 The Lord be with you! Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. Come, people of God, let us worship together this Palm Sunday
Notices:
Good Friday – Yetholm at 2.30pm Easter Day – Yetholm at 10am and Morebattle at 11.15 Short podcasts for every day of Holy Week will be on the podcast page of the website, including the Maundy Thursday service. The exception will be Good Friday, when there a video of the actual service will be online in late afternoon.
Call to Worship This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let palms wave, in high ‘hosannas.’ Let coats and cloaks create a path: the unloosed colt and untamed Rabbi ride, to usher in the coming kingdom. Hosanna, hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Let us worship God! Hymn 367 – Hosanna, loud hosanna (1,2) Prayers of Adoration and Confession Living God, how good it is to be in your house, how good it is to join with our sisters and brothers to worship you, especially on this holy day. As we step into Holy Week, open our hearts and minds to your love. May this coming week be holy for us. May we live this time, expecting that in some way you will meet us.In whatever way we live this week, give us the times and spaces to ponder again, that you know us and understand our suffering, especially our struggles over this past year of pandemic. 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. God of compassion,we confess that like that crowd on the first Palm Sunday, we can be fickle and sometimes unintentionally allow ourselves to be dragged along by the views and thoughts of others without noticing the consequences that lead to death and not life.Forgive our fleeting enthusiasms and shallow commitments.As we witness again the story of Jesus confronting his enemies, strengthen our desire to follow him and serve you with courage like his. 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 – Psalm 118: 19–29 Mark 11:1–11 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 (3,4) Weekly Prayer Loving God as we remember the first Palm Sunday, we see Jesus who embodied meekness and majesty and we join with those exclaiming "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!" You are our God, and we give thanks again this day for your goodness, in the certain knowledge that your love endures forever. Amen Reflection How good it is to be back in church. I feel as if we should be having a party, a celebration, but of course, we can’t. Tuesday saw the anniversary of lockdown, and we have missed out on a lot over the year. Weddings, christenings, the various ridings and festivals. Who knows when they will take place again? But today is Palm Sunday, and we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem on the donkey to great acclaim. There was a carnival atmosphere to Palm Sunday, with shouts of Hosanna and the waving of branches, as the crowd gathered to see what was happening and to welcome one who, according to some, was the Messiah. It was Passover time, and pilgrims had gathered to celebrate the festival, a festival which reminded the Jews how their ancestors had been liberated from the oppressive rule of Pharaoh. The Romans were the power in charge of Palestine now, so they sent troops to ‘keep the peace’ and make sure the locals didn’t get any fresh ideas of liberation from the oppressive Romans. They didn’t like the idea of crowds! And so on Palm Sunday, there were probably two processions. The first, from the Roman capital of Caesarea on the coast: a cavalry of elite troops, with war horses and weapons and banners, riding to Jerusalem as a show of strength. And the other procession – well, it was the ragtag group, with a man on a donkey, and the crowd waving palms and laying out their cloaks. Two parades – one of military might: the other a mere protest. But of course, it was more. It was drama. Jesus was enacting a prophecy from Zechariah and alluding to Psalm 118. By riding on a donkey, he was making a statement, that his way was not one power and oppression, but one of peace and compassion. And so, this was a clash of two kingdoms – the kingdom of Caesar or the kingdom of God, and the people had to make their choice. Palm Sunday is the beginning of the final confrontation, and we have to ask ourselves which parade do we want to be part of. If we align ourselves with Jesus, then we have to be prepared to travel with him through this week. We have to join him in the Upper Room, where he talks of betrayal and denial and humble service, as he shares a meal, he points to a broken body and shed blood. We have to join him in the garden of Gethsemane, as he prays that the cup is taken away from him and watch as he is arrested and led away. We have to join him at the trial where the cries of Hosanna will be drowned out by the cries of Crucify. We will follow to the cross, where the same crowd who witnessed the procession, will now witness an execution. It is so easy to jump from Palm Sunday to Easter Day, ‘Hosanna’ to ‘He is Risen’, but if we follow Jesus, we have to go through all of Holy Week. Do we align ourselves with the one who makes himself known in vulnerability rather than might, who rides a donkey and not a war-horse, whose greatest victory is not on the battlefield but on the Cross and empty tomb? So, let us choose which parade we follow. Palm Sunday reminds us that suffering and hope travel together. We place our hope in Jesus, the one who walks alongside us, who has walked the way of the cross and who moves us from suffering to salvation, from death to life everlasting. Hymn 399 – My song is love unknown (1,3,7) Prayers of Thanksgiving and 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. God of compassion, in a world that is riddled with compassion fatigue we give you thanks that you take us by the hand and keep us. 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 pray for those who are ill and especially we bring before you those affected by the COVID-19 virus, 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 365 - Ride on, ride on in majesty 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
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 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 Fifth Sunday of Lent, sometimes called Passion Sunday or, in the North East of England, Carling Sunday.
Notices:
Call to Worship We’ve come to worship God, who loved us before we were yet born, who knows us even better than we know ourselves, whose presence never leaves us, and whose love for us never ceases. This is our God. Let’s worship together! Hymn 184 – Sing to the Lord a joyful song Prayers of Adoration and Confession Creating God, With springtime sun and the promise of new life, you wake us from our slumbers. We glorify your name for you are faithful to us through every season of the year and every season of life. We are grateful for your patience and persistence, drawing near to us even through the times we cannot draw near each other. You promise us hope in Jesus Christ, drawing life out of the grip of death. Even as his cross looms on the horizon in this season of Lent, we praise you for Jesus’ courage and compassion which bring renewal to us in the midst of our challenges. We praise you for the love that never lets us go. Jesus, our friend and Saviour, As we ponder your sacrifice, we recognize the self-centred ways in which we lead our lives. You entrust us with the task of sharing your love in this world, yet we often we fall short. We get lost in our own plans and worries and neglect to show love, even to those right beside us. Forgive us, Lord Jesus. Renew a right spirit within us, so that we find the courage to go on and the compassion to reach out in your name. Jesus said, come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Friends, trust that peace and forgiveness are God’s gifts to you this day. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Jeremiah 31:31–34 John 12:20–33 Hymn 224 – The Spring has come Weekly Prayer Loving God, we ask you to put your law in our minds and write it on our hearts as we join in our worship together. Help us remember that you do infinitely more for us than we can ask or imagine. Hear our prayers for all your creation and gather us in the embrace of your abundant and life-giving Spirit. Help us to serve and follow you. Amen Reflection Having returned from living abroad for so many years, I was aware that some things in British culture had just passed me by. One of them was just how many people had tattoos. Sportspeople in particular seem to have the most wonderful designs on their arms and legs, a lot of which seems to be Maori in origin. A friend of mine in Israel, a young Palestinian, had his back tattooed with a cross; it was part of his identity as a Christian. But it was in Egypt that I became most aware of tattoos, as all the Christians were expected to have a cross tattooed onto their wrist as young children. It was a sign of identity, though it also marked them out, and they faced discrimination over education and jobs. I was very tempted to have a small cross tattooed on the base of my thumb, but it didn’t happen. In Isaiah 49, The prophet speaks of God never being able to forget us and having our names written on the palm of God’s hands. Some divine body art! But it is incredibly comforting to us. However, in Jeremiah, we read of the new covenant which would be inscribed, not on tablets of stone, but on our hearts. God had made the covenant with the people on Mount Sinai and had given them the way to live as a community of God’s people, but again and again they had broken the rules and turned their backs on the covenant. They kept saying that they would mend their ways, but their promises were hollow. But at the crisis through which Jeremiah lived, when Babylon had captured Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, the prophet said, ‘Enough is enough’. He said that God was making a radical new covenant, which would be written in the people’s hearts, so that living out God’s commandments would be natural. As Christians we see the fulfilment of this promise in Jesus. In our Gospel reading today from John, events are coming to a head. It is Passover time, a very spiritual, emotional time, and many pilgrims had come to Jerusalem, from within the country but also from overseas, including some Greeks. Maybe they were attracted to Judaism because of its morality and its worship of one God, maybe they were tourists. But they had heard of Jesus and wanted to meet this celebrity who had turned water into wine, healed the sick and was even reported to have brought his friend Lazarus from the dead. They approached the two disciples with Greek sounding names, Philip and Andrew, and got their entry. I don’t know what they expected, but Jesus launched into a theological discourse, saying that a seed has first to die in the ground before it can grow stronger than ever. Jesus was saying that he would need to be lifted up on the cross and die in order to be glorified, but also in order to bring new life to all. We too have to let old ways of doing things die in order to move on and progress. This Covid crisis will force us to do things differently in the future, a ‘new normal’, but that is not something to dread, but a positive, like Jeremiah at a crisis time moving the people forward with his talk of the new covenant. Like the disciples, who would have been happy keeping the status quo with Jesus for ever, but through his death and resurrection they were given the gift of the Spirit and moved on to bring the church to birth. Like the disciples we have to let go of our prejudices or even our old way of thinking, in order to be allowed to grow and be re-energised and continue the building of the kingdom. Hymn 356 – Meekness and majesty Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession God of growth and new life, with our gifts we offer you our thanks and praise for the promise of spring and the promise of resurrection in Christ Jesus. Bless our gifts and through them, accomplish more than we can ask or imagine, as they bear fruit in the world you love, through Christ, our Lord. We pray for the world and remember those who are vulnerable and frightened to leave their homes for fear of street crimes, and we pray for the time to come when violence will be no more and all will live in security and safety. Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven. We remember those who have suffered abuse at the hands of friend or stranger, and who bear the scars physical, mental and emotional, we pray for the time when all women and all men will respect each other, and where children will not fear violence or abuse. Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven. We remember those whose human rights are ignored, those used as political pawns in disputes between nations, those who live in constant fear of the bomb or the bullet, and we especially remember for the people of Myanmar and Yemen and Syria on the 10th anniversary of the start of the unrest there. We pray for the time when peace will reign throughout the world. Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven. We remember those who are alone and isolated, those who mourn, those who are ill and those who look after loved ones, and as we especially remember… we pray for the time when there will be no more pain or tears and when all will live in full community. Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven. Loving Lord, as we look upon each other may we see your image which we all share; may we love as we are loved, and may we welcome as we have been welcomed by you. In your name we pray. Amen Hymn 555 – Amazing Grace Benediction Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. With that confidence and in that hope, let us go in peace to love and to serve the Lord all the days of our lives. And so may the grace of our Lord Jesus, the love of God and the companionship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and always, Amen  The Lord be with you! Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. This is Come, people of God, let us worship together on this Fourth Sunday of Lent, Mothering Sunday.
Notices:
Call to Worship Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good God’s love endures forever God gathers the people from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south Let us thank the Lord for such all-embracing love. Hymn 118 – Womb of life Prayers 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 usas 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 John 3:14–21 Hymn 597 – Loving Spirit Weekly Prayer Father God, on this Mothering Sunday we remember that from the cross your only Son Jesus entrusted Mary his mother and John his disciple to each other’s care. As we look again at the cross help us to see Jesus lifted up encouraging us all to "Look and Live". Help us also to care for one another and fill our homes with the spirit of your love. Amen Reflection There is one thing everyone has been talking about this week – THE Interview. Oprah Winfrey interviewing Harry and Meghan. We will all have our different opinions about it, but I found it so tremendously sad, for it was about family tensions being exposed, a family being torn apart, and that is never nice to see. Today is Mothering Sunday, when we celebrate family life, and especially our mothers. We thank God for their nurture of us, as they fed and clothed us and left their mark on us, though we are also conscious that some may have lost their mothers too early. But Mothering Sunday also invites us to reflect upon the place of the Church as our mother, as the church nurtures us in the faith. It is life long journey, but my mind goes to my time in Zambia, when an important stage of the Church’s nurture was the ‘catechumen class’, the communicant class, when people joined the church. In Zambia these classes were big and long, often lasting 6 months, for there were 36 lessons to cover, and each lesson had a ‘memory verse’ to memorise for the following week. The ‘verse’ could be to learn the 66 books of the Bible in order or in most cases could be just a verse, but the favourite verse was John 3: 16 – ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him may not perish but have life everlasting’. Everyone in Zambia, whatever their denomination, could quote that verse. It is a wonderful verse and tells of a God who loves and cherishes the world so much and is willing to sacrifice that we might know God and have eternal life. It is talking of a God who is a parent, who is both Father and Mother to us In Hosea 11, the prophet speaks of God’s love for Israel. ‘When Israel was a child, I loved him. It was I who taught them to walk, who took them in my arms, who drew them with bands of love and raised them to my cheek’. It is God who is talking and we can hear the maternal and paternal imagery, like a mother embracing a child, a father raising them up on shoulders. But the child Israel goes their own way, makes their own choices. But God as parent is waiting and says in Hosea, ‘How can I give you up. My heart is overwhelmed’. Regardless of what Israel had done, God’s love was boundless. It speaks of our situation, for too often we rely on our own strength and think we know best. Like the prodigal son, we go our own way, but God as parent is waiting for us and still loves us – and is willing to sacrifice for us. As we continue through Lent and draw closer to Holy Week, we remember the sacrifice God made for us in Jesus and how he took up the cross and died out of love for us at Calvary, raised high on the cross and, like the bronze serpent in that strange story in Numbers, heals and saves us. We pray that all unhappy families may be healed and reconciled, but today celebrate a mother’s love and celebrate God’s love for us which embraces us. Let us respond in a life of service and care. Hymn 465 – Be thou my vision Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession Creator God, on this Mothering Sunday we give thanks for all mothers and for the gift of life. We pause for a moment and hold our own mothers or those who mothered us before you….. We thank you for the loving gift of mothers. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well We pray for all orphans or those who have lost their mothers or a parent too soon. We pray for all who are parenting children and who feel overwhelmed or who are struggling to cope: For those who find today a difficult day; For families which have separated; For adoptive or foster parents and step-parents and those seeking to build up new relationships; For those who have longed for a child. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well We pray for parents struggling to feed their families, for those who live with conflict, violence or fear and those who have had to flee their homes. We thank God for families where children are well and happy and full of life. On this Mothering Sunday, 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. Silence All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well Amen Hymn 644 – O Jesus, I have promised Benediction May the Lord whose steadfast love is constant as a mother's care send us out to live and work for others and may the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, be with you and those whom you love and those we are called to love, for evermore. Amen.  The Lord be with you! Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. I hope everyone is staying well and keeping safe. Come, people of God, let us worship together on this Third Sunday of Lent.
Notices:
Passcode: 914288
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 to you, O Lord You are our rock and redeemer, and we praise you. Hymn 198 – Let us build a house Prayers of Adoration and Confession Almighty God, you have set the whirling cosmos in motion and called all creatures into being. All that exists speaks of your majesty, yet no detail misses your care and attention. You know each of us by name, and make yourself known to those who seek you. Your wisdom delights the heart and purifies the soul. We gather to enjoy your presence with us, and to listen for your Word for our times and our lives. God, our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, to you alone all worship, honour and glory are due, this day and every day, now and always. God of majesty and mercy, we are aware that you are present here and everywhere, drawing near to us. Yet we confess we are often distracted from your presence. Many things compete for our attention. We are tempted to seek things that cannot truly satisfy. We envy those who are successful in the world’s terms, and so pursue our own desires, without questioning the cost to the earth or those in need. Forgive us, O God. 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 John 2:13–22 Hymn 253 – Inspired by love and anger Weekly Prayer Holy God, during this period of Lent, please give us a new awareness of your presence in our Cheviot Church community and help us to live by the values of the Ten Commandments; not forgetting Jesus' commandment to love one another, and hold sacred our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. Amen Reflection Over this last year, we have had a new set of rules to keep. Rules relating to the Covid pandemic: keeping a distance, washing our hands, wearing a face mask, how many people we can meet. These rules have changed over the months; some of us have kept them very strictly, while others have maybe had little lapses, but they have been very much there for our safety. Yes, many of us long to meet up with family or go on holiday, but we realise the rules are there for the good of everyone. In our first reading today we read about another set of rules – the 10 commandments. The Israelites had just escaped from Egypt, and God is setting the boundaries and providing the framework of how they would live as a society. In Egypt they would have been used to lots of different gods. If you were wanting good weather for your garden, for example, you would go to one god; if having a baby, you would go to another. But in the 10 commandments, God starts by stating quite categorically that there is only one God and one alone. Then there are rules for how to relate to God – not to make idols, and so on- and how to relate to one another – don’t kill, don’t steal and so on. They were giving a vision of what society should be like and how to shape our relationships with God and with one another, and as such they were life-giving, they were something positive and for the good of all. The Israelites would use them as a basis to build their society, as they are the basis for our society today. Of course, over the years these 10 commandments were developed to cover all sort of situations the Israelites might find themselves in, and the books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy contain many more laws. 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; so often in travelling round the country pre-Covid, I loved to drop into churches, and they sanctuaries of peace and tranquillity. 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, and he proceeded to overturn their tables and drive them out. It always strikes me as out of character with the picture we have of Jesus, 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. In our opening hymn we sang of building a house where love can dwell, where peace and justice meet and where there is an end to fear and danger, where all are welcome. So let us live our lives, seeking to live out Christ’s commandments and build a society where love and respect and compassion hold sway. Hymn 755 – Be still and know that I am God Prayers of Dedication, Thanksgiving and Intercession Receive our gifts, Generous God, as an expression of our commitment to you and your ministry. Bless them, and use all that we can give to offer hope and healing in the world you love. Loving God, we thank you for the world you created and the opportunities we have to enjoy its beauty and its life sustaining promise. When we find occasions to breathe in fresh air and exercise outdoors, remind us of our partnership with you to care for creation. As spring comes closer and the sun shines longer each day, reawaken our hope in your promise of new life to sustain us as the weeks of the pandemic stretch on. Ever present God, we thank you for walking with us through days of uncertainty as well as times of pleasure and satisfaction. In times of risk and stress, you provide a still point of calm. In times of challenge, you are the source of courage and confidence for us. This day we pray for those who are struggling with the isolation and frustration the pandemic means for so many. Bring them peace and patience with your love. We pray for churches whose common life has been changed so much by months of pandemic rules. Keep us strong in faith and fellowship, so that we may serve as agents of healing and hope in our communities. We pray for our nation and the nations of this world. May leaders confront the challenges of this time with courage, wisdom and compassion. We pray for the Scottish parliament at this time of political tensions. We also pray for Vanuatu in the Pacific, featured in the World Day of Prayer and pray for the people in Myanmar and Yemen and the Uighurs in China. Grant them peace and security. And we pray for all those who are enduring pain and illness, those who are facing grief and loss. Be their comfort and encouragement day by day. Lord of all in need, we bring to you the prayers of our hearts. We commend to you those about whom we are especially concerned, praying for… Silence Amen Hymn 510 – Jesus calls us here to meet him Benediction May the peace of God, which is beyond our utmost understanding keep your hearts and thoughts in the knowledge and love of Christ, and may the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, be with you and those whom you love and those we are called to love, for evermore. Amen |
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