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Call to Worship Leave duty behind, come and sit, be still and listen for the word of God. Let come to the quiet centre to focus on God and to allow ourselves to hear God’s voice and ponder God’s word. Let us worship God. Hymn 122 – Let all the world Prayer & Lord’s Prayer God of majesty and mystery, your love and purpose embrace the whole world. You set us in a world of beauty and bounty and invite us to meet you in the midst of its wonders. You call us to love each other in the example of Jesus to make your world a place of justice and compassion. You have made space for creation to explode, expand, and explore being alive. You call us and gather us and open up new possibilities for the future. In this time of worship, send us your Spirit of wisdom and grace so that we can live out the praise on our lips in our day-to-day living, which we offer to you, our one and only God. So forgive us when we are distracted by our own busyness and need. Forgive us when we see the earth and its resources as ours to exploit for short term gain. Forgive us when we use other people as a means to our ends. Forgive us when we lose our focus on you, your will and your way. Loving God, calm us and capture our attention. Welcome us into your belonging. Assure us of our worth. Lead us in love, so may we know that we are forgiven and be refreshed to be your people in the world. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Amos 8: 1-12 Luke 10: 38 – 42 Pots and pans, trays and cups, food to prepare and tables to be laid, all in a day’s work. People to welcome, friends and family, gathered at home, to talk, to eat, to share, to witness. God help us to remember the joy of hospitality, and the gift of providing for others in their time of need. Time and space, words and wisdom, company with Jesus, friends and strangers with whom to meet. Precious moment never to be missed, an opportunity to share in holy presence, in loving grace, in healing peace, in challenging story. God help us to remember to create time and to make space for what are the better things, for time in God’s presence, for time with family and friends, and time for myself. Amen. Hymn 194 – This is the day Weekly Prayer Almighty God, may your presence be seen clearly in what we do each day throughout the coming week. We pray that your joy and your love will flow freely in us and through us, as we seek to follow Mary's example of listening to your voice. Amen. Reflection There was friction in the house. The cousins from Australia would be arriving any moment. With the pandemic, it had been years since they had all met up. There was still so much to do, and Kate was running all over the place, but Jack was sitting quite contentedly, watching the golf on the television. Kate was not amused and told him so! There was friction in the house at Bethany. You could almost see the sparks flying. Jesus and his disciples had arrived, and it was a celebration. It was always good to welcome Jesus, and the siblings would have been excited. There was Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus. In fact, one commentator noted that it was unusual for Lazarus to stay with his sisters and suggested that he may have had some disability. But anyway, there was so much to do, a table to set, a meal to prepare, make sure their guests had washed the dust from their hands and feet. Martha was in her element until she noticed that she was alone in the kitchen; Mary was lounging at Jesus’ feet. Martha loved to sit and listen to Jesus; from John’s Gospel we discover that Martha had a very sharp mind and a keen faith. She famously affirmed that Jesus was the Messiah. But there was no time to listen now; the meal wouldn’t cook itself. But she was frustrated with Mary. Why couldn’t she help? Why was she hogging all Jesus’ attention? She couldn’t keep it in any more and appealed to Jesus to take her side and scold her sister. But of course, Jesus does the opposite and scolds Martha and praises Mary for choosing the better part. It is always a controversial passage. I am sure if I were to ask, many would sympathise with Martha. Where would we be in the church and in the community without all the people making the tea, baking the scones, moving the chairs, arranging the flowers. Doing all the practical things that keeps us going. Yes, we need to focus on the things of God; we need to make time to pray and reflect. But surely the best way is to a combination of both, to have a balance between the practical and the spiritual. Balance is always good – yet, Jesus doesn’t say that. He says that Mary has chosen the better part. We can be too busy and lose focus. A man takes his son out to a fast-food restaurant for a treat, a time to bond, but then spends most of his time on the phone, catching up on emails or social media – and admittedly the son does the same. He lost the focus on what was important. Or busyness can hide something about ourselves. Mo Farah is such a famous athlete, has won gold medals and always seems a nice guy. But all the time he was unable to confront a traumatic childhood when he was trafficked to UK. He wasn’t who he said he was, and maybe his training and racing hid it even from himself, but now he finds he is able to confront the truth about himself and finds a relief in that. In reflection on the Bible we confront truths about the world. The Amos passage this morning is a bleak one; there is little joy in it. But with the prophet talking about corpses everywhere, we think of the wars and the poverty in our world today. When Amos talks about buying the poor for a pair of sandals, we think of trafficking or ‘those who wander from sea to sea’, we think of refugees. ‘A famine of bread’ and we think of the cost-of-living crisis. We try to block these things out, but maybe we need to confront them to seek a solution. We are so thankful for all the Marthas, for those who do the practical work, but what better than to sit at the feet of Jesus, to listen to his stories and to be able to focus on our relationship with God and our place in God’s creation; to confront truths about ourselves, but also to create space, so that, in Richard of Chichester’s words, we may know God more clearly, love him more dearly and follow him more nearly, day by day. Hymn 500 – Lord of creation Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Generous God, our offering is more than money, and we offer you our time, our prayers, our skills, and our commitment to you and your work. To these we add our offerings of money, whether put in a plate or made by bank transfer. We give in these different ways out of gratitude for all you have given to us, and pray that they may be used to make your presence known in the world. God of the world and all its peoples: we pray today for those who lift up their voices in troubled nations, for those working to bring justice and negotiate peace, for those bringing aid to the vulnerable, and those offering shelter to anyone fleeing violence. Call the powerful to account, O God, and inspire them to hear the voices that cry out in pain and desperation. God of our everyday lives: we pray today for our community and our neighbours whose everyday lives have been disrupted by months of pandemic restriction and by economic realities beyond their control. We remember neighbours whose livelihoods depend on undependable weather systems, and those fearing flood or drought this summer. We pray for communities that lack safe drinking water or adequate medical care and places where there is high unemployment or a worker shortage. Inspire leaders to combine compassion with good planning, and consider the needs of all those who feel desperate God of the courageous and compassionate, we pray for those who live out their commitment to the well-being of others day by day, in public service, health care, education, social work, community organizations, and environmental concern. Thank you for their dedication. Support those who feel stress or exhaustion and inspire those who can speak out when they see needs being neglected. God of neighbourhood and nation, we pray for friends and neighbours near and far, for all who travel this summer and for those who find themselves strangers in new communities. We remember in silence those on our hearts, facing some kind of challenge this day: Draw near to each one in deep need, O God. Equip us to support those lives that intertwine with ours for we are your people, embraced by your love. Amen Hymn 547 – What a friend we have in Jesus Working and resting God is with us. Speaking and listening God is with us. Hoping and dreaming God is with us. Benediction
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Call to Worship God’s Word is not too hard for us, nor is it too far away; It is very near, in our mouths and in our hearts. It does not lie in the far reaches of heaven; It is very near, in our mouths and in our hearts. It does not dwell beyond the sea; It is very near, in our mouths and in our hearts. Come, let us worship the Lord our God, With heart, soul, strength, and mind Hymn - 436 - Christ Triumphant Prayer & Lord’s Prayer Talk Readings - Colossians 1: 1-14 Luke 10: 25-37 Hymn 214 - New every morning Weekly Prayer Almighty God, we give thanks with grateful hearts that you have brought us into the kingdom of your Son, who loves us unconditionally. Help us to measure up to the calling we have received. Give us eyes to see and hearts to understand, not only what you do on our behalf, but also to recognise who are our neighbours and to love them as ourselves. Amen Reflection Hymn 694 - Brother, sister, let me serve you Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Hymn 622 - We sing a love We say together: Loving God, send us out into your world, To love and to serve. Benediction  Notices:
· We welcome all visitors to our services this Sunday at Yetholm (10am) and Linton (11.15). Please take the time to sign the visitors’ book.
Sing the praises of the Lord, you His faithful people; praise His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favour lasts a lifetime; Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. God turns weeping into dancing and clothes us with joy. Hymn 132 – Immortal invisible Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of constant love, God of unending grace, God of the outcast and the prisoner, God of the powerful and powerless, God of all, we join in worship this day, in this building and in our homes giving thanks for your presence in our lives and for all that you have done, and what you have made us to be. God who supports, God who challenges, God who sees our whole selves, not just that which others see, speak to us today, shine the light of your wisdom into our lives and guide us towards service of you, each other, and the whole world. Loving God, you send us into the world as ambassadors of your love and peace, yet too often we create discord and division. We serve our own interests first, ignoring those in need and fail to listen to the stories of others. Forgive us for such self-centredness. Help us to be more faithful disciples of Jesus, eager to serve, willing to listen, glad to be of service in his name. The Apostle Paul declared that ‘If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. Everything old has passed away and everything has become new!’ Thanks be to God that by God’s mercy, we can all make a new start! Lord’s Prayer Readings: 2 Kings 5: 1-14 Luke 10: 1-11 Hymn 97 O God, you search me Weekly Prayer Gracious God, help us humbly to obey your instructions even when we are tempted to go our own way, so that like Naaman we may experience your cleansing waters. In the week ahead, help us to go out and take your message of love and forgiveness to our friends and neighbours. Amen Reflection I was at the Morebattle shop the other day, when quite a number of the school children appeared; they were going to climb up Wideopen Hill. The teacher said that she had had to draw up a risk assessment before leaving, to identify possible hazards, such as a child falling in the river or twisting an ankle or cows in a field and how to tackle them. During the Covid pandemic, we had to write up a Risk Assessment and keep it updated. A risk assessment identifies possible risks or hazards, but then puts in measures to control them. So, in the pandemic, the risk was of Covid spreading, but we controlled it by spacing out the chairs and keeping a distance; by washing hands and using sanitiser and wearing face masks. Even now we still don’t take up the offering or pass around the bread and wine at communion. Imagine if Jesus had had to make a risk assessment, before he sent out the 70? They were going in pairs which was a good thing, but there were lots of hazards. There were rough roads, and they might get blisters or their sandals might break, but yet they had to take no extra pair of sandals. Another hazard was that no-one gave them food; they would just have to go hungry, for they took no food with them. There was a chance that no one would provide accommodation – they would just have to sleep rough, but carrying no bag, at least robbers would pass them by. I don’t think a risk assessment would sanction this enterprise at all – and yet it was a great success. The disciples, some say 70, some say 72, were equipped to go out, but relied completely on the goodwill of the people they visited. It was a big risk, but they came back rejoicing. They discovered gifts they didn’t know they had, they learned to trust each other, to create community with those they met and do that without even a bag to carry or food to eat. There were no safety nets, but it was a liberating experience. Each of us have gifts which we can use, but they are more effective when we use them together, when we work together. In our reading from Kings, Naaman the Syrian general took a risk. He was popular, successful, everything was going well for him, except he had leprosy. Because of that, he would have been deemed unclean and he wouldn’t be able to participate in daily life. But when the maidservant who had been one of the spoils of war from his campaign against Israel, told his wife about the prophet Elisha and how he would cure such diseases, Naaman took the risk and grasped the opportunity. In a risk assessment there would always be a chance he wouldn’t be cured or that Elisha would have refused to treat a foreigner, but he does so, though he dents Naaman’s conceit by sending his servant with the instruction to wash in the Jordan. There are no great incantations, and Naaman needs to be persuaded by his servants to dip in the river, but in doing so, Naaman is cured and praises God. In this story, it is the little people, the maidservant and Elisha’s servant and Naaman’s servants who bring the cure about. People using the gifts and knowledge that they have to effect change. Life is full of risks. Driving a car, taking a bus, there are risks. Getting married, having children, there are risks. Being a Christian there are risks. But like the 70 being sent out, we can be encouraged by the people around us, and even the hospitality and help of strangers. They also had the full confidence and support of Jesus, as we do as well. We are not asked nowadays to go out without being suitably prepared, but we are asked to use the gifts and the knowledge we have to the full and by doing so bring glory to God. Hymn 707 – Healing river of the Spirit Prayers of Dedication and Intercession Creator God, source of all life and each life, we come to you in prayer this day, grateful that your world is full of wonder and possibility, but also in desperate need of your reconciling love. We pray for the many different peoples of this world, divided as we are into many nations, clans, cultures, and spiritual traditions. Help us understand those differences more fully, and honour the good things that bind us together despite differences. Loving God, source of truth and wisdom, in the world we are confronted by powers and authorities. Help us recognize their potential for both good and evil, and act wisely to discern whom to trust and when to act. When we see injustice or recognize falsehood, give us the courage to speak up in Christ’s name. Open our eyes to our own weakness and bias, and speak to us through the example of Jesus, our Lord. Compassionate God, the world is filled with violence and hatred, costing innocent lives. We sometimes feel powerless to do anything about it. Today our hearts ache for those who live amid brutal conflict, for those have died through violence, and for those who suffer the many effects of trauma. We pray for those who have lost their homes through conflict and fled their countries just to survive. Open hearts and homes to welcome those who flee and protect those who stay amid conflict to offer care. All-knowing God, you see into our hearts and know the heartaches we carry. We pray for those living with illness and pain, for those who mourn the loss of someone or something dear, and for all those struggling with anxiety or despair in these challenging times. Keep silence for at least ten seconds. God of all the earth, Teach us to live in love. Amen Hymn 167 – Guide me, O thou great Jehovah Benediction As we go from this time of worship into a time of service, speak to us in the different places we go and through the different people we encounter as we seek to do your work. Let us go in the name of God our creator Jesus our saviour and the Holy Spirit, our challenger Amen.  Notices:
How can I repay the Lord for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation And call on the Lord by name. I will pay my vows to the Lord In the presence of all his people. Let us worship God Hymn 198 – Let us build a house (1,2,3,5) Prayers of Adoration and Confession We have heard about you, God of all power. You made the world out of kindness, creating order out of confusion; You made each one of us in your own image, your fingerprint on every soul. We praise and worship you. We have heard about you, Jesus Christ: The carpenter who left his tools and trade; The poor man who made others rich; The healer who let himself be wounded; The saviour who died and rose again. We praise and worship you. We have heard about you, Holy Spirit. You broke the bonds of every race and nation, To let God speak in every tongue; You made the disciples drunk with grace; You converted souls and emptied pockets; You showed how love made all things new And opened the doors to freedom and change. We praise and worship you. Most merciful God, we come before you, confessing that we have sinned, in thought, word and deed, Through our own fault and in common with others. We are truly sorry and turn from our sins Lord have mercy/ Christ have mercy/ Lord have mercy. God freely forgives all who confess their sin and offers us the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit to be the people of God in the world. Amen Readings: 2 Kings 2: 6-14 Luke 9:51-62 Hymn 510 – Jesus calls us here to meet him (1,2,4) Weekly Prayer Gracious God, we come together to share in the communion of our Lord Jesus Christ and are reminded to do this until He comes. Thank You for Your Word and its powerful influence in our lives. Help us to learn to put its truth into practice as we go from here to live and serve each other in the week ahead. Amen Reflection Recently there has been speculation over who would succeed the Prime Minister if he were to go – though he seems to survive. Similarly in the Labour party, if Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner were to step down over Beergate, who would take over? In any business, an eye is always kept in who would step into the shoes of the one at the top. Often people are groomed to take over, so that there is no vacuum. Certainly for Jesus, he had the twelve disciples, for support but also to train up, and most did an admirable job when the mantle fell on them. But today we are going to concentrate on the passage from Kings, the story of an older prophet, nearing the end of his ministry, and a younger prophet. It is the story of Elijah and Elisha, and they make a journey together. If we had read from the beginning of the chapter, we would have seen how Elijah initially his protege to stay put, not to accompany him, but in echoes of Ruth and Naomi, Elisha is not put off but stubbornly follows, and they make a tour of places important to the faith. Places like Gilgal, where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land; places like Bethel, where Jacob famously had his dream of a ladder into heaven, with angels ascending and descending, and he said, this is truly the House of God, and we have that phrase above us as we enter Linton Kirk. It is as if Elijah is making a farewell tour of the country, but it is also the older prophet impressing on his apprentice the importance of history, the places where God showed up and inspired Israel. He wanted the younger generation to know the past in order to face the future. We learn from the past so that we can be stronger in the days to come. Elijah asks what he can do for Elisha, before he is taken up to heaven, and the latter asks for a double portion of his spirit. It sounds greedy, wanting twice of what Elijah has, but perhaps it is humility as well; Elisha realises Elijah’s greatness and knows he will come nowhere near to it. But also it is like an inheritance for a first-born son. He wanted to be like Elijah, to bear a resemblance to his character. The story is told a couple who were about to have their first child. If it were a girl, they agreed the name would be Ruth. All good. But they disagreed over the name, if the baby were a boy. So violently did they disagree that they went to see the minister. The wife told him, ‘I want to name him after my father, but he wants to name the boy after his father’. ‘What’s your father’s name?’ Joseph. He turned to the husband, ‘And what is your father called?’ Joseph! What’s the problem? ‘Well, my father was a real saint, a really good person, but his father was a rogue. I don’t want to call him after him!’ The minister thought about it and wisely told the couple to call the baby, if a boy, Joseph, and only when he grew up would they be able to tell after which father he was named. Elisha wanted to be like his mentor. The disciples grew more like Jesus. As children of God, we seek to be more Christ-like in all that we do. The time had come for Elijah to hand over his mantle, to hand over the succession to Elisha, and the great prophet was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire. It is one of these great images, and it emphasises being brought into the presence of God. Jacob at Bethel had a sense of God in the ladder reaching to the skies; Elisha in the dazzling spectacle of the chariot of fire. But we can feel God’s presence in the ordinary, everyday things of life too. For the disciples, they remembered the last meal that they shared with Jesus and how he passed bread to them and then wine, and he told them to remember him. We do that today at communion. We take the bread in our hands and the wine, and we remember Christ and give thanks for all our blessings and seek ever to resemble Christ and have God’s fingerprint on our very souls. Prayers of Dedication and Intercession Holy One, you call us to love neighbour as self. Use all we have to offer, of money, talents, time, and energy to live and love the good news of your kingdom in our lives. We pray for the nations of this world, asking that you show us what it means to love other nations as we love our own. We pray for peace where there is none, particularly for Ukraine, Syria, Yemen and other places we hear about and those we do not. We pray for the communities where we are set. Show us what you need us to do, what perhaps only we can do, in the places we live out our lives. Show us how to love neighbour as ourselves. We bring before you those who are sick in body and in mind, those in hospital and home; for those who have lost loved ones and for the anxious and the lonely. Enfold them all in your care. Amen Invitation to the Table This is the Lord’s Table. The Lord Jesus invites us to share this joyful feast. Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Anyone who comes to me I will never drive away. Hymn 662 – Jesus thou joy Let us hear again the story of the Last Supper. The tradition which I handed on to you Came to me from the Lord himself: That on the night of his arrest The Lord Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks to God, broke it and said: This is my body which is for you: Do this in memory of me. In the same way, he took the cup after supper and said: This cup is the new covenant Sealed by my blood. Whenever you drink it, Do this in memory of me. For every time you eat this bread And drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death Until he comes again. Let us pray: The Lord be with you And also with you Lift up your hearts We lift them to the Lord Let us give thanks to the lord our God It is right to give our thanks and praise With joy we give you thanks and praise, Almighty God, Source of all life and love, that we live in your world, that you are always creating and sustaining it by your power, and that you have so made us that we can know and love you, trust and serve you. We give you thanks that you loved the world so much that you gave your only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him may not die but have eternal life. We thank you that Jesus was born among us that he lived our common life on earth; that he suffered and died for us; that he rose again; and that he is always present through the Holy Spirit. Therefore with all your people, past present and to come, and with the whole company of heaven we sing the hymn of your unending glory: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Heavenly Father, send your Holy Spirit To bless us and these your gifts of bread and wine, That in communion with Christ our Lord We may receive his life and remain his glad and faithful people until we feast with him in glory. As we share in the body and blood of Christ, may we become a living sacrifice, dedicated and fit for your acceptance, through Jesus Christ our Lord Lord’s Prayer Breaking of bread The Lord Jesus on the night that he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and said, ‘this is my body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of me’. In the same way he took the cup, saying ‘This cup is the new covenant sealed by my blood. Whenever you drink of it, do so in memory of me’ O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. (x2) grant us your peace. As we follow the example of Jesus, I invite you to hold the bread. This is the Christ’s body, broken for you. Take and eat in memory of him. I invite you to take the wine. This is the blood of Christ poured out for each one of us. Take and drink in memory of him. Peace The disciples were together behind locked doors, and Jesus came and stood among them and he said, Peace be with you. And so I say to you, The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Prayer Loving God, we praise you for what you have given and for what you have promised us here today. You have made us one with all your people in heaven and in earth. You have fed us with the bread of life and renewed us for your service. Now we give ourselves to you and ask that our daily living may be part of the life of your kingdom and that our love may be your love reaching out into the life of the world. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Hymn 419 – Thine be the glory Benediction May the blessing of God Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit, be with you, with those we love and those we are called to love, today and in the days to come.  Notices:
We come, those who are at peace and those who are discomforted. We come together to worship God, all of us, all loved, all called, all forgiven, for all our hope is in God. Hymn 184 – Sing to the Lord Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of earthquake, wind, and fire, God of healing touch and uniting love, God of our ancestors, neighbours, and grandchildren, God of deafening silence and quiet harmonies – We are drawn by Your Spirit calling out to our own souls, for You are the source of all life, the home to which we will return. In You we find strength and comfort, safety and courage. May all that is in us, praise You, O God! As we come to You in worship, Eternal One, we gaze upon You and become aware of our lack of holiness. We become conscious of the times when our lives have reflected malice and guile instead of kindness and grace; insincerity and envy, instead of honesty and sharing; slander and quarrelling, instead of love and peace; Give us time to change O God, time to see ourselves as we really are – beautiful yet in need of work; living stones yet in need of polishing. God forgave the quarrelsome disobedient pilgrim people; the Lord Jesus forgave those who hardened their hearts; so God forgives us, and gives us the grace to change our lives. Our Father.. Readings: 1 Kings 19:1-4, 8-15 Luke 8:26-39 Hymn 609 – Come living God (1,2,3,6) Weekly Prayer Heavenly Father, help us be still so that we can hear your gentle whisper as we come again into your Holy presence. We thank you for the Good News we have been given; help us to remember that is not just for us, but to pass on to the rest of the world. Amen. Reflection St Andrew’s Church is in the middle of Cairo. It is on a busy road junction and is surrounded by noise. There are buses opposite dropping off people, picking them up. Yet go through the gates into the church compound and you enter a place of greenery and some kind of peace. It is still busy, because it is the centre of StARS, a ministry to refugees, providing help, education, legal services and psycho-social care to the many refugees who find themselves in Cairo. Many had made long and dangerous journeys to reach Cairo, hoping that somehow they could be resettled somewhere safe. Many of the refugees are young, sometimes just teenagers, and had left family behind. All the thousands who access help from the programme had left homelands because of oppression or war; because they were afraid. All of them are dealing with traumas. In Cairo there were people on the lookout wanting to abuse refugees in some way, but there was also a discrimination. At St Andrew’s Church, the refugees felt that they were in a safe place, even though most would be Muslim. Entering through the gates made such a difference. There they would be accepted and valued for who they were. There they were safe. We read today of two people who needed to feel safe. Nowadays we hear a lot about mental health issues. A lot of people struggle, but at least today we are more ready to talk about mental health and the stresses and strains of life. In the Old Testament we read about Elijah. Elijah was one of the greatest of the prophets. On the Mount of Transfiguration he is there with Moses. He had been faithful to God and had fought the priests of Baal singlehanded, but it all took its toll. Jezebel, the Queen, was determined to kill him. He had confronted Jezebel so many times, but now, he just wanted to run. He fled from her and began to doubt himself and all he had worked for. He basically had a breakdown. He was completely burned out. He had collapsed on the ground, but there he was provided with food and water. He was looked after, and then he had his vision of God’s presence on the mountain, not in the earthquake or wind, but in the still small voice. That was what he needed. He had been traumatised by his dealings with Jezebel, but now he was in a safe place and was being looked after: he could continue with his work now, which was to appoint a successor. In the Gospels, Jesus had crossed the Sea of Galilee to the other side, and that was Gentile territory, belonging to the town of Gerasa. But he immediately encounters a naked man in the graveyard. The local townspeople could not cope with him; he was violent and had thrown off his clothes and had perhaps self-damaged, because he had needed to be restrained, and he lived now among the tombs. He was disturbed and nowadays we might see him as paranoid schizophrenic. Then, people said he was possessed by demons. Jesus came and saw a person who was suffering, a person in need of help. He cast out the demons, and the man comes to his right mind. It is a story that can make us uneasy, especially if we like pigs, but a story about a violently disturbed man who finds some peace. It is interesting that the townspeople also feel uneasy, maybe because they had lost a herd of pigs, maybe because they have had to confront their own fears, and they ask Jesus to leave. But the man stays there, and we hope that he would be accepted back into the community. We need to feel safe. Today is Safeguarding Sunday, and safeguarding is about making sure that the church is a safe place for all the people who come through our doors. We believe that everyone is precious to God and loved by God; that is one of the basic tenets of our faith. We have to ensure that people don’t come to any harm, be it physical or emotional or sexual abuse. We have to create an atmosphere where all are valued and welcomed and can feel something of the peace of God. Hymn SGP 102 – The Spirit lives (1,2,5,6) Prayers of Dedication and Intercession Loving God, accept the gifts we offer you, today and every day. Put our time, our talents and our treasure to good use wherever they are needed, for the sake of our Lord, Jesus Christ Eternal defender and protector of the weak, we give thanks for Your universal love, which sees beyond our human labels and divisions, rejoicing even more in Your preference for the outcast and oppressed. We give thanks for the shelter and protection of our homes; we pray for all people who are homeless, for whatever reason, including refugees and victims of trafficking: may they know Your love and protection. We give thanks for the range and quality of food around us; we pray for each person who is hungry, whether they be across the world or on our doorsteps: may Your love be shown in practical ways. We give thanks for easy access to clean water; we pray for all who are parched with thirst, especially where the decision is dirty water or none: may Your love be shown in practical ways. We give thanks for the relative peace and security we enjoy: we pray for all places of war and violence, whether the aggressor be in the home or another nation: may Your peace be known in our time. We give thanks for all the bits of our life that bring us joy and contentment; we pray for the broken-hearted, bereaved, and lonely, and for all who have lost faith or purpose in life: may Your peace be known in their hearts. Healing, liberating, transforming God, in amongst our shouts and songs of thanksgiving, may we hear Your still whisper in the midst of pain and suffering, and may we respond with courageous tenderness to the needs around us, as we follow the example of Christ Jesus, our teacher and Lord. O God, we thank you for those we have known who have died. May we never forget them but continue to honour them with our living. And may we, with them, find our eternal rest in you. Silence Amen Hymn 594 – Come, Holy Spirit, come (1,3,6) Benediction Go in peace to love and serve God; And the blessing of God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you today and always, Amen  Notices:
Creator God we come humbly into your presence. Jesus, Son of God we come gratefully into your presence. Holy Spirit we come quietly into your presence. When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, Everything inside me wants to jump for joy! Hymn 111 – Holy, holy, holy Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of Mystery and Mercy, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we meet you in wonder as the Blessed Trinity. You are the Ancient of Days, eternal and unchanging; yet you are the Source of each new day, renewing all things. In Christ, you encounter us in whatever each day brings with a heart that beats in love for us. Through the Spirit, you breathe life into what is growing older, energizing us to serve you in good times and hard times. In the mystery of the Trinity, you are always with us and so we bring you our worship and praise to join in your dance of life and love, Holy One and Holy Three, now and ever more. O God of all holiness as we are here in your presence help us to be honest about ourselves and our world, to recognise the good and the bad, our strengths and our failures, all that we have done wrong, and all the ways in which you are blessing and affirming us. We confess our sins, and the sin of the world, and we ask for mercy, and the wisdom and courage to change. Let us hear for ourselves the words that Jesus said to so many, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ and ‘Be at peace’. God the source of all life re-creates us each day, Christ has, once for all, redeemed the world, and the Holy Spirit works to empower us in goodness. Thanks be to God, the Holy Trinity of mercy, love and power, Our Father.. Readings: Psalm 8 John 16: 12-15 Hymn 189 – Be still in the presence of the Lord Weekly Prayer One God, three Persons, help us to be gentle, with others and with ourselves. Give us, we pray, the calm that makes for consideration and the respect for others that makes us courteous. Give us the true wisdom that comes from our Creator God and thank you for reminding us that you rejoice and delight in all mankind. Amen Reflection We had the funeral of Audrey Gibson yesterday, and on the service sheet there was a very dashing photograph of her in younger days, with a photo of her in more recent times at the back. It made me wonder who chooses the photos? Usually it would be family, going through albums to decide which one was best. These days, it would be images held in the phone, I suppose. In Audrey’s case, maybe she had decided beforehand. How do we like to portray ourselves? We always want to look at our best. Winston Churchhill would have had his portrait painted a number of times, but he so disliked the portrayal by Graham Sutherland that he famously burned it. It wasn’t how he wanted to be portrayed. Churchill was himself a painter, but preferred landscapes, as trees couldn’t speak back! At weddings the photographer is snapping away, but only the best will make it to the wedding album. These days we can put little photos of ourselves beside emails or on social media apps like Whatsapp or Facebook – again we choose something good. I am conscious mine, even my picture on the church website, are all from a few years ago. I should maybe look for something more recent with more grey hair! So how do we portray God? I remember having a book which began, ‘I saw God the other day. He was dressed in a white robe, with long flowing locks of hair, dangling his feet over a cloud’. It wasn’t a serious book! But often this is the kind of image we have of God, an unlikely, somewhat remote figure. But for the Hebrews, no-one could look at God. God was so holy, and could not be depicted. The same applies in Islam, and I was reading of a film being withdrawn from cinemas this week, because of a portrayal, not of God, but of Mohammed. In Christianity, we can’t picture God, but we do know what God is like through Jesus. In the early church, they came up with the Trinity in order to describe God. Sometimes the Trinity can be depicted by an interconnected Celtic knot or a trefoil or even a triangle. The Russian Rublev painted his famous icon of the Trinity, and we see that God is social, is relational. The Trinity is inadequate, because we as humans use language, and that has its limitations and ultimately includes our prejudices. But it is also a glorious attempt to try to picture God. We have God the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth. In Psalm 8 we see God as creator and the Majesty of God’s handiwork. It makes us aware of just how small we are - teeny-weeny. Yet God made us a little lower than the angels, and we have a glimpse of God as Parent, who is like a father or, for some, the image of mother is better, so nurturing and protective. The God who has a passionate parent’s love, wanting the best, while also giving us the freedom to be ourselves. But there is also God as seen as Jesus, who says the Father and him are one and who shows God’s love and mercy in action, to the point of sacrificing himself on the cross out of love for us. In Jesus we see God alongside us. The last part of the divine portrait is the Holy Spirit, God within us, if you like. We celebrated her coming on the disciples last week at Pentecost. The Spirit lives in us, inspires us, directs us. One writer said, that ‘the Spirit is often portrayed as a dove, warming you, softly breaking your shell so that beautiful things can hatch, relentlessly and gently leading you into your future’. Father, Son and Holy Spirit– we invoke the Trinity every week, and it shows a beautiful and complex truth to those who gaze on it. A God who creates and who redeems us, and who sustains our living; a God worthy to worship. Hymn 112 – Thou whose almighty word Prayers of Dedication and Intercession We offer to God; the lives we lead each day, the best of what we are and hope to be, the resources we have and the money at our disposal. God of all that is made, take our money and make it holy, fit for good work in the world. Take our lives and equip us for service among your people. Take all that we have to offer this day and make it a blessing for others. Holy God, Holy One and Holy Three, we bless you for bringing us into communion with you, offering us the same unity in love you share as the blessed Trinity. Help your church in all its branches discover the unity for which Christ prayed. May our unity in Christ show the world how to overcome divisions and enjoy the diverse gifts you have created in us. By your Spirit, equip us to explore unity in diversity through local mission and ministry. We pray for children and their parents, knowing how important it is for a child to have a secure, loving start in life, and we pray for parents as they seek to provide it. We pray for youngsters setting out on adult life, dipping their toes into the waters of friendship and romantic love and seeking to know what to study, or where to work, We pray for those whose land has been torn apart by war and who have lost not only people that they loved, but all that once felt safe and secure; for those who are waiting— at an airport, or on a railway platform or by a hospital bed— for the moment of parting from someone who is dearer to them than life itself. May they know the presence and comfort of the one who said, “Do not be afraid… for I am with you always... to the end of time.” Silence Amen Hymn 622 – We sing a love Benediction Go in peace to love and serve God; the holy and undivided trinity. And the blessing of God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you today and always, Amen.  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Call to Worship God says: I will pour out my Spirit on all people. The spirit has come. Alleluia! Come, holy spirit, gentle as a dove, burning as fire, powerful as the wind. Come, Holy Spirit, come Hymn 584 – Like fireworks in the night Prayers of Adoration and Confession Spirit of God, flickering over our heads, illuminating our faces, inspiring our thoughts, give us now, we pray, words of joy and praise. Spirit of God, filling our hearts with hope, steadying our nerves with peace, comforting our lives with love, give us now, we pray, words of joy and praise. Spirit of God, come to us now – surging through the darkness of our lives, sweeping over our weariness –so that, in this time of Pentecost, the sparkling light of faith, the rushing wind of hope and the joyful sound of praise may echo round the world, may echo in the church, and find their response in us. Spirit of God, give us now, we pray, words of joy and praise. Almighty God, you poured out your Spirit to guide your disciples, and empower your church with gifts. We confess we often resist the Spirit’s guidance. We have not acted with justice and loved kindness. We have stretched our grasp with greed. We have protected our privacy with isolationism. We have ravaged your creation with entitlement. Forgive us, O God and open our minds and hearts to the challenges of life in your service. If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. The old life has passed away and new life has begun. Know that in Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! You are set free to live life anew in the power of the Spirit. Our Father.. Readings: Genesis 11: 1-9 Acts 2: 1-13 Hymn 600 – Spirit of God, unseen as the wind Weekly Prayer Faithful God, we unite in prayer, as those disciples did on the first Day of Pentecost, and open ourselves to receive the very same Holy Spirit. We thank you that in all our confusion you understand and pray that you will make something beautiful of lives while we seek to serve you, as we celebrate 70 years of Faith and Service of Elizabeth our Queen. Amen Reflection This weekend the Yetholm History Society, as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, are showing the Pathe Newsreel of the Queen’s Coronation in 1953. It was of its era – black and white, clipped accents- but it would have been shown in cinemas all over the country and perhaps even abroad and reached a big audience. That was communication in the 50s, along with radio and maybe some would have television, rented specially for the occasion. Fast forward 70 years, and communication has changed so much. Now it would be unusual not to have a big screen television with so many channels screening live jubilee celebrations in the most vivid colour, and not just the BBC. There is internet, and communication happens in an instant throughout the world. Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram and many more I haven’t heard of. Though there can still be communication breakdowns, and I know some of my messages end up in Spam and indeed when the service is sent out by email every week, it always arrives with a warning that the sender (me!) seems a bit dodgy. Communication has been there since the beginning of time, from Adam and Eve debating whether to have a good bite out of the apple or not. And today we read two stories about communication. The first was the Tower of Babel, about how humans built a tower so high, it seemed to reach to heaven. This is traditionally seen as a display of human pride wanting to challenge God, but nipped in the bud. You could also see it as people cooperating and building together, only for a rather peevish God to punish these uppity people with confusion. But most probably it started as a story to explain why there were so many languages and cultures in the world. Put a group of children together from different cultures, and they will play together regardless of the fact that they have different languages, but as adults we are less good at that and more suspicious of what we cannot understand. The story of the Tower of Babel brings out that division and confusion. But on the day of Pentecost, we see the reversal of Babel. The disciples were together, when suddenly all was noise and chaos. There was a sudden wind and even tongues of fire. It must have been terrifying, but it was the Holy Spirit resting on them, and all of a sudden, the disciples started to communicate with the people around, who had come on pilgrimage from all over the Mediterranean world and beyond. They came from different cultures, but they heard people speaking in their own tongues, communicating the good news about Jesus, communicating the Gospel of love. The disciples were empowered to reach out to all around them and communicate God’s love for them all. It was the day the church came into being. The Church’s birthday. We too are Christ’s followers and we too are called to communicate the Gospel in fresh ways that people can hear. But sometimes the best way is living faithful lives. Today we mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, 70 years on the throne. But in 1947, when she was 21, she said, ‘ I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service... But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me.’ The Queen has shown that devotion to duty, and it has been sustained by her faith. She is a devout Christian and I know friends who have ministered to her especially when she has been at Balmoral and have been so encouraged by her faith. She has been able to communicate that in her quiet way throughout her life. In 1975, in her Christmas message, she articulated it. ‘Jesus’ simple message of love has been turning the world upside down ever since. He showed that what people are and what they do, does matter and does make all the difference…. It does matter therefore what each individual does each day. Kindness, sympathy, resolution and courteous behaviour are infectious. Acts of courage and self-sacrifice …are an inspiration to others. And the combined effect can be enormous…. We may feel powerless alone but the joining efforts of individuals can defeat the evils of our time. Together they can create a stable, free and considerate society.’ The Queen has shown self-sacrifice and self-giving and complete devotion. It is right that we should mark her jubilee. But equally it should inspire us, where we are, to share these values and thus by our words and by our example communicate the love of God to all. Hymn 704 – I vow to thee Prayers of Dedication and Intercession Gracious God, receive these gifts that represent our love for you and our commitment to act for justice. May they reflect the self-sacrifice described by Queen Elizabeth and be used boldly as we join efforts to ‘defeat the evils of our time.’ Wind of the Spirit, blow through us on this day of Pentecost and renew our faith. Re-awaken our love for God and strengthen our fellowship. Let your flames warm our hearts with trust in Jesus Christ and hope for the future he will create. Dare us to do great things in his name. Eternal God, in these days of national celebration we give thanks for the long reign of Her Majesty The Queen. For her commitment to serve all her people, for her steadiness in every crisis, for her loyalty to the nation and to the Commonwealth, and for the pledge she has made and kept to honour all people, we praise and bless You today. Gracious God, we ask Your blessing on The Queen as she continues her work amongst us. Sustain and strengthen her in these later years. Grant her the health and strength that she seeks to fulfil her tasks. And bless those who will support her in shouldering new and increased responsibilities. Inspire them and us to continue to lead and serve according to her example. Loving God, we bless You for the faith of Elizabeth, our Queen, her devotion to Jesus Christ, her unashamed witness to His cause, her love of our Church and her commitment to its worship. Spirit of compassion, as we celebrate this weekend, we also pray for those whose hearts are sad and troubled. For those whose country is attacked and whose loved ones are at war; for those whose country is riven with economic or social tensions; for those whose crops have failed or whose job has been lost; for those who are sick in body or sick in spirit; for those who are bereaved. Silence Amen Hymn 702 – Lord, in love and perfect wisdom Benediction May the Spirit comfort you in your sorrow strengthen you in your weakness empower you in your uncertainty and enable you to speak to God’s love to all you meet and may that same love of God – creator, saviour and inspirer - be with you all, evermore. Amen The National Anthem (verse 1)  Notices:
Call to Worship You who bring good tidings to Zion Say, ‘Here is your God’ He tends his flock like a shepherd And gathers the lambs in his arms He carries them close to his heart And gently leads those who have young Hymn 147 – All creatures of our God and King Prayers of Adoration and Confession Creator God, maker of colour, sound, texture, movement, and the ceaseless beauty in living things, we bless you. Creator God, maker of granite and mustard seed, of grey cloud and starlight, of earthquake and heartbeat, we bless you. Creator God, maker of lambs and calves, of sheep and cattle and hens and pigs and pheasants and deer, the birds of the air and fish in our rivers, we bless you Creator God, maker of all that is unseen, of all that has been, of all that words could never capture, we bless you. We bless you for your making, your trusting, your loving, your never-ending goodness. Let us confess the faults and failings in our lives: Eternal God, our Guide and Shepherd, we strayed from your ways like lost sheep, We have not always loved our neighbours; we have not always been good stewards of the land and creatures in our care. We trust in your son, Jesus Christ, who on the cross took on himself the sins and failings of us all. Give us grace to amend our lives, and faithfully follow in your ways. Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Our Father.. Hymn 462 – The King of Love my shepherd is Readings: Acts 1: 1-11 Luke 15: 3-7 Hymn 550 – As a deer Weekly Prayer O Creator God, who has made us to live together, to love one another and to love the land on which we live: we pray for ourselves, that we may have the grace to preserve, for those who come after, the beauty of our landscape the traditions of our people and the strength of our local community. Amen Reflection One of the joys of living in this area is the wonderful countryside and how it changes with the seasons. One of the joys of Spring has been the first sight of new birth, be it flowers growing in the garden, leaves opening on trees, but especially seeing lambs appear in the fields. Some appeared early, whilst the further up the valleys, the later the lambs appeared. But it has been a real joy to see them. What is it about lambs? They are fascinating, both in themselves as creatures, so vulnerable, so attractive, and also because of the place they occupy in our Christian heritage, for sheep are mentioned so often in the Bible, with David as a shepherd and Jesus portrayed as the Good Shepherd. But it is easy, especially for those who live at a certain distance from a muddy field, to idealise, romanticise, the life of shepherd and sheep, imagining a carefree, simple life. We imagine Jesus in a brilliant white gown, looking after an occasionally wayward, but basically benign flock. I always remember a friend of mine, working as a shepherd for several months up in Sutherland, and she talked about how hard it was and how from day one she was blistered and bruised. She spoke of how the animals had their own ideas of what was good for them and how they could somehow run faster and think more quickly than she could. But she came to love them so much and could well relate to the image in the Bible of the Shepherd, being willing to love and nurture and even sacrifice their own life in service of their flock. I am reminded of a quotation from Thomas Merton, who wrote ‘Good Shepherd, you have wild and crazy sheep, in love with thorns and brambles. But please don’t get tired of looking for me. I know you won’t! For you have found me. All I have to do is stay found.’ Jesus says, ‘The sheep know my voice and follow me’. The sheep knows the shepherd’s voice from times of stress and danger, as he or she does the best to keep the flock together and safe from danger. They know the voice in times of relaxation; in the wind and cold of winter and the heat of summer. The relationship is hard won, but the sheep trust the shepherd, because again and again the shepherd has led them through the toughest of times into new life. That’s maybe why in the story Jesus told about the lost sheep, the shepherd goes to such lengths to find the sheep that had gone astray. In our world today, the loss of one out of a hundred wouldn’t necessarily make us raise an eyebrow. Surely making sure that the 99 left are safe is what matters more? But no, the shepherd is concerned for the one which is lost, because the shepherd knows the sheep and loves the sheep, has a passion for the sheep. It represents the passion that God has for us – and indeed for those who are lost. It is the wonderful hope of the Gospel to care for the lost, that they might know the embrace of God. The High Commissioner told the General Assembly this week of a drug addict in Glasgow who thanked the local minister because his presence gave hope of a better way. We have to have a passion for those who are lost or confused or anxious about how they will survive nest winter, just as a shepherd has a passion for the flock. Today is Ascension Sunday, when we read about Jesus ascending into heaven. They had been with Jesus, but now he was leaving them, and they were feeling bereft. The disciples were gawking after him, but the angels told them to stop staring upwards, but to start looking around them and to move forward. Jesus was still with them, but in a different way. They had to be Christ to the world, and they moved forward and turned the world upside down – because they had the passion of Christ. We are called to look around us – at creation with the lambs and calves, with the crops and the hills, and realise that we need to adjust our living to save it. We have to look around to those struggling with inflation or with the effects of the war in the Ukraine – and reach out. We are called to reach out for the lost lambs and bring them home, where there will be joy in heaven. Hymn - Great God of all creation Prayers of Dedication and Intercession We give for many reasons – we give because it is good for us and frees us from the consumerism that poisons our souls, we give because we believe that our money and resources should do good and, through our giving, the church uses our money to make a difference through ministry and charity in and beyond our local communities, we give, above all, because God gave and showers us with grace and blessings and we wish to express our gratitude what we, ourselves, have received. We may gave in the plate in church, we may give through standing order, using an envelope or writing a cheque – however, we give, God rejoices in our cheerful giving. Let us pray: All good gifts around us come from you, O God, and we return, through our gifts, something of what you have given us. Help us through our time, talent and treasure, to co-operate with your work of renewal of Creation, that, at the end, we may rejoice with you forever. For the friendship and support of our communities, for the beauty of hills and valleys We thank you, Father. For the changing weather and seasons, the dawns and sunsets and the starry nights: We thank you, Father. For the fields and pastures which provide food for our flocks and water from stream or river: We thank you, Lord. For our ewes, with their own wisdom; for their strength and care as mothers: We thank you, Lord. For lambs, for the miracle of their birth, and for the bounding joy of their young life: We thank you, Lord. We pray that our lambs may be free from sickness, and safe from attack by animals and birds: We pray that all who care for the sheep may be given wisdom and endurance and may receive a just reward for their work: Living Lord God, the blood of the people of Ukraine is crying out from the ground, crying to you, crying to us. And so we too cry to you in the name of our crucified and risen Lord. We pray for all who are living in grief, danger or fear, urging that in these dark times they may not lose hope. We pray for all those who have been forced to flee from their homes, and for countries who make them welcome. We pray for world leaders that they may have courage and faith, wisdom and discernment, to stand for truth and justice; that in the face of unbridled power, violence may cease. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. We give you thanks in this Jubilee week of celebration for the faithful witness of Elizabeth, our Queen, for her devotion and joy in service, for her steadfastness in times of trouble. Grant that she may be to others a source of hope, that they may come to know more fully your Son Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Hymn 439 – Look ye saints, the sight is glorious Benediction Now go in peace to enjoy the earth, and care for creation in partnership with God, who in Christ has honoured and blessed us. And the blessing of God almighty, Father., Son and Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen 
Call to Worship O God, you summon the day to dawn: You teach the morning to waken the earth. Your love and justice shall last forever, fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise. Hymn 129 – The Lord is King Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of creation, out of chaos, you created calm and shaped harmony from strife; You brought order and balance and beauty and life. Each element, considered: the height of tree, the shape of leaf, each shade of green; the flight of geese, the style of wing, and beak. There is a pattern and a loveliness, a detailed eye behind the sum of your design. Your finger print is on creation around us. WE praise you and adore you. God of compassion, into our chaos, be our place of peace, shaping shambles into calm: bring order and balance and blessing and balm. For each lapse, forgive us: the heat of anger, the thoughtless word, each thoughtless deed; the need for power, the lack of grace, our greed. Silence In you, we find mercy, and a kindliness, a heart inclined towards love of humankind. We pray we may live out our lives as your people, showing that kindliness and forgiveness and peace to others. Our Father.. Readings – Acts 16:9-15; John 14:23-29 Hymn 180 – Give thanks with a grateful heart Weekly Prayer O God, your Word brings light to your people now, just as it did long ago. Fill us with your Spirit as we listen for your Word. Open our minds and hearts to receive light to guide us and truth to change us in the name of Christ, Amen Reflection The General Assembly 2022 has begun; a new Moderator, Iain Greenshields, welcomed. It is a hybrid Assembly, with some of the commissioners meeting in person in Edinburgh, but others will be following the proceedings online. It comes at a time of great change for the Church, with bigger presbyteries coming into being. Our own Jedburgh Presbytery will join Duns and Melrose and Peebles and Lothian to form Lothian & Borders Presbytery. Meanwhile, we have had to look at a future with fewer ministers and see how best to develop mission more effectively in each area, which will lead to quite radical changes. The Assembly Could be contentious, but certainly one word that will be used a lot is ‘mission’. Paul was in the business of mission. He was incredibly energetic and founded congregations all over Asia Minor. In Acts 16 we read how Paul was on a missionary tour. It seemed like a nice tour, because Paul and his companions have been going round all of the churches that he has established previously and encouraging them along the way. There may have been a few issues to sort out, but it is generally a helpful, supportive tour. They had come towards the end of this tour and then something strange happens. In every direction Paul turns, he gets the sense that it’s not the right direction to turn. They try to go to Bythynia but they get the sense the Spirit says, ‘No’. This direction - ‘No.’ That direction - ‘No.’ ‘No.’ ‘No.’ I can just imagine Paul turning round to his companions saying, ‘We’ve been on this tour, which has been great and wonderful, but what are we going to do now? One night, as they grapple with that question, Paul has a vision, of a man from Macedonia who says, ‘Come over to us, and help us.’ Paul reacted and sailed the relatively short distance across to Neapolis. The gospel had come to Europe! I visited Neapolis some years ago, and nearby are the ruins of Philippi. But in the 1st century Philippi was a thriving settlement, a place where Roman soldiers were given plots of land when they retired. It was at Philippi, as far as we know, that Paul made his first convert in Europe – and that was Lydia. Lydia seemed a remarkable woman. She was a businesswoman, dealing in the very lucrative trade of purple. Only the wealthy could afford to wear purple. Lydia must have been well-off; she also ran a household and seems to have been a decision maker. She heard Paul’s message about Jesus, and she decided for Christ and was baptised there and then with her household. I am not sure what choice the household had in it. And the first thing Lydia did was to offer hospitality, and that would have been interesting – two rather strong personalities. We know that the church quickly became rooted in Philippi, as Paul would write to his letter to the Philippians. The great news today is that the same Spirit that called Paul to Macedonia, that led him to Philippi that day; the same Spirit that led Lydia to open her heart to respond to his message and welcome and build up relationships - the Spirit that was at work then, is at work now in our towns and communities, calling us to ‘Come over here and help!’ So, we are called to respond to the needs in our community; respond to those terrified of the bills they will have to pay; respond to those who can’t afford meals and rely on foodbanks; respond to the situation in Ukraine and the situation in Zimbabwe we mentioned last week. Respond to those seeking a new way of living. ‘Come over and help us’, Paul heard the Macedonian in the vision say; as a church we still have a mission to reach out with the love of God. Hymn 252 – As a fire is meant for burning Prayers of Dedication and Intercession For the peace that you give us, we thank you. For the love that you bring us, we bless you. For the gifts that you offer us, we praise you. Bringer of peace, and love, and blessing may the gifts we offer bring peace where there is no peace, and love, where love is sorely lacking. May they be a source of blessing and may they help to build your beloved community and kingdom. Lord, our God, The earth and all its peoples belong to you. As we come before you in prayer, we are painfully aware that the earth itself is at risk, from the ways your people live on it, and the conflicts we provoke among each other. We seek your healing and hope this day, for the earth and all its creatures, and for your people of every nation. We pray for peace with justice to emerge in war torn lands, and in every place of conflict where power struggles put innocents at risk. We name before you the people and places on our hearts today: Ukraine, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. We also think of all people whose livelihood is affected by climate change and by the rising cost of living. Bless with your wisdom all in authority, that they may govern for the good of their people. We pray for the renewal of your creation and for the protection of species at risk. By your Spirit, teach us to change our ways when they are harmful to the earth, and inspire our ingenuity to find solutions to problems that seem so vast. God of healing and hope, We pray for those who know sickness or pain, for all who live in grief, loneliness or anxiety, and all who find these uncertain times overwhelming in any way. In silence, we remember before you those for whom we have special concern this day: By your Spirit, surround each one with strength and love, and equip us to offer support for those whose lives are woven into ours. God of mercy, Hear our cry. Amen Hymn 710 – I have a dream Benediction Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, and may the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, be with you this day and even forevermore. Amen  Notices:
Lord, You are making all things new. A new heaven A new earth A new way of thinking A new way of being. You are making all things new. Renew our minds to renew the world by living out your commandment of love. Hymn 165 – Praise to the Lord for the joys.. Prayers of Adoration and Confession Almighty God, Lord of Creation, we come to worship and to praise you and give thanks for all your gifts. We are glad to live in this beautiful part of your world and rejoice in all the new growth of field, wood and garden and in all living creatures, especially those come to new life in this springtime. We give thanks for all the many and varied resources that the Earth offers for our use, but as we reflect on an ever more troubled world we confess that we have often abused these riches and not used them for the good of all. We have exploited and misused our fellow human beings to their detriment and our shame. You are a God of mercy and of justice. Forgive us for our selfishness and greed, our lack of compassion and our failure to love as you would have us love; a love shown in the life and teaching of your beloved Son, given even to death for our sakes. In repentance may we learn to show justice, mercy and compassion and to remember that all are equal in your sight and that all people are our neighbours whatever their ethnicity, social standing or faith. As the globe spins and the day starts around the world and as followers of Jesus Christ we join with our Christian neighbours in prayer and say together in whatever language is most comfortable to us the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples so long ago and which unites us as one family…... Our Father.. Readings – Revelation 21: 1-6 John 13: 31-35 Hymn 195 – Here to the house of God (1,2,4) Weekly Prayer Heavenly Father, your son Jesus said “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” In our worship today, we testify to God’s love shown perfectly in Christ and we re-commit ourselves to love one another as a community of faith and to drink again from the spring of the water of life. Amen Reflection Many years ago I exchanged pulpits for the summer with a minister in Alaska and, on the way back home, stopped to stay with friends in Seattle. We visited Mount St Helen’s nearby. It was a volcano. I remember passing through thick forests, but as we neared the top, it suddenly became very barren. There had been a big eruption a few years before and then sporadic eruptions, and the top of the mountain was laid waste. There were maybe some skeletons of trees, but then nothing. Well, nothing until you looked closely and suddenly you could see green shoots. Nature was recovering through the devastation of the lava flow. As a minister I saw it as resurrection with signs of new life where all had been dead. John of Patmos in his revelation had a glimpse of God’s plan for creation when he pictures a God who wants to make all things new. The old things have passed away, and the new has come. God is in the business of renewing, refreshing, redeeming – ever making things new. A new heaven and a new earth. But John also says that God has his dwelling among humanity. God will be with them – God is in our midst. John isn’t just talking about some time in the future, but very much in the here and now. God is ever seeking to create new possibilities and new life in the world today. Yet when we look round the world, what do we see? We see war and suffering; hunger and homelessness; the enormous gap between those who are incredibly wealthy and powerful and those with nothing. Yet God sees everything as redeemable – and call us to do something about it. In John’s Gospel Jesus shows us the way by loving one another AS he loved us. The ‘as’ is important. Love can be vague; it can mean many things. Someone can beat their partner, but then say they loved her or him. Like Peter or Judas, we can love someone yet deny them or even betray them. But Jesus tells us to love as he loves, and that makes a difference, for Jesus’ love is an unselfish, self-giving love we see in his life and on the cross. It is a love that embraced the leper, that sat with the woman caught in adultery and offered forgiveness. It is the love that reached out to those beyond the borders and social barriers. We are called to have that kind of love. Today is the start of Christian Aid Week, and Christian Aid was started after the 2nd World War to address a devastated Europe, seeking to recover. It has expanded to seek to help people throughout the world and to raise awareness about issues like debt cancellation and climate change. It is on the cutting edge, seeking to bring hope and newness of life. New life to people like Jessica, who lives in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe was once the breadbasket of Africa, but for various reasons, including climate change, it now suffers from prolonged periods of drought. Jessica’s husband is sick, so she has to provide food for the family, and with the drought, crops aren’t giving any yield. The family are going hungry, and how awful is it for a parent to have nothing to give their children to eat. Jessica says, ‘One year we had no rain. The scorching sun burnt my crops, just as they were about to bloom. It was so disheartening. Christian Aid helps people like Jessica by providing drought-resistant seeds, so she can grow tomatoes, beans and cucumbers, even in a drought. Jessica wants her children to be healthy and have a better future, a new and fairer world. But through the help of Christian Aid, at least some of her tears can be wiped from her eyes. The suffering in our world can be overwhelming, but we do what we can – and we seek to love one another as Jesus loved. That way there can be green shoots springing to life bringing hope. That way we can truly proclaim that God is with us. Hymn 238 – Lord, bring the day to pass Prayers of Dedication and Intercession Generous God, we bring offerings of money for the use of your church here. May it be used wisely in the service of your Kingdom. Bless too the many talents we have that they also may be used for your glory. We ask especially for sensible and productive use of gifts given for the alleviation of suffering for those in conflict areas. And this Christian Aid Week we pray that hearts and pockets will be generous in filling the envelopes delivered by volunteers that they may be encouraged in their efforts and know that many lives can be improved by the work of Christian Aid partners in their desire to bring sufficiency and a hopeful future to those living on the margins. In our prayers may we remember their work in skills training, education and in advocacy as so many struggle against changing weather patterns, conflict and injustice. May we share in their joy in successful ventures and lives turned around for the better and for the benefit of future generations. We pray for those in authority, whether in charge of a food bank or a country, that their decisions may be just and fair and that everyone is treated with dignity. We remember all in areas of fighting and where there is corruption, although sometimes we find it difficult to pray for those we see as enemies. For those injured and lost we would ask for care as we do for all people suffering illness, be it of body, mind or spirit. For those on long term care or facing death we ask a special blessing and for those with the care and responsibility for them. Give comfort O Lord, to all the many who mourn lost loved ones or grieve over lost opportunities, lost homes and fractured relationships. As the needs of many near and far increase give us loving hearts as we try to find ways to offer support in both great and small ways as our abilities and circumstances allow. We offer these prayers in the name of your Son and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen Hymn 724 – Christ’s is the world (1,3,4) Benediction |
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