 Welcome, Cheviot churches! We worship together on this 17th Sunday after Pentecost.
Notices:
From sunrise to sunset, Let us praise God’s holy name. With the wisdom of the aged and the energy of the young, Let us praise God’s holy name. In our work and in our homes, Let us praise God’s holy name. Let us praise the Lord with our whole hearts! We will worship God now and always. Hymn 127 – O worship the King (1,6) Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of all creation, you have opened the world around us and filled it with purpose. Each creature declares your praise-- the mountain states your majesty; the ripened field, your generosity. Birds flying aloft sing of your freedom; the tiny ant works with your persistence. But what do we declare about you in our lives, O God? We pray that our work will honour your justice and mercy. May our relationships speak of your love and compassion. So may we praise you, O God, not just in this hour of worship but in all the hours you grant us, as we follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and our Friend. God of all creation, you have opened the world around us and filled it with wonder, but we confess our eyes are not always open to its harsher realities. Our ears are sometimes deaf to cries of need. Our minds are often shut to opinions which differ from our own. Forgive us when we seek greatness instead of goodness. Forgive us when we miss the wisdom you intend us to embrace. To all who truly repent and seek reconciliation with God and neighbour in kindness and humility, God offers forgiveness and peace. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Proverbs 31: 10-31 Mark 9: 30-37 Hymn 485 – Dear Lord and Father of mankind (1,3,6) Weekly Prayer O God our God, grant us grace to desire you with a whole heart, so that desiring you we may seek and find you; and so finding you, may love you; and loving you may hate those sins which separate us from you, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen Reflection The streets were empty; no cars and no people. Everything seemed so quiet. You could hear the birds sing. Now, it could have been a description of the early days of Lockdown last year, but it isn’t. Rather, it is a description of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement for the Jews, and in Israel on Thursday past a sense of peace would have prevailed. Shops closed, people inside. It is a time to reflect on the past year and especially on failings, individual and collective. It goes back to the Bible and the time when the Israelites led by Moses chose a goat and sent it out into the desert, and the goat carried away their sin; it was the scapegoat. The majority of Israelis are not religious, but secular; and yet, they would still keep quiet on Yom Kippur. I am sure the virtuous woman we read of in Proverbs would have observed the feast and made sure her family did too! She was a multi-tasker; no wonder she was worth more than rubies. As Christians, we believe that on the cross Jesus took our sins and the sins of the world, upon himself, that we might live and have life in all its fullness. And that you could say was the continuation of the passage we read today. Jesus was talking again of his death and even his resurrection, and his commitment to a life of service and love and putting others first led to that very cross. But the disciples closed their ears to what he was saying. Often we do not want to hear unpleasant things and shut our minds to them. Instead, they disciples seemed intent in a game of one-upmanship. They argued about who was the greatest. Their minds were focused on Jesus being the Messiah (and not the suffering that accompanied it), and it was as if they were jostling for position in his cabinet and determined not to be the Gavin Williamson figure cast aside. Even among the disciples I am sure there would have been jealousies and resentments, as each strove for the approval of their Teacher. Of course, when Jesus asked what they were talking about, they fell in to embarrassed silence, knowing he would not be impressed. The disciples are often shown as rather clueless in the Gospels, and yet these are the people who would turn the world upside down. But they were human like us, and like us want to be the centre of attention, want to impress. Who is the greatest? Muhammed Ali famously said that he was. Greatness is about power and wealth and fame, but Jesus gave it a new twist. He gave a new pattern, by saying that true greatness was in compassion and love, in self-giving and sacrifice. The first shall be last, and the last first. He placed a child in their midst and said the real life-giving power was in humility and vulnerability and service. Over this pandemic period, the people we regard as the greatest have been the people on the front line, the NHS staff, the teachers, cleaners: people giving of themselves and not seeking any praise. One minister was highly regarded by all in the community in one of the housing estates in Glasgow, as he spoke out for the least and most marginalised. On his desk was taped the phrase ‘You are a servant’. In this we follow our Lord Jesus Christ, who lived a life of service for all, even to the point of death, and calls us to serve one another. Hymn 498 – Angel voices (1,4) Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession God of all people and places, we come to you in prayer, giving thanks that you are with us in all situations. You bring us strength and courage when we are anxious or afraid. You provide wisdom and direction when we face choices and challenges. Thank you for your faithfulness to us. In this time of prayer, enlarge our love and sharpen our vision so that we may serve the well-being of the world you love more faithfully. Gracious God, help us to learn to see the world as you do. The first will be last and the last first. Thank you for today’s reminder to pay attention to the weak and not just the strong. We pray for those in our communities who are struggling at the moment. We pray for those who are on the margins or feel disenfranchised. Help us, as your church, to notice and respond to the needs we see. We also pray for the powerful, for those who lead and govern. May they see the world as you do. Give leaders in government and business a mutual vision that reflects the values of your kingdom, so that everyone has enough resources and respect to live well and wisely. We pray for all those facing famine and drought this year, and for those who have lost everything through fire, storm, or pandemic. Bring support to those people and agencies like Christian Aid who work to alleviate suffering and help them rebuild lives and communities. We pray for all those anywhere who struggle with pain or illness, disability or daunting diagnosis. Stay by their side. Be with those who face death this day, and those who weep for loved ones who have died. Unite us in love, whatever we are facing, and grant us the peace and hope you have promised us in Christ Jesus. Silence Amen Hymn 694 (1,2,4) – Brother, sister, let me serve you Benediction Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, and may blessing of the God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you and those whom you love, wherever they may be; this day and forevermore. Amen
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