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Call to Worship We gather to give thanks to You, O Lord We will sing Your praises before all creation and rejoice in Your steadfast love! You have created us O Lord, and made us And love us with an everlasting love Hymn 225 – Summer suns are glowing Prayer & Lord’s Prayer Most Holy God, we take this moment to pause, and wonder, and bless. Your greatness balanced by Your nearness. Your judgment balanced by Your mercy. How we should praise You! As we still ourselves before Your majesty, and wait in awe, yet we are also bold to lift up our eyes to see You, face to face. We call You our King, our Saviour, our Inspiration, our Friend. Too often we rush by and fail to take the time to marvel and exclaim at the wonder of this world, the intricacy of creation, the abundance of good things You have given us to enjoy and to share. This day, Lord, we sing Your praises! This day, Lord, we rejoice in Your generosity! This day, Lord, we are glad You continue to reach out to us, even us, with love. Forgiving God, it does not take us long to stumble from the high peak of praise, to the low valley of brokenness as the awareness our sin engulfs like darkening cloud. Not only the major flaws in our character, but the petty triviality that trips us daily. Forgive us the hasty word, the harsh thought, the too-easy judgment, the spiteful action. Why, with all the potential You have knitted into our souls, do we, so easily, slip into bad habit, shameful action, unhealthy obsession, lazy forgetfulness? O gracious God, have mercy on us. Forgive us, remake us, redeem us, restore us. When all seems lost beyond hope, yet still You reach out in tenderness and kindness to make that difference in our hearts and souls and minds, to reinstate the broken relationship, to give us the second chance we sorely need. Through Jesus Christ our Lord Lord’s Prayer Readings – Hosea 1: 2 -10 Luke 11: 1-13 Hymn 641 – Seek ye first Weekly Prayer Faithful God, we thank you for the opportunity of being together in prayer. Help us in our prayer life this week to seek, ask, and knock so that the door to your presence will be open to us. Make us aware of your love and support in all we do. Amen Reflection Names! I was speaking to someone the other day who was telling me the names of their grandchildren. There was a Rachel and a Rory, but also A-Jay and Takira. Some names stand the test of time – like Joshua, though it seems to be shortened to Josh. Others are very new. In Zambia, a lot of children were given names like Blessing or Grace, but quite often I baptised a Mabvuto, which means suffering or hardship. The mother obviously had a difficult pregnancy, but the child had that name throughout their lives. I have a soft spot for the Book of Hosea. I enjoy reading it, yet it starts off in a really quite shocking way. The prophet, a good upstanding citizen, is told to marry a prostitute. The term could mean a lot of things, but she is unfaithful to him, which brings a lot of sorrow. But this relationship is a mirror of God’s relationship with Israel. God is devoted to Israel, but Israel goes after other gods, other lovers and flaunts them in God’s face. God is filled with righteous anger, but … but still loves Israel and still is prompted to give a second chance and a third chance. God is still prompted to forgive, still can’t let go. That is the book in a nutshell, but here in Chapter one, we learn that Hosea’s wife, Gomer, bears him three children: The first is called Jezreel, which is the name of a great plain in Northern Israel, but also where there was a bloodbath, where many were killed. His name, Jezreel, was there to be a judgement on the nation. Like someone in the Highlands being called ‘Culloden’ or an Australian being called ‘Gallipoli’. But what’s more, the second child is called ‘Lo-ruhama’, which means Unloved, which is a terrible name to give to a child. The third, it was called ‘Lo-ammi’, not my people. Each name represented a part of the relationship between God and Israel. It is almost child abuse to give such names to children, but they point to the complete breakdown of the relationship. God has courted Israel from the days in the wilderness, but they have worshipped the golden calves and the baals. God affirmed them as his people, but now he is saying that they are no longer his people. It is complete rejection – or seems to be. In the wilderness on their journey to the Promised Land, Israel was sustained by their status as the people of God. Now God was negating it. Hosea was forcing the people to examine their relationship and how sincere they were. Later in the book Hosea criticises the people for paying lip service to God, offering sacrifices while all the time remaining unfaithful to God. I don’t know whether you watched any of the debates between the candidates striving to be the next Conservative leader. In the first debate so much of the time was spent talking about trust and honesty. These were the qualities people rated most highly and yet did not see in politicians. Israel had betrayed the trust God had placed in her. She had been unfaithful. The prophet calls the people to repent and be worthy of God’s trust, for when there is no trust, the fabric of society is damaged. In our Gospel reading, the disciples have asked Jesus to teach them to pray, and he teaches them what we call the Lord’s Prayer. The first few words encapsulate trust: ‘Our Father’. There is a story of a boy, who as a young child loved to be carried. He could smell his mother’s powder and perfume as he nuzzled into her; he loved being carried on his father’s shoulders. And at bedtime it was his father who carried him to bed. He pressed his ear to his father’s chest and said, ‘I can hear your heartbeat’. His father replied’ And I can hear yours’. It was their unofficial way of saying Goodnight and I love you. There was a sense of real security and trust in that relationship. I can hear your heartbeat. Jesus uses the image of a parent to convey who God is and how God loves us. Matthew uses the image of God as a mother hen gathering her chicks around us; John uses the familiar ‘Abba’. Here in this prayer, it is ‘Our father’. Not my father, but the collective our, for the God who loves me also loves my neighbour and even my enemy. Luke uses the intimacy of the parent-child relationship to start the prayer. It is as if Jesus is saying that God loves us and carries each of us in his arms, so that we can hear the heartbeat of God’s love. Jesus was born as flesh and blood and lived among us; so that we could hear in person how deeply we are loved, for Jesus is the incarnation of the God whom he teaches us to call ‘father’. Hosea gave his children these crazy names to force Israel to look at themselves and their relationship with God. We too need to examine our relationship and where it is lacking, but in the knowledge that in Christ we can be bold to pray ‘Our father’ as children of the living God. Hymn 724 – Christ’s is the world Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Gracious Lord, when we review the ways in which You continue to break in upon our lives, showering us with gifts and wonder, we are reminded how we, in our living should emulate that same generosity. Remind us the best giving is cheerful, and that the unclenched hand is more fitted to sharing. Accept what we offer: our time, our talents and our money, and all that we have and are. So that this world, our world, Your world, need not be gripped by fear or want, or lack of shelter, or lack of friends. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Eternal God, we may only see our small corner of this earth, You will see the whole expanse of countless universes, yet we are called to bring our prayers not only for ourselves, but for those around us. In a world fraught with fear and violence and greed, we pray that darkness is driven out by the light of compassion, of open-handedness, and of peace. Let these not be mere words we pray, but words we put into action through our support of causes and charities and individuals who make it their mission to be the light-bearers in every darksome place. We pray today for the healers who practise their gentleness in every hurt place of heart and soul and body. Where the encouraging word, and the unflinching compassion brings hope like a cleansing flame into every wound. We pray today for the teachers whose gift of thinking and words enrich our mind and help us grow and develop and mature. Especially today we thank You for those who taught us to pray, who formed the ideas and the rhythms and cadences that to this day give texture, colour and shape to the relationship we have with You, our living God. We pray for our Queen and country, and all who are called to be the decision-makers in our society at every level. For politicians and economists. For artists and scientists. For farmers and business owners. For those who provide our energy and secure our safety. We pray for our world in its beauty and fragility, the astonishing resources, and the unsustainable demands we make on them. As we seek to form a new relationship with You, our God, and with our sisters and brothers, let us also seek to form a new relationship with this Earth we call our home. Nurturing it, tending it, stewarding its beauty and energy, not only for ourselves, but also for the generations still to come. In a moment of silence we bring before you those on our minds and our hearts this day – especially the bereaved, the sick, the anxious In your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen Hymn 130 – Ye servants of God Benediction
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Call to Worship Leave duty behind, come and sit, be still and listen for the word of God. Let come to the quiet centre to focus on God and to allow ourselves to hear God’s voice and ponder God’s word. Let us worship God. Hymn 122 – Let all the world Prayer & Lord’s Prayer God of majesty and mystery, your love and purpose embrace the whole world. You set us in a world of beauty and bounty and invite us to meet you in the midst of its wonders. You call us to love each other in the example of Jesus to make your world a place of justice and compassion. You have made space for creation to explode, expand, and explore being alive. You call us and gather us and open up new possibilities for the future. In this time of worship, send us your Spirit of wisdom and grace so that we can live out the praise on our lips in our day-to-day living, which we offer to you, our one and only God. So forgive us when we are distracted by our own busyness and need. Forgive us when we see the earth and its resources as ours to exploit for short term gain. Forgive us when we use other people as a means to our ends. Forgive us when we lose our focus on you, your will and your way. Loving God, calm us and capture our attention. Welcome us into your belonging. Assure us of our worth. Lead us in love, so may we know that we are forgiven and be refreshed to be your people in the world. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Amos 8: 1-12 Luke 10: 38 – 42 Pots and pans, trays and cups, food to prepare and tables to be laid, all in a day’s work. People to welcome, friends and family, gathered at home, to talk, to eat, to share, to witness. God help us to remember the joy of hospitality, and the gift of providing for others in their time of need. Time and space, words and wisdom, company with Jesus, friends and strangers with whom to meet. Precious moment never to be missed, an opportunity to share in holy presence, in loving grace, in healing peace, in challenging story. God help us to remember to create time and to make space for what are the better things, for time in God’s presence, for time with family and friends, and time for myself. Amen. Hymn 194 – This is the day Weekly Prayer Almighty God, may your presence be seen clearly in what we do each day throughout the coming week. We pray that your joy and your love will flow freely in us and through us, as we seek to follow Mary's example of listening to your voice. Amen. Reflection There was friction in the house. The cousins from Australia would be arriving any moment. With the pandemic, it had been years since they had all met up. There was still so much to do, and Kate was running all over the place, but Jack was sitting quite contentedly, watching the golf on the television. Kate was not amused and told him so! There was friction in the house at Bethany. You could almost see the sparks flying. Jesus and his disciples had arrived, and it was a celebration. It was always good to welcome Jesus, and the siblings would have been excited. There was Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus. In fact, one commentator noted that it was unusual for Lazarus to stay with his sisters and suggested that he may have had some disability. But anyway, there was so much to do, a table to set, a meal to prepare, make sure their guests had washed the dust from their hands and feet. Martha was in her element until she noticed that she was alone in the kitchen; Mary was lounging at Jesus’ feet. Martha loved to sit and listen to Jesus; from John’s Gospel we discover that Martha had a very sharp mind and a keen faith. She famously affirmed that Jesus was the Messiah. But there was no time to listen now; the meal wouldn’t cook itself. But she was frustrated with Mary. Why couldn’t she help? Why was she hogging all Jesus’ attention? She couldn’t keep it in any more and appealed to Jesus to take her side and scold her sister. But of course, Jesus does the opposite and scolds Martha and praises Mary for choosing the better part. It is always a controversial passage. I am sure if I were to ask, many would sympathise with Martha. Where would we be in the church and in the community without all the people making the tea, baking the scones, moving the chairs, arranging the flowers. Doing all the practical things that keeps us going. Yes, we need to focus on the things of God; we need to make time to pray and reflect. But surely the best way is to a combination of both, to have a balance between the practical and the spiritual. Balance is always good – yet, Jesus doesn’t say that. He says that Mary has chosen the better part. We can be too busy and lose focus. A man takes his son out to a fast-food restaurant for a treat, a time to bond, but then spends most of his time on the phone, catching up on emails or social media – and admittedly the son does the same. He lost the focus on what was important. Or busyness can hide something about ourselves. Mo Farah is such a famous athlete, has won gold medals and always seems a nice guy. But all the time he was unable to confront a traumatic childhood when he was trafficked to UK. He wasn’t who he said he was, and maybe his training and racing hid it even from himself, but now he finds he is able to confront the truth about himself and finds a relief in that. In reflection on the Bible we confront truths about the world. The Amos passage this morning is a bleak one; there is little joy in it. But with the prophet talking about corpses everywhere, we think of the wars and the poverty in our world today. When Amos talks about buying the poor for a pair of sandals, we think of trafficking or ‘those who wander from sea to sea’, we think of refugees. ‘A famine of bread’ and we think of the cost-of-living crisis. We try to block these things out, but maybe we need to confront them to seek a solution. We are so thankful for all the Marthas, for those who do the practical work, but what better than to sit at the feet of Jesus, to listen to his stories and to be able to focus on our relationship with God and our place in God’s creation; to confront truths about ourselves, but also to create space, so that, in Richard of Chichester’s words, we may know God more clearly, love him more dearly and follow him more nearly, day by day. Hymn 500 – Lord of creation Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Generous God, our offering is more than money, and we offer you our time, our prayers, our skills, and our commitment to you and your work. To these we add our offerings of money, whether put in a plate or made by bank transfer. We give in these different ways out of gratitude for all you have given to us, and pray that they may be used to make your presence known in the world. God of the world and all its peoples: we pray today for those who lift up their voices in troubled nations, for those working to bring justice and negotiate peace, for those bringing aid to the vulnerable, and those offering shelter to anyone fleeing violence. Call the powerful to account, O God, and inspire them to hear the voices that cry out in pain and desperation. God of our everyday lives: we pray today for our community and our neighbours whose everyday lives have been disrupted by months of pandemic restriction and by economic realities beyond their control. We remember neighbours whose livelihoods depend on undependable weather systems, and those fearing flood or drought this summer. We pray for communities that lack safe drinking water or adequate medical care and places where there is high unemployment or a worker shortage. Inspire leaders to combine compassion with good planning, and consider the needs of all those who feel desperate God of the courageous and compassionate, we pray for those who live out their commitment to the well-being of others day by day, in public service, health care, education, social work, community organizations, and environmental concern. Thank you for their dedication. Support those who feel stress or exhaustion and inspire those who can speak out when they see needs being neglected. God of neighbourhood and nation, we pray for friends and neighbours near and far, for all who travel this summer and for those who find themselves strangers in new communities. We remember in silence those on our hearts, facing some kind of challenge this day: Draw near to each one in deep need, O God. Equip us to support those lives that intertwine with ours for we are your people, embraced by your love. Amen Hymn 547 – What a friend we have in Jesus Working and resting God is with us. Speaking and listening God is with us. Hoping and dreaming God is with us. Benediction  Notices:
Call to Worship God’s Word is not too hard for us, nor is it too far away; It is very near, in our mouths and in our hearts. It does not lie in the far reaches of heaven; It is very near, in our mouths and in our hearts. It does not dwell beyond the sea; It is very near, in our mouths and in our hearts. Come, let us worship the Lord our God, With heart, soul, strength, and mind Hymn - 436 - Christ Triumphant Prayer & Lord’s Prayer Talk Readings - Colossians 1: 1-14 Luke 10: 25-37 Hymn 214 - New every morning Weekly Prayer Almighty God, we give thanks with grateful hearts that you have brought us into the kingdom of your Son, who loves us unconditionally. Help us to measure up to the calling we have received. Give us eyes to see and hearts to understand, not only what you do on our behalf, but also to recognise who are our neighbours and to love them as ourselves. Amen Reflection Hymn 694 - Brother, sister, let me serve you Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Hymn 622 - We sing a love We say together: Loving God, send us out into your world, To love and to serve. Benediction  Notices:
· We welcome all visitors to our services this Sunday at Yetholm (10am) and Linton (11.15). Please take the time to sign the visitors’ book.
Sing the praises of the Lord, you His faithful people; praise His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favour lasts a lifetime; Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. God turns weeping into dancing and clothes us with joy. Hymn 132 – Immortal invisible Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of constant love, God of unending grace, God of the outcast and the prisoner, God of the powerful and powerless, God of all, we join in worship this day, in this building and in our homes giving thanks for your presence in our lives and for all that you have done, and what you have made us to be. God who supports, God who challenges, God who sees our whole selves, not just that which others see, speak to us today, shine the light of your wisdom into our lives and guide us towards service of you, each other, and the whole world. Loving God, you send us into the world as ambassadors of your love and peace, yet too often we create discord and division. We serve our own interests first, ignoring those in need and fail to listen to the stories of others. Forgive us for such self-centredness. Help us to be more faithful disciples of Jesus, eager to serve, willing to listen, glad to be of service in his name. The Apostle Paul declared that ‘If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. Everything old has passed away and everything has become new!’ Thanks be to God that by God’s mercy, we can all make a new start! Lord’s Prayer Readings: 2 Kings 5: 1-14 Luke 10: 1-11 Hymn 97 O God, you search me Weekly Prayer Gracious God, help us humbly to obey your instructions even when we are tempted to go our own way, so that like Naaman we may experience your cleansing waters. In the week ahead, help us to go out and take your message of love and forgiveness to our friends and neighbours. Amen Reflection I was at the Morebattle shop the other day, when quite a number of the school children appeared; they were going to climb up Wideopen Hill. The teacher said that she had had to draw up a risk assessment before leaving, to identify possible hazards, such as a child falling in the river or twisting an ankle or cows in a field and how to tackle them. During the Covid pandemic, we had to write up a Risk Assessment and keep it updated. A risk assessment identifies possible risks or hazards, but then puts in measures to control them. So, in the pandemic, the risk was of Covid spreading, but we controlled it by spacing out the chairs and keeping a distance; by washing hands and using sanitiser and wearing face masks. Even now we still don’t take up the offering or pass around the bread and wine at communion. Imagine if Jesus had had to make a risk assessment, before he sent out the 70? They were going in pairs which was a good thing, but there were lots of hazards. There were rough roads, and they might get blisters or their sandals might break, but yet they had to take no extra pair of sandals. Another hazard was that no-one gave them food; they would just have to go hungry, for they took no food with them. There was a chance that no one would provide accommodation – they would just have to sleep rough, but carrying no bag, at least robbers would pass them by. I don’t think a risk assessment would sanction this enterprise at all – and yet it was a great success. The disciples, some say 70, some say 72, were equipped to go out, but relied completely on the goodwill of the people they visited. It was a big risk, but they came back rejoicing. They discovered gifts they didn’t know they had, they learned to trust each other, to create community with those they met and do that without even a bag to carry or food to eat. There were no safety nets, but it was a liberating experience. Each of us have gifts which we can use, but they are more effective when we use them together, when we work together. In our reading from Kings, Naaman the Syrian general took a risk. He was popular, successful, everything was going well for him, except he had leprosy. Because of that, he would have been deemed unclean and he wouldn’t be able to participate in daily life. But when the maidservant who had been one of the spoils of war from his campaign against Israel, told his wife about the prophet Elisha and how he would cure such diseases, Naaman took the risk and grasped the opportunity. In a risk assessment there would always be a chance he wouldn’t be cured or that Elisha would have refused to treat a foreigner, but he does so, though he dents Naaman’s conceit by sending his servant with the instruction to wash in the Jordan. There are no great incantations, and Naaman needs to be persuaded by his servants to dip in the river, but in doing so, Naaman is cured and praises God. In this story, it is the little people, the maidservant and Elisha’s servant and Naaman’s servants who bring the cure about. People using the gifts and knowledge that they have to effect change. Life is full of risks. Driving a car, taking a bus, there are risks. Getting married, having children, there are risks. Being a Christian there are risks. But like the 70 being sent out, we can be encouraged by the people around us, and even the hospitality and help of strangers. They also had the full confidence and support of Jesus, as we do as well. We are not asked nowadays to go out without being suitably prepared, but we are asked to use the gifts and the knowledge we have to the full and by doing so bring glory to God. Hymn 707 – Healing river of the Spirit Prayers of Dedication and Intercession Creator God, source of all life and each life, we come to you in prayer this day, grateful that your world is full of wonder and possibility, but also in desperate need of your reconciling love. We pray for the many different peoples of this world, divided as we are into many nations, clans, cultures, and spiritual traditions. Help us understand those differences more fully, and honour the good things that bind us together despite differences. Loving God, source of truth and wisdom, in the world we are confronted by powers and authorities. Help us recognize their potential for both good and evil, and act wisely to discern whom to trust and when to act. When we see injustice or recognize falsehood, give us the courage to speak up in Christ’s name. Open our eyes to our own weakness and bias, and speak to us through the example of Jesus, our Lord. Compassionate God, the world is filled with violence and hatred, costing innocent lives. We sometimes feel powerless to do anything about it. Today our hearts ache for those who live amid brutal conflict, for those have died through violence, and for those who suffer the many effects of trauma. We pray for those who have lost their homes through conflict and fled their countries just to survive. Open hearts and homes to welcome those who flee and protect those who stay amid conflict to offer care. All-knowing God, you see into our hearts and know the heartaches we carry. We pray for those living with illness and pain, for those who mourn the loss of someone or something dear, and for all those struggling with anxiety or despair in these challenging times. Keep silence for at least ten seconds. God of all the earth, Teach us to live in love. Amen Hymn 167 – Guide me, O thou great Jehovah Benediction As we go from this time of worship into a time of service, speak to us in the different places we go and through the different people we encounter as we seek to do your work. Let us go in the name of God our creator Jesus our saviour and the Holy Spirit, our challenger Amen. |
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