 The Lord be with you! Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. This is Colin, and I hope everyone is staying well and keeping safe. Come, people of God, let us worship together on this First Sunday of Lent.
Notices:
Call to Worship We begin our journey through Lent. Aware of God’s presence with us on the way. We come to find light in the shadows And strength in our weakness. We seek God’s mercy step by step, day by day. So let us worship God with grateful hearts! Hymn 153 – Great is thy faithfulness Prayers of Adoration and Confession Good and gracious God,Creator of storms and sunshine,of the sun and moon and stars,Maker of rainbows and raindrops,of all that is in the heavens and the earth,we praise you for the beauty of the created world,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 compassion and redemption revealed to us in Christ Jesus.Receive our prayer and praise this day and teach us how to live by your love. O 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 even forget to express our love for those closest to us.Forgive us, gracious God.Lead us in the way we should go.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 Mark 1: 9-15 Hymn 5 – O Lord, O Lord (Psalm 10) Weekly Prayer Gracious God, help us to see this time of Lent as an opportunity to develop our discipleship and discipline. As your Son Jesus showed us how to reject temptation, fill us with grace to be faithful to his example. His baptism brought you pleasure and may you be pleased with us too as we seek to serve you and each other. Thank you for the rainbow reminding us of your promise. Amen Reflection One image associated with this pandemic, especially the first lockdown, has been the rainbow. You saw paintings of rainbows were everywhere -on windows, even on buses - as both a sign of support for the NHS, but also as a sign of hope that all would not be lost and that healing would come. The rainbow has always been an incredibly positive image and, with its different colours merging into each other, has been a sign of inclusion and welcome, and it was never a surprise that South Africans were called a ‘rainbow people’, as they came together after the horrors of apartheid. We read today the conclusion of the Flood story from Genesis. It is a story loved by children with its rainbow and all the animals going into the ark two by two. But it is a horror story really, as God realises just how flawed humanity is and decides to destroy the earth – But God sees that Noah is a righteous man, so he and his family and all the various animals escape the flood, safely in the ark. But when the floods abate, and they come out of the ark to make a new beginning, God makes a covenant, never again to destroy the earth. It was an agreement made, not just with Noah but with all creation; it was universal and unconditional, no strings attached. The rainbow was a sign of this covenant. It is a sign of a new beginning, a sign of hope and also of commitment. The commitment that God remembers us and is on our side. Even though Noah and his family were to prove to be as flawed as the others, God was still on our side, on the earth’s side, and nothing would change it, for the covenant was made. God is on our side, and that is the message from the Gospel as well. This is the first Sunday in Lent, and traditionally we look at the story of the temptations in the desert. Matthew and Luke go to town and give us a lot of detail of Jesus’ struggle with Satan. But Mark’s account is so spare – just a couple of sentences. The desert was a hostile environment, where nothing grew, where there was hardly any water; you wouldn’t volunteer to go there. But also, there were no distractions. Today we find it difficult to go anywhere without distractions. We become so used to having a mobile phone with messages pinging, even from the other side of the world. It was a good place, therefore, for Jesus to go to wrestle with what lay ahead, to prepare himself for his ministry. That involved a lot of inward struggle, but Mark tells us two things: Firstly, that the wild animals were with him. If a wild animal was near us, we would be very wary, if not terrified. But we don’t get that impression here; it is as if the vision of Isaiah is restored, with the lion lying down with the lamb. In fact, in several of the monasteries of the Middle east there are traditions of monks befriending lions by plucking a thorn from their paw, and the lions not leaving their side. But the other thing Mark tells us is that the angels were also with Jesus, ministering to him. Jesus was in this very hostile environment, but he wasn’t alone. We certainly have our trials and tribulations at present time, but just as Jesus was supported in the desert, so we are not alone, but God is a God who is committed to us and who always remembers us and wants the best for us – and the rainbow is the sign of that. Hymn 191 – Do not be afraid Prayers of Dedication, Thanksgiving and Intercession As we enter into this holy season, Lord God, we give you thanks for your promise of new life that sustains us, especially as these months of pandemic stretch on. We thank you: For tiny signs of hope, even in a bleak landscape or on challenging day; For glimpses of beauty in a smile or a ray of sunshine; For scientific achievements that ease suffering in this time of pandemic; For the people who support and serve others in times of weakness or loss; For the chance to recover from mistakes, to begin again. Lord of life, sustain us with your presence and give us patience and perseverance as we await the future with you. Trusting your promise of new life, it is with hope that we pray: For anyone we have hurt by harsh words or careless deeds; (Hold a silence) For those known to us who are carrying heavy burdens; (Hold a silence) For those we work with or see daily; (Hold a silence) For all who are seeking employment or worry about their businesses; (Hold a silence) For teachers, students and school heads managing so many challenges this year; (Hold a silence) For troubled places in our world and those who work for reconciliation and understanding; (Hold a silence) For countries yet to begin vaccination, and countries who cannot afford the vaccines (Hold silence) For our congregation and all churches seeking new ways to minister in these months of distancing from each other; (Hold a silence) For the sick and those who mourn (Hold a silence) Renew our health and hope for the future you will bring us through the courage and compassion of Christ our Lord, Amen Hymn 513 – Courage brother Benediction May the mystery of God enfold us, may the wisdom of God uphold us, may the fragrance of God be around us, may the brightness of God surround us, may the wonder of God renew us, may the loving of God flow through us, may the peace of God deeply move us, may the moving of God bring us peace
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