 Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. We worship together on this Ascension Sunday
Notices:
Clap your hands, all you peoples; We will shout to God with loud songs of joy. For God, the Most High, is awesome Reigning over all the earth. Let us worship God with all we have to offer! We will offer God our love – heart, body, mind and soul! Hymn 439 – Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of promise and purpose, we greet you this day with thankful hearts. As flowers open and buds unfurl around us, the beauty of your world lifts our hearts in praise. You lifted up Jesus to be by your side, and so we know he is always by our side as the future opens before us. Draw close to us in this time of worship and show us the promise and purpose in our own lives-- how we can unfurl with new life and move into the future with the energy of your Holy Spirit and the abiding love of Christ our Lord. Lord Jesus Christ, you have called all your followers to carry the Good News of God’s love and forgiveness to the ends of the earth. Yet we confess we cannot always find the words to tell others of our faith. We are often silent when others criticize the church. We try to act out your love, but it’s hard to tell others why we do what we do for you. Forgive our hesitation to share the gift you have given us, and renew our courage to speak of our commitment to you. Paul says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Let us rejoice that, no matter what is happening around us, no matter what we have done, God’s deep love will never let us go. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 1:1–11 Luke 24:44–53 Hymn 438 – The head that once was crowned … Weekly Prayer Everlasting God, you made the world and everything in it. We pray with one voice, proclaiming your presence to all the earth. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you and give thanks for all wonders of your marvellous creation. As with the disciples at the ascension of Jesus we worship Him and look forward to His promised return. Amen Reflection Today is Ascension Sunday, and the Ascension is somewhat different from the other high days in the Christian year. At Christmas, for example, we celebrate Jesus born in a stable, God with us. At Easter we celebrate Jesus risen from the dead, coming back to the disciples, God with us. At Pentecost next week we will celebrate the Holy Spirit, coming upon the disciples, God with us. But at the Ascension, there is a sense of absence, for Jesus leaves the disciples and ascends to heaven. Why celebrate someone leaving? Who wants a day to remind us of God seemingly leaving us behind? And yet the Ascension was a vital day in empowering the disciples -and us – to be witnesses to Christ in the world. Jesus had risen from the tomb and for these 40 days (for the Ascension is exactly 40 days after the resurrection) Jesus has been with the disciples, taking the opportunity further to equip and strengthen them. They must have been getting used to Jesus being with them again. It must have seemed like old times and that things were back to normal again. We long for things to be back to normal again after Covid, to have our coffee mornings and even plan holidays. The disciples had grown used to having Jesus around them again. It was back to normal, and it would go on and on… But it couldn’t be. There had to be the break. The disciples had been disciples – learning from their Master, following his words, learning from his example. Now it was time to be on their own and put all that they had learned into practice. Just like a chick in a nest has to learn to fly and at the appropriate moment jump from the nest and fly, so the disciples had to take the risk of living life and starting to give rather than just receive. One minute the disciples were laughing with Jesus, then the next he was away, with the disciples left gawping up at the sky. But then two men appear and chivvy them along. ‘Why are you standing here? You heard what he said. There is work to do, a world to be woken up!’. The disciples had to learn to live without the Jesus as they knew him physically and learn to live on their own feet, with their own mistakes, but always in and by Christ’s light. And, vitally, with the Holy Spirit. That is why, Luke tells us in the Gospel, they went home rejoicing They had to be Jesus’ witnesses, and that meant seeing the world through Christ’s eyes and loving the world with Christ’s compassion. As Jesus had fed the hungry and healed the sick, as he had embraced the world in love and persuaded people that God loved them passionately, so he was saying to the disciples – and to us ‘Over to you. Now it is your turn. Be my witnesses’. Like the disciples, we have been nourished and nurtured. We have received so many blessings. Now it is our turn to give, by being his witnesses in the world and do as he did. In other words: love one another, as Jesus did; Forgive one another, as Jesus did; Work for justice - as Jesus did; Challenge the hypocrites, as Jesus did; Live with integrity, as Jesus did; Embrace the stranger, as Jesus did; Make God the centre of your life, as Jesus did. At this Ascension Sunday let us look at each other in Christ’s light and begin to repair the world through gifts of kindness and compassion, embracing the breadth and depth of God’s vision for the whole of creation. Hymn 436 – Christ triumphant Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession Eternal and ever-present God bless the gifts we offer you today. Use them and us to witness to your love and bring healing and hope to the world in Jesus’ name. In uncertain times we thank you Lord for the relationships and friendships that have carried us through: for those who have made us laugh, for those who have listened, for those who have stood by us. Thank you for the love, care and attention of others. Help us to learn to pray as Jesus did. As we move through this week and encounter our friends help us to pray for their needs and that they would know your peace in their lives O God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of all life, You have begun the work of creating a new world, a world where justice is known, where freedom and healing are available to all people. We pray for the places in the world that are caught up in violence, We especially think of Israel and Palestine and Gaza and all living in fear. We pray for the peacemakers in that area. Hold them from despair, give them the energy and vision for a better future that will keep them going during these difficult times. Help the local politicians and those in the international community who are trying to mediate and resolve this crisis. Equip them with the skills they need, give them the words that will speak into this situation and help those who need to hear listen to their words and cease their fire. You have begun the work of creating a new community, a community where love is shared, and all find a sense of belonging. We pray for groups who are made to feel like they don’t belong, for families that caught up in tension or strife, and for those who feel isolated or desperate because no one seems to care. Grant them all courage and comfort through your Spirit. May people everywhere find the fullness of life you intend for us all. Silence Amen Hymn 441 – Blessing and honour Benediction Go in peace, and in your rising, in your resting, in your walking, in your speaking, in your praying, in your striving, in your giving, in your crying, may you know the Spirit of the Lord upon you. May the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer be with you and be with all you love this day and even forevermore. Amen
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 Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. We worship together on this Christian Aid Sunday
Notices:
Call to Worship (from Amazon area) Come and celebrate our common home we gather with the family of humanity. With the mountains, islands and deserts we honour the glory of God in creation. With the lakes, rivers and seas we come to the source of living water. With the land, its soil, seeds and sustenance we give thanks for God’s generous provision. With the forests of great trees, the lungs of the planet we will sing with joy and clap our hands. We join with the whole of creation, inspired by those who have gone before and the prophetic voices of today. We dare to praise and pray for another possible world. To the glory of God Amen Hymn 172 – Sing for God’s glory Prayers of Adoration and Confession Loving Father, As we look around at our beautiful Border countryside bursting with new life, we sometimes fail to see the desecration of pollution, the carelessly discarded plastic bottles and crisp packets, the wasted food; forgive us for our lack of care and our selfishness and short-term behaviour. As we celebrate the joy of human love and we look towards being with friends and family and welcoming them with loving arms, forgive us for forgetting those who circumstances prevent such reunions; those separated by bereavement, by forced migration, by natural disasters and failure of crops, help us remember that some of this is caused by our behaviour and forgive us our unintended actions. God you know us and know that we can be loving and kind but that we often get things wrong. Forgive when we hurt others and when we fail to care for your world. May Jesus bless us and God’s spirit help to grow in love. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 10: 44-48 John 15:9-17 Hymn Sea Shanty (Yetholm) / 798 – May the peace of the earth (Morebattle) There was a farmer on the land hoping we could make a stand. The rains hadn’t come and the crops were dead; You can’t farm land like this. No! Soon may the fossil fuels go for they pollute the land you know. Let’s invest in solar and wind and buy climate justice for all. Climate change is making life hard for those whose livelihoods are marred by erratic rain or howling gale. You can’t farm land like this. No! Chorus Weekly Prayer Faithful God, 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 by the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. Amen Reflection Those who live in Yetholm will be aware of the work that has been going on to alter the course of the Bowmont Water. The water has over the years eroded the ground and, if not checked, would have threatened to bridge and road between the two villages. It shows the often-devastating power of water. Today is Christian Aid Sunday and for 75 years Christian Aid has been responding to crises and seeking to empower the marginalised. They now work in 26 countries, but today we focus on only one of them, Kenya, where water, or the lack of it, has become an issue. We need only to read our bibles to know that floods (Noah) and droughts (Ruth and Naomi) have always been with us. However, in recent years we have seen extremes in weather all over the world. Even snow and frost in May! Rose knows about extremes in weather. Growing up, the rain came at the right time, and there was always enough to eat and drink. But now the rains are unreliable, and her part of Kenya is subject to drought. Crops wither and die. Rivers run dry, and people struggle to survive. In order to collect water for her family, Rose has to walk a long distance, often on an empty stomach. She dreams of having water close at hand to grow vegetables. If there was only a pool close at hand, that would give her and her grandchildren hope for the future. In our Acts reading, Peter asks the question, ‘Can anyone withhold water?’. He is actually talking about water for baptism, but it is a relevant question when we think of Rose and those like her. Peter is in the house of Cornelius, the Roman centurion. Peter has had a vision of a tablecloth full of the animals deemed to be taboo for Jews to eat, not kosher, yet a voice from heaven tells him to eat. At that moment, people come to his door inviting him to Cornelius’ home. As a Jew, Peter could not enter a Gentile’s house, but after the vision, he accepts the invitation. While there, the Holy Spirit falls upon everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, and that is when Peter asks the question ‘Who can withhold water to baptise?’, for the Holy Spirit has already taken the initiative. Rose has her troubles, but Florence on the other hand is so cheerful. She is a larger-than-life character, who is smiling and singing. I am sure that she has her hardships too, for her husband died a few years ago, but she is a survivor. Like Rose, she too had to walk for miles to collect water for her family, but fortunately Christian Aid and its partners helped Florence’s community to build a dam, so that water is now on their doorstep, allowing their vegetables to grow and be sold at the market. She grows tomatoes and onion, but also keeps bees, so sells honey. No wonder she is full of joy and laughter. Her children have a future. In our Gospel reading, Jesus is saying farewell to his disciples and telling them to abide in him and his love, and in verse 11, he says ‘I have said these things so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete’. He was facing the horror and pain of Good Friday and crucifixion, yet talked of joy. He was facing the silence of Holy Saturday, but believed that Easter Sunday would come. There is always hope. As Christians we believe that there is hope and that everyone is entitled to life in all its fullness in the here and now. We thank God for the work of Christian Aid over the past 75 years, but continue to work and give and pray that people like Rose may have water nearby and, like Florence, have a smile on her face and hope for the future. Hymn – Canticle of the Turning 1. My soul cries out with a joyful shout that the God of my heart is great, And my spirit sings of the wondrous things that you bring to the ones who wait. You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight, and my weakness you did not spurn, So from east to west shall my name be blest. Could the world be about to turn? My heart shall sing of the day you bring. Let the fires of your justice burn. Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near, and the world is about to turn! 3. From the halls of power to the fortress tower, not a stone will be left on stone. Let the king beware for your justice tears ev’ry tyrant from his throne. The hungry poor shall weep no more, for the food they can never earn; There are tables spread, ev’ry mouth be fed, for the world is about to turn. Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession Generous God, bless our offering of worship and the gifts of talent and money that we share. Bless those who will go out into our community this week with the red envelopes and may the money that will be given this week in support of our disadvantaged neighbours around the world be doubly blessed in the service of your kingdom. Merciful God, as we think of our communities and family and friends farther afield we are mindful of the suffering caused by the Covid virus around the world. Our hearts go out to the people of India and to all those places where facilities and equipment are lacking and it is a struggle to treat and care for all the sick. Give all those involved the strength and courage to prevail. Comfort those who mourn for they are many and often do so alone. Help us to be an encouragement and support to our young people as they face an evermore uncertain future but do so in hope and expectation of a better, fairer world. Give determination for those striving for the health of our planet and the well being of all your children. May those who hold the power be given a listening ear and act with wisdom and compassion. We would see the lusts for power and of greed banished that all may live a meaningful life in harmony and peace, rejoicing in our individuality and unique talents knowing we are loved by you. This we ask n the name of the Prince of Peace, Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen The Christian Aid week prayer (from Kenya) Great God, Who makes the sun to rise, and opens the heavens, Hear the cry of the people who sow in hope for rain but reap only in despair. Hear the cry of the people seeking shelter from the storm, their hopes and homes submerged’ Hear the cry of the people when creation is hitting back, with rage and resistance. Give us hope, grant us salvation, Give us a new relationship with creation with reverence to tend this gift from you and say once again of the earth and all you created, it is GOOD. Amen Hymn 804 – You shall go out with joy Benediction May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow. May the soft winds freshen your spirit. May the sunshine brighten your heart. May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you and may God enfold you in the mantle of His love.  Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. We worship together on this 5th Sunday of Easter.
Notices: • Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) are now open for worship every Sunday. • The podcast of this service can be accessed on the Podcast page of the website, or by clicking HERE • A video of the service will be posted on Gordon McInally’s YouTube page by Sunday early afternoon (Gordon's page can be accessed by clicking HERE), or via the Video page of the website. • The moderator has a service - HERE • Christian Aid Week is from 9-16th May. Anyone willing to distribute envelopes, please contact Trish Gentry. There will be a quiz on Saturday 8th and an online service to mark 75 years of Christian Aid on Sunday 9th May at 6.30pm. Details on the Christian Aid Scotland website - HERE • Colin is enormously grateful to everybody who sponsored him in the Kiltwalk. He has raised £1,445 (which will be topped up buy the Hunter Foundation). • We are encouraged to light candles every Sunday evening at 7pm. Prayers are to be found on the Church of Scotland website. Call to Worship Come apart from your busyness. Come and reconnect with God. Remain in him and grow. Grow closer, grow deeper. Grow and be fruitful. Come and glorify God! Hymn 154 – O Lord, my God Prayers of Adoration and Confession Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord, you are the vine, and we are the branches. Your love is our strength. Your energy is our joy. Your attentiveness is our hope. Your power can transform even the most difficult situations. You nourish our faith and imaginations so that we can bear fruit in many ways. You promise we can dwell in you because you are dwelling in us. We gather today to offer our praise to you, and bring glory to God the Father, through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Fill us with love, so that our love will honour you each and every day. Merciful God, We confess there are so many ways we fail to love you fully. Forgive us for our lack of reverence for the earth and for using up more than our share of its resources. Forgive us for ignoring the cries of others who know pain or discrimination. Forgive us for seeking praise from others yet failing to encourage them in their endeavours. Forgive us, O God, and root our lives more deeply in your love. Jesus died and rose again for you. In humble penitence receive his pardon, receive his peace. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 8:26–40 John 15:1–8 Hymn 463 – Fairest Lord Jesus Weekly Prayer Everlasting God, we ask that you would bless us here at Cheviot Churches with vision for the future and reverence for the past. Help us to remain in You the true vine, so that You can remain in us. Help to bear much fruit and guide us each day as we minister to one another and to our community; always mindful of your amazing love for us. Amen Reflection As many of you may be aware, I spent several years working in the Holy Land. Part of my remit was to interact with local groups and especially the Palestinian Christians. But I also was involved with pilgrims, people coming from many lands to visit sites associated with the Bible, with Christ. It was a different type of ministry, because often the pilgrims were just passing through - there for a few days or even a few hours or even just a few minutes, and you had to make the most of the little time you had. But it was amazing how often we found connections. People we knew or places or situations we shared. It was a special time. I was thinking about it when I read the passages for today. In Acts 8 we read the story of the Ethiopian, whom Philip met on the road to Gaza. They only spent a short time together, but in that short time the Ethiopian’s life was completely turned around and he was baptised. Then they both went their separate ways. Philip was one of the disciples. Like Andrew, he had a Greek name and that seems to give a clue, for in preaching the Good News, he went beyond the local Jewish population in Jerusalem. Just before this passage in Acts, Philip had been evangelising among the Samaritans, and we know the Samaritans were regarded with suspicion. What the rest of his friends thought of Philip’s activities we can only guess. But then suddenly the Spirit seems to inspire Philip to head for Gaza, and there he came across a wealthy man in his chariot, reading a scroll – he must have been wealthy to own a scroll, especially of Scripture. Just by looking he would have guessed the man was a foreigner, and indeed he turned out to be a high-ranking official, the treasurer no less, of the Ethiopian Queen. But he was also a eunuch, and the book of Deuteronomy was quite clear, that eunuchs were excluded from worship in the Temple and being part of the community. Later, after the Exile, Isaiah had a more inclusive approach and in chapter 56 said that both foreigners and eunuchs were welcome, if they loved God and sought to keep the commandments. Philip took Isaiah’s approach and saw that God’s love was not confined to one particular group of people but embraced everyone. He took time with the Ethiopian, talked about the Scripture that he was reading, where Isaiah talks about the Suffering Servant, and Philip links it with Jesus. Philip’s words make an impact, and the Eunuch asks, ‘What is to stop me from being baptised?’. Philip didn’t say that he had to go through so many weeks of special classes, but immediately baptised him in a pool of water. Then the eunuch proceeded on his way back to Ethiopia, where tradition has it that he was an evangelist. Certainly, Ethiopia was one of the first countries to become Christian and has remained a strongly Christian country, and indeed the Ark of the Covenant is claimed to be kept in one of the churches in the North. By his baptism, the Ethiopian became part of the Christian family, he bore the name of Christ. He was connected to people of different races, who spoke different languages. Just like the intertwining branches of a vine, he was connected to Christ and to Christ’s family. But he had to continue to be rooted in Christ to be nourished and nurtured. So it is with us, we are part of the family, but we too need to be nourished by the Word and by our interaction with our fellow Christians, so that we can bear good fruit. Hymn 550 – As a deer pants for the water Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession Jesus Christ, the true vine, in our need we come to You, in weakness, needing Your strength for we too easily become dry and lifeless without Your life-giving spirit. Jesus Christ, the true vine, teach us to remain in You and so to find Your life flowing in us giving strength and vigour to our discipleship. And as we come closer to You our lives are drawn closer to others. Our minds turn to images of violence we have seen on the news in places of fear and terror, to where people are at loggerheads, over race, religion, land, power. Our thoughts turn to Christians living with persecution, who face danger, simply for being linked to You. Father, prune back all that stands in the way of peace. Our thoughts turn to people in leadership and power – who have decisions to make over the economy and people whose jobs and livelihood will be affected. We pray for our nation, and its leaders. May changes and choices be shaped by the values of the kingdom. On our hearts are people in need in our church and community. Wherever hearts are breaking … bodies are failing … minds are confused … families are ruptured … Lord, come with Your help and healing. We pray for the situation in India where the surge in Covid cases is causing so much suffering. We also think of those involved in the disaster at the religious festival in Israel. Here, too, as Your church gathered today, we give thanks for the saints of the past and the fruit they have borne in our community and beyond. Like them, help us to remain in You that we may be fruitful and bring glory to Your name. Through Jesus Christ, the true vine. Amen Hymn 470 – Jesus shall reign Benediction Go in peace to love and to serve the Lord and may the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you all, now and always. Amen  Our minister Colin put on his kilt (a tasteful, muted Johnston tartan) and walked round the 5 churches in the parish on the 23/24th of April as part of Kiltwalk 21. He started at Hownam (see photo above) and walked in the glorious sunshine to Morebattle on the Friday. On the Saturday he started off for Linton, then to Hoselaw, meeting sheep, cattle and horses on the way. At Hoselaw he was joined by Carol Butler to walk across the hills to Yetholm where he was met by a finishing line and a group of church members (below). He has raised £1,245 to date, with the prospect of another £100 to come. The Hunter Foundation has pledged to give an extra 50% of anything raised. Many thanks to all who have contributed - and, of course, to Colin.   Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. We worship together on this 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday.
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Call to Worship Jesus the Christ said, I am the Good Shepherd. We have come to follow him. We gather in the name of the One who leads us by still waters. We have come to be restored in him. We gather in the name of the One who prepares a banquet for us. We have come to be fed by his love, so let us worship God. Hymn 14 – The Lord’s my shepherd Prayers of Adoration and Confession Lord God, our good and loving shepherd, You nourish our lives and lead us into green pastures. You restore our souls with rest and peace. You give us true joy so our cup overflows with goodness. You walk with us through the darkest valleys, offering us courage and compassion. At all times and in all circumstances, you are with us, Creator, Redeemer and Guiding Spirit, we praise you, Holy One, now and always. Amen. Patient God, whose mercy is abundant and your love endless, we confess that often we have not shown your love to others, even though we claim it for ourselves. You have called us to show compassion, but too often we are quick to judge others. You have been called to follow Jesus, yet we are distracted by our own plans and desires. Forgive us for falling short of your hopes for us and renew a right spirit within us. The mercy of our God is from everlasting to everlasting. Friends, hear the good news of the gospel. In Jesus Christ, God’s generous love reaches out to embrace us. We are forgiven and set free to begin again. Thanks be to God Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 4: 5-12 John 10: 11-18 Hymn 624 – In Christ there is no east or west Weekly Prayer Loving God we pray for all our leaders that, using Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd as the ultimate model of leadership, they would lead and care for their own flocks in such a way that peace might abound, righteousness flourish and injustice be eradicated. Amen. Reflection Today is Good Shepherd Sunday, and every year at this time we focus on a portion of John 10, when Jesus says that he is the Good Shepherd. This is of course sheep country, and a number of our members have been shepherds in the surrounding hills. In 1st Century Palestine, however, shepherds were regarded with some suspicion, for they were out in the fields and so could never get to synagogue, so there is a certain irony when Jesus says he is the Good Shepherd. But it became one of the most loved images of Christ in the Early Church, with so many statues of Jesus with a lamb over his shoulder. And not just the early church, for certainly growing up I was very used to seeing pictures in church halls of Jesus as the shepherd. One of our favourite psalms is, ‘The Lord’s my shepherd’, and it takes us on a journey. The Lord’s my shepherd. I shall not need a thing. He leads me by green pastures and finds quiet pools. Here the psalmist is talking about the daily life of shepherding. Making sure the sheep are cared for and provided with grazing and water, which in the arid conditions of Palestine was not always easy. You had to be knowledgeable if you were a shepherd and really know the sheep and their needs. That is where Jesus in the Gospel says that he knows the sheep and the sheep recognise his voice. It is more than ‘head’ knowledge, but is an intimacy that comes from the heart. We are the flock of Christ, and we rejoice that he does know us through and through, just as a shepherd knows the sheep. But life is not always easy, and for the shepherd there were dangers. The Psalmist talks of the dark valley, the valley of the shadow of death, a place of dangers, where the sheep were encouraged by the strong presence of the shepherd. Your rod and staff they comfort me. Jesus in John’s Gospel talks of the dangers of wild predators and of thieves, and the shepherd had to be prepared to defend the vulnerable sheep, even lying across the entrance to the fold at night. The shepherd had to be prepared to lay down their life for the sheep, and this is mentioned three times in our passage. This was complete commitment and self-giving. We are in the ‘afterglow’ of Easter, and we know that Jesus did indeed give his life for his sheep on the cross of Calvary, showing his commitment to us. When Jesus said he was the Good Shepherd, he would have been aware that the leaders and monarchs in the Old Testament were called shepherds of their people, but too often had let them down. We have the elections for the Scottish Parliament coming up and are being bombarded with leaflets and manifestos from politicians claiming that they will do the best for us and for the country. But leaders need to stand up to scrutiny. In a week where the greed of the big football teams has been exposed and there have been accusations of sleaze, it is so important for politicians to show that their integrity and their commitment to the good of all. I talked of Psalm 23 being a journey, for shepherds and their flocks were always on the move. We have had the daily routine and the dangers, and the psalm finishes with a homecoming, where goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The flock has gone through all the ups and down, but is sustained by the love and commitment of the shepherd. The longed-for destination is reached. God is with us in the ordinary and the extraordinary and waits with arms outstretched to welcome us home. Hymn 462 – The King of love Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession Living God accept these our offerings. Grant that they may go where we can’t go, that they may reach where we cannot reach, that they may do what we cannot do. Use them to strengthen Your Church and advance Your kingdom here where we are and far beyond for Jesus’ sake. We pray for our world. We pray for those of faith and those of no faith, for those with purpose and those with no purpose in life. For those who have a clear direction and those who flounder uncertain for life in all its complexities. For those whose mental health causes them pain, anguish, confusion and loneliness, for those who feel abandoned, unwanted, unloved and un-helped. For the world and its people, Lord, we pray. For countries at war with other countries and within themselves, for their leaders that they may good and responsible shepherds and for people who fear for their lives and stability, for those made homeless and jobless and offered nothing but an uncertain future. We remember countries at war where their people are damaged, isolated, abused, for Myanmar, Ethiopia, Mozambique. For the world and its people, Lord, we pray. God, who has sheep in other folds, we pray for Christians trying to work out the best way to live out their lives, true to their faith, to the Gospel, to their calling. Remind us to look beyond the present to the future, beyond our immediate neighbourhood to the world-wide family, for we are all God’s children. Help us to catch a wider more inclusive vision of the needs of the world and its people for unless we are all fed no one is satisfied, unless we are all inoculated no one is safe. For the world and its people, Lord, we pray. For countries with surging Covid cases, for those with poor infrastructure and resources, for countries with little PPE and no vaccines and no realistic prospect of national immunisation any time soon. For those engaged in trying to resolve such issues no matter what faith, colour, creed. For the world and its people, Lord, we pray. For all who grieve for the loss of loved ones, family or friends, near or far away. Especially those who are bereaved a long way from family, who can’t travel to be with them to offer comfort and support. In their loss, in their grief, in their solitude may they find a calm centre and be upheld by their faith, their friendship and their neighbours. For the world and its people, Lord, we pray. For ourselves we pray that our ears may be used to hear the cries of the needy, that our eyes be used to see the needs around us, that our voices be used to speak up for the marginalised and the poor, that our hands be used to reach out in comfort and that our lives be used to improve the lives of others. For the world and its people, Lord, we pray. Amen. Hymn 355 – You Lord are both lamb and shepherd Benediction Go in peace to love and to serve Jesus, the good shepherd of us all, and may the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you all, now and always. Amen  Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. We worship together on this 3rd Sunday of Easter.
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Call to Worship We gather with joy, for Easter brings us new life. The Risen Christ is with us wherever we go. Love breaks all bonds and unites us in hope. Christ has defeated death. Let us rejoice and be glad! Hymn 427 – Alleluia, Alleluia Prayers of Adoration and Confession Loving God, we rejoice in new life around us. For daffodils and tulips in the garden, for lambs and calves in our fields. The whole world rejoices in Spring. We praise you for the Easter message of Jesus rising from the dead, a glorious new beginning for the world. We can never be the same. Help us to show forth the new life you give us and greet each new day as an occasion to discover Christ in our midst, making all things new with the springtime of your Spirit. Loving Creator, as your children we are given a place within Your heart. You know our inner workings, and are able to name what is right and wrong in the lives we lead. Lord have mercy, As Your children, we recognise the upset and hurt we cause to those we love the most, with the harsh words we use and our selfish ambition Christ have mercy, As Your children, we are invited to share in the stewardship of creation, and sometimes we fail to care. Tempted by what is easy to use and readily available, we ignore the need to sustain all of life. Lord have mercy upon us and forgive us. Hear the words of the risen Christ: Peace be with you. Receive the peace and forgiveness of Christ, and rejoice in his gift of new life this day and every day. Thanks be to God. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 3:12–19 Luke 24:36b–48 Hymn 405 – We sing the praise Weekly Prayer Creator God, you gave us a beautiful world to live in and to care for especially here in the parish of our Cheviot Churches. We pray that you will open our minds so that we may understand the scriptures, and that by faith in the name of Jesus, times of refreshing may come to us again. In faith we hear the Lord's voice speaking to us over the ages " Peace be with you". Amen Reflection What are you looking forward to do, once we fully come out of lockdown? For many people it will be visiting family or even going a holiday. Some people may be looking forward to going out for a coffee or to shop. I actually quite miss going to museums. In Cairo I was lucky, because the Egyptian Museum was nearby with mummies and the wonderful treasure found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. When it is taken on tour, there are queues a mile long to see it, but in Cairo you just walk in and there are cases of the most wonderful exhibitions, with only one security guard looking at their mobile phone. You feel you can reach out and touch the mask, but of course there is glass in the way. Quite flimsy glass, if truth be told, but they are opening a new museum soon, and maybe the security will be better. We are still in the aftermath of Easter and still looking at the resurrection stories, and today we are looking at Luke. The two disciples, Cleopas and most probably his wife, have walked to Emmaus and have been accompanied by a stranger, who shares a meal with them. In breaking bread, they recognise that it is the Risen Lord, who has been accompanying them, setting their hearts on fire with his words. They hurry back to Jerusalem to share the good news with the other disciples, and that is when we start our reading today. They are in the process in recounting what had happened, when Jesus appears to them all. The risen Jesus stands among them and says Peace be with you. It is almost like a rerun of the story we read last week about Thomas from John’s gospel. The disciples seem at first confused and anxious, taking him to be a ghost and treating him like an exhibit. But there was no glass to separate him from them, and here in Luke they are able to touch him. Indeed, he invites them to do so. What’s more, he asks for something to eat and eats some fish. The Road to Emmaus story is one of my favourite in Scripture, but I always feel what we read today has been tacked on. Luke is trying to address concerns over whether Jesus actually rose from the dead or whether the disciples had visions. In this story Luke is stressing the physicality of the resurrection, for ghosts can’t be touched, ghosts cannot eat. Maybe it would have helped if Jesus came down a glitzy staircase from heaven and dazzled the disciples with resurrection power, but that wasn’t his way. He came still bearing the wounds from the cross. That is something that comes across so strongly. Jesus came to the disciples. They didn’t search out him. He came to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus; he came to the disciples on the lakeshore; he came to them in the Upper room, as in our reading today. He came to them in familiar places, and he offered peace and forgiveness. He came to a group of bewildered people and offered new hope and new life. But then God comes to us in our familiar places, and embraces us as we are, loves us as we are and redeems us as we are. The disciples were made witnesses to say what they had heard and what they had seen and what they had experienced, and they testified to the flesh and blood Christ who rose from the dead, about how he had changed their lives. They went from that Upper Room and turned the world upside down, that group of ordinary people. We too are witnesses to Christ and empowered by the Spirit, we too have to share the wonders of God and the new life offered and so be an Easter people in our world. Hymn SGP 51 – On the hill of Calvary Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession God our Maker, Source of Easter power and hope, You have walked with your faithful people through many generations, people facing challenge and uncertainty, people seeking your purpose and promise. We still face challenges and uncertainty, even with Easter in our hearts. Walk with us and with those for whom we pray for this day, so that your resurrecting power may lead us in lives of faithfulness. In the name of Christ our Risen Lord, All: Hear our prayer. We pray for children and young people who must think about the future in these uncertain times, facing threats new to this generation like the pandemic and climate change. Give them hope rooted in the knowledge that their lives matter to you. Show them how to make a difference in the world, whatever threats they face as they grow. In the name of Christ our Risen Lord, All: Hear our prayer. We pray for people for whom age or experience, illness or disability create barriers to full participation in your world. Surround each one in pain or despair with your comfort and renew in each one a sense of dignity and purpose. Show them how much they matter to you and to us. In the name of Christ our Risen Lord, All: Hear our prayer. We pray for all those facing grief and loss in these difficult days when it is still so hard to gather for support. Stay with those who must rearrange their lives without their beloved. Give them strength and comfort through your promise of resurrection. We continue to remember the Queen and the royal family at this time and all others who are mourning. We pray for communities challenged by forces beyond their control-- natural disaster, volcano eruption, political strife and the economic consequence of the pandemic. Give courage to those facing challenges, and wisdom to those who lead, so that well-being may be restored soon and hope for the future prevail. In the name of Christ our Risen Lord, All: Hear our prayer. As Earth Day approaches this week, we remember before you the struggles within your creation, creatures losing habitat, unique species dying out, oceans filled with plastic, the climate warming and the havoc that results for all of us. Jesus, you are the firstborn of all creation; Help us to honour you by caring for the earth and its fragile balances in the ways we live and the priorities we set. Amen Hymn 409 – Jesus is risen. Alleluia Benediction May God who is light shine in your darkness May God who is love be the love among you May God who is life be your life everlasting And may the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you all, now and always. Amen  Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. Come, people of God, let us worship together on this 2nd Sunday of Easter, what is traditionally been called ‘Low Sunday’, after the highs of Easter Day, and we focus on Thomas’ encounter with the risen Christ. Rev Ian Clark, assisted by Graeme and Elizabeth Watson, will lead the services on Sunday, so the service below will not correspond to their service.
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Call to Worship In worship and in prayers Jesus stands among us In the telling of stories and in signs Jesus stands among us In this place and in this moment Jesus stands among us in joy Hymn 415 – This joyful Eastertide Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of new life, we come to you, rejoicing in the mystery of the Risen Christ, present among us always, even when we least expect him. We marvel at your constant love, your victory over evil and death, and your resurrecting hope which embraces us in every circumstance. Trusting in these gifts, we seek to live as Easter people in every place and time. Strengthen us with the gift of your Holy Spirit in this time of worship, and bless us with your peace through Christ, our Risen Lord. Yet even as we delight in Easter’s promise, let us confess the ways we fail to live it out: Merciful God, we confess there are times when our trust in you weakens, and we become anxious about many things. We talk about love, but we are gripped by fear of those who differ from us. We cling to our personal agendas and forget you call us to live as a community of believers. Forgive us for seeking our own interests before the needs of others. Open our eyes to the many signs of your love for us. Through the power of your Holy Spirit, rekindle our passion for you, so we can work together to witness to your love. Hear the words of the risen Christ: Peace be with you. Receive the peace and forgiveness of Christ, and rejoice in his gift of new life this day and every day. Thanks be to God. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 4:32–35 John 20:19–31 Hymn SGP 7 – Alleluia, Alleluia Weekly Prayer Faithful God, we praise you for the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ from the dead. As Jesus stands among us now, we see the bodily marks of His saving love. May we live as those who believe in the triumph of the cross and that believing, we have life in His name. Amen Reflection Maybe it is an occupational hazard, but I like graveyards. I find it fascinating to go round and look at the old stones. Some have marvellous carvings on them, of angels or cross bones, and the inscriptions can tell us a lot about the history of the area. But as time goes on the inscriptions can be eroded, and so I was happy to find that a few of my members had gone round the churchyards in Roxburgh and Berwickshire, painstakingly cataloguing the graves. Easter is a time we think of graves, as Jesus was buried in a tomb, but the tomb couldn’t hold Jesus, and the stone blocking it was rolled away. Jesus had risen, and of course we celebrated that last Sunday on Easter Day. Mary encountered her risen Lord and ran to tell the disciples, He is risen! What would your reaction be? If you had been one of the disciples, you would have thought that the death of Jesus had affected Mary’s mind, that she was imagining things, though she seemed to speak with such conviction. Just as Jesus had been closed in the tomb, so the disciples had hidden themselves away and locked the door. They were terrified, probably justifiably, that they would be next, that they would be arrested. Mary’s assertion that she had met Jesus just added to the mix of their jumbled emotions. But in our reading today, Jesus suddenly stood among them. Locked doors or not, he was there. He spoke words of peace and he spoke words of forgiveness. They would have needed that, for they had deserted him and ran away; they had let him down when he needed them most. In their confusion, in their grief, with their whole world topsy-turvey, Jesus spoke words of peace. Just as we have been isolated and shut in our homes, Jesus still speaks his words of peace to us. Peace which is comforting, yes, but also the peace which is liberating. But one of the disciples was missing when Jesus appeared. Thomas wasn’t there. Maybe he was braver than his friends and had gone out for the shopping or to see the lie of the land, hear if they were liable to be arrested. We don’t know, but he wasn’t there. And when he was told that Jesus had appeared to his friends, he pooh-poohed the idea. Thomas the doubter, we call him, rather unfairly. I prefer to think of him as ‘Questioning Thomas’ and the patron saint of all the researchers carrying out work on the coronavirus, asking the questions to find ultimately a vaccine. We live in a world of fake news and social media, where we need to sift through to see what is true. Thomas can be our patron saint too, for I think that our faith is always strengthened by asking questions about what we believe. Jesus did appear again, though a week later. He shows Thomas the marks of the nails on his hands, the mark of the spear in his side. He still has the scars that speak of sacrifice and was the same Jesus who had been nailed to the cross, who was willing to die to show us the height and breadth and depth of God’s love. That means Christ can still speak to our wounded, suffering world today. Christ can still speak to us in our pain. Christ showed Thomas his wounds, and Thomas said ‘my Lord and my God’, one of the most heartfelt affirmations of faith we find in the Gospels. And from there the disciples became transformed into an Easter people, ready to turn the world upside down with their belief in the Risen Christ. We too are an Easter people ready with our questioning and with our faith to be as Christ to those around us at this challenging time. Hymn 432 – How often we like Thomas Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession Generous God, we thank you for the hope and joy we find in your resurrecting power. Bless the gifts we bring so they may spread that hope and joy in the world you love. Thank you, loving God, for your renewing presence in our lives, and for all the many blessings we have in life. For family and for friendship, for shelter and for food. For medical care and local services. All the things we take for granted, but we are so grateful for them. We pray for those who are feeling fearful, worried or overwhelmed, especially as the months of pandemic restrictions stretch on. We pray for those who face violence and unrest each day, in countries around the world and at home in our own community, and we think of the unrest in Northern Ireland. We pray for our national and local leaders, especially at election time for the Scottish parliament. Be with all as they work for our communities to recover from the pandemic. We pray for our congregation, for churches in our community, and for Christians around the world, especially those who face persecution. We pray for our neighbours, especially for those who live in poverty and those who know rejection and discrimination. We pray for those who are ill, in pain or in grief. We remember before you, silently or aloud, those on our hearts today: (silence) Bring them comfort and strength, Lord Jesus, Reveal to them your risen presence. God our Maker, hear our prayers, and use us in ways we may not yet even imagine to respond to those around us with the love we see in Jesus Christ and the confidence we draw from his resurrection. Amen Hymn 404 – I danced in the morning Benediction Risen Christ, no tomb could hold you and no door could shut you out. Bless us with your presence and fill us with your peace. And may the blessing of God Almighty, the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, be with you and with those whom you love, wherever they may be, now and always. Amen  The Lord is risen.
He is risen indeed! Alleluia Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. Come, people of God, let us worship together this Easter Day Notices:
Call to Worship Jesus was dead, laid in a tomb. But the stone is rolled away. Hallelujah Morning has broken, the tomb now empty. Hallelujah! Christ is risen! A new day has come, life not undone Hallelujah! Christ is risen! Come and worship, the Lord is here! Hymn 410 – Jesus Christ is risen today Prayers of Adoration and Confession Risen Lord, we are the Easter people, and Alleluia is our song. We are the Easter people come to worship, released from tombs of pain and doubt and fear and death into the freedom of this new day, and its promise of hope fulfilled. We are the Easter people, Emerging into the brightness of faith, Blinking, questioning, wondering, hoping. Come to us, into the garden of our lives, and touch all that is barren, and wasted and dried with Your healing hand. Forgive our half-lived lives, our broken promises, and our failed kindness. Call to us by our name, that we might turn from all that limits and burdens us, and lift us up into forgiveness and freedom. Open the gateways of our hearts and minds, and call us out into Your world to be embraced by Your unfailing and renewing mercy. Today, in silence, prayer and song, may we encounter Jesus and His grace. For we are the Easter people, and Alleluia is our song. Lord’s Prayer Talk – Fairtrade Easter Eggs Readings – Acts 10:34–43 John 20:1–18 Hymn 416 – Christ is alive Weekly Prayer Hallelujah Christ is Risen, and the power of His resurrection fills the world today with new life, hope and expectation and so we bring to Him our praise and worship. Faithful God, we join with your universal church celebrating the resurrection and unite with all believers trusting in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. May the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, be made known throughout our world. Amen Reflection Such is the scale of consumerism that enormous ships sail the seas to bring us goods and commodities from afar. But a gigantic ship skews itself in the Suez Canal, and world trade almost grinds to a halt. I am sure you were watching this story. Apparently a sandstorm, and probably human error too, played its part in the ship running aground and blocking the canal, stopping all the other ship from passing. Every day, with bated breath, we wondered what would happen, as experts arrived from round the world. Then at last on Monday evening, we heard the ship had been freed. Back to normal again, and there was a sense of relief. Certainly, after these long months of lockdown we need good news. But the vaccination programme is good news; restrictions seem to be easing, and that has brought smiles to the faces of TV presenters; and daffodils and forsythia are blooming, and it has given everyone a bit of a lift. And we have Easter – and Easter is the Good News story par excellence. For, as Peter told Cornelius and his family in our Acts reading, it is right at the heart of the Gospel message, and Gospel of course, means Good news. Going through the events of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, our emotions are wrung ragged, but think of the disciples, for them to see Jesus dying on the cross, they were absolutely devastated. But it is the women who go back to the tomb to anoint the body; and in John’s Gospel it is Mary Magdalene alone, who goes – maybe simply to be at the tomb, to feel the comfort of being close to the body. So Imagine how she must have felt to see the tomb gaping open, the stone blocking the entrance dislodged. Recently some of the stones in our cemeteries were pulled down to the upset of the villages. There is a similar thing here, and Mary in her distress runs to tell the disciples, and we have this strange race between Peter and John, to see who could get to the tomb first. But it is Mary who remains, who lingers at the tomb. There is a place in Jerusalem today called the Garden Tomb. Many pilgrims find it a deeply meaningful place, as there is a 1st century tomb there, like the one Jesus would have been laid in. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens, and even though it is bang next to a bus station, it is a place of peace. The tomb would have been in a garden area, and when Mary hears someone behind her, she thinks it is the gardener, and it is only when he says her name, Mary, she realises with joy that it is Jesus. My Teacher, she says. There are two points here: firstly, the story of Adam and Eve was set in a garden, with humanity disobeying and falling away from God. But here in a garden, humanity rans to God and encounters the Risen Jesus, redeeming the world. But secondly, Jesus is standing behind Mary, waiting to be noticed. How long has Jesus been standing in our lives, in our churches, in our world, just waiting to be noticed? Jesus sees Mary in her distress and reassures her. Might it not be that Jesus, standing, is also seeing us this Easter Day? Then He says her name. Might it not be that Jesus, standing, and seeing us, might also say our name this Easter Day? The hymn we just heard has the verse, ‘Christ is alive, no longer bound to distant years in Palestine, but saving healing, here and now…’ The Risen Jesus is with us in the here and now, still ready to address our needs. Mary returns to the disciples and announces ‘I have seen the Lord!’ We take up her cry of faith and proclaim the one who has triumphed over death and sin and who offers good news to the world. We are an Easter people, and our song is Alleluia. Hymn 417 – Now the green blade riseth Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession God of Resurrecting Hope, we thank you with grateful hearts, recognizing how much you have given us in Christ, and what his gift has cost. Bless the gifts we bring so they may help spread the hope and joy we feel today in the world you love so dearly. God of new beginnings, Break into your church with resurrecting power. Where congregations have drifted apart through months of distancing, re-energize the connections and commitment needed for ministry. Bless the Church throughout the world this Easter Day, and especially where your people are persecuted. Resurrect, renew and revive your people, O God. Hear our prayer. God of new possibilities, Break into our relationships with resurrecting power. Where they are vibrant and life-giving, nurture and sustain them. Where they are marked by memories of hurt or current misunderstanding, refresh them with forgiveness and reconciliation. Where they are neglected or taken for granted, open eyes to the great gift we offer each other. Resurrect, renew and revive your people, O God. Hear our prayer. God of new opportunity, Break into the governance of your world with resurrecting power. Stir the minds and hearts of leaders to work for justice, understanding and the equitable sharing of resources. Where the pandemic presents new problems and complicated decisions, bring wisdom, compassion and cooperation to all in authority. Resurrect, renew and revive your people, O God. Hear our prayer. God of new life, Break into situations of illness, pain, grief and loss with resurrecting power. Where there is sickness of body, mind, or spirit, bring healing and hope. Where people mourn the loss of relationships or dreams, bring comfort and courage to go on. Where those who serve and care and maintain our common life are exhausted, bring rest and renewal. Resurrect, renew and revive your people, O God. Hear our prayer. God of Easter Day, In silence we bring before you the prayers of our hearts. Silence Resurrect, renew and revive our spirits. Hear our prayer. Amen Hymn 419 – Thine be the glory Benediction Go in peace to be the Easter people in the world and may the blessing of God, Creator, Son and Spirit, be with you, and among you, and go with you wherever you go, now and always. Amen  The Lord be with you! Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. Come, people of God, let us worship together this Palm Sunday
Notices:
Good Friday – Yetholm at 2.30pm Easter Day – Yetholm at 10am and Morebattle at 11.15 Short podcasts for every day of Holy Week will be on the podcast page of the website, including the Maundy Thursday service. The exception will be Good Friday, when there a video of the actual service will be online in late afternoon.
Call to Worship This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let palms wave, in high ‘hosannas.’ Let coats and cloaks create a path: the unloosed colt and untamed Rabbi ride, to usher in the coming kingdom. Hosanna, hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Let us worship God! Hymn 367 – Hosanna, loud hosanna (1,2) Prayers of Adoration and Confession Living God, how good it is to be in your house, how good it is to join with our sisters and brothers to worship you, especially on this holy day. As we step into Holy Week, open our hearts and minds to your love. May this coming week be holy for us. May we live this time, expecting that in some way you will meet us.In whatever way we live this week, give us the times and spaces to ponder again, that you know us and understand our suffering, especially our struggles over this past year of pandemic. Lord Jesus, you enter our lives humbly, Riding on a donkey, staying at our level, inviting our response. Circle our hearts, centre our minds, still our bodies. Be present to us now. God of compassion,we confess that like that crowd on the first Palm Sunday, we can be fickle and sometimes unintentionally allow ourselves to be dragged along by the views and thoughts of others without noticing the consequences that lead to death and not life.Forgive our fleeting enthusiasms and shallow commitments.As we witness again the story of Jesus confronting his enemies, strengthen our desire to follow him and serve you with courage like his. Jesus says, ‘No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends’. Jesus brings light to those in darkness, forgiveness to those who truly confess, and pardon to all who seek to follow Jesus. We are a forgiven people. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Psalm 118: 19–29 Mark 11:1–11 Blessing of Palm Crosses We thank you Lord for these palm crosses, A simple reminder of the love you showed for us. As we take them into our homes, May they remind us through this special week That you gave your life for us upon the cross. May they remind us of how deep and wide and high Is the love you have for us. As we take them into our homes, So may we take your love into our hearts And worship you as Saviour and King. And like the people on that first Palm Sunday, May we also cry ‘Hosanna, Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord’. Hymn MP 167 – Give me joy in my heart (3,4) Weekly Prayer Loving God as we remember the first Palm Sunday, we see Jesus who embodied meekness and majesty and we join with those exclaiming "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!" You are our God, and we give thanks again this day for your goodness, in the certain knowledge that your love endures forever. Amen Reflection How good it is to be back in church. I feel as if we should be having a party, a celebration, but of course, we can’t. Tuesday saw the anniversary of lockdown, and we have missed out on a lot over the year. Weddings, christenings, the various ridings and festivals. Who knows when they will take place again? But today is Palm Sunday, and we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem on the donkey to great acclaim. There was a carnival atmosphere to Palm Sunday, with shouts of Hosanna and the waving of branches, as the crowd gathered to see what was happening and to welcome one who, according to some, was the Messiah. It was Passover time, and pilgrims had gathered to celebrate the festival, a festival which reminded the Jews how their ancestors had been liberated from the oppressive rule of Pharaoh. The Romans were the power in charge of Palestine now, so they sent troops to ‘keep the peace’ and make sure the locals didn’t get any fresh ideas of liberation from the oppressive Romans. They didn’t like the idea of crowds! And so on Palm Sunday, there were probably two processions. The first, from the Roman capital of Caesarea on the coast: a cavalry of elite troops, with war horses and weapons and banners, riding to Jerusalem as a show of strength. And the other procession – well, it was the ragtag group, with a man on a donkey, and the crowd waving palms and laying out their cloaks. Two parades – one of military might: the other a mere protest. But of course, it was more. It was drama. Jesus was enacting a prophecy from Zechariah and alluding to Psalm 118. By riding on a donkey, he was making a statement, that his way was not one power and oppression, but one of peace and compassion. And so, this was a clash of two kingdoms – the kingdom of Caesar or the kingdom of God, and the people had to make their choice. Palm Sunday is the beginning of the final confrontation, and we have to ask ourselves which parade do we want to be part of. If we align ourselves with Jesus, then we have to be prepared to travel with him through this week. We have to join him in the Upper Room, where he talks of betrayal and denial and humble service, as he shares a meal, he points to a broken body and shed blood. We have to join him in the garden of Gethsemane, as he prays that the cup is taken away from him and watch as he is arrested and led away. We have to join him at the trial where the cries of Hosanna will be drowned out by the cries of Crucify. We will follow to the cross, where the same crowd who witnessed the procession, will now witness an execution. It is so easy to jump from Palm Sunday to Easter Day, ‘Hosanna’ to ‘He is Risen’, but if we follow Jesus, we have to go through all of Holy Week. Do we align ourselves with the one who makes himself known in vulnerability rather than might, who rides a donkey and not a war-horse, whose greatest victory is not on the battlefield but on the Cross and empty tomb? So, let us choose which parade we follow. Palm Sunday reminds us that suffering and hope travel together. We place our hope in Jesus, the one who walks alongside us, who has walked the way of the cross and who moves us from suffering to salvation, from death to life everlasting. Hymn 399 – My song is love unknown (1,3,7) Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession God of justice, in a world that continues to tell the tired old story that might is right, we give you thanks that, in Jesus, you have shown a new and different way— that real strength is found in vulnerability and through self-giving acts of humble service. We pray for those in positions of power— for heads of state, and for those who serve in government at local and national level, that they govern wisely and well, and with integrity, putting the needs of constituents and country above their own desires. We pray for people who live under the heel of oppressive regimes, for countries where lawlessness has replaced the rule of law, for places where human wrongs are the order of the day, not human rights. We remember the ones forced to flee their homelands for daring to speak truth to power, or who are discriminated against because of their faith, gender, orientation, or the colour of their skin. Lord, may your kingdom come where justice is mixed with mercy. God of compassion, in a world that is riddled with compassion fatigue we give you thanks that you take us by the hand and keep us. We pray for the most vulnerable in our communities, those who have been bruised by life, those for whom hope has gone, who see only darkness and despair. We pray for those who are ill and especially we bring before you those affected by the COVID-19 virus, and those who tend to them. Give comfort to all who wait and watch, to those who are weary and overwhelmed, and to those who are walking the way of grief. Lord, may your kingdom come where compassion is a by-word, and no-one is left without care. In a moment of quiet prayer, we bring before you all who are on our minds and in our hearts at this time, and we pray for our own particular needs God, who makes all things new, we offer you these, our prayers, in Jesus’ name. Amen Hymn 365 - Ride on, ride on in majesty Benediction Go into Holy Week, walking in the footsteps of Christ and may the blessing of God, Creator, Guide and Inspirer, rest and remain with you, now and forevermore. Amen  The Lord be with you! Welcome, Cheviot churches and also those joining us from elsewhere. This is Colin, and I hope everyone is staying well and keeping safe. Come, people of God, let us worship together on this Fifth Sunday of Lent, sometimes called Passion Sunday or, in the North East of England, Carling Sunday.
Notices:
Call to Worship We’ve come to worship God, who loved us before we were yet born, who knows us even better than we know ourselves, whose presence never leaves us, and whose love for us never ceases. This is our God. Let’s worship together! Hymn 184 – Sing to the Lord a joyful song Prayers of Adoration and Confession Creating God, With springtime sun and the promise of new life, you wake us from our slumbers. We glorify your name for you are faithful to us through every season of the year and every season of life. We are grateful for your patience and persistence, drawing near to us even through the times we cannot draw near each other. You promise us hope in Jesus Christ, drawing life out of the grip of death. Even as his cross looms on the horizon in this season of Lent, we praise you for Jesus’ courage and compassion which bring renewal to us in the midst of our challenges. We praise you for the love that never lets us go. Jesus, our friend and Saviour, As we ponder your sacrifice, we recognize the self-centred ways in which we lead our lives. You entrust us with the task of sharing your love in this world, yet we often we fall short. We get lost in our own plans and worries and neglect to show love, even to those right beside us. Forgive us, Lord Jesus. Renew a right spirit within us, so that we find the courage to go on and the compassion to reach out in your name. Jesus said, come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Friends, trust that peace and forgiveness are God’s gifts to you this day. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Jeremiah 31:31–34 John 12:20–33 Hymn 224 – The Spring has come Weekly Prayer Loving God, we ask you to put your law in our minds and write it on our hearts as we join in our worship together. Help us remember that you do infinitely more for us than we can ask or imagine. Hear our prayers for all your creation and gather us in the embrace of your abundant and life-giving Spirit. Help us to serve and follow you. Amen Reflection Having returned from living abroad for so many years, I was aware that some things in British culture had just passed me by. One of them was just how many people had tattoos. Sportspeople in particular seem to have the most wonderful designs on their arms and legs, a lot of which seems to be Maori in origin. A friend of mine in Israel, a young Palestinian, had his back tattooed with a cross; it was part of his identity as a Christian. But it was in Egypt that I became most aware of tattoos, as all the Christians were expected to have a cross tattooed onto their wrist as young children. It was a sign of identity, though it also marked them out, and they faced discrimination over education and jobs. I was very tempted to have a small cross tattooed on the base of my thumb, but it didn’t happen. In Isaiah 49, The prophet speaks of God never being able to forget us and having our names written on the palm of God’s hands. Some divine body art! But it is incredibly comforting to us. However, in Jeremiah, we read of the new covenant which would be inscribed, not on tablets of stone, but on our hearts. God had made the covenant with the people on Mount Sinai and had given them the way to live as a community of God’s people, but again and again they had broken the rules and turned their backs on the covenant. They kept saying that they would mend their ways, but their promises were hollow. But at the crisis through which Jeremiah lived, when Babylon had captured Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, the prophet said, ‘Enough is enough’. He said that God was making a radical new covenant, which would be written in the people’s hearts, so that living out God’s commandments would be natural. As Christians we see the fulfilment of this promise in Jesus. In our Gospel reading today from John, events are coming to a head. It is Passover time, a very spiritual, emotional time, and many pilgrims had come to Jerusalem, from within the country but also from overseas, including some Greeks. Maybe they were attracted to Judaism because of its morality and its worship of one God, maybe they were tourists. But they had heard of Jesus and wanted to meet this celebrity who had turned water into wine, healed the sick and was even reported to have brought his friend Lazarus from the dead. They approached the two disciples with Greek sounding names, Philip and Andrew, and got their entry. I don’t know what they expected, but Jesus launched into a theological discourse, saying that a seed has first to die in the ground before it can grow stronger than ever. Jesus was saying that he would need to be lifted up on the cross and die in order to be glorified, but also in order to bring new life to all. We too have to let old ways of doing things die in order to move on and progress. This Covid crisis will force us to do things differently in the future, a ‘new normal’, but that is not something to dread, but a positive, like Jeremiah at a crisis time moving the people forward with his talk of the new covenant. Like the disciples, who would have been happy keeping the status quo with Jesus for ever, but through his death and resurrection they were given the gift of the Spirit and moved on to bring the church to birth. Like the disciples we have to let go of our prejudices or even our old way of thinking, in order to be allowed to grow and be re-energised and continue the building of the kingdom. Hymn 356 – Meekness and majesty Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession God of growth and new life, with our gifts we offer you our thanks and praise for the promise of spring and the promise of resurrection in Christ Jesus. Bless our gifts and through them, accomplish more than we can ask or imagine, as they bear fruit in the world you love, through Christ, our Lord. We pray for the world and remember those who are vulnerable and frightened to leave their homes for fear of street crimes, and we pray for the time to come when violence will be no more and all will live in security and safety. Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven. We remember those who have suffered abuse at the hands of friend or stranger, and who bear the scars physical, mental and emotional, we pray for the time when all women and all men will respect each other, and where children will not fear violence or abuse. Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven. We remember those whose human rights are ignored, those used as political pawns in disputes between nations, those who live in constant fear of the bomb or the bullet, and we especially remember for the people of Myanmar and Yemen and Syria on the 10th anniversary of the start of the unrest there. We pray for the time when peace will reign throughout the world. Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven. We remember those who are alone and isolated, those who mourn, those who are ill and those who look after loved ones, and as we especially remember… we pray for the time when there will be no more pain or tears and when all will live in full community. Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven. Loving Lord, as we look upon each other may we see your image which we all share; may we love as we are loved, and may we welcome as we have been welcomed by you. In your name we pray. Amen Hymn 555 – Amazing Grace Benediction Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. With that confidence and in that hope, let us go in peace to love and to serve the Lord all the days of our lives. And so may the grace of our Lord Jesus, the love of God and the companionship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and always, Amen |
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