Sunday service for 10 May 2026, sixth Sunday of Easter
Sunday 10 May 2026, Sixth Sunday of Easter
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson
Manse phone: 632143
Email: TPeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk
If the video doesn’t play here, please click here to view on our YouTube channel!
Sanctuary Prelude Music (praise band)
Welcome
*loop
*tea/coffee
*visitors etc
*Bible Study Wednesday 7:30ish in the manse
*Exploratorium volunteers — especially kitchen and shepherds
*Prayer groups
God-sightings
We Gather As God’s Family (As the Bible is brought in, we stand and sing)
A family gathered in love,
striving for justice and joy,
blessing the broken-hearted,
and sharing the hope of God’s kingdom.
Opening Responses
One: God who knows us calls
All: inviting us to know God, too.
One: God who seeks us calls
All: inviting us to be curious enough to seek, too.
One: God who loves us calls
All: inviting us into life anew.
Sanctuary Hymn GWA202: God, May Our Church Reflect Your Grace
Easter Prayer
You were and you are and you will be, O God,
and by your word all things were created.
You cannot be contained by our ideas,
let alone by our buildings or our books,
and yet you let yourself be known to us
and you continually reveal your goodness.
While we fumble about seeking,
reaching for everything but you,
still you are near to us.
While we make you in our own image
confining you to our imaginations,
still you call us your own children
and bring forth your image in us.
God beyond,
we pray you would move us out of our bubble today.
Take us out of our comfort zone
and show us who you would have us meet,
what you would have us learn,
how you would have us share.
Give us hearts open to recognise you in the most unexpected places,
give us words to share your good news,
give us grace to go beyond as you do.
We praise you for your resurrection power
at work in your world even when we weren’t looking for it,
drawing us ever more into your grace
day by day,
wherever we find ourselves
in your beloved world as your beloved people.
We offer you all we are,
in worship and gratitude
in the name of our risen Lord, Jesus the Christ.
Amen.
Online Hymn: As We Gather (Resound)
Sanctuary Hymn GWA216: Build a Longer Table (tune: Noel Nouvelet)
Sanctuary Children’s Time
Scripture Reading: Acts 17.16-34
Last week we heard about Paul and Silas in Philippi. When they left there, they went on to Thessalonica, and then when a riot began there, they moved to Beroea, but once again the crowds rioted and it was decided that the group would split up — Paul would go to Athens and wait there for the rest of the team to join him once they had gotten things calmed down. We pick up today with Paul in Athens, in the book of Acts, chapter 17, beginning at verse 16, in the New Revised Standard Version.
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this pretentious babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.” Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.
Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely spiritual you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all peoples to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps fumble about for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said,
‘For we, too, are his offspring.’
“Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” At that point Paul left them. But some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
For the word of God in Scripture
For the word of God among us
For the word of God within us
Thanks be to God.
Sermon: if we are looking
Paul found himself in Athens — the city that considered itself the centre of culture, the birthplace of democracy, the home of the gods, and so much more. Athens was THE place to be for theatre, music, art, literature, philosophy, history, architecture, mythology, and religion. Athenians were basically the influencers of their day, the ones who determined if a new trend was…well, trendy. They talked about the newest thing, and tried to convince others to join in, to buy what they were selling whether it was ideas, worship, or the arts.
Paul walked around the city, like any tourist would, taking in all the sights. He listened to what people were talking about. He had conversations with people who lived there, both in the synagogue and the marketplace. Now remember he was in Athens because there had been riots in the last two towns he had visited, and the one before that he’d been flogged and thrown in prison…his companions were trying to calm things down and hoping he would stay out of trouble in a big city like Athens. So naturally Paul went round arguing with everyone about God…but in Athens they were so interested in new ideas, it went very differently than in those other towns.
By the time Paul came to the attention of the big name influencers, the philosophers who spoke in the agora and gathered followers, he had also been listening to what was going on around him, taking in some of the culture and surroundings. So when they asked him to come and teach at the Areopagus — the hill of the gods, where the big temples were, and also where the important conversations in the city would take place, whether philosophical or political — he was ready.
This was a completely different context than anyplace he’d been before. He was no longer speaking to people who shared his religion or culture. They were all in the Roman Empire and they spoke Greek but that was where similarity ended. So when he began to speak to them, he started out by trying to find common ground with them — he sees how spiritual and religious they are, and so is he! And this unknown God that they would make offerings to — just in case, you know, they didn’t want to miss out giving thanks to a god who had helped them when they didn’t realise it, because they didn’t want to make any gods angry, so the unknown god was a sort of catch-all to make sure they didn’t miss anyone. Paul knew who that would be, since of course there’s only one God, and they hadn’t realised yet. Thus he began to explain to them that actually that unknown god was the only One they needed to know…
And then from there he started to pull in other bits and pieces of their own culture to make connections they had never realised were there. He quoted a famous philosopher. He quoted a popular poet. He used the pop culture of the day to bring the presence of God to life in ways they recognised already.
There were nuggets of truth tucked into those writings and songs, for those with eyes and hearts to see. God is speaking everywhere, through every means possible, and the only question is whether we are paying attention. Paul showed the Athenians that they could look at their own pop culture with a different lens, and see something new. He didn’t just insist they put away all their literature and music and art and turn to only purposely-godly stuff, he heard the voice of God speaking through things that the artists didn’t even realise they had done.
That’s still true today, of course. There’s plenty of art, music, writing, television, films, and so on that can reveal messages from God if we are looking — even when that wasn’t what it was originally made to do. It might just be a line in a song, or a scene in a film. It might be an overarching message even in a storyline that appears at first glance to be contradictory or silly and shallow — one example from last year: KPop Demon Hunters is actually a story about how being real and vulnerable makes us stronger and makes it possible to build community, but trying to pretend we have it all together ends up making us weak and isolated…if we say we have no sin we deceive only ourselves, and cause more hurt and division, but when we are honest and tell the truth, there’s room for God to do something new and incredible. Now did the people who made that film intend to tell a story about confession and grace and God bringing people together across boundaries? Probably not. But God can certainly get the message across if we’re open to seeing it.
Paul says that we, God’s beloved creations, are always searching for God, fumbling about and perhaps even finding him, until we discover that God is actually so close we could reach out and touch anytime — our whole being, our whole lives, are actually held in God’s presence. We live our life in the context of God — and our cultural context is a part of that.
God doesn’t confine Godself to just one form of literature or music or art. What we call sacred is one medium, but God is just as capable of speaking through the secular…it’s us who makes that sacred-secular division, not God. And that division makes it harder to then talk about God with people outside our sacred bubble. If someone doesn’t know our holy writings or our church music, then it can feel like an impenetrable barrier. But Paul gives us an example of crossing that barrier — but notice it’s HIM that crosses it. He doesn’t insist that the Athenians come into his house of worship, read his scripture, sing his songs, and just get it. He crosses outward and listens, learns, enters their culture, and then makes the connections for them, to show them God speaking in their poets, in their songs, in their art, in hopes that they will want to know more.
What if we did that? What if we listened and watched and engaged with the culture of our day looking for God speaking…and when we find a tidbit, a line that resonates with the voice of God, we shared that? Even if the rest of the song seems an unlikely place to find God, a line or two can be powerful. Even if the setting of the film feels like the opposite of what we normally think of as holy, the message may be true and it can help us make a connection that someone might never have seen.
God is speaking everywhere, using every medium and every method, because God wants to be found, to be known. God wants us to recognise Christ in our midst, not only in our little separate sacred box but alive in the world, bringing people from every place and time, every culture and background, together in the kingdom. So Paul shows us how to keep our eyes open, to look and listen for God’s voice using the media of our day, and to make connections that reach people where they are and show them that God is closer than we ever imagined. As George MacLeod put it, God is closer than our hands and feet, nearer than our own breath. So of course we will see God just as active in our pop culture as in the Athenian poetry and philosophy and sculpture…if we are looking.
May it be so. Amen.
Sanctuary Silence for Reflection
Online Hymn: Christ Was Raised (Resound)
Sanctuary Hymn: God of History — Recent, Ancient (text: Jane Parker Huber 1926-2008; tune: Hyfrydol)
Sanctuary Offering and Response: Response 410 v. 4 (organ)
Sing we to our God above: Alleluia!
Praise eternal as his love: Alleluia!
Praise him, all you heavenly host: Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: Alleluia!
Sanctuary: Blessing Charlene on her Journey
Online: Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
You are the source of life and ground of being,
and we find ourselves at home in your presence,
giving thanks for your grace that calls us into community
and guides us as people of good news in the world.
And yet the world begs for good news,
for a blessing that so often feels far off.
And so we bring our prayers today
for the building of your community of hope,
that we may seek out others we can learn from,
and find common ground,
to work together toward your kingdom.
We bring our prayers today
for those communities that are being torn apart instead.
We see the sowing of division,
the blossoming of hatred,
the persistence of violence.
We ask you to make us both willing and able
to stand up for the truth,
to reach out with love,
to demand better,
to work for peace in our own words and ways.
May your grace be a model for our living.
We bring our prayers today
for those places where people seek but so rarely find —
for our neighbours who live on the edge, uncertain if there will be enough food this month,
for our neighbours who are isolated or lonely, wishing for someone to talk to,
for our neighbours who fill their emptiness with things that can never satisfy,
and find themselves caught in cycles of addiction,
for our neighbours who fear what tomorrow may bring.
Make your abundant life real, loving God.
Provide from your bounty
and set them free from all that harms them.
We trust you are the One who holds all life in your hands,
and we pray you would hold them especially close in your heart,
and that you would open our hearts to hold them close, too,
in prayer and in action.
On the 10th day of the month we bring our prayers as your St John’s family
*For all who live and work in the Midton and Trumpethill areas.
*For the Contact Group and other fellowship groups at St John’s, that they may learn and deepen friendships together in your presence.
*For the land, people, and governments of the nations of Libya, Malta, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Cape Verde.
Set our curiosity and our passion to the service of your kingdom,
by loving our neighbour as you have loved us.
We ask our prayers and we offer you all we are,
in worship and gratitude in the name of the One whose resurrection
brings life to us all,
and who taught us to pray together:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Sanctuary Hymn GWA176: My Lighthouse (praise band)
Sending
God is always speaking and reaching out to us — may you live with eyes and heart open to recognise God’s presence in the unexpected connections.
And as you go, may the Spirit of God go above you to watch over you. May the Spirit of God go beside you to be your companion. May the Spirit of God go before you to show you the way, and behind you to push you into places you might not go alone. And may the Spirit of God go within you, to remind you that you are loved more deeply than you can possibly imagine. May the fire of God’s love burn brightly in you, and through you into the world. Go in peace. Amen.
Sung Benediction Response (John L Bell, tune Gourock St John’s)
Now may the Lord of all be blessed,
Now may Christ’s gospel be confessed,
Now may the Spirit when we meet
Bless sanctuary and street.
Sanctuary Postlude Music (praise band)
Announcements
* We worship in the sanctuary on Sundays at 11am, and Sunday worship is also online.
* The first Sunday of the month at 11am is an all-age service, with different ways of encountering God’s word without a traditional sermon. All people — young and old, different personalities and learning styles, are welcome! You’ll find a more informal service with a variety of music, a Bible story, prayer, and some more interactive elements. The online service for the first Sunday will therefore also be different — there will still be a reading, prayers, and music, but usually not a sermon.
* Starter Packs are in need of Shampoo, Deodorant, Shaving Foam, Bathroom/Kitchen Cleaner.
The FoodBank are short of cereal, biscuits, UHT milk, juice, and tinned meals.
You can bring donations to the church and place them into the boxes in the vestibule. Thank you!
* Bowl & Blether is on the first Mondays of the month, with doors open from 11:30-1:30, and lunch served from noon. All are welcome for a bowl of soup, a toastie, a friendly chat in our warm hall! See you next month on the 1st of June!
* Registration will be open soon for the summer exploratorium: On Holy Ground, an Inverclyde Staycation, the week of 27 July! We are looking for some volunteers — especially in the kitchen, and in crafts, as well as in shepherding groups. If you would be interested in learning more about volunteering, please speak to Teri or Graham Bolster.
* Free period products are available in the church toilets for anyone who might need them, thanks to Hey Girls and Inverclyde Council.
* Did you know that the ministry we do at St John’s costs about £3000 per week and we are currently running about £500 short? Everything we do is funded by your generous giving — all our support for young people, older people, bereavement care, community outreach, worship, study, spiritual growth, and community work is because of your offering. If you would like to set up a standing order in order to facilitate your spiritual discipline of giving, or if you would like to make an extra gift to support the ministry St. John’s does in our parish, you can give online by clicking here. If you would like to set up a standing order, please contact Teri and she can give you the treasurer’s details. You can also send your envelopes to the church or the manse by post and we will ensure they are received.
* Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Youtube, and to sign up for our email newsletter! Midweek you can watch Wine and the Word and Theology Thursday on Youtube, get snippets of thought or inspiration following Teri on TikTok, and of course keep up with announcements and events on Facebook and our weekly email.
