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Call to Worship You who bring good tidings to Zion Say, ‘Here is your God’ He tends his flock like a shepherd And gathers the lambs in his arms He carries them close to his heart And gently leads those who have young Hymn 147 – All creatures of our God and King Prayers of Adoration and Confession Creator God, maker of colour, sound, texture, movement, and the ceaseless beauty in living things, we bless you. Creator God, maker of granite and mustard seed, of grey cloud and starlight, of earthquake and heartbeat, we bless you. Creator God, maker of lambs and calves, of sheep and cattle and hens and pigs and pheasants and deer, the birds of the air and fish in our rivers, we bless you Creator God, maker of all that is unseen, of all that has been, of all that words could never capture, we bless you. We bless you for your making, your trusting, your loving, your never-ending goodness. Let us confess the faults and failings in our lives: Eternal God, our Guide and Shepherd, we strayed from your ways like lost sheep, We have not always loved our neighbours; we have not always been good stewards of the land and creatures in our care. We trust in your son, Jesus Christ, who on the cross took on himself the sins and failings of us all. Give us grace to amend our lives, and faithfully follow in your ways. Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Our Father.. Hymn 462 – The King of Love my shepherd is Readings: Acts 1: 1-11 Luke 15: 3-7 Hymn 550 – As a deer Weekly Prayer O Creator God, who has made us to live together, to love one another and to love the land on which we live: we pray for ourselves, that we may have the grace to preserve, for those who come after, the beauty of our landscape the traditions of our people and the strength of our local community. Amen Reflection One of the joys of living in this area is the wonderful countryside and how it changes with the seasons. One of the joys of Spring has been the first sight of new birth, be it flowers growing in the garden, leaves opening on trees, but especially seeing lambs appear in the fields. Some appeared early, whilst the further up the valleys, the later the lambs appeared. But it has been a real joy to see them. What is it about lambs? They are fascinating, both in themselves as creatures, so vulnerable, so attractive, and also because of the place they occupy in our Christian heritage, for sheep are mentioned so often in the Bible, with David as a shepherd and Jesus portrayed as the Good Shepherd. But it is easy, especially for those who live at a certain distance from a muddy field, to idealise, romanticise, the life of shepherd and sheep, imagining a carefree, simple life. We imagine Jesus in a brilliant white gown, looking after an occasionally wayward, but basically benign flock. I always remember a friend of mine, working as a shepherd for several months up in Sutherland, and she talked about how hard it was and how from day one she was blistered and bruised. She spoke of how the animals had their own ideas of what was good for them and how they could somehow run faster and think more quickly than she could. But she came to love them so much and could well relate to the image in the Bible of the Shepherd, being willing to love and nurture and even sacrifice their own life in service of their flock. I am reminded of a quotation from Thomas Merton, who wrote ‘Good Shepherd, you have wild and crazy sheep, in love with thorns and brambles. But please don’t get tired of looking for me. I know you won’t! For you have found me. All I have to do is stay found.’ Jesus says, ‘The sheep know my voice and follow me’. The sheep knows the shepherd’s voice from times of stress and danger, as he or she does the best to keep the flock together and safe from danger. They know the voice in times of relaxation; in the wind and cold of winter and the heat of summer. The relationship is hard won, but the sheep trust the shepherd, because again and again the shepherd has led them through the toughest of times into new life. That’s maybe why in the story Jesus told about the lost sheep, the shepherd goes to such lengths to find the sheep that had gone astray. In our world today, the loss of one out of a hundred wouldn’t necessarily make us raise an eyebrow. Surely making sure that the 99 left are safe is what matters more? But no, the shepherd is concerned for the one which is lost, because the shepherd knows the sheep and loves the sheep, has a passion for the sheep. It represents the passion that God has for us – and indeed for those who are lost. It is the wonderful hope of the Gospel to care for the lost, that they might know the embrace of God. The High Commissioner told the General Assembly this week of a drug addict in Glasgow who thanked the local minister because his presence gave hope of a better way. We have to have a passion for those who are lost or confused or anxious about how they will survive nest winter, just as a shepherd has a passion for the flock. Today is Ascension Sunday, when we read about Jesus ascending into heaven. They had been with Jesus, but now he was leaving them, and they were feeling bereft. The disciples were gawking after him, but the angels told them to stop staring upwards, but to start looking around them and to move forward. Jesus was still with them, but in a different way. They had to be Christ to the world, and they moved forward and turned the world upside down – because they had the passion of Christ. We are called to look around us – at creation with the lambs and calves, with the crops and the hills, and realise that we need to adjust our living to save it. We have to look around to those struggling with inflation or with the effects of the war in the Ukraine – and reach out. We are called to reach out for the lost lambs and bring them home, where there will be joy in heaven. Hymn - Great God of all creation Prayers of Dedication and Intercession We give for many reasons – we give because it is good for us and frees us from the consumerism that poisons our souls, we give because we believe that our money and resources should do good and, through our giving, the church uses our money to make a difference through ministry and charity in and beyond our local communities, we give, above all, because God gave and showers us with grace and blessings and we wish to express our gratitude what we, ourselves, have received. We may gave in the plate in church, we may give through standing order, using an envelope or writing a cheque – however, we give, God rejoices in our cheerful giving. Let us pray: All good gifts around us come from you, O God, and we return, through our gifts, something of what you have given us. Help us through our time, talent and treasure, to co-operate with your work of renewal of Creation, that, at the end, we may rejoice with you forever. For the friendship and support of our communities, for the beauty of hills and valleys We thank you, Father. For the changing weather and seasons, the dawns and sunsets and the starry nights: We thank you, Father. For the fields and pastures which provide food for our flocks and water from stream or river: We thank you, Lord. For our ewes, with their own wisdom; for their strength and care as mothers: We thank you, Lord. For lambs, for the miracle of their birth, and for the bounding joy of their young life: We thank you, Lord. We pray that our lambs may be free from sickness, and safe from attack by animals and birds: We pray that all who care for the sheep may be given wisdom and endurance and may receive a just reward for their work: Living Lord God, the blood of the people of Ukraine is crying out from the ground, crying to you, crying to us. And so we too cry to you in the name of our crucified and risen Lord. We pray for all who are living in grief, danger or fear, urging that in these dark times they may not lose hope. We pray for all those who have been forced to flee from their homes, and for countries who make them welcome. We pray for world leaders that they may have courage and faith, wisdom and discernment, to stand for truth and justice; that in the face of unbridled power, violence may cease. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. We give you thanks in this Jubilee week of celebration for the faithful witness of Elizabeth, our Queen, for her devotion and joy in service, for her steadfastness in times of trouble. Grant that she may be to others a source of hope, that they may come to know more fully your Son Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Hymn 439 – Look ye saints, the sight is glorious Benediction Now go in peace to enjoy the earth, and care for creation in partnership with God, who in Christ has honoured and blessed us. And the blessing of God almighty, Father., Son and Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen
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Call to Worship O God, you summon the day to dawn: You teach the morning to waken the earth. Your love and justice shall last forever, fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise. Hymn 129 – The Lord is King Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of creation, out of chaos, you created calm and shaped harmony from strife; You brought order and balance and beauty and life. Each element, considered: the height of tree, the shape of leaf, each shade of green; the flight of geese, the style of wing, and beak. There is a pattern and a loveliness, a detailed eye behind the sum of your design. Your finger print is on creation around us. WE praise you and adore you. God of compassion, into our chaos, be our place of peace, shaping shambles into calm: bring order and balance and blessing and balm. For each lapse, forgive us: the heat of anger, the thoughtless word, each thoughtless deed; the need for power, the lack of grace, our greed. Silence In you, we find mercy, and a kindliness, a heart inclined towards love of humankind. We pray we may live out our lives as your people, showing that kindliness and forgiveness and peace to others. Our Father.. Readings – Acts 16:9-15; John 14:23-29 Hymn 180 – Give thanks with a grateful heart Weekly Prayer O God, your Word brings light to your people now, just as it did long ago. Fill us with your Spirit as we listen for your Word. Open our minds and hearts to receive light to guide us and truth to change us in the name of Christ, Amen Reflection The General Assembly 2022 has begun; a new Moderator, Iain Greenshields, welcomed. It is a hybrid Assembly, with some of the commissioners meeting in person in Edinburgh, but others will be following the proceedings online. It comes at a time of great change for the Church, with bigger presbyteries coming into being. Our own Jedburgh Presbytery will join Duns and Melrose and Peebles and Lothian to form Lothian & Borders Presbytery. Meanwhile, we have had to look at a future with fewer ministers and see how best to develop mission more effectively in each area, which will lead to quite radical changes. The Assembly Could be contentious, but certainly one word that will be used a lot is ‘mission’. Paul was in the business of mission. He was incredibly energetic and founded congregations all over Asia Minor. In Acts 16 we read how Paul was on a missionary tour. It seemed like a nice tour, because Paul and his companions have been going round all of the churches that he has established previously and encouraging them along the way. There may have been a few issues to sort out, but it is generally a helpful, supportive tour. They had come towards the end of this tour and then something strange happens. In every direction Paul turns, he gets the sense that it’s not the right direction to turn. They try to go to Bythynia but they get the sense the Spirit says, ‘No’. This direction - ‘No.’ That direction - ‘No.’ ‘No.’ ‘No.’ I can just imagine Paul turning round to his companions saying, ‘We’ve been on this tour, which has been great and wonderful, but what are we going to do now? One night, as they grapple with that question, Paul has a vision, of a man from Macedonia who says, ‘Come over to us, and help us.’ Paul reacted and sailed the relatively short distance across to Neapolis. The gospel had come to Europe! I visited Neapolis some years ago, and nearby are the ruins of Philippi. But in the 1st century Philippi was a thriving settlement, a place where Roman soldiers were given plots of land when they retired. It was at Philippi, as far as we know, that Paul made his first convert in Europe – and that was Lydia. Lydia seemed a remarkable woman. She was a businesswoman, dealing in the very lucrative trade of purple. Only the wealthy could afford to wear purple. Lydia must have been well-off; she also ran a household and seems to have been a decision maker. She heard Paul’s message about Jesus, and she decided for Christ and was baptised there and then with her household. I am not sure what choice the household had in it. And the first thing Lydia did was to offer hospitality, and that would have been interesting – two rather strong personalities. We know that the church quickly became rooted in Philippi, as Paul would write to his letter to the Philippians. The great news today is that the same Spirit that called Paul to Macedonia, that led him to Philippi that day; the same Spirit that led Lydia to open her heart to respond to his message and welcome and build up relationships - the Spirit that was at work then, is at work now in our towns and communities, calling us to ‘Come over here and help!’ So, we are called to respond to the needs in our community; respond to those terrified of the bills they will have to pay; respond to those who can’t afford meals and rely on foodbanks; respond to the situation in Ukraine and the situation in Zimbabwe we mentioned last week. Respond to those seeking a new way of living. ‘Come over and help us’, Paul heard the Macedonian in the vision say; as a church we still have a mission to reach out with the love of God. Hymn 252 – As a fire is meant for burning Prayers of Dedication and Intercession For the peace that you give us, we thank you. For the love that you bring us, we bless you. For the gifts that you offer us, we praise you. Bringer of peace, and love, and blessing may the gifts we offer bring peace where there is no peace, and love, where love is sorely lacking. May they be a source of blessing and may they help to build your beloved community and kingdom. Lord, our God, The earth and all its peoples belong to you. As we come before you in prayer, we are painfully aware that the earth itself is at risk, from the ways your people live on it, and the conflicts we provoke among each other. We seek your healing and hope this day, for the earth and all its creatures, and for your people of every nation. We pray for peace with justice to emerge in war torn lands, and in every place of conflict where power struggles put innocents at risk. We name before you the people and places on our hearts today: Ukraine, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. We also think of all people whose livelihood is affected by climate change and by the rising cost of living. Bless with your wisdom all in authority, that they may govern for the good of their people. We pray for the renewal of your creation and for the protection of species at risk. By your Spirit, teach us to change our ways when they are harmful to the earth, and inspire our ingenuity to find solutions to problems that seem so vast. God of healing and hope, We pray for those who know sickness or pain, for all who live in grief, loneliness or anxiety, and all who find these uncertain times overwhelming in any way. In silence, we remember before you those for whom we have special concern this day: By your Spirit, surround each one with strength and love, and equip us to offer support for those whose lives are woven into ours. God of mercy, Hear our cry. Amen Hymn 710 – I have a dream Benediction Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, and may the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, be with you this day and even forevermore. Amen  Notices:
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  Notices:
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. |
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