|
Many people will be aware of the death of Anne Stobart recently, after a short illness. John Stobart would like people to know that Anne’s funeral will be on Friday 15 May at 3pm at the Borders Crematorium. Since attendance is restricted because of the virus pandemic, John has arranged that the hearse with Anne’s decorated willow coffin will be at their house, Greengarth, in Town Yetholm, for a quarter of an hour from 2.00 pm on Friday so that Anne can be given a respectful send off. There will also be a webcast of the service to give those who wish to do so the opportunity to play their part albeit remotely.
The webcast of the service can be accessed by clicking HERE You will then have to enter the Order ID - which is 30256 And then enter the password - pqvejzem A pdf of the Order of Service can be found HERE.
0 Comments
 Good morning, Cheviot Churches! This is Colin, and I hope everyone is well and safe. We have our service for the 5th Sunday of Easter, and today we are marking the start of Christian Aid Week. It will be very different from usual. There will be no door-to-door collections, but all charities are going through extremely difficult times, and it is so important that we support Christian Aid in the vital work they do amongst the poorest in our world.
Notices:
Call to Worship Do not let your hearts be troubled. We are not troubled. We trust in God! God’s house has many dwelling places. Christ himself has gone to prepare a place for us. We will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Gathering prayer God of all the Earth, be present with us now, in each of our homes, as we connect together. Build us into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to you through Jesus Christ, our risen redeemer and healer. Amen. Hymn 198 – Let us build a house (vv 1,4,5) (It may seem strange to sing the lyric: ‘All are welcome in this place’ at a time when no one is welcome into our homes or to collective worship in our church building. However, at this time more than ever, we are learning that the church is not the building but it is us, the people.) We have been encouraged to wash our hands frequently, and our prayer of confession uses this imagery: Let us pray As we turn on the tap, we turn our hearts towards you, O God. As we wet our hands, renew our thoughts, so we might be transformed. As we lather soap between fingers and over all our hands, purge from us all that brings us harm and might harm others. Remove the invisible guilt and shame that so often keeps us from you. As we rinse our hands, we trust in your overflowing grace, making all things new. Friends, do not let your hearts be troubled; know that, in Christ, you are forgiven. Accept God’s grace and forgiveness this day, and extend it to others for Jesus’ sake. Amen. Readings: Psalm 31:1- 16 John 14:1-6 One of Anne Stobart’s favourite hymns was ‘Hills of the North rejoice’, which is also a great favourite of mine and an appropriate one to sing as we reflect on the work of Christian Aid: Hills of the north, rejoice; river and mountain spring, hark to the advent voice; valley and lowland, sing; though absent long, your Lord is nigh; he judgment brings and victory. Shores of the utmost West, ye that have waited long, unvisited, unblessed, break forth to swelling song; high raise the note, that Jesus died, yet lives and reigns, the Crucified. Shout, while ye journey home; songs be in every mouth; lo, from the North we come, from East, and West, and South. city of God, the bond are free, we come to live and reign in thee! Here is our weekly prayer from Arthur and Kathleen: Risen and reigning Lord, assure our troubled hearts that you have gone to prepare a place for us, so that where you are, we may be also. We join with the psalmist declaring that you are our rock and fortress and in these difficult times, please be with us and help us to trust in you to lead and guide us. Amen Reflection I often find myself going to the book of Psalms. Some psalms are full of joy and thanksgiving and praise, some of confession, but in Psalm 31 we find a psalm of lament and of trust. The psalmist is obviously going through a difficult time. He feels shunned by his neighbours, at odds with the world, so turns to God, because he trusts in God and knows he will find a refuge there. ‘Be a rock of refuge, a fortress to save me’. The psalm seems to take on greater meaning in these times of the coronavirus, when our houses have become our refuge and indeed our fortress, as with disinfectant, sanitizer and masks we pull up the drawbridge against the invisible foe which is the virus. A refuge is a place we feel safe and secure, whereas outside is a threat. These days we do feel secure in our lockdown homes, but I think one of the marvellous things has been the fact that people have been looking out for one another, have been caring for one another, have been looking beyond our refuge. Our neighbours are important. And that is appropriate in this Christian Aid Week, when we are encouraged to think of our neighbours and what they are going through, especially those in other lands. For 75 years Christian Aid has been committed to working with the poorest and most disadvantaged in the world, fighting against poverty that robs people of their dignity and allows injustices to thrive. Zuze is a friend from Zambia. His brother worked for me for many years as a cook and driver. Zuze qualified as a nurse and is presently working in a hospital in the East of the country near the Mozambique border. It is pretty remote, but Covid-19 could reach there too. He would be on the frontline, but when I asked about protective clothes, he said that they had gloves and masks as PPE. Most of his patients would try to make a living from the land, but there has been a terrible drought in Zambia. Even the mighty Victoria Falls had almost dried up. Rain has come now, but too late for the crops that they had planted which shrivelled up in the heat. The climate seems to be changing, getting hotter, and this year people will go hungry and will be weaker to fight against the virus. I just hope and pray the virus doesn’t make inroads. Ibrahim is a friend from Egypt. He is a refugee from Syria and I got to know him through the refugee programme my church there ran. He was working as an accountant in a shop, but Egypt has been hit badly by Covid-19 and is in lockdown too, and Ibrahim was laid off. There is no furlough there, and as a refugee he is especially vulnerable, for there are no food handouts to non-Egyptians. Even when the lockdown there is relaxed, he doesn’t know if his shop will reopen and whether he will have a job. Meanwhile, the rent is to be paid. All of us are affected by this crisis. For the Psalmist in his troubles he first of all lamented. He gave voice to his suffering. He told God how things really were. He complained, you might say, to God, and we find this a lot in the Bible. People saying to God, ‘Why is this happening? Where are you?’ It is important sometimes to voice our feelings. But the Psalmist also put his trust in God. ‘My times are in your hands’. He placed himself in God’s care, trusting that things would be well. And we too trust in the good Lord to get us through this crisis that we find ourselves in. In the gospel, we find the disciples perplexed. It is the Thursday of Holy Week, and Jesus has told them he will be betrayed and handed over to the authorities, but he reassures them by telling them to ‘set their troubled hearts at rest’ and promising to prepare a place for them in his ‘Father’s house’ – it is a passage we often read at funerals. But Jesus was also going to commission the disciples. There was work for them to do first to build up the kingdom. I am reminded of the brilliant slogan that Christian Aid has of working for Life BEFORE death, enabling people to enjoy the fullness of life and have dignity in the here and now. It is a shame we are not able to have our door-to-door collection or any other fundraisers this week, but the work of Christian Aid goes on and we are encouraged even more to donate. The world’s poorest people are the most vulnerable in this crisis. They are less resilient, have less access to healthcare and less able to weather the economic impact. They are probably more open to risks, because they have to survive. We, through Christian Aid, stand with alongside them, as has been done for the last 75 years. Christian Aid will be with them through the crisis and afterwards, and we too need to have that same commitment to our neighbours throughout the world. Amen Here is a favourite prayer written by the South African Joe Seremane: You asked for my hands that you might use them for your purpose, I gave them for a moment, then withdrew them for the work was hard. You asked for my mouth to speak out against injustice. I gave you a whisper that I might not be accused. You asked for my life that you might work through me. I gave a small part that I might not get too involved. Lord, forgive my calculated efforts to serve you only when it is convenient for me to do so, only in those places where it is safe to do so, and only in those who make it easy to do so. Lord, forgive me, renew me, heal me, nurture me, empower me, send me out as an instrument of your peace that I might take seriously the meaning of the cross. Amen Prayer of lament and intercession God our refuge, we come to you with open hands, some of us with hearts full of questions, some of us bruised by bereavement, some of us fearful of what the future holds, all of us stunned by the events of this year. Draw close to us now in each of our homes as we place our hopes into your open, resurrected, yet scarred hands. Hear the cry of our hearts, Lord, silent and aloud, for bereaved neighbours, near and far. Comfort those pained by being absent, and hold close those who are hurting alone. God in your mercy, hear our prayer. In this season of Easter, renew us with resurrection hope that while weeping lingers in this night, joy will come with the morning. On this Christian Aid Week Sunday, we pray for and with communities across the world who are most vulnerable to coronavirus. We pray for people living in refugee camps and city slums, with limited sanitation facilities, who are unable to wash their hands regularly, and have little opportunity to isolate from others. We pray for Christian Aid partners working to provide soap and buckets, communicating clear, accurate information, raising the voices of the most vulnerable and ensuring they are kept as safe as possible. God in your mercy, hear our prayer. For those of us who are self-isolating, which can sometimes feel like we aren’t doing anything, remind us that we are all doing our part, and saving lives by staying at home. God in your mercy, hear our prayer. We pray for much wisdom and resources for those in local and national authority and for all frontline and key workers here in Britain, Ireland and across the world. God in your mercy, hear our prayer. As we have clapped to honour them, we clap our hands now in praise of your glorious creation, and with the hope that the first shoots of another possible world are coming into view. God in your mercy, hear all our prayers. Amen. Hymn 710 – I have a dream Benediction May the presence of the Creator refresh you May the comfort of the Son renew you, May the inspiration of the Spirit restore you to be love in action, even from a distance, in our neighbourhoods, near and far, this day and for evermore. Amen.  Good morning, Cheviot Churches! This is Colin, and I hope everyone is well and safe. Incredibly another month has passed, and we are now into May. We have our service for the 4th Sunday of Easter and today focus on Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
Notices:
Call to Worship Let us worship God in the name of Jesus Christ, the good shepherd, who offers us abundant life. Let us worship God in the name of the One who leads us by still waters, and restores our souls. Let us worship God in the name of the One who prepares a banquet for us, and fills our cups to overflowing. Hymn 15 (vv 1,2,5) – The Lord’s my shepherd (Tune Brother James’ Air) Prayer of Adoration and Confession Lord God You are our Saviour and king, our Master and friend, our Shepherd and guide. Wherever we go, You are with us. Wherever we stray, You seek us out. Whenever we call, You hear us. You are our promise and our hope, our place of rest and peace, our security and our sureness. Whoever we are, You accept us. Whatever we do, You love us. Whenever we fall, You lift us up. We praise you. We gather in our various homes We are physically apart, but spiritually we are together, offering our love, our commitment, our hope, and our prayers, in service to one another and this world as we face this new day. Lord, you are our Shepherd. You seek us when we are lost and guide us in life-giving ways. Yet, we turn from you and heed the voices of thieves and bandits. You know us by name, but we refuse to hear your call and instead go our own way. Forgive us for failing to follow you. Quieten the noise around and within us, so that we might better recognize your voice and do your will. Come close, calm our fears, so that we might see you clearly, enter by the gate and know your presence and love. Even though we walk through the darkest valley, we need not fear evil. God is with us. God’s rod and staff comforts us. God forgives and transforms us. Friends, believe the good news, through Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Be at peace with God, with yourself and with one another. Lord’s Prayer Readings: Acts 2: 42-47 John 10: 1-10 Here is our weekly prayer from Arthur and Kathleen: Heavenly Father we know that Jesus is The Way into your presence and He is The Truth, The Life and also our Shepherd. We pray that you will watch over and protect us from all danger, especially in this time of lockdown. Guide us into green pastures where we can be nourished by your word and lead us by pure still waters where we can be refreshed by your love. Amen Reflection The last several weeks have been difficult ones, and we have had to adjust our whole way of living. Life will probably not be quite the same again. One article I read asserted that we will talk about how things were BEFORE Covid and AFTER Covid. However, some things remain the same. I must admit I have enjoyed my daily exercise during this time and have so valued the opportunity to walk in the peace of the countryside, with new life bursting all around quite regardless of Covid-19. The blackthorn has blossomed, primroses are out at Linton – AND of course there are lambs in the field. Calves too, but today I want to concentrate on the lambs, for today is Good Shepherd Sunday. In this area we are very used to shepherds, and a number of our members have connections with shepherding. In Palestine, shepherding has not changed that much since biblical times, and when I lived there, I would drive through the West Bank and often see shepherd boys with a flock of sheep, looking for pasture, and green pasture was not as common there as in our Cheviot hills. In John chapter 10, Jesus uses the metaphor of a shepherd and a flock to illustrate our relationship with him. He will say, ‘I am the Good Shepherd’, but that is not in our passage today – it comes in verse 11. But what he does say in our passage is ‘I am the gate’. At night sheep were kept in circular stone enclosures, with a narrow gap for the sheep to enter and exit, and the shepherd would literally be the gate, stretched out across the gap to keep the sheep safe. Why? Because there were dangers. There were predators around – wolves, even big cats. But also there were thieves and robbers, trying to steal the sheep – and that is still a problem in UK today. The shepherd’s role was to keep the sheep safe. But we have a lovely picture of inclusion, safety and gathering, of the sheep being safe and secure, protected and nurtured by the shepherd, who only wants their well-being. It’s a picture which speaks to us today as we try to look after our own and our loved ones’ well-being, but also it relates to our reading from Acts, which gives us a snapshot of life in the early church, where there is a sense of gathering and nurture, of belonging and oneness, as the early believers prayed together, learned together and supported each other. It is always an ideal passage which challenges us to be the church today, being open and welcoming and nurturing one another in the faith. Another verse in the John passage catches my attention today, and that is when Jesus says that the sheep recognise the shepherd’s voice. Think back to ‘Before Covid’ times, when families would be at beaches or in a park, and children would all be playing together. Perhaps the mothers and fathers would all be chatting together. But if a child suddenly was in difficulties and called out, the parent would immediately discern the voice of their own child amid the hubbub of noise from the other children. Because from birth the parent attunes to the voice of their child, being able to tell when they are happy or sad. So the shepherd knows the sheep, being able to distinguish one from the other, and the sheep in turn learn to recognise and trust the voice of the shepherd. As Christians we have to learn to recognise the voice of Christ, as we seek to live out our lives, and we do that by becoming closer to him in prayer and in study and in community with one another – the very things which the Christians in Acts were doing. This time of crisis has given some of us time to reflect on our own spirituality. A final thought in this passage is that the shepherd desires the well-being of the sheep, and so Christ comes to bring abundant life, life in all its fullness. That can be different things for different people. In the previous chapter, Jesus heals a blind man, and for him abundant life could mean being able to see; for a single mother, abundant life could be help and support. For us in lockdown, abundant life may be meeting up with our families. For a minister in lockdown abundant life could be a congregation coming together and breaking bread together. Life will be very different for us, after this crisis passes. We will be living post-Covid. But there will be things which will remain the same: God’s love towards us and nurture of us as a parent, who desires our complete well-being. Song – Here is a song inspired by all these pictures of rainbows put up in our windows. It is written by Will Todd, who is the uncle of a friend’s god-daughter and can be found HERE Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession Holy and gracious God, shepherd of our lives, we come to you with thanksgiving for you are the one who nurtures and provides for us. You transform our weary souls with your grace, wisdom and love. You bless us each day with glimpses of resurrection and the promise of new life, in signs of spring, in stories of kindness and perseverance during crisis. Listening God, shepherd of the world, we bring you now our prayers for others. Hear them in your tender mercy: We pray for people who are struggling with illness, loneliness, grief or sadness, thinking especially of those whose lives have been redefined by COVID-19. And we pray for those whose working life has been changed drastically by this pandemic, thinking of health care workers, those in the food supply chain, and all those whose jobs have disappeared. (Silence) May each life be touched by the power of resurrection and new hope. We pray for countries and communities where it is not safe for people to live out their faith openly. (Silence) May all people of faith be granted the freedom to praise without fear. We pray for people in the world who are victims of discrimination and acts of hatred. (Silence) May your desire for justice be made known and lived out. We pray for our congregation and all people who make up your Church, forced now to consider how to be faithful in difficult times. (Silence) May we discover new ways to be your Easter people in the world. We pray for our families, our friends and for ourselves. (Silence) May each of us know the power of your compassion and promise. Lord, hear our prayer, in Jesus’ name. Amen Hymn 462 (vv1,3,6) – The King of Love Benediction With Christ as our Gatekeeper, we go from here into fresh pastures. With Christ as our Gatekeeper we find life in all its fullness. Go in peace and may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit enfold and surround you today and always.  Good morning, Cheviot Churches! This is Colin, and I hope everyone is well and safe. As we go into yet another week of lockdown, the novelty has worn off, we have run out of cupboards to tidy and it can be quite dispiriting. And yet we have been so fortunate with the weather and truly we live with the beauty of God’s creation all around us. We have our service for the 3rd Sunday of Easter and today focus on the story of the road to Emmaus.
Notices
Call to Worship We walk the path of two who travelled a dusty road wrapped in confusion and despair; two who shared the company of a stranger voicing their pain, airing their fears, and in the listening heard words of hope and promise and in the eating received the bread of life Today we re-enter the story of Easter with the expectation that Christ will also reveal himself to us in words and sound. Let us worship God Hymn 404 – I danced in the morning Our prayers of Approach and Confession Let us pray God of Easter hope,You hold the nations in your hand, yet know and love us all. By your Spirit, you gather us and in Christ you make us one. Show us who we are and what we can be. Set us free from all that is mean and wrong; Hold us in our pain and hurt; And bring us from brokenness to wholeness. Walk with us on the road and listen to our hurts and regrets; help us to let go the past and to recognise you in unexpected ways. Risen Christ, we confess that like the two disciples on the Emmaus road we too often preoccupied with self that we fail to see you in our midst. We readily welcome friends, but not always the stranger or those who make us uncomfortable. Forgive us and help us to be generous people and that our churches and homes may ever be places of welcome. (Pause) Friends, know that in Christ, you are a forgiven people, set free by God’s redeeming love. Be at peace with God, with yourself and with one another. Lord’s Prayer Readings: Acts 2: 36-41 Luke 24: 13-35 Hymn 417 – Now the green blade riseth Here is our weekly prayer from Arthur and Kathleen Father God we thank you for the gift of your Son, our Saviour, who walks with us on our life’s journey. We pray for all who travel with us in our family, among our friends and within this community of Cheviot Churches. We ask for a deepening awareness of our need of your presence with us. Keep us all safe and well as we continue our isolation and protect all those still working to care for us. Amen Reflection The daughter of friends of mine was 21 last week. She had had great plans for her birthday including a big party with all her friends from College. What was not in her plans was that she would spend the whole day with her parents. But that was exactly what happened. She was on lockdown of course, and living with her parents and siblings at the family home and only able to communicate by Zoom with her friends. It wasn’t the same. Though her mother enjoyed it very much. I think some of us may have had significant birthdays or anniversaries, weddings or holidays, which we have had to put on hold because of the Coronavirus crisis. Events that we have been looking forward to, but they just haven’t happened. Today we read the story of the Road to Emmaus; a story which means a lot to me for different reasons. And we find the two disciples walking along the road. Cleopas and – well, the other is not named, but many commentators think it would have been his wife, and certainly they stayed in the same house. Walking along the road, no, more ‘trudged’ along the road. You can feel the heaviness in every step. These were two people who had been traumatised by the events in Jerusalem. They had seen their friend, their teacher, tried and executed on the cross. And they were grieving. One of the awful things about this crisis we are in is that people often die alone in hospital without their loved ones around them, and families have to cope with that. These two disciples were going through the same. They were grieving, but also their dreams had been shattered. ‘We had hoped…’ they said. They had hoped that Jesus would usher in a new kingdom of peace and justice. But the cross seemed to put paid to that. Like my friends’ daughter and her party, things hadn’t gone to plan. Their dreams were in ruins, they had reached a dead end, and so they turned their backs on Jerusalem and were going home with heavy hearts. And a stranger appeared beside them and walked with them. He saw their hurt, and there was something about him, they opened up to him and were able to tell him about their pain and disappointment. The stranger was the risen Christ, but they didn’t recognise him. He walked alongside them in their pain, he accompanied them in their grief, and he helped them to see beyond it. I think it is a challenge for all of us. To be able walk alongside people(not literally, at this time of course) and to listen and share their frustrations. It is so important to make time for people and lend a listening ear, for each of us has their story to tell. They reached Emmaus, and the stranger made to go on, but the couple invited him into their home. He had made their journey lighter and somehow helped them to put things into perspective, had opened up Scripture to them and set their hearts on fire. They wanted him to stay and eat with them. Hospitality is always so important, but is again something we are restricted in being able to do these days. The book of Hebrews reminds us that by sharing hospitality, we entertain angels unawares. And as they sat down at the table, Jesus breaks bread, and suddenly their eyes are opened. Breaking bread, sharing hospitality can still open our eyes to the presence of Christ among us. As one commentator put it, it takes us on a journey from head to heart, from thinking about God to relationship with God. The presence of Christ walking alongside them and breaking bread with them had transformed Mr and Mrs Cleopas. So much so, that they ran back all the way to Jerusalem invigorated, ready to share the Good News with their friends. What a contrast to the picture we had of them initially, so full of cares and woes. In the aftermath of Easter, we see how the presence of the Risen Christ transforms the disciples. He still can transform us today into people ready to reach out and listen, ready to share the Good News that all are welcome in the embrace of God’s love. Amen Here is a meditation by Roddy Hamilton from Bearsden New Kilpatrick Church When Thomas touched the wounds and set himself free it was Easter day When Peter’s three “yes’s” to Jesus finished his three denials it was Easter day When the disciples looked from afar at a breakfast of fish on the beach it was Easter day When Emmaus became synonymous with welcome and the breaking of bread with strangers it was Easter day When the hungry are fed at the table the same table as the rich it is Easter day When weapons are beaten to ploughshares and peace is a word to be shouted it is Easter day When the stranger is welcomed in community and the lonely are restored to relationship it is Easter day... Hymn 198 – Let us build a house … All are welcome We now have our prayer of dedication of our offerings, of our gifts and talents, of our very selves. And this is followed by our prayers for others. Let us pray. Like the disciples at Emmaus, we offer what we have. They offered their company, their table, their bread. We invite you to be with us, Jesus, as we offer you our love, our devotion, our gifts. All-seeing and unseen God, you make your presence known to us when we least expect it. Come to us, we pray, when our need is greatest. We place before you this virus present in our world. We ask your blessing on all doctors and nurses and NHS staff, as they work tirelessly to save lives. Be with all working in care homes and with the residents. Calm any tensions. Give wisdom to scientists, researching into a vaccine. Endow caregivers with compassion and generosity. Bring healing to those who are ill. Protect those who are most at risk. Give comfort to those who have lost loved ones. Welcome those who have died into your eternal home. Praise be to the farmers, planting seed and looking after animals, especially at this lambing season. Praise be to janitors and rubbish collectors, to those who drive delivery vans and truck drivers and postal workers. Praise be to those who keep an eye on water and electricity and oil. To all in resilience groups. We ask your blessings on domestic abuse victims on lockdown with abusers. We think of the homeless and refugees and enfold them in your care. And when all this is past may we say that love spread more quickly than any virus ever could. Stabilize our communities. Unite us in our compassion. Remove all fear from our hearts. Fill us with confidence in your care. Lord, hear our prayers in Jesus name. Amen I always like Hymn 416 – Christ is alive, especially verses 2 and 5 Benediction Go now as those who have met with Christ this day Go now as those who hearts have burned within them, as the Scriptures were explained. Go now as those who have been touched by resurrection. And may the blessing of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon you and be upon all you love, wherever they may be, now and always. Amen  A podcast of this reflection can be heard via the Podcast page
Hello Cheviot Churches and welcome to our service for the 2nd Sunday of Easter (Easter Day was the first!). It has traditionally been called ‘Low Sunday’, after the highs of Easter Day, and we focus on Thomas’ encounter with the risen Christ. Notices:
Call to Worship In worship and in prayers JESUS IS AMONG US In the telling of stories and in signs JESUS IS AMONG US In this place and in this moment JESUS IS AMONG US IN JOY Hymn 413 (Tune Ellacombe - Hosanna, loud Hosanna) The day of Resurrection! Earth tell it out abroad; The Passover of gladness, The Passover of God! From death to life eternal, From sins dominions free, Our Christ has brought us over With hymns of victory. (St John of Damascus) Let us pray God our Maker, we come before you this day, giving thanks for all the wonders of your creation: for the detailed perfection revealed in a baby’s tiny fingers, in pussy willows and daffodils greeting the spring, in the hills worn over the centuries by wind and rain, witnessing to your wisdom like wrinkles around an aging smile. These details lift our hearts to praise you. So, let the story the Risen Christ lift our hearts this day, that we too may discover him in our midst, making all things new with the springtime of your Spirit. O God, in raising Jesus from the dead, you showed us your power to defeat all that brings fear and sorrow to our lives. In his resurrection, Jesus promised to be with us always. Yet we confess we are sometimes hesitant about how to find him. Like Thomas, we are unsure if we can trust the promise of resurrection for ourselves. Forgive us when we have kept your resurrection as a past event rather than a present encounter: Lord, have mercy. Forgive us for the times when we have been blind to your presence: Lord, have mercy. For those times when we have failed to live as those who have risen with Christ: Lord, have mercy Breathe your Spirit upon us and bring us the peace Christ promised. Friends, the risen Christ is in our midst, speaking words of peace and forgiveness to us this day. Receive his gift of forgiveness. Be at peace with yourself and with one another. Amen. Lord’s Prayer – Our Father… Readings: 1 Peter 1:3-9 John 20: 19-31 Hymn 415 This joyful Eastertide, away with sin and sorrow. My love, the Crucified, has sprung to life this morrow. Had Christ, who once was slain, Not burst his three day prison, Our faith had been in vain: But Christ has now arisen. Here is our weekly prayer from Arthur and Kathleen: "My Lord and My God", we thank you that we are blessed having not seen, yet we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing we have life in His name. Help us to continue to live a resurrection life and despite our present difficulties and restrictions, show the world that we are His disciples. Amen Thomas We hear a lot about heroes these days. There are the doctors and nurses and all who work on the frontline or the likes of Captain Tom, the 99 year old veteran, who has raised enormous sums of money for the NHS through walking in his garden. People are responding to this crisis we are in in so many creative and positive ways, and many are truly heroes. In the Bible we have many heroes, and the disciples should probably be included among them. HOWEVER, in the aftermath of the crucifixion of Jesus, they were not being very heroic. Far from it. They huddled away behind locked doors, fearful of the authorities; fearful of being accused of being friends of Jesus, fearful of being quietly ‘disposed of’. And so they shut themselves away, and not even the news from the women that the tomb was empty, that incredibly Jesus was risen, could make them unlock that door and venture outside. And Jesus came and stood among them. In Revelation we have the famous line, ‘Behold I stand at the door and knock…’ which we associate with the picture of Jesus knocking at the handle-less door, waiting for the one inside to open it and let him in. Well in this case, the risen Christ didn’t even bother knocking - he gatecrashed the gloomy gathering and stood among them, he breathed the Spirit on them and offered them peace. There is a Graham Kendrick chorus, ‘Jesus stand among us at the meeting of our lives, be the sweet agreement at the meeting of our eyes’. Well, I am sure the disciples would have been filled with incredible joy to see Jesus alive, but no doubt some would have been uneasy looking into his eyes, for they had denied knowing him and run away. They had let him down. But Jesus stood with them, offering peace and offering forgiveness and, by breathing the Spirit onto them, offering a new start. As we isolate and protect ourselves, we need to know that Jesus still comes into our anxiety-filled spaces and still offers us his peace amid the chaos and offers us his hope amid our fears. But of course, Thomas wasn’t there on that occasion. Why, we don’t know. Maybe he was out doing the shopping, fetching the groceries. Or perhaps he was checking the situation and whether it was safe. Or maybe he just needed his own space to grieve. But he wasn’t there when Jesus appeared. Imagine how that must have felt when he was what (or who) he had missed. But at the same time, he was unwilling to go along with the crowd and rely on 2nd hand experience. He had seen Jesus die on the cross. No wonder he questioned and dismissed his friends’ ravings as a kind of hysteria. Thomas has of course been branded ‘Doubting Thomas’, which is so unfair. I like 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. Thomas can be our patron saint too, for I think that our faith is always strengthened by asking questions about what we believe. The story does not end there, but a week later we still find the disciples behind their locked door, but this time Thomas is with them. Jesus appears. I am thankful to Thomas, as because of his questioning we can focus on the wounds the Risen Christ still bore. He still has 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. In the name of the father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen Offering We would normally have our offering after the sermon. Like so many other organisations, the church, both local and national, is suffering financially because of the lockdown, and that has a knock-on effect on the various care homes run by the church and other missions at home and abroad. While some of us give our offerings by standing order, which is great, others give by freewill offering, and I would encourage you to keep filling your envelopes during this present crisis. Hymn – SGP 7 Alleluia, Alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord! Alleluia , Alleluia, give praise to his name. Jesus is Lord of all the earth He is the King of creation. Our prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession God of new Life, Christ came speaking words of peace and understanding. Thank you for strengthening our faith and empowering us to live with hope and trust in you day by day. We are grateful that you give us courage to face our fears and struggles, patience to endure moments when the way ahead is not clear, and resilience in the face of new realities. Loving God, we pray for the many places of brokenness in our world. We think especially of those suffering in the COVID-19 outbreak, those with the disease, those who have lost loved ones, those working hard to respond to the pandemic, and those who have lost work or lost hope. We ask that the whole earth will experience your gift of new life and hope. We thank you for scientists, working to understand this virus and to find an antidote. For journalists, keeping us informed; for teachers finding new ways to teach children from afar and parents holding it all together. We pray for careworkers and caregivers of any kind and for all who have illnesses like cancer and need treatment. We enfold them in your care. We pray for those who struggle with their experience of the church. Open them to your love and grace so that any pain the church has caused will be healed. Guide us with your Spirit of wisdom to know how to live out our faith in ways that create pathways for others to find you, not barriers. We pray for our congregation, for the Church of Scotland, and for the Church in every country and culture. In these days of unexpected challenge, when worship and fellowship have been disrupted, strengthen our trust in you and our concern for others. Make us good stewards of time apart to reflect on your presence with your people in circumstances of deep challenge. Help us maintain the joy we know in the Risen Christ. In silence we bring the prayers of our hearts. ………………….. Hear these and all our prayers in Jesus’ name Amen Hymn 432 (this can be sung to Aurelia – the church’s one foundation) How often we like Thomas Need proof before we trust. Lord Jesus friend of doubters, Come speak your truth to us. We long to feel your presence And gain new faith from you, To find, without our seeing, The blessing Thomas knew. You always stand among us, No doors can lock you out. Your presence reassures us Though we still live with doubt. As present-day disciples, Whose lives by sin are flawed, We want to come believing And cry: ‘My Lord and God’. (Edith Sinclair Downing) 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. Send us out into the world to live and love with you. 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  A podcast of this reflection can be heard on the Podcast page.
The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia! A happy and blessed Easter to everyone. It is of course far different from what we are used to, but we continue to adjust to our new situation. As I mentioned on Thursday (I like to repeat myself), the disciples were on lockdown after the crucifixion and isolated themselves from the people behind their locked doors, but the Risen Jesus entered, bringing joy and peace and hope. Thus may we experience something of the joy of Easter as we worship in our homes. One or two notices:
412 – The strife is o’er 413 – The day of resurrection 415 – This joyful Eastertide 425 – The Saviour died , but rose again SGP 51 – In a byre near Bethlehem Call to Worship: This is the Good News – the light shines in the darkness & the darkness will never overcome it. Hallelujah! Christ is risen. This is the Good News: once we were no people; now we are God’s people. Hallelujah! Christ is risen. This is the Good News – the grave is empty & Christ is risen. Hallelujah! Christ is risen indeed! Let us worship God with Easter joy! The hymn 410: Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia! Who did once, upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia! Let us pray Jesus Christ, we greet you! Your hands still have holes in them, your feet are wet with dew; And with the memory of our names undimmed by three days of death You meet us, risen from the grave. We fail to understand how; We puzzle at the reason why. But you have come, not to answer our questions, but to show your face. You are alive, and the world can rejoice again. Hallelujah. God of mystery, we confess that faith doesn’t come easy every Easter. When we face difficulties and loss in our own lives, we sometimes lose track of the promise in Christ’s resurrection. Sorrow can weigh us down. Our challenges can feel like a stone too heavy to roll away. Forgive us, O God, and let the joy of this day assure us that the power of your love will never let us go. Glorious God, so fill your people with joy That the world may know that you son Jesus Is not a dead hero whom we commemorate, But the living Lord whom we worship, To whom with you and the Holy Spirit, Be our praise forever, Amen Our Father, …. Roddy Hamilton is a Church of Scotland minister, who has written a lot of worship material. In 1997 he wrote this Easter affirmation: Today we have stood at the morning of the Kingdom and we have glimpsed the future: And we have seen death’s greatest failure and love’s greatest triumph! We are the people of the Kingdom! Today we have seen the stone rolled away and witnessed the door to life opened up. We have seen why there is hope in despair, for we are caught in love’s eternal brightness Today we have stood with all the disciples of every time and place and looked into a tomb that is empty: we are taking part in the Good News of resurrection, for we have touched the joy that changes life into freedom, the hope that turns dreams into living, the love that gathers together and rebuilds all the brokenness, all the lifelessness, all the longing Of yesterday’s living In today’s amazing Yes to life. We are the people of the Kingdom! Alleluia Christ is risen! Here is a hymn from the Presbyterian Church in the USA, written for this time of self-isolation: This Easter celebration is not like ones we’ve known. We pray in isolation, we sing the hymns alone. We’re distant from our neighbours— from worship leaders, too. No flowers grace the chancel to set a festive mood. No gathered choirs are singing; no banners lead the way. O God of love and promise, where’s joy this Easter Day? With sanctuaries empty, may homes become the place we ponder resurrection and celebrate your grace. Our joy won’t come from worship that’s in a crowded room but from the news of women who saw the empty tomb. Our joy comes from disciples who ran with haste to see-- who heard that Christ is risen, and then, by grace, believed. In all the grief and suffering, may we remember well: Christ suffered crucifixion and faced the powers of hell. Each Easter bears the promise: Christ rose that glorious day! Now nothing in creation can keep your love away. We thank you that on Easter, your church is blessed to be a scattered, faithful body that’s doing ministry. In homes and in the places of help and healing, too, we live the Easter message by gladly serving you. Tune: Aurelia (The Church’s one foundation) Text: Copyright © 2020 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette Reading: Matthew 28: 1-10 Reflection During my daily exercise, I pass homes with rainbows attached to their windows. We remember from Genesis that the rainbow was a sign of hope to Noah and his family after the catastrophe of the Flood. Our children have obviously taken time to make these rainbows, which are signs of hope for us and affirm that we are going to get through this Covid-19 crisis. The disciples were completely shattered after the crucifixion of Jesus. All hope had gone from their lives; they had the aching grief the death of a loved one brings, but also the devastation of all their hopes and dreams for the world. The women at least go through the ritual of making their way to the tomb to anoint his body, though in reality they probably just wanted to gain some comfort from being near him. We know something of their despondency as they trudge to the tomb. I always love John’s telling of the Easter story in John 20, where Mary Magdalene discovers that the tomb is empty. Fearing grave robbers perhaps, she runs back to tell the disciples, and Peter and John race to the tomb to find indeed the tomb was empty. Mary lingers by the grave and encounters the risen Christ, mistaking him for the gardener at first. There is a wonderful intimacy in the scene, but Christ instructs her not to touch him, but to go to the disciples, and she does so with the words, ‘I have seen the Lord!’ However, we are in Year A of the lectionary, when we focus on Matthew’s Gospel, where in his telling of the events of Easter morning, the women actually witness the angel moving away the rock covering the tomb’s entrance. The angel, we are told, was like lightening. No wonder the women were absolutely terrified. The angel, and the risen Christ whom they encounter later, both begin by saying ‘Do not be afraid’, and the women depart to tell the disciples with this combination of fear and joy. I think that is appropriate for our present circumstances. Our world is hurting, and every time we listen to the news we are filled with anxiety, especially as we see scenes from hospitals. Some of us have lost loved ones or know of people who have died of this coronavirus. We need to hear the words, ‘Do not be afraid’ and to know that are greatest fears are replaced by hope, that death and suffering donot have the last word and that evil will not prevail. The tomb is empty and Christ has risen; God has given a gigantic Yes to life. We still live in lockdown, the virus is still spreading. It is as if we are in Holy Saturday despair. We have fears about what the world will be like once we get back to normal. Will there be an economic depression? Will those who are furloughed have a job to go back to? Will we be able to pick ourselves up? We need to hear the Easter message that the tomb was empty, that death could not hold Christ, that we can face the future in hope with a Saviour who knows what suffering and even death are like. That was the case in Matthew’s Gospel. The women at the tomb were able to go back to the disciples to share their good news, for in spite of their anxiety, they were also filled with joy, for they had met the Risen Christ. And the disciples when they too encountered the risen Christ were turned from a bedraggled group lurking behind locked doors into men and women to turn the world upside down. It wasn’t easy; they were persecuted, hated, mocked, but they had the inner joy the risen Christ brought. In the resurrection we have God’s promise that life is stronger than death, that love is greater than hatred, that the sufferings of this world are transient. They don’t have the last word. For the Good News is that Christ has been raised. The Good News is that death is defeated. This Good News is life-changing and world-transforming. I wish everyone a happy and blessed Easter, as we enjoy in our country setting, the new life all around us. The hymn 417 is a great favourite of mine: Now the green blade riseth from the buried grain Wheat that in dark earth many days has lain; Love lives again that with the dead has been: Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green. When our hearts are wintry, grieving or in pain, Thy touch can call us back to life again, Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been: Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green John Macleod Campbell Crum Let us pray Great and glorious God, you have rolled away the stone and raised Christ to life, and now you invite us to share in the Good News. Give us the courage to welcome the winds of change in our lives as it sweeps our streets and brings hope to hungry families, the sick and the sad. In this season of Easter, run with us in the joy of new life that transforms the way we see the world and one another. For Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Hallelujah! Lord Jesus Christ, on this Easter Day we join with all Your world to bring our thanks for hope restored and life renewed. We think of the tomb, and of all that speaks of death and destruction in our world. We pray for nations at conflict and for the hurt and destruction that comes with war. We pray for the environmental catastrophe of global warming and our part in it. Where we are entombed in pain, Roll back the stone We think of the disciples’ confusion and pointless running about, and we pray for all who are over-busy, burnt out, exhausted trying to make ends meet. We pray for the under-employed and those forced into inactivity by disability. Where we are entombed in pain, Roll back the stone We think of Mary not recognising Jesus, then hearing him call her name. We pray for the lonely and those left out, especially those with mental illness. We think of the vulnerable and the afraid and for all who go unnoticed. We think of Christians persecuted for their faith and feeling vulnerable Where we are entombed in pain, Roll back the stone We think of the women being sent to the disciples with the good news of resurrection. We pray for all who long for good news, especially at this time -those infected with and affected by Covid-19, the NHS staff and all on the front line. We continue to pray for wisdom and guidance for our governments in Westminster and Holyrood Where we are entombed in pain, Roll back the stone Lord, hear these and all our prayers in Jesus name. Amen The hymn 419 reads: Thine be the glory, Risen, conquering Son, Endless is the victory thou o'er death hast won; Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away, Kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay. Thine be the glory, Risen, conquering Son; Endless is the victory Thou o'er death hast won! Lo, Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb; Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom; Let the Church with gladness hymns of triumph sing, For her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting. No more we doubt thee, Glorious Prince of life; Life is naught without thee: aid us in our strife; Make us more than conquerors through thy deathless love; Bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above: Edmund Bundry (1854- 1932) Benediction God of new possibilities, new beginning, new hope bless us now with your resurrection life Jesus, calling us by name, Knowing and loving us completely bless us now with your resurrection life Spirit, sending us out with Good News, equipping and energizing us bless us now with your resurrection life The blessing of God, father, Son and Holy Spirit Be with you and with all whom you love now and always Amen  On Good Friday we would usually have our 3 hour meditation at Hoselaw Chapel to mark the hours on the cross. Usually we would have the seven readings, at the start, then at every half hour and after each people would sit in silence to meditate.
This year is obviously very different, but please feel free to sit from 12 till 3 or from 2 to 5 in the afternoon. Or just for a little time. A podcast of this meditation can be found on the podcast page of the website. Colin If anybody wishes to reflect on hymns for Good Friday, the following are appropriate (CH4): 377 – Go to dark Gethsemane 380 – There is a green hill far away 382 – O Sacred head, sore wounded 385 – Here hangs a man discarded 392 – When I survey the wondrous cross 399 – My song is love unknown 403 – Were you there when they crucified my Lord? 405 – We sing the praise.. I am using material in our meditations from Apprentices and Eyewitnesses by Chris Thorpe, ‘All desires known’ by Janet Morley, ‘Seasons with the Spirit’ ed Ruth Harvey and Roots Magazine. In the shadow of our suffering is the suffering of Jesus In the shadow of our weakness Is the vulnerability of the Christ In the shadow of our pain Is the God who cried out. We are never rejected We are never abandoned. First Reading – Mark 14: 32-50 We are in the olive groves of Gethsemane, and it is night and it is dark. Jesus is alone and lonely. The disciples have fallen asleep, and Jesus wrestles with what lies ahead. Humiliation, torture, even death. In Gethsemane Jesus dares to voice his heartfelt desire not to go through with it. ‘Take this cup away from me’. How many people struggling with the coronavirus have said that. Or ill with cancer or beset with problems. We long for the reality to be different, for a miracle to happen. Especially as Christians, we are supposed to have the spiritual resources to cope. Jesus was honest about his feelings, but equally he placed himself in God’s hands: But not my will but yours be done. Then the soldiers are upon them, and he is led away. Let us pray Lord Jesus, we wait with you in the darkness. We will watch with you now, in this moment when you need us. Help us to learn from your honesty, as we reflect on our own feelings on the challenges we face in life. We don’t want this cup. Why me? Give us grace to walk through the valley And come to the dawn of a new day with you. Amen. Second reading – Luke 22: 54-71 Simon Bailey reflected on the Women in the Good Friday story and here he imagines the Serving woman: ‘I am the serving woman in the courtyard by the fire. I was serving the men who had arrested Jesus. They wanted a drink while the High Priest worked out what to do with him. I recognised Jesus’ friend, though he wasn’t saying much, just keeping his distance. I felt sorry for him. I wondered what it was about this Jesus that earned such devotion. I spoke to his friend – to help really., but he swore at me - and at himself – that they were not friends. I watched as he got more agitated – and I watched Jesus , standing there inside, so silent, so still, so sad. But it was the last moment I will never forget, printed always on my mind, on my heart.. Just after his friend again denied knowing him, just before he ran off into the night, sobbing his heart out, Jesus turned round and looked at him. I know what that look meant. It meant need and pain, yes, but it also meant mercy, pity and forgiveness. I was shocked, shaken, for he wasn’t just looking at his friend, but at me and everyone else. He was looking at us all with mercy and forgiveness. Let us pray Jesus turned round and looked at him. Lord, we see ourselves in Peter. Like Peter, we deny you, like the disciples we run away from you. We fail you, we fail our world, but you speak your words of forgiveness and the look in your eye is that of love. Restore us ever to be your people in the community and in the world. Amen. Third Reading – Matthew 27: 11-31 Here is a reflection from Roots magazine, imagining how Pilate felt: It’s all my fault. I’m a weak man. They think I’m strong, but I’m not. They think I have power, but I don’t. The more power you get, the more you are desperate to hold on to it. The higher up the pole you climb, the more people are desperate to push you off. All the decisions I make are about me, about keeping my grasp on power, inching my way further upwards in the eyes of those above me. It was the same with him. I made that power calculation, but it wasn’t the same. I could sense it – he was like nobody else I’ve ever met – he wasn’t afraid of me. In him was the chance to break that dog-eat-dog cycle. He held it out to me, the chance to act selflessly for once in my life. And for a millisecond I was tempted, but I bottled out. I couldn’t do it. I failed him. I failed myself. I let us both down. I washed my hands. What if I had pardoned him? Who knows what would have happened. Probably there’d have been a riot. I would have sent out the soldiers and there would have been blood in the streets. Perhaps I would have lost my job, my position, maybe even my life, but could it have felt any worse than this? I have failed him – it’s all my fault. Oh, my Lord (I can’t believe I’m calling him that) – what have I done? It’s all my fault, I’m so sorry... Let us pray Almighty God, look in mercy upon this your family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was content to be betrayed and given into the hands of the wicked and to suffer death upon the cross: who is alive and glorified with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Fourth reading – Luke 23: 26, 32-43 Just after dawn we gathered in Jerusalem, to walk the Via Dolorosa, the way of the cross, and we took it in turns to carry the cross. It wasn’t anything like the size or weight of the cross Jesus would have carried, but it was awkward to carry, and when it was my turn, I was glad when someone helped. Simon of Cyrene was press ganged into carrying the cross for Jesus. It obviously made a big impact on him, and he and his sons were well known to the early church. Let us pray Jesus our brother. You followed the necessary path and were broken on our behalf. May we neither cling to our pain where it is futile, nor refuse to embrace the cost when it is required of us: that in losing ourselves for your sake, we may be brought to new life. Amen (Janet Morley) Fifth Reading – John 19: 16-27 I am Mary, his mother. I did not always understand my son – he never married to give me grandchildren, he left home and job to wander with his friends, he put other loyalties above his family and talked of sharing one father with all the world. I didn’t always understand him. But this I understand – this suffering and death. As much as it hurts, I know it isn’t unexpected: he knew that living as he did, loving as only he could do, healing, teaching, blessing, giving, would stir a bitter hatred that only he could cure. And only this way could he cure it. But I am his mother and remember the longing and aching for his birth. And now I long to take him in my arms again and hold him in his anguish. I am learning as he gives his friend into my care, and me to his, that all the future is this nurturing and nursing of each other to a new birth. Let us pray Lord Jesus, you draw us into new patterns of relationship and care. You help us to rebuild our broken communities through your generous, inclusive love. Help us now to open our homes and our hearts to find new ways to belong together within the promise of your kingdom. Amen. Sixth Reading – Mark 15: 29-39 – Is it nothing to you, all ye who pass by? In my living room wall there is a picture, bought in Namibia, of an African figure, arms outstretched, and it is called ‘Embracing the world’. Jesus on the cross had his arms outstretched to enfold the world in his love as he died on the cross. Read Isaiah 53: 1-9 and Psalm 22: 1-8 Let us pray Dying Stranger, your Arms stretch wide and draw my wretched life within the compass of your innocence. ‘Were the whole realm of nature mine that were an offering far too small, love so amazing, so divine demands my soul, my life, my all’. Seventh Reading – John 19: 31-42 Burial Let us pray Gracious God, your hands now bear the wounds, your heart now holds the agony of that appalling cross. Hold us in your everlasting arms As we face the little deaths of our daily lives And the great mystery of our own mortality. May we find you there beside us, Light in our darkest night. Amen You took our worst You gave your best You took our hate You gave your love You took that cross You changed everything We adore you, O Christ And we bless you  Palm Sunday
Hello Cheviot Churches! I hope everyone is well and bearing up in these strange times. It is easy to lose track of time, but this is Palm Sunday and the start to Holy Week. Some notices:
We tell your story, we follow in your footsteps Lead us into Holy Week We walk towards the city, we wait in the garden Lead us onto Holy Ground We journey towards death, we hope for resurrection Lead us into holy joy For those who wish to reflect on Palm Sunday hymns, the following are appropriate: 364 – All glory, laud and honour 365 – Ride on, ride on in majesty 366 – Come into the streets with me 367 – Hosanna, loud Hosanna 370 – Ride on, ride on the time is right 399 (v. 3) – My song is love unknown Let us pray Holy and gracious God, the same yesterday, today and forever, We draw into your presence at this strange time, when each day has a sense of sameness and when we continually try to motivate ourselves to get through each day. Help us to be still and know that you are God. (Pause) We see you in the new life all around us – in the lambs and calves in our fields, the shoots in our gardens and the blossom on our trees. We thank you for the gift of life, especially when our lives are being so challenged. Lead us through the trials and suffering, the fears and struggles, the tired times and hard dark places. Forgive our sins and transform us by your love. Transform us to grow and understand and see, that we can be made whole and in wholeness be your hands and heart in our communities and in our world, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught us when we pray to say: Lord’s Prayer. Readings - Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29 Matthew 21:1-11 Our weekly prayer from Arthur and Kathleen: Father God, as we move into Holy Week we commend ourselves and all those whom we live amongst, for whom Christ suffered, to His mercy and protection especially at this time when the coronavirus I so virulent. We join with those long ago who proclaimed " Blessed is he comes in the name of The Lord" as we worship JESUS "the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee", our Saviour and Lord. Amen. Reflection Last Thursday evening people stood at their windows or outside their homes and clapped. We wanted to show our deep, heart-felt appreciation for the work of all the NHS workers, of all involved at the frontline of dealing with this coronavirus. When Jesus entered into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, no doubt some applauded. Others were maybe less inhibited and waved branches and called out, ‘Hosanna, Hosanna. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord’. As a child I always loved Palm Sunday. There was always a party atmosphere in church. Palm Sunday is that kind of day. I was looking forward to my first Palm Sunday in Cheviot Churches. There had been a proposal that we walk around the churches in the parish -from Hownam to Morebattle to Linton to Hoselaw to Yetholm. It sounded quite daunting really, but I am sure there would have been much chat and good fellowship and even song. Certainly when I was in both Zambia and Israel/Palestine Palm Sunday meant joining with other denominations and processing through communities waving our palm branches – plenty of them in the church gardens there – and being a witness. Palm Sunday was tremendously strengthening. It was coming together, it was carnival time.
And he continues to challenge us, just as he did on that first entry into the city. People were cheering, for Jesus was making a point – he was enacting a prophecy from Zechariah, performing it in a bit of street theatre, riding a donkey, just as Zechariah said the Messiah would do. Here was the Messiah, the people thought, come to rid the city of the hated Romans, come to bring freedom. But it was a different kind of freedom Jesus would bring, for he came, not to wield the sword, but as the prince of Peace. ‘Hosanna’, the people cried, It means Save us. And indeed Jesus came to save, but the people only wanted quick solutions, and so their cheers of Hosanna would turn into jeers of Crucify. Matthew ends his passage by asking the question Who is this man? As we enter Holy Week, who do we say Jesus is? It will be a hard week ahead, a week of denial, betrayal and death, but one that leads to the unstoppable new life God offers to us all. Amen Let us pray O Christ, you entered the city as a poor man not in style but simply, yet still you caused uproar, and questions everywhere; you drew the expectations of a hungry crowd, and brought buried conflicts to the light. May we, who are sometimes swayed by the crowd's approval, and who often avoid conflict for fear of its cost to us, hold fast to the gospel of peace and justice and follow faithfully in your way of compassion and solidarity with those who are poor and excluded, wherever it may lead us. (Kathy Galloway) Holy God, as we enter this most solemn week in the Christian year, in these extraordinary times, help us to lament with the psalmist. As we are restricted in what we can do and must worship in households rather than in church buildings, help us to remember that the church is not closed – for church is people not buildings. We pray for all with whom we normally worship Sunday by Sunday… God in your mercy, hear our prayer. Holy God, we pray for those in authority as they grapple with the unexpected. Guide those who are giving the world’s leaders knowledge and expertise in these times. Give wisdom and courage to all in leadership, and when this is all over may humankind emerge strengthened. God in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Holy God, as we hear and see the news and exchange thoughts on social media, help us to remember all those less fortunate than ourselves, among them: those who are lonely, those who are angry, those who are distressed, those who are at their wits end, those who are struggling to get home, those who cannot get the help they need… God in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Holy God, we remember all those who are working to keep things going: those working in the NHS and those around it helping to keep things working, those keeping our streets clean and collecting our rubbish, those harvesting, delivering and selling the food in our shops, those keeping us secure and our utilities functioning, those looking after the children of key workers, those helping to care for the elderly and vulnerable, clergy of all religions seeking to minister in difficult times… God in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Holy God, we remember those who have died, whether from Covid-19 or from other causes. We pray for their families and friends especially as they arrange funerals so different from what they expected. We pray that they and we may come at the last to find peace in your presence. God in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Amen (Dudley Coates – Methodist local Preacher) Benediction The God of Jesus Christ – who calls us to walk with him to face the principalities and powers, to live the values of the upside-down Kingdom, to work, to challenge, to suffer – be with you this Holy Week. Now and for evermore. Amen  Hello, Cheviot Churches! What a week it has been. Suddenly we find our daily routines radically altered, as we are told to stay at home. I hope that you have adjusted to this new necessity; though we are so fortunate to live in this part of the world with the countryside all around us and with Spring in the air. Although we cannot see people to the same extent, we can keep in touch by phone and even by other forms of technology. I will be sending out these reflections and prayers every weekend, though I am conscious that many of our members do not have access to the internet. If you know of anyone who would like a printed copy, speak to Susan or myself.
One or two other ‘intimations’:
we wait faithfully for God. With our questions and anxieties, in our hopes and expectations, we wait faithfully for God. Come, let us worship the Lord our God together, and offer our prayers and praise in faithfulness Arthur has written our weekly prayer: Father God in his dealing with Mary, Martha and Lazarus Jesus showed his love for those friends who had become like family to him. We thank you for our friends and for the richness and diversity that they bring to our lives. Help us to believe your words to Martha " I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." Amen. Reflection on our lectionary Reading: John 11: 1-45 My brother Charlie retired in December and promptly went off to Crete in order to do some writing. He flew back on Sunday on the last plane out of Crete before it went into lockdown. Although he is in Ayrshire, it is good to know that he is around. Family and friends are important at this time. Family and friends are important to Martha and Mary. There was a crisis in Bethany. Their brother Lazarus was gravely ill, and they sent word to their great friend and mentor, Jesus, so that he could come. Everything would be fine if he came. But he didn’t come. The bible says he ‘tarried’. Bethany was near Jerusalem, and maybe he was concerned about the safety of the disciples and himself, maybe he had other things to do for other people. We don’t know, but when he did eventually arrive, Lazarus was already dead and buried. Martha reproached Jesus,’ If only you had been here, things would have been different.’ There is a lot of hurt and anger in her voice, as she obviously felt very let down. Sometimes we want to rage at God, Why is this happening to us? We are your people, don’t you care. In fact, we find this a lot in the Bible, especially in the book of Psalms When Jesus did come, he did two things: firstly. he saw the love and concern of the community around and saw the grave, and Jesus wept. I am impressed by the closeness of the community in Bethany and the support they offered Mary and Martha. We are lucky having close-knit communities here, ready to look out for one another. But also, we see that Jesus mourned alongside the family. He showed his human nature. I firmly believe that in this Coronavirus crisis, God weeps alongside us at the suffering of all the people. As we watch what is happening in the world – in places where the medical systems have been overwhelmed – we see confusion and grief. But it is a deep comfort to us all that God understands our fear, our anger, our sadness and our grief – and is with us at this time. Secondly, Jesus brought Lazarus back to life again. I am the resurrection and the Life, he told Martha. In the midst of grief, Jesus brought the most amazing, the most unimaginable, the most impossible, time of celebration, when he raised Lazarus back to life. It is all reminder that we are in the season of Lent, a time that Jesus suffered so greatly, but also a reminder that Easter is just a few weeks away, and that nothing will stop God’s power to bring life out of despair and sorrow. Amen Here is a reflection written by Richard Hendrick, which I found on the St Andrew’s Cairo website last week: Yes there is fear. Yes there is isolation. Yes there is panic buying. Yes there is sickness. Yes there is even death. But, They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise You can hear the birds again. They say that after just a few weeks of quiet The sky is no longer thick with fumes But blue and grey and clear. They say that in the streets of Assisi People are singing to each other across the empty squares, keeping their windows open so that those who are alone may hear the sounds of family around them. Today a young woman I know is busy spreading leaflets with her number through the neighbourhood So that the elders may have someone to call on. Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples are preparing to welcome and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way All over the world people are waking up to a new reality To how big we really are. To how little control we really have. To what really matters. To Love. So we pray and we remember that Yes there is fear. But there does not have to be hate. Yes there is isolation. But there does not have to be loneliness. Yes there is panic buying. But there does not have to be meanness. Yes there is sickness. But there does not have to be disease of the soul Yes there is even death. But there can always be a rebirth of love. Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now. Today, breathe. Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic The birds are singing again The sky is clearing, Spring is coming, And we are always encompassed by Love. Open the windows of your soul And though you may not be able to touch across the empty square, Let us smile and sing to our neighbours A prayer To all who are alone and self-isolating be a companion and friend. To children who can’t play with their friends and whose days lack structure: be a companion and friend. To those who have the virus and those who are concerned about loved ones: bring healing and comfort. To those who grieve for loved ones who have died: bring healing and comfort. To decision makers and all in authority: give wisdom and compassion. To neighbours and all who seek to help others: give wisdom and compassion. For those who work in the health service: we give thanks and ask your blessing. For those who care for us and make us smile: we give thanks and ask your blessing. In the name of Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life. Amen This hymn was written by Graham Leitch in response to the Coronavirus crisis: IN TIMES OF DANGER AND OF DOUBT (Tune: Repton) In times of danger and of doubt, When trials multiply, Lord, calm our fears and still our souls, Remind us of your truths of old: Help us on you rely. Help us on you rely. When changing our familiar ways, Help us adapt to change; Lord, give us persevering hearts, A spirit fit to face the task In comfort or in pain. In comfort or in pain Help us to see our neighbours' need, Our neighbours' burden share; To go for them that second mile, To love and give and help and smile In comfort or in pain. In comfort or in pain. Lord Jesus, you have suffered more, Your pain has known no end; You healed the sick, reclaimed the lame, In pity share each sufferer's pain, On you we now depend. On you we now depend. Day of Prayer Many of us lit a candle last week and said a prayer. We are being invited to do so again this Sunday at 7pm. Here is the prayer: We turn to you, our Father, for we need your help. Lord Jesus, as you have promised, be with us, whatever lies ahead, Strengthen us, Holy Spirit, as we face this together. We pray for our world and our country, as coronavirus threatens our lives and our livelihood, leaving many in lockdown, while key workers continue, despite the risk. We pray for government leaders at Westminster and Holyrood, responding to medical and scientific advice, making tough decisions for the wellbeing of all. We pray for all who serve on the frontline in the NHS and in social care; facing increasing numbers, overstretched resources and distressing human need. Bless those who are ill, those who are alone and afraid, those exhausted looking after their family, those worried for the vulnerable, those fearful for their finances, those shut in to their fears. Thank you for those who have returned from retirement to help, or joined the volunteer army. Thank you for those working: to manufacture needed resources, to find a vaccine, to keep in contact with the isolated, to encourage others at this time. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Give us faith, hope and love and hear our prayers, in Jesus' name. Amen.  Last Sunday at 7pm many of us placed candles in our windows, following the call of church leaders for a national day of prayer. I lit three, feeling extravagant with my prayers! It certainly gave me a sense of unity with fellow Christians around the globe, for this coronavirus is affecting people in every country. We lit the candles as a sign of solidarity and hope.
Our churches are now sadly closed, but I managed to go round and light a candle in each (apart from Hoselaw, as I remembered the matches, but not the candle!). Here are pictures to remind you of our churches. Colin |
Archives
July 2020
|
RSS Feed
