a delicacy. We were given some chocolate to try. We were given Arabic coffee to drink. Next it was Turkish Delight. It was Arab hospitality. How they make a profit, I don’t know! It reminded me of Isaiah 55, with the invitation to come and eat, come and drink, come without paying. Of course, it is talking about the gift of grace, that God gives so much to us that we don’t deserve and God can satisfy the hunger in our very souls. It is a wonderful passage, calling on us to seek the Lord and finishing with a picture of hope with the juniper tree growing instead of the briar. Whenever you travel to a place you know well, you notice changes, some of which can be for the good and sadly some which are for the worse. I hadn’t been to Cairo for three years, and it was just coming out of Covid. Cairo is chaotic. It is crowded, polluted, noisy – and wonderful. It is a place of traffic jams and dust storms; a place of great antiquity (though this time I failed to go to the pyramids), but also ever moving forward. In the few years I have been away, they have extended the metro, the underground, adding several stops. A new museum has opened and it is so impressive. You can see all the mummies, but there are so many touchscreen devices to tell you about the various exhibits. All state of the art. New shopping malls have opened, for Egyptians love to shop. A new capital city is being built in the desert. Meanwhile for the church in Egypt, this is a golden age, according to one of my former colleagues, with permission given to build churches, as the church bears witness in the emerging suburbs. Posters in the metro highlight Egypt’s Christian heritage. The Theological College, where I worked, trains 40 ministerial students, but also over 450 lay students who wish to know more about their faith. While I was there, the students had just been on a trip to see recycling projects in one of the poorer areas of the city in order to inspire them in their ministry. Of course, not all in Egypt is good. It can be a repressive place to live of you are opposed to the regime – and bad things happen, such as poorly constructed buildings suddenly collapsing. We read about that in our Gospel lesson. How a tower collapsed killing 18 people and how a group of Galileans had been killed by troops when bringing sacrifices to the Temple. We immediately think of Ukraine and the atrocities of war, of how people die as they shelter in a theatre, of how they starve and freeze in Mariupol. All innocent people caught up in the horrors of war. But the Gospel passage ends in hope, for a parable is told of the owner of a fig tree who is frustrated with it, as it fails to bear any fruit. He wanted to cut it down, but the gardener persuades him to give the tree yet another chance. We have a God who continually wants the best for us, who offers us forgiveness and grace, who invites us to eat and drink, who always gives the second chance. A God who is with us in our suffering and stands alongside us in our distress. A God who offers hope and the promise that the pine will grow instead of thorns, the juniper instead of briars. We hold onto that. Hymn 166 – God of all hopefulness Prayers of Intercession Loving God, accept these our gifts, we pray. Bless them and use them to inspire peace in places of unrest, love in places of resentment, joy in places of fear, and hope in places of loss. God of Hope, When the world is confusing and frustrating, you bring light and hope. We give you thanks for lessons learned, for changes of heart, for fresh discoveries made, and new paths followed. We pray this day for those who are confused or afraid and for those who feel anger or despair. God of Peace, there is so much conflict, hostility, and antagonism around us and within us. Personal relationships are often tense; the world community at odds. We pray for understanding to prevail in relationships at home and at work, in our community and our country. And we pray for diplomacy to end conflict and threat among nations Loving God, your Son Jesus Christ, wept over Jerusalem. Today, we weep over Ukraine. We weep for those uprooted from their homes and lives. We weep for those cowering in basements. We weep for those who have witnessed death and destruction on their streets. We weep for those separated from parents, from children, from spouses and siblings. We are amazed at the resilience of people seeking to comfort those in need and so we pray for Governments opening up borders so that Ukrainians can have safe passage. We pray for churches and individuals providing food, clothing and shelter. We pray for medical workers ensuring that shattered bodies are put back together again. We pray for ordinary Russians demonstrating and voicing their disapproval of the military actions in Ukraine. May the Holy Spirit give us the willpower to turn our tears into action also. May we, through our words, prayers and example pursue the things that make for a just peace in the world today and especially in Ukraine. We remember those who feel excluded or bitter, those who are anxious or in distress. We pray for those who face loss and hardship in these uncertain times, and all who know sorrow and suffering, naming before you those on our hearts this day. Silence Amen Hymn 248 – For my sake and the Gospel’s go Benediction May we find the road that leads to life; may we take the turns that brings right relationships; may we pause to accompany others on the way; and may we journey with God through Lent, and long for the horizon and dawn. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen  Welcome, Cheviot churches! We worship together on this First Sunday of Lent.
Notices:
We live in the shelter of the Most High, We abide in the shadow of the Almighty. The Lord will deliver us from the perils that threaten us. Under God’s wings, we will find refuge and not be afraid. So let us praise God, in song and in silence, with thankful hearts! We will worship God with heart, mind, soul and strength, now and always. Hymn 212 – Morning has broken Prayers of Adoration and Confession God ever creating, ever loving, ever leading: when things around us feel chaotic, you are peace. When so much we hear is not reliable, your word is truth. When we are paralyzed by fear and anxiety, your presence is freedom. When we feel bereft and helpless, your love gives us hope. God, you are the Source of all that matters. We bring you our prayers and our praise this day, for you reveal yourself to us in the goodness of creation, in the love and mercy of Christ, your beloved, and through the energy and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. We worship you, O God, ever Three and ever One, world without end. Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in things we have done, and things we have neglected to do. We have held back from giving to protect what we have. We have not trusted in your goodness and relied on the world’s empty promises instead. Forgive what we have done and direct who we shall become. Help us to serve you by serving your world with generous spirits. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Deuteronomy 26: 1-11 Luke 4: 1-13 Hymn 338 – Jesus tempted in the desert (1,3,4) Weekly Prayer Gracious God, you call us to worship today and remind us that Jesus refused the temptation to worship the evil one. Rather than receive the glorious kingdoms of this world, he endured first, the time in the wilderness and ultimately the pain and suffering of the cross. Help us during our Lenten journey to rejoice in all the good things God has given us, to fix our eyes on him and resist our temptations. Amen Reflection In the early church there was a new phenomenon. People were starting to follow the example of Jesus and go out into the desert and live lives of prayer and self-examination. They would sell everything they had to live without possessions and to endure hardship. They felt it was a way of becoming closer to God. It was the beginning of monasticism. It became so popular in Egypt that Christians from the cities used to go as sightseers, to ogle at the hermits and monks! The story is told of one very holy monk. The demons worked hard to tempt him, but they got nowhere. When the devil asked them what the problem was, they said, ‘We have tried everything. Food, flattery, alcohol, sex - everything. Nothing works’. The devil smiled, went over to the monk and whispered in his ear. All of a sudden, the monk jumped up, threw his bible against the wall and stomped out. ‘What did you say to him?’, the demons asked. ‘Oh, church politics. I just mentioned that his brother had been made bishop in Alexandria!’, the devil replied. We all have our limits. As we enter into Lent, we are introduced to the story of Jesus in the wilderness and the sparring match with the devil, as Jesus wrestles with who he is. He had just been baptised in the Jordan by John, but before embarking on his ministry he feels the need to have time in the bleak landscape of the desert. We say ‘desert’ and think of sand dunes. It wasn’t like that. It was a barren place of stones, a forbidding place of searing temperatures. A place without shelter from the sun - or from the cold at night. A place without food or water. It was a place he could learn about himself, be assailed by doubts, be tested. It was also a place with a history, for the Israelites had also spent a long time in the desert. We read in Deuteronomy an ancient statement of faith, you could say. ‘A wandering Aramean was my father…’. In a nutshell, it tells the story of the Israelites, being brought out of slavery from Egypt and led to the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey, the good things of life. But they had to go through the wilderness first. They were tempted – and they gave in. They complained about no water, no food. When God gave manna, they complained that it was too boring eating the same thing every day. Then they succumbed to the worst temptation and melted their jewellery and made a golden calf to worship. However, it was all part of forging themselves together as a nation and learning to put their trust in God. Jesus went into the desert, and he was tested. This was not a charade. Forty days alone would take Jesus to the limits of his physical and mental endurance. Exhausted and hungry, he faced the realty of evil. He faced the subtle temptations probing his sense of identity. ‘If you are the Son of God, prove it’. Prove it by turning stones into bread; prove it by leaping from a temple roof to impress people; prove it by bowing before the throne of power, greed and popularity. But secure in his identity and assured of his Father’s love, Jesus resists these temptations. And the barren, unpromising desert becomes a place of discovery, growth and freedom, and he is able to leave it strengthened for his ministry. There are those in our world today, who readily succumb to the temptations for power and domination, who believe that might is right. There are those in our world today who court popularity. Each of us have our own demons to face. The temptations are still there. C S Lewis wrote that each time we make a choice, we turn ourselves into a heavenly creature or a hellish one. In other words, we turn ourselves to God or away from God to self. Hebrews reminds us that Jesus was tested as we are, yet without sin. As we go through this season of Lent, as we go through our own wilderness experiences, let us look to Jesus for the strength ever to choose God. Hymn 485 – Dear Lord and Father (1,2,3,6) Prayers of Intercession Generous God, we thank you for all the goodness we receive in Christ and in creation. Bless the gifts we offer to share in the work of the kingdom Jesus declared, and bless our lives so that we may be witnesses to his love and mercy. We pray for the earth as your creation, staggering under the demands of human activity and expectation. May this planet, our home, be held in reverence in every culture. Where we are tempted to use resources carelessly, where human lifestyles endanger homes and habitats of other peoples or other species, where immediate gain tempts people to give no thought for the future, send your wisdom to guide citizens and decision makers to act responsibly. We pray for the Church facing the challenges of rebuilding ministry and mission. Where congregations are tempted to guard traditions and resist new possibilities, where members magnify differences instead of celebrating our unity in Christ, where energy for leadership and community life has grown weaker, send your healing and transforming grace. We pray for the world filled with increasing threats and conflicts, and especially in the Ukraine. God of all, with alarm and concern we bring before you the military intervention in Ukraine. In a world you made for peace and flourishing, we lament the use of armed force. We mourn every casualty of this conflict, every precious life extinguished by war. We pray comfort for those who grieve and those who are fearful. We pray for the churches in Ukraine, that they may remain faithful to you. We pray that leaders and nations will honour the worth of all people by having the courage to resolve conflict through dialogue. May all our human failings be transformed by your wonderful grace and goodness. We pray for all who are troubled and find it hard to face these uncertain times, we pray for those who face illness or loss of any kind, for those challenged by economic hardship, and for those faced with the reality of death, their own or of someone dear. In silence, we name those on our hearts this day: Keep a time of silence Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer. Hymn 547 – What a friend Benediction God who meets us in the wilderness, give us grace to see through our competing desires and ambitions. Jesus who emptied himself of all but love, who stands with us in temptation, strengthen us to walk with you. Holy Spirit, present with us now, empower our living and open our hearts to receive your blessing, now and forevermore. Amen |
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