Sunday service for 25 July 2021
Sunday Service for 25 July 2021, 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday school Revisited week 9
Service prepared by the Rev. Teri Peterson, Gourock St. John’s
Manse phone: 632143
Email: tpeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk
To hear an audio recording of this service, phone 01475 270037. There is no sermon or intercessions manuscript available today.
This week we welcome guest preacher the Rev. Elana Keppel Levy. Elana is co-pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Bixby, Oklahoma. She introduces herself this way:
“I am a co-pastor with my delightful spouse Rev. Lucus Levy Keppel at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Bixby, Oklahoma. (Given my dreadful technology curse and general computational ineptitude, my website literally could not exist without the snake charming tech skills of Lucus. Thanks, sweetie!)
“I see God’s work inscribed throughout the world. Growing up with a Jewish father and Presbyterian mother, religious conversations were all playful and interfaith. Engaging and appreciating difference meant that exact agreement was not required to cultivate a beautiful life that pleases God.
“From a very young age, I have been drawn to the study of the Holocaust, particularly those who acted with such cruelty. I learned German in school, and received undergraduate degrees in German language and psychology. I spent ten years working as a freelance translator focusing on documents about concentration camp guards (thanks to the ongoing projects and vital work of Dr. Susan Eischeid). I have spent most of my life pursuing questions: How could humans commit such evil acts? Who are we when we stray from our creaturely calling? What can Christians do to cultivate justice? These unanswerable questions prompt me to see people as people first and to try to reach out even when hope seems lost.
“After college, I earned a Masters of Social Work with a special focus on older adults, the bereaved, and those traumatized by sexual assault. God’s presence is most strongly felt when we are present, attentive, and loving to one another. Feeling strongly called to the ministry, I completed my Masters of Divinity and received a call as a Pastoral Care Associate in Roswell, NM (where I ministered to all comers, even aliens!).
“I love movies (and quoting them!); games and puzzles; deep conversations that come out of nowhere; prayer from the heart; and moments of genuine human kindness.”
Prelude Music (in person only)
Welcome/Announcements
Call to Worship
One: Come, servants of the Living God!
Bring your prayers to the Lord who delivers and rescues,
who works signs and wonders.
All: With childlike trust, we come with hope,
that we might see God in our midst this day.
Prayer
Holy God, your power is unlike any we know.
You do not coerce or pressure, like human powers.
When we are faced with bad-faith uses of power,
we pray you would give us the good faith to resist,
to continue in your way, for you have never failed us yet.
You are faithful, and you call us to live with hope even when we cannot see hope.
You call us to wait for you, even when we want to see you right now.
You call us to pray, and to be an answer to prayer, even in the midst of opposition.
We confess that we are prone to giving in to the other voices,
the ones offering power and prosperity if only we will turn away from you.
And we admit that we often find it easier to hide our faith instead,
to keep it private so as not to rock the boat.
We give in to those who want us to keep quiet
so they can be comfortable with injustice,
and so we are complicit.
Forgive us, God.
Forgive our easy rejection of your call for our convenience.
Forgive our unwillingness to pray through the night and stand firm in the morning.
Forgive us, and call us out again to live as your people,
witnessing to your power and grace.
We ask in the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Music
Online: Hymn 600, Spirit of God, unseen as the wind
In person: __________
First Reading: Mark 8.31-38 (New Revised Standard Version)
Then Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’
Second Reading: Daniel 6, selected verses (New Revised Standard Version)
Soon Daniel distinguished himself above all the other presidents and satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom. So the presidents and the satraps tried to find grounds for complaint against Daniel in connection with the kingdom. But they could find no grounds for complaint or any corruption, because he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption could be found in him. The men said, ‘We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.’
So the presidents and satraps conspired and came to the king and said to him, ‘O King Darius, live for ever! All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counsellors and the governors, are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an interdict, that whoever prays to anyone, divine or human, for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into a den of lions.
Although Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open towards Jerusalem, and to get down on his knees three times a day to pray to his God and praise him, just as he had done previously. The conspirators came and found Daniel praying and seeking mercy before his God.
Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!’ A stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no food was brought to him, and sleep fled from him.
Then, at break of day, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions. When he came near the den where Daniel was, he cried out anxiously to Daniel, ‘O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you faithfully serve been able to deliver you from the lions?’ Daniel then said to the king, ‘O king, live for ever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong.’ Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Sermon by Rev. Elana Keppel Levy
No manuscript available — please call the tape ministry phone number to hear the full service with sermon
Music
Online: He Never Failed Me Yet
In person: Hymn: How Clear is Our Vocation, Lord (by Fred Pratt Green, tune: Repton)
Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
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.
In Person: Sung Hymn 513, Courage, brother! do not stumble
Benediction
SUNG Benediction Response (tune: Gourock St. John’s, words by John L Bell)
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 (in person only)
Announcements
* Teri will be off from the 19th – 29th of July. Please contact Cameron or your elder for any pastoral emergencies.
* All worship is online (or on the phone at 01475 270037, or in print) and we also meet in person, subject to the usual protocols for distancing, hand hygiene, mask wearing, and some limited singing! We can welcome approximately 35 people for worship, so if you would like to come in person, please phone Cameron (630879) on a MONDAY afternoon between 1-3pm or Anne Love (07904 617283) on a Saturday morning between 10-12 to book a place.
* Tonight we will gather with Christians across the nation for evening prayer on the Connect Facebook Page. David is leading tonight’s service, log on at 6:58pm to join in.
* The Kirk now has online giving! If you have not already 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 Peter Bennett, our treasurer, or Teri and she can give you his details. You can also send your envelopes to the church or the manse by post and we will ensure they are received. Remember: no one is coming to your door to collect your envelopes, so please stay safe!
* 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!
Sunday service for 11 July 2021
Sunday Service for 11 July 2021, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday school Revisited week 7
Service prepared by the Rev. Teri Peterson, Gourock St. John’s
Manse phone: 632143
Email: tpeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk
To hear an audio recording of this service, phone 01475 270037
Today we welcome guest preacher the Rev. Marci Glass, senior pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, California. The Rev. Marci Auld Glass is a graduate of Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas and Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. Before becoming Senior Pastor at Calvary, Marci served as Pastor & Head of Staff at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Boise, Idaho. Before moving to Boise, she served in Youth Director roles at churches in New Mexico and Washington state.
She is the Co-Moderator of the Board of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, and Moderator of Planned Parenthood’s Clergy Advocacy Board. She also serves on Columbia Theological Seminary’s Alumni Board.
Marci and her husband, Justin have two sons: Alden, who recently graduated from the law school at Duke in North Carolina, and Elliott, a recent graduate of Trinity University, where he majored in Geosciences. Marci also has an older son, Eric, who she placed for adoption when she was in college. He and his wife Ashley live in Dallas, TX and are expecting their first child.
In her free time, she studies the Enneagram, hikes as much as her new bionic knee will allow, and plays the cello. She occasionally blogs at www.marciglass.com.
~~~~~
Prelude Music (in person only)
Welcome/Announcements
Call to Worship
Teri: God is with us! In the flesh, and in the Spirit.
All: We come looking for God…who is everywhere present.
1: God is with us, and will give us both comfort and challenge.
2: God is with us, and will speak truth and call for faith.
1: In the least expected places and moments,
2: in the least expected people and groups,
All: we can see God’s face and serve God’s kingdom.
Prayer
God of love and justice, you created us to be like you. You put your breath of life in us. You called us to live as true reflections of your image, loving, serving, and caring for the world.
We place our hands over our eyes, and confess that more often than not, we have looked away from suffering, choosing to ignore the needs of those around us and around the world, closing our eyes to signs of injustice, poverty, and despair.
We place our hands over our ears, and confess that we are good at covering our ears and blocking out the cries of those in need, those whose tears are their only food, those whose grief threatens to overwhelm.
We place our hands on our legs, and confess that we have often walked our own way, for your way requires more effort than we are willing to make.
We place our hands on our mouths, and confess that sometimes our words hurt others — accidentally or on purpose. And we confess, too, that we often keep silent when we ought to speak up on behalf of those whose voice has been silenced by bullying, by trauma, by injustice.
We place our hands on our hearts, and confess that they are often full of things contrary to your desire for us, and there is no room to love you and our neighbour and ourselves at the same time.
And we lift our hands to you, offering you all our wrongdoing, all our brokenness, and praying you would lift this burden. Take from us any thought that does not glorify you. Fill us instead with your purpose — to love as we are loved, with eyes and ears and hearts and hands open.
We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Music
Online: Hymn 362, Heaven Shall Not Wait
In person: Conchita Reve’ by Turina
Children’s Time
Reading: Matthew 25.31-40 (NRSV)
‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
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 by Marci Glass: Led by the Shepherd
(video only, or print manuscript on request)
Music
In person: hymn 362, Heaven Shall Not Wait
Online: When Our Songs, by Resound Worship
Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
Your goodness resonates through the world, O God.
We see it rippling out, passed from one to another,
as we share the love you have given us.
In love, you create and sustain all things.
In love, you offer yourself to us.
In love, you call us to follow your way.
And in love, we come before you,
with gratitude and praise
and with fears and prayers.
We give you thanks for your constant care,
for the beauty of your image in every face,
for the hope of spring and the wonder of new life.
We give you thanks for revealing yourself in the world around us,
and even through us and our neighbours.
And we also wonder, Lord,
about those places where love seems absent,
or where faith falters,
or where there is no peace.
And so our prayers arise for our neighbours who live with hunger—
for food and for grace.
We know the needs hidden behind closed doors,
shunted to food banks to be solved,
and we long for the day when there will be enough for everyone
to be nourished and to thrive.
We ask your blessing for those who do not feel they can ever be enough,
and for the grace to offer them comfort and help.
Our prayers arise for our neighbours who live in fear—
for children growing up amidst violence,
for parents longing for an escape,
for nations that cannot make peace.
In a world that chooses war,
where greed and powermongering drive our decisions,
we pray for leaders to have the courage to choose justice,
to work for the common good,
and to provide paths of health, peace, and prosperity for all people.
We ask your blessing on those who work for the flourishing of others,
helping where there is hurt,
and putting others ahead of themselves,
seeking a way forward toward wholeness in a fractured world.
Our prayers arise for our neighbours who suffer with illness,
in body, mind, or spirit,
and for those who care for them.
When bodies betray us,
when minds wander and can’t be brought back,
when spirits feel shrouded in darkness,
we pray for your healing spirit to flow,
bringing comfort and hope,
surrounding your people with healing hands and hearts,
and friendship and compassion even when days grow short.
We ask your blessing on those who spend their days in the care of others,
that they may have open minds and a loving touch,
that they may share in your healing ways.
And, O God, our prayers arise for your church,
for our sense of wonder,
for our faithfulness,
and our ability to tell the truth about ourselves and about you.
Make us your Body,
your hands and feet, your eyes and heart,
reaching out into your world.
We ask your blessing on us,
that we may resonate with your love and grace,
that we may reflect your image,
offering food to the hungry and water to the thirsty,
visiting the sick and imprisoned,
welcoming the stranger and the outcast,
living faithfully in the way, truth, and life you offer.
We pray these and all things in the name of Jesus the Christ,
whose perfect love casts out fear,
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.
In Person only — Sung Hymn 521, Children of God, Reach Out to One Another
Benediction
Friends, go — go be Christ’s body, which means Go to be safety, go to share compassion, go to embody the welcome of Christ that has received and welcomed you your whole life long. Go to feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, and welcome the stranger, and visit the sick and imprisoned. And may the grace of God, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and the care and guidance of our shepherd Jesus follow you this day and evermore. Amen. Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord.
SUNG Benediction Response (tune: Gourock St. John’s, words by John L Bell)
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 (in person only)
Sacro Monte (about a Holy Mound in Granados), by Turina
Announcements
* All worship is online (or on the phone at 01475 270037, or in print) and we also meet in person, subject to the usual protocols for distancing, hand hygiene, mask wearing, and some limited singing! We can welcome approximately 35 people for worship, so if you would like to come in person, please phone Cameron (630879) on a MONDAY afternoon between 1-3pm or Anne Love (07904 617283) on a Saturday morning between 10-12 to book a place.
* Tonight we will gather with Christians across the nation for evening prayer on the Connect Facebook Page. Karen is leading tonight’s service, log on at 6:58pm to join in.
* The Kirk now has online giving! If you have not already 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 Peter Bennett, our treasurer, or Teri and she can give you his details. You can also send your envelopes to the church or the manse by post and we will ensure they are received. Remember: no one is coming to your door to collect your envelopes, so please stay safe!
* 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!
* VENDA UPDATE:
We are in the middle of the winter here in Venda and cold days are very cold with a little bit of rain sometimes and warm days are very hot. The country has moved to Level 4 as of 27 June 2021, no gathering, restaurants only open for takeaway, no sales of alcohol, and all schools will be closing on the 30th of June 2021 until the 19 of July 2021. The minister of Education made the announcement on the 20th of June 2021 that all teachers and all the people working at schools will be getting vaccines starting with government schools and then the private school will follow later as of the 23rd of June 2021. This is great news if all goes well, by the 19 of July 2021 we will all have got the vaccine. Adults from 60+ have been getting vaccines since the 1st of May 2021.
Since the school opens on the 3rd of May 2021, all has been going very well. The 3rd wave of COVID-19 is heating SA very hard especial in Johannesburg and Pretoria, here in Venda High school students and teachers are testing positive every day.
The grade R and grade 1 students are enjoying computer lessons and now they are capable of using the Computer on their own, we are very proud of the progress and the next step will be to introduce the internet. On the 25th of June 2021, we host a birthday celebration for all students born from January to June and was a great ceremony as last year there was no birthday celebration. The covid-19 pandemic has made us aware that we need to be well advanced in technology and educate our children from a younger age. VMS was one of the NGO’S invited by the Global Skills Initiative South Africa to attended training on Basic digital skills. The training just came at the right time for us and we are very excited. Myself and Reason Sithagathaga (member of VMS support group) attended the training and we are receiving ongoing support. This week we are sharing with the Educators and on the 1st of July Reason will be training youth and other community members here at VMS, we can only have 5 people per day due to COVID. We are doing a weekly talk show on Radio, educating the community about HIV/AIDS, bullying at schools, and domestic violence. And the Youth on a Mission is having more likes and follows and we are posting articles weekly. The aim is to reach more adolescents.
VMS was planning to host winter school as additional to our program, as most children from the government school are not attending school daily. We had a plan to help children catch up with their school work during school holiday for primary schools. Now we have cancelled due to country moving to level 4. The office, outreach program and vegetable garden will remain open during level 4.
Regards,
Khathu
