Welcome, Cheviot churches! We worship together on first Sunday of Advent
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From a branch sprouting hope is coming. The heavens are shifting, hope is coming. A troubled world waits. Hope is coming. Lord, we, your people, wait patiently, hanging on with Advent hope. Lord, we bring you ourselves, we bring you our worship. Hymn 273 – O come, o come Emmanuel (1,4,5) Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of light and love, our praises and prayers overflow with hope as the season of Advent opens. You come to your people to dwell with us. You come with power—not to dominate, but to transform. You come with promises—not to give us what we want, but to make all things new. You come with signs of your deep love for the world. You come, and your truth breaks forth, shattering lies and half-truths, setting your people free. Your coming is our hope, and so, we offer you our worship in gratitude and anticipation. Come into our lives again, O God, and show us how to hope in the face of all that is discouraging, for we gather in the name of Hope made flesh, Jesus Christ, your promise and our desire. Surprising God, Forgive our sleepiness in the presence of your splendour. Forgive us for abandoning hope so quickly, and expecting the same old thing in the same old way. Forgive us for underestimating your power to do a new thing. Awaken us to your holy, hopeful presence. Awaken us so we may watch and wait for you. Come, Lord Jesus, come. The One who comes with justice also comes with mercy. The God of Judgment is the Christ of compassion. Do not be afraid but rejoice in the God who comes to us. Lord’s Prayer Lighting of Advent crown We light this candle for all God’s people, Struggling to be bearers of hope in a troubled world. As we wait for your promise, give light, give hope. Hymn 284 – Hope is the candle (v1) Readings – Jeremiah 33:14–16 Luke 21:25–36 Hymn 339 – Sing of Andrew Weekly Prayer Almighty God, as the new day dawns on this Advent Sunday, we give thanks for the first glimmers of the light which remind us of the coming of your Son Jesus Christ into our world. We believe that your light has the power to overcome all our darkness and pray that throughout the Season of Advent we may share in the mystery of the incarnation. Amen Reflection It was 1905, and a librarian in Brooklyn in the United States had taken exception to the book ‘Huckleberry Finn’. She didn’t think it was appropriate reading for children and wanted it banned from the children’s library. The Director of libraries for New York contacted the author, Mark Twain, who in his ironic reply said he quite understood, as his parents had forced him to read the Bible from cover to cover in his early teens and he had found it a traumatic experience. He recommended that the Bible be removed from the shelves too. The passage we read from Luke this morning can make uncomfortable reading, especially at the start of Advent when we look for something warm and comforting. The whole chapter talks about nation rising up against nation; there are earthquakes, famines and plagues. There’s persecution, and in our passage today people are perplexed by the waves and tides. The whole world seems to be falling apart. It is easy for us to see signs of disaster, to look at what is happening around us and be anxious. The Cop 26 conference has drawn attention to the extreme weather patterns, if we hadn’t noticed them already, and the climate emergency. The Covid pandemic is still very much with us, and some states in Europe are going back into lockdown. The migrant situation is bad with many so desperate for safety that they take enormous risks, and as we saw this week some die in crossing the channel. There is so much talk of racism and misogyny and sleaze. There seems to be a lot of bad news about. The prophet Jeremiah is often accused as being a prophet of doom and gloom, but in our reading today he gives hope as he talks of a green shoot sprouting, which would bring safety and security to Jerusalem. Equally in the Gospels, Luke records this litany of bad news, but then in verse 28 says, ‘Stand up and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand’. In other words, don’t be anxious, don’t give into fear, for there is hope. Luke goes on to talk about the fig tree bursting into blossom in the summer. Advent is a season of hope, as we wait for the coming of Christ at Christmas. This morning we sang that hope is the candle, which is never burnt up, but continues on. There are signs of hope around us. I get the ‘i’ newspaper, and every Saturday there is a page of good news stories, stories like the deaf actress Rose in Strictly Come dancing who with her partner seems to have made an impact, not least because she can’t always hear the music. But last week they started to dance, and then the music suddenly stopped and they continued, and suddenly the audience was in Rose’s world. I didn’t see it, but I could imagine how powerful it was. A sign of hope, and if we look around us, there are signs of hope everywhere. This Advent we prepare for the coming of Christ, who gave the world hope and whose words, we are told in Luke, will never pass away. As his followers, we are to be grounded in that hope and show that hope in our relations with the world and with those around us. The hope for the world born in Bethlehem and which allows us to reimagine a world which is just and fair, where we live out the radical love of Christ for all. Let us not be afraid, but live out the Advent hope. Hymn 509 – Jesus calls us o’er the tumult (1,2,5) Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Holy and Righteous God, we offer our gifts with humble hearts and with them we bring ourselves to be used ever in your service. O Spirit of Hope, When the world is confusing and bleak, you pierce the despair with your Word, and renew our vision of God’s possibilities for our lives. Thank you for lessons learned, for changes of heart, for new discoveries made and hope restored, even as the pandemic stretches on. As the world around us prepares for the long, cold sleep of winter, we pray for those who feel the burden of loneliness and isolation. We remember those without homes to shelter in, and those forced to leave their homes through conflict, natural disaster or political upheaval. We remember those who lost their lives in the English Channel and all risking the crossing. (Keep a brief time of silence) Spirit of Hope, shelter all these under your wings. Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer. O God of Peace, There is strife and disagreement all around us these days, sometimes in our own lives and relationships, and in many nations and neighbourhoods in the news. We pray for places where violence and cruelty appear to win the day, thinking especially of Afghanistan and Ethiopia, and situations closer to home that we carry on our hearts. (Keep a brief time of silence) God of Peace, work for just and peaceful resolutions to prevail. Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer. O Creator of Joy, We give you thanks for moments of joy and celebration in our lives, for pleasure given and received, for quiet times of reflection and conversation, and for the many ways that allow us to keep in contact with those we love. As the days grow colder, we remember those who feel bitter while others rejoice, those who grieve the loss of loved ones, and those who face a bleak winter for any reason. (Keep a brief time of silence) Creator of Joy, bring them light and warmth in the season ahead, and let your joy shine through us as compassionate companions. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. O Love divine made flesh in Christ, You call us into communion with you and community with one another. We pray for your church and our congregation, especially at this time when we envisage new kinds of ministry. May love guide all your people as we plan for our life and mission. We remember before you our families and friends, whether nearby or far away. (Keep a brief time of silence) Love divine, bless each one with your love and help us express our gratitude and concern for each other in word and action. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Amen Hymn 477 – Lo, he comes (1,3,4) Benediction Go in eager expectation, awaiting and watchful for the coming of Christ. May the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you and those whom you love and those whom we are called to love, this day and even forevermore. Amen
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Welcome on this last Sunday of the church year as we celebrate 'The Reign of Christ the King'.
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Make way Make space Make time Make peace The Lord your King is close The King of Love is near The Prince of peace approaches Make way for Christ the King Our first hymn is 129 The Lord is King! Lift up your voice v1,2 and 5 Prayer adoration and confession Alleluia to you Oh Lord our King, You are robed in majesty and girded with strength. You are the God who is and who was and who is to come, and reign over all that come before Your throne. Lord Jesus Christ, our Faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead and ruler of all. You put right the wrongs against Your children We praise your name, O lord our King. For loving us and freeing us from our sins by Your blood and making us Kingdom priests and priestesses serving God our Sovereign, To You be glory and Dominion forever Jesus You are the ‘Alpha and the Omega’, the Almighty; rescuing widows, orphans and those in bondage; reigning in victory, coming in the clouds. To You be glory and dominion forever. Loving God on this day we celebrate Christ as King, yet fail to let Him reign in our lives, our thoughts and deeds. We spout vain words while in His name we conquer. impose dominion and injustice and far too often we do not make time to pray. On others we impose our own will, not Yours, especially on the weak, poor and vulnerable. We design rules to satisfy ourselves, our wants, our desires and discriminate against those who do not fit our idea of humanity. Lord we have wronged You. Forgive us and help us to begin again, to love again and to live again the faith we would claim. The Lord’s prayer Today is also Crossreach Sunday. Crossreach is the social care arm of the Church of Scotland and works through the many departments to pick up the pieces of broken lives. Only this week I received a letter from them which included a story of abuse of a young girl in a disfunctional family. So it is not inappropriate the this week sees the beginning of 16 days against gender based violence especially looking for the elimination of violence against women and girls who make up the large majority of victims. There is a web site called ‘Thursdays in Black’ which will provide more information about the decades long initiative. On it I found a powerful poem which references incidences from the Bible . You can find this if you follow the resources link and scroll down to prayers and look for ‘We stop in our tracks’ or ask Trish gentry for a printed copy. It is a sensitive subject but as a woman growing up in the 60s when some forms of sexual harassment were considered normal ways of behaviour and as a Christian very aware of current events I could not ignore it. It is why I chose the next hymn and for those without access to a hymn book I will quote a couple of verses. Hymn 265 1 : Pray for a world where every child finds welcome in a sheltered place, where love is tender, undefiled, and firmness intertwines with grace. 4: Pray for a world where all have voice and none will batter, rape, abuse. Till then, may all have rightful choice and pray for wisdom as they choose. Bible readings; 2 Samuel 23;1-7 John 18; 33-37 Rev 1; 4b-8 Weekly Prayer Sovereign Lord though we are in awe of your power and Majesty we remember that you also came to serve and so we remember today the example of servant hood displayed in the work of Crossreach. Through the many different services it offers it helps, supports and encourages those finding themselves. in difficult circumstances and recognises their personal needs and aspirations and helps them to achieve the highest quality of life which they are capable of achieving at any given time. So we give thanks for the work and the care of all the staff and volunteers and ask for your blessing and comforting presence on them and for all that they serve. Amen. Address Some years ago I can remember Ian Clark leading worship on this Sunday, the last Sunday of the church year and commemorating Christ the King. As he so often does Ian asked a question, querying what picture came into our minds when we thought of Christ in glory. For some reason the picture that came immediately to my eyes was the Graham Sutherland Tapestry in Coventry Cathedral. Now that is really quite strange. The closest I have ever been to Coventry Cathedral was on the merry-go-round of a ring road I was desperately trying to get off, preferably in a northerly direction. Perhaps I had seen the tapestry depicted in a book or on TV and it had stuck in my subconscious mind. Had I ever visited the building no doubt I would have purchased some explanatory literature that would have helped with all the detail woven in to this huge work of religious art. I can tell you that it is 23 meters tall and 12 wide. Apart from the strong green background for something depicting ‘Christ in Glory’ the colours are somewhat subdued. When I think of royalty I tend to think of richly coloured velvet and ermine, shining gold and sparling jewels as seen in the cinema newsreel of nearly 70 years ago; of paintings of monarchs of old painted by the best artists of the time to show them in full regal splendour. Our reading from Samuel concerns David, someone who rose from being a shepherd boy to becoming a powerful ruler and remembered as a great king. I can’t help thinking that King David quite liked a bit of bling, but it was important I suppose, that people could easily recognised who and what he was and that his appearance had to stand out from the crowd. David’s career was very much liquorice allsorts and at time words in common parlance today often come to mind. You fill in the blanks - but he does give God the respect and glory due and where would we be without the Psalms. The verses from the beginning of Revelations gives us a brief but but concise sense of Christ in Glory and the words and phrases that have become part of our worship language; ‘ruler of Kings’; ‘Alpha and Omega’; ‘the Almighty’. In the account of the Transfiguration and of the Ascension, light and cloud come into the description of something indescribable. But let’s look for a moment at the Gospel passage. Jesus has been questioned by the high priest who doesn’t get the answers he is looking for. But now Jesus comes before Pilate, the Roman governor, who first asks him outright if he is the King of the Jews. He goes on to ask “What is it you have done?”. I have never really thought about this question on its own before until it was put into the context of ‘blame culture’. Pilate can’t see what Jesus has done to deserve the fate his enemies want for him. His understanding of kingship cannot encompass the explanations given. Jesus has to have done something wrong, he must be at fault. Do you hear the echoes today when there is so much of a perception by so many people that a victim of violence or abuse must have done something to deserve or cause what has happened to them. Jesus, King of kings, Lord of Lords did not deserve what He suffered but He did it for us. So as the Advent season begins next Sunday, let us remember what we are really waiting for; enjoy the carols and the mince pies and the glitter and sparkle that light up these short, dull days and wait eagerly for the day we celebrate the Light of the World coming to earth but not just on one day but every day. Look for the Glory of God and His Son where ever you can find it and be surprised and heartened by some of the places you might find it. The greatest glory is beyond our imagining but there is much to see until that comes. Hymn 172 Sing for God’s glory that colours the dawn of creation v1,2 The prayers of intercession were written by Margaret McTavish Even as we give thanks and praise for all your goodness and mercy shown to us here in this sanctuary we come before you with our prayers for others, both near and far, known and unknown to us. We pray, O Lord, for PEACE for the many nations in conflict across our world, torn apart by war, violence or unjust rule; for peace for peoples living under extreme conditions and with the greatest humanitarian needs; especially we pray peace for the children of these lands. Lord hear our prayers We pray, O Lord, for WISDOM and JUSTICE for all who rule over others; those in positionsof power in any form; for those making decisions on behalf of others. Lord hear our prayers We pray, O Lord, for CALM in the face of unrest between nations; for calm in the face of rivalry between those of opposing views; and for calm in the face of misunderstanding between policies, peoples and families. Lord hear our prayers We pray, O Lord for REST for the weary; rest for the sick and dying and rest for those whose tirelessly care for them, institutions or at home, being your hands and feet here on earth and showing your love. Lord hear our prayers All these we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen Hymn 459 Crown him with many crowns v 1,2 Blessing Christ is King, Christ reigns but there in the background (can you hear it?) the whisper of the prophets. Christ is King, Soon to be born among us, but let us go now as the year turns Christ reigns in the hopes of the people And may the peace of Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with us throughout the coming days. Amen Welcome, Cheviot churches! We worship together on this Remembrance Sunday
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From the darkness of death, God calls us into glorious light. From the tumult of war God call us into the beauty of peace. Children of light, God calls us today to remembrance. In light and in peace We will remember them. Hymn 715 – Behold the mountain of the Lord (1,5,7) Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of yesterday, today and forever, You are the God of every generation, and your love endures forever. You have protected us during difficult times, for your compassion is everlasting. In this time of worship, we declare our love and loyalty to you, and offer you our service in prayer, in praise, and in practice, this day and every day. At this solemn season of Remembrance, we are aware of how much war has cost the world you love. In spite of fighting between nations and neighbours, you have come to us in Jesus Christ and want us to experience life in all its fullness. Renew in us the hope that you will turn our swords into ploughshares, and lead the world from the study of war to the promise of peace with justice for all your peoples. God of mercy, with sorrow we confess that in our hearts we keep alive the passions and pride that lead to hatred and war. We are not worthy of your love, nor of the sacrifice made by others on our behalf. Forgive us we pray. Christ died so that we might live. Through his undying love, we have been forgiven. Rejoice in the forgiveness God offers us. Be at peace with God and yourself, and make peace with your neighbours, for Christ’s sake. Amen. Lord’s Prayer Act of Remembrance Let us remember the courage, devotion to duty and self-sacrifice of the men and women of the armed forces and the toil, endurance and suffering of those who were not in uniform. Let us remember those who fell in battle, those buried at sea or in some corner of a foreign field; and especially those we have known and loved, whose place is forever in our hearts. Let us remember those who were our enemies, whose homes and hearts are as bereft as ours. Let us remember those who came back; those whose lives bear the scars of war; who have lost sight or limbs or reason; who have lost faith in God and hope for humanity. Let us remember the continuing grace of God, whose love holds all souls in life, and to whom none is dead but all are alive for ever. They shall grow not old As we who are left grow old; Age shall not weary them Nor the years condemn At the going down of the sun And in the morning We shall remember them. (Silence) Hymn 712 – What shall we pray (1,2,6) Readings – Romans 8: 31-39 John 15: 9-17 Weekly Prayer O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those men and women who have died in active service throughout the world. As we honour their courage and cherish their memory, may we put our faith in your future; for you are the source of eternal life and hope, now and forever. And as we pray for peace in our troubled world, give us peace in our hearts. Amen Reflection I was speaking with one of our congregation during the week, and she was saying that her father had been awarded the Military Medal. He was in his early twenties and in the medical corps and was serving with a New Zealand regiment at Monte Cassino in Italy, a scene of bitter fighting. The Allies had retreated, but one of the soldiers was injured and had been left behind in what was now behind enemy lines. The young man immediately volunteered to go to treat the injured soldier, and was there for some hours and was also able to observe how the enemy was deploying its tanks and to report back. Eventually the injured man was brought to safety, saved by our member’s father. But what made him volunteer to take such a risky mission? He was going into the lion’s den and could very easily have been captured and even shot, as would the injured man. But of course, this was not a unique story, but one that happened over and over again, of comrades, on whatever side of the fighting, ready to make sacrifices, even the ultimate sacrifice for their friends. John says, Greater love has no-one than this; that they lay down their life for their friends. In this case, the young man survived the war, though bore its scars, as many did. But how many down the centuries have given their lives for their friends, for their family – ready to make the sacrifice. It is always with a sense of poignancy that I look at the various memorials around the parish. Behind each name there is a story. For some, it is the story of a young person from the Borders, who probably had never previously been out of their home area in their lives and ending up, in the case of some at Linton, at Gaza or Gallipoli. I am sure others in the years since have served on land, air or sea, in jungles of Malaya, in Korea, Cyprus, Kenya, Ireland, Afghanistan. Many survived, but some did not. In the ITV series ‘Grantchester’ a month ago there was a sub-plot of Geordie, the policeman, who had been in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp, and one by one the prisoners died or were killed until it was just him and his friend left, and Geordie prayed it would be his friend, not him, taken away next. He had to live with that guilt. Behind each name there is a story, and behind each name there are stories of other people affected. Parents mourning the loss of a dear child; a fiancée perhaps who may never have married; colleagues who lost a friend. Even the recent withdrawal of soldiers from Afghanistan have left so many people behind, vulnerable to reprisals. There can be many heroic stories in war, but war is messy, horrific. On the Church of Scotland website this week is a story of a village in Burma raised to the ground, including church and pastor’s home. In the news there is civil war in Ethiopia. But we ever strive for peace and like Micah aim to turn swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks, a recycling project from 3000 years ago, turning weapons into implements to tend the land and grow plants. What’s more, in Romans Paul assures us that whatever we go through in life, God is there with us. Nothing, whether danger or even death itself, can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus showed that by walking the way of the Cross, being ready to die for his friends – and his friends include you and me and all the world. Hymn 706 – For the healing of the nations (1,2) Prayers of Dedication & Intercession God of all the ages past, hope of years to come: We gather in this season of remembrance, grateful that you hold each one of us in your memory and your mystery, now and for all the time to come. Today, we remember all those who have served to uphold justice and freedom in the wars of the last century, in conflicts of our own generation, and in peacekeeping and relief efforts around the world. Especially we pray for those who have died in this service and for those who carry scars on body and soul, having returned from conflict. We remember their courage and we pray for their families who still ache for lives surrendered at a great cost. O God, we remember before you the victims of conflict, hiding in forgotten corners of the world, longing for safety and peace. Especially we pray for people in Afghanistan who fear for their lives and their future. We remember victims of violence in our own country, still fearful and uncertain about what the future holds for them. Give us the courage to speak out for their protection and recovery. O God, we remember those around us who struggle to remember day by day; those who must cope with the fear of forgetting those who matter most to them, and those who face the fear of being forgotten. Help us remember to reach out in comfort and support so that no one is forgotten. O God, we remember those around us who carry on under the burden of sad and hard memories; those weighed down by grief, disappointment, anger, pain and loss. Inspire us to offer a listening ear and an understanding heart whenever we can. God of all the ages past, hope of years to come, help us to remember you day by day. Keep us prepared to shine the light of your gospel into the dark corners of the world. Amen Hymn 511 – Your hand, O God, has guided (1,3,4) Benediction Let us go from this place with minds that never forget, with hearts that grow in hope, with lives that shine Christ’s light. Let us go to serve, to reconcile, to bring peace, and to stand united as children of the light. And may the blessing of God, Creator, Peacemaker, Peacebringer, go with you all, this day and every day. Amen Hymn 703 - National Anthem (v1) Welcome, Cheviot churches! We worship together on this 24th Sunday after Pentecost.
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How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts. As the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest, so our home is by your altars, O God. Hymn 149 – Let all creation dance (All) Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of Creation, you break the cycle of wars, so we may be enriched by your peace; you shatter the grip of violence, so we may be freed from our fears; you plant your words of hope deep within us. You give us the word we need, so that we might live in your grace. Friend of the needy, you freely become one of us, so that we could be liberated from our addiction to sin; you take us by the hand to lead us out of our doubts; you give us the words we need, so we can continue to share your good news of life. Spirit of Holiness, you pull us to safety when sin's waters swirl around our feet; you surround us with serenity when doubts rattle our souls; you give us words we need, whenever we wander onto the paths of trouble, Living God, we have known your hopes for us; if we have disappointed them, we are sorry. We have seen your dreams for us; if we have turned them into ashes, we are sorry. Forgive us. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. Know that you are forgiven, set free from fear and guilt, and can be at peace. As a forgiven, healed, and restored community, we join together in the prayer that Jesus taught his followers: Our Father… Readings – Ruth 4:13–17 Mark 12:38–44 Hymn 493 – It’s me, it’s me, O Lord (1,2) Weekly Prayer Loving God, we praise your name with all you have created. We acknowledge your presence in the whole universe, and in the smallest of creatures. We accept the responsibilities you have placed upon us as stewards of your creation and acknowledge our duty to care for the widows and marginalised in our world. Amen Reflection COP26 is happening, and the nations of the world have gathered to see how best to tackle climate change. Hopefully their words and commitments will be transformed into action, and certainly the various activists, not least Greta Thunberg, will be relentless in ensuring accountability. There is always a certain irony about these big global conferences, as world leaders arrived in their jets and some like Joe Biden even brought their own cars. On Monday night I noticed on television how they all arrived in big motorcades to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery for a sumptuous dinner. Other celebrities like Leonardo de Caprio made appearances too. You can’t help but notice them. What a far cry from the widow in our Gospel reading today. In one of the musicals on the West End there is a character called Mr Cellophane, and no-one notices Mr Cellophane. It is as if he is invisible. You see right through him. The widow was like that. She was one of the least. She had no husband to support her; she was powerless. How many people in our society are invisible; we just don’t see them? But Jesus did see the widow. He watched as she put her two pennies into the coffer at the Temple. Did he praise her for giving all that she had or did he lament the fact that she was one of the poor and that society really didn’t care and that maybe her coins would end up in the pockets of one of the scribes flaunting their fancy gowns? Maybe a bit of both. The widow’s mite. We use it in sermons to encourage giving. We praise her complete commitment, giving all she had, whereas the Scribes would only give from their abundance. It is apposite, given what is happening in Glasgow just now. The wealthiest nations, whose current prosperity has been built on the burning of fossil fuels, are debating how much of their wealth they can sacrifice in the name of arresting climate change. Meanwhile, less developed countries and those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change such as the small island states of the Pacific or those countries who have not contributed as much to our current predicament, are being forced to take proportionately greater action. Like the people in front of Jesus, countries today have differing capacity to change and different starting points but the key issue is giving sacrificially and not just for show. But I am sure Jesus would also have been infuriated by the system that kept the widow so powerless. Ruth was also a widow and also extremely vulnerable. What’s more she was a foreigner, from Israel’s great enemy, Moab. There was every reason to treat her with suspicion, but Boaz was impressed by her love and fidelity to her mother-in-law Naomi and allowed her to glean in his fields. However, harvest had ended, but the story has a happy ending, as Ruth and Boaz marry and we are told that their great grandchild was David, the King of Israel. The Law says in Deuteronomy that Moabites should not be allowed to become part of Israel to the 10th generation, but the author of Ruth subversively shows that the most famous king had a Moabite ancestor. The system could be changed. We pray that the richer nations of the world will not just look out for themselves, but show a generosity of spirit and realise that we are all in this climate crisis together and take action for the good of all. God has made us stewards of the earth. We are accountable. This is true for our leaders, but also for each one of us. Let us be good stewards of God’s creation. Hymn 165 – Praise to the Lord for the joys… (1,5) Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Generous God you have created a home where all people can live in peace, our planet so beautiful and yet so fragile. Generous God, you give us the ground under our feet, solid and strong, fertile and full of things that jump, crawl, wriggle and walk, bursting with plants that grow and trees for fruit and shade. Generous God, you give us times and seasons; the sun to warm our days and the moon to light our night-time ways; stars that sing and planets that spin. Unknown reaches of time and space, full of mystery and dreams. We pray for all who have gathered for the COP26 conference and pray that there will be a unity of spirit and a real commitment to make the necessary sacrifices to combat climate change. We pray for countries in the Pacific and elsewhere, as they seek to cope with the climate crisis. Generous God, you give us choice and responsibility. May we be generous in sharing and open hearted to the needs of developing communities ready to limit what we have so that all may share fully in the fullness of life you give to all. We remember those who are ill, for those who have tested positive for Covid and also those ill with other conditions. May your healing hand rest upon them. Be with all in nursing homes; all who are anxious and all who are bereaved. Silence Amen Hymn 737 – Will your anchor hold (1,4) Benediction Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. May the blessing of God Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you, now and ever more. Amen |
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