Sunday service for 16 June 2024

Sunday 16 June 2024
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson
Manse: 632143 Mobile: 07549 866888
Email: TPeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk
Email Charlene, Parish Assistant: CMitchell (at) churchofscotland.org.uk

Prelude Music

Welcome & Announcements

*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.

Call to Worship: from Psalm 46 and our mission statement
All: God is our refuge and strength!
1: God is with us, present to help in every trouble.
2: Therefore we will not fear, even though everything changes.
3: God is in the midst of the city, it shall not be moved.
All: God has called us the Body of Christ,
a family gathered in love,
striving for justice and joy,
blessing the broken-hearted,
sharing the hope of God’s kingdom
1: standing on God’s promises,
2: trusting the Spirit’s leading,
3: we will be the hands and feet of Jesus,
All: serving with love, joy, and generosity.

*Sanctuary Hymn GWA198: Let’s Walk Together or 198: Let Us Build a House

Prayer
Blessed are you, O Lord our God,
for you pour out your grace
and bring forth a people to reveal your love for the world.
Fulfil your word, even now,
that even the familiar may lead us to unexpected blessing,
and we may find ourselves
living in your kingdom on earth.
Every word you speak
can be sustenance for those who would live today in your kingdom, O God.
We confess that we would prefer to skim over some, though.
Every blessing your pour out
brings light into the shadows of this world, that all may see.
We confess that when we see what comes along with some blessings, though, we would rather not.
Every person you call into your way of life
changes the flavour of the world, until everyone can taste and see that you are good.
We confess that we feel too small to make much difference,
so we’d rather just be more palatable and blend in, please.
Forgive us, Holy One, when we choose to opt out of your kingdom of heaven come on earth.
Forgive us when we choose the world’s shallow blessing instead of your deep grace.
Forgive us when we ignore the little things in your word, even as they add up.
Re-light our lamps and re-salt our lives
that we may recognise ourselves in your image
and join again in revealing your presence and purpose.
Amen.

Hymn GWA198: Let’s Walk Together

Sanctuary Children’s Time
Song:
The kingdom of God is justice and peace,
and joy in the Holy Spirit!
Come, Lord, and open in us
the gates of your kingdom.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5.1-16 (New Revised Standard Version)
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

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: Sharing the Hope of God’s Kingdom
I have found myself involved in several conversations over the past few weeks where someone said something like “but that’ll never happen.” Like it is impossible to even imagine changes to our political or economic or social systems that would make them work for regular people. It’ll never happen…and I always want to say “that’s because we don’t want to make it happen.”

Imagine if that’s what the crowds had said when Jesus said “blessed are the peacemakers..blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake…blessed are the poor…” — like what if they’d shouted back up the hillside “yeah that’ll never happen!”

Jesus gave us a vision of God’s kingdom, and the foundation of that vision is blessing, specifically God’s blessing for those who don’t get many of the world’s good things, those who have to live at the sharp end of our cynicism when we just assume a better world is impossible.

Jesus laid out the vision. And then he gave us the assignment to put it into action.

I wonder how often we’ve then said “that’ll never happen.” As if the vision of God’s kingdom is impossible, naive, silly.

Because the thing is, every time someone has said that to me these past few weeks, it’s when we’ve been talking about someone, usually just one person, who has been trying to do things a different way, and been told that it isn’t possible, they have to just fit into the boxes the world already understands. To live and think and work outside those boxes, to try to create a new way, is foolish…the ideal they seek will never happen, so they should just give in.

But wouldn’t that be even more true of this vision Jesus has laid out? I mean…a society in which the people who are blessed are not the rich and powerful but the meek and poor and merciful?

The kingdom of God is, by definition, beyond our reach and imagining. We have to trust that God’s promise is true, even if we can’t see it yet. Part of that is trusting that God’s kingdom is actually already present: Jesus said that the kingdom of God is here, at hand. He embodied it himself and he made us, the Body of Christ, to embody it in the world too. So unless we’re going to call Jesus silly and naive and foolish and idealistic…we who have been made to be the hands and feet of Jesus have work to do.

Jesus laid out his vision of a world of blessing, and then he said: YOU are the salt of the earth, the light of the world. YOU — WE — are the ones who will reveal the kingdom of God already present and show the way to be a part of it. Light isn’t meant to be looked at, it’s meant to make other things visible. Salt, too, enhances other flavours more than it should call attention to itself.

But today I want to think about how salt makes you thirsty. Salt is very drying, it makes us long for a drink. Cynically, we all know that’s why pubs have salty snacks, right?

But if we are the salt of the earth — that means we are the ones who ought to make people thirst for the living water. The way we live, the way we serve, the way we speak and behave and vote and act and treat each other…all of that should be the kind of salt that drives people to the fount of living water. Not that we draw attention to ourselves, because no one likes too much of that kind of salt…but rather that we point people toward where their real desire can be met.

We say we want to be people who share the hope of God’s kingdom — what better way than to make people thirst for the living God? To be the light that reveals the truth already present, and the power that enables our community to work to make it our everyday reality?

We can only do this if we stand firm on God’s promise. We can’t stand on anything else — not on the way we’ve always done it, not on our sarcastic or cynical responses, not on our own strength or or our own comfort or our own desires. We have to be standing on God’s promise, that this kingdom is real and it is here and it is based on God’s love for the world. If we trust that promise, then we will be able to trust the Spirit’s leading…even when the Holy Spirit takes us places we would rather not go.

I won’t say that the Holy Spirit ONLY takes us where we would rather not go, because that isn’t true — sometimes the Spirit leads us into places that feel perfect from the word go. But I will say that most of the time the journey is harder than the destination, and we have to trust that the Spirit knows what she’s doing, even if it isn’t the route we would have preferred. Following the Holy Spirit paradoxically requires us to stand firm on God’s promise. It feels weird to say that we have to stand firm in order to follow our guide, but…well, faith is often a mystery, isn’t it! No one ever said that standing firm in God’s promise meant standing STILL. Even on the banks of the Red Sea the Israelites were told both to stand firm and see what God would do and to walk forward into the sea as the waves parted. At the same time, standing and moving. Trusting the Spirit’s leading, we too can find ourselves safely in a new land, even if the journey is terrifying.

Which is why sharing the hope of God’s kingdom is so important. Because often the journey to get there is terrifying. And if there’s just one person doing it alone, while the rest of us look on with our jaded worldview, it’s easy for them to get discouraged. But when we share the hope, keep the vision ever in front of our eyes, stand on the promise, and trust the Spirit’s leading, anything is possible. Literally anything: the whole world could be different, even though the path to get to it is difficult, if we do it together.

I don’t know about you but I have had about half a dozen hymns in my head while thinking about this…we could have sung the one about hobgoblins and being a pilgrim, or Courage Brother, or Put All Your Trust In God, or Look Forward in Faith…

But instead I’ve chosen a hymn that lays out a vision of God’s kingdom gathered around a table, where the invited guests include people that we might never have put together, much as Jesus lays out the vision of blessing for people his first followers thought were definitely not blessed. In the kingdom of God, all are welcome. In the kingdom of God, we sit side by side with each other. In the kingdom of God, the blessing is for people we never expected. And this is the hope we are meant to be sharing: because we have experienced the welcome and love of God’s family table, we can pull up another chair and make room for others. The journey to get to that point might be difficult but the result is worth it, so instead of saying it’ll never happen, let’s be the people of God who make it happen.

May it be so. Amen.

Hymn 685: For Everyone Born 

Sanctuary Offering

*Sanctuary Offering Response: We Are An Offering

Invitation to Communion
At this table, Christ is revealed in the ordinariness of life—
as once he was revealed in a rabbi teaching from a hillside,
now he is revealed in a meal shared among the family of God,
simple bread and wine, the stuff of life handed down from generation to generation.
It is here, at Christ’s table, where brokenness leads to wholeness.
It is here, at Christ’s table, where we see him most clearly,
and where we are given eyes to see him at every table.
It is here, at Christ’s table, where we share the hope of his kingdom,
first in bread and wine, then in peace, then in life.
This is not a feast only for Presbyterians, this table does not belong to the church—
this is the joyful feast of the people of God,
and it is Christ himself who invites you, all of you,
to come, eat, drink, and see.

Communion Hymn 19: Ye Gates

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe,
for your promise and vision shine out from your first word,
your river of mercy flows through the desert,
your word is living and active,
guiding your people in paths of love and justice.
In the beginning, you brought light into darkness,
and created a people to reflect your glory.
In the beginning, you called creation out of the dust and the waters
planted your people by streams of living water,
wrote your word upon our hearts,
fed us with your abundance beyond our understanding,
showed us your kingdom right now among us,
and taught us how to live your way here on earth.
When we have lost our way or turned away,
you shone the light all the brighter,
calling us through the words of prophets
and even in the life of your Son,
who was born as we are born, breathed and ate and walked and lived as we do,
who not only revealed your way
but is the way.
And even now, your Spirit burns like flame
in our hearts
in the community
in your word
at this table.
As we come, drawn by your still small voice echoing in our minds and hearts,
we give you thanks for those you have given us as earthly fathers,
those who have given their strength and support to us over the years,
those who have provided for us out of your abundance,
and shared with us your refuge and love.
We remember today those whose fathers have gone on ahead,
and those who are ill or struggling today,
those who long to be fathers or whose children have died,
and we remember too those whose own fathers were not a faithful representation of your love.
We ask your blessing on those who grieve as on those who celebrate.
Here at this table, surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
we pray for your grace to fall like gentle rain on any wounded places within us and your world,
for we carry burdens of shame, of hurt, of grief, of fear.
We carry a world crying out, longing for relief.
We see violence and hatred, apathy and disgust, power misused and people treated as disposable.
We see your church, sometimes faltering, sometimes divided, sometimes faithful, sometimes hurtful.
On this 16th day of the month, we join our hearts as your church family to pray:
*For all who live and work in the Hillside Road / Arran View (Weymouth Crescent) neighbourhood, and those who visit and walk around the reservoir.
*For the music ministry of St John’s: for the choir, the praise band, the organist, and all who enable our worship and prayer through music.
*For the land, people, and governments of the nations of Ethiopia, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Chad, Sudan, and Eritrea.
May all people stand firm on the promise you have given,
and so know the hope of your kingdom present among us even now.
Wash away the hardness of our hearts,
and give us courage to act out of love rather than fear or anger,
courage to love and trust you more than we trust our traditions and desires and jaded worldviews.
When we shade our eyes against the brightness of your way,
help us see what you see.
When we think we know how things are supposed to go,
remind us that you, not we, are the author of this story.
When we are tempted to settle into a comfortable routine
of self-righteousness, hopelessness, or convenience,
awaken us to your new thing,
and make us partners in your creating.
As we break bread together,
may our hearts be broken with yours.
As we who are many are gathered into one body like grain into one loaf,
may your Spirit knead us together.
As we bring the gifts we have to offer
may our hearts be open to receive your gift once again this day,
and may your church be strengthened to be a gift to your world,
sharing the hope of your kingdom the way we share this bread and cup together.
As we share the same meal you, Lord, have shared
with disciples, with enemies, with the church through the ages,
may our eyes be opened and may we recognise you.
We pray these and all things in the name of Jesus Emmanuel, God with Us, 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.

Words of Institution

Communion of the People

Prayer After Communion
We give you thanks, O Lord,
for once again you have filled us with good things—
not just bread and wine, but your very self.
Now may this glimpse of your kingdom sustain us,
and give us eyes to see you at work in every place,
and strength to be your body in the world.
As you have blessed the bread and broken it,
you have blessed us and let light shine through the cracks.
Make us your people, again and again,
light for the world,
sharing the hope of your kingdom.
In Jesus name. Amen.

Sharing the Peace

*Sanctuary Hymn 251: I, the Lord of Sea and Sky

Benediction
Go from this time together to share the hope of God’s kingdom, standing on God’s promises, trusting the Spirit’s leading, we will be the hands and feet of Jesus, serving with love, joy, and generosity.
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 Go, go before you to show you the way and behind you to push you into places you might not go alone; 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.

Postlude Music

Announcements

* We worship in the sanctuary on Sundays at 11am, and Sunday worship is also online. If you are able, please enter by the front door in Bath street, and only those who need step-free access should use the back door. If you feel unwell, please worship online, to protect both yourself and others in our community.

* Teri is off from Friday the 21st of June until Friday the 28th of June. If you have a pastoral need, please contact Cameron or Charlene.

* Starter Packs are in need of Shampoo, Soap, Shaving Foam, Cleaning Cloths, and Washing-up liquid.

The FoodBank are in need of Diluting juice, Cereal (not porridge please), tinned potatoes, pasta sauce and tinned meat. You can bring donations to the church and place them into the boxes in the vestibule. Thank you!

* A funeral service to celebrate the life of Mr Mitchell Thomson will be held on Tuesday, 18th June at 1pm, at Greenock Crematorium.
* A funeral service to celebrate the life of Mrs Kate McQueen will be held on Wednesday, 19th June at 3pm, at Greenock Crematorium.

* The Kirk Session will meet on Tuesday, 9th July at 7.30pm, to continue its discussions on our 2024 Vision.

* Did you know that the ministry we do at St John’s costs about £3000 per week? 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. 
It is also possible to donate to the work of the parish assistant, speak to Anne Love about how to go about directing new donations to that new item in the budget.

* Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Youtube, and to sign up for our email devotions! Midweek you can watch Wine and the Word on Youtube, pray with video devotions on Facebook, and consider a new angle on something with a devotional email. Feel free to share with your friends, too!

* Wednesday Evening Bible Study has a very sporadic summer schedule so please check in with Teri about whether it meets this week.

* Free period products are available in the church toilets for anyone who might need them, thanks to Hey Girls and Inverclyde Council.

* The Sunday evening service is on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month. We’ll have toasties and sandwiches together from 5:30 and the service will start at the back of 6. All are welcome for this simple meal and time of worship. The Sunday evening service is informal and reflective, with guitar-based music, Bible readings, and prayer for our parish. Come along and discover practical ways to apply the word to your life, in a chilled vibe that fosters connection and reflection. The next evening service is next week, the 23rd of June.

* Join us at “God’s Kitchen Table” for the summer exploratorium, the week of the 29th of July! Registration for this holiday club for children entering P1 – P7 is now open on the church website. If you’d like to volunteer please speak to Teri, Charlene, or Graham Bolster.