Sunday service for 2 July 2023
Sunday 2 July 2023
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson
Manse: 632143
Email: tpeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk
Prelude Music
Welcome and Announcements
Call to Worship (bold lines to be sung to Old Hundredth)
We are a family, gathered in love to worship —
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
We are blessed and called to be a blessing:
to the broken-hearted as to the joyful,
in compassion and help, in praise and prayer.
Praise Christ all creatures here below!
God breathed life into the world, and called us to strive for justice and joy.
Praise Holy Spirit, evermore!
We aren’t perfect, but in this is love —
not that we loved God, but that God loved us first.
Praise Triune God whom we adore!
We come to worship, to be empowered to serve.
Sanctuary Hymn 198 vv 1 & 2: Let Us Build A House
Prayer
You, God, welcome us all —
with our successes and failures,
our faith and our uncertainty,
our grief and our joys and our anxiety and our wonder.
We come, though we sometimes struggle to bring our whole selves.
It feels safer to hide parts of our story,
so no one will have to know the whole truth,
because we are afraid we’ll no longer be welcome.
It feels easier to keep things back,
because we don’t want the emotions that come with sharing or with being seen.
We confess that we don’t even want you to know it all,
and definitely not others.
We hold tightly to those private things, like sadness and fear,
hoping no one will notice…and also hoping someone will notice,
because we feel so alone.
Remind us again today, O God, that your love is never in doubt.
And forgive us when we have withheld love and welcome…
for all the truth of our own lives,
and for others.
Forgive us for making it impossible for others to share their stories
because we have been unwilling to share ours.
Forgive us for the times we have unconsciously closed others out
by the ways we talk about ourselves.
Give us courage to come before you,
and into the community you have created,
with honesty and trust,
to treat one another with grace and compassion,
and so become the blessing you want to offer the world.
We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Online hymn 540: I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
Sanctuary Hymn 608: Spirit of Truth and Grace
Sanctuary Children’s Time
Reading: Matthew 14.13-21 (Common English Bible)
When Jesus heard about John, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. When the crowds learned this, they followed him on foot from the cities. When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion for them and healed those who were sick. That evening his disciples came and said to him, “This is an isolated place and it’s getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
But Jesus said to them, “There’s no need to send them away. You give them something to eat.”
They replied, “We have nothing here except five loaves of bread and two fish.”
He said, “Bring them here to me.” He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves of bread and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them and broke the loaves apart and gave them to his disciples. Then the disciples gave them to the crowds. Everyone ate until they were full, and they filled twelve baskets with the leftovers. About five thousand men plus women and children had eaten.
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: bring it all
When Jesus heard about John…
Matthew’s gospel is the only one that ties these two events so closely together — though Mark and Luke also report that John the Baptiser was beheaded by King Herod, they don’t tell us what happened when Jesus found out about it. Instead, they tell us about the disciples being sent out to heal and teach, and coming back to report on what they’d done…and that is the reason that Jesus takes them away to rest. But in Matthew’s telling, he begins with “When Jesus heard about John, he withdrew to a deserted place by himself.” It seems perhaps he didn’t even take the disciples with him! Or if he did, it was almost as if he withdrew inside himself, not noticing they were there.
Isn’t that sometimes what grief is like? We get bad news, or we lose someone we love, or a door closes when we weren’t ready, and all we want to do is withdraw. Sometimes all we can do is withdraw. We go inside our houses and close the doors…or we try to get away, on a long walk or a long drive…and we go inside ourselves. We don’t really notice what’s going on around us, and our brains feel in a bit of a fog, and our bodies move on autopilot. When our hearts are broken, it’s hard to deal with people and work and details and all the stuff we’re supposed to do to just…live. That’s one of the reasons why when someone dies or a family is going through something difficult it’s so important that we bring over food, or send a card, or offer to go with people when they’re attending to details. It’s why in the Jewish tradition, when someone dies, members of the synagogue go to the house and bring food and pray together and run errands for them for seven days, because the family can’t be expected to go out. Because the withdrawing is natural, and also hard to end.
Jesus didn’t get much time to withdraw, though. The crowds followed, and when he looked up from his grief, he saw them and had compassion for them. The Greek word for compassion literally means something like “gut-wrenching” — it’s a visceral feeling, compassion. Jesus looked up and when he saw all those people, he had a visceral reaction that pulled him out of that withdrawal and into community. And so in his grief, he turned his compassion to service, and healed the people.
Isn’t it interesting how the different ways of telling the story are developing? Mark told us the people were like sheep without a shepherd, and Jesus taught them. Luke told us that Jesus both taught and healed. Matthew tells us that in the middle of grieving for John, Jesus healed others. He demonstrated the kingdom of God, perhaps without talking much, but instead with exactly what many heartbroken people need: presence and a gentle touch. He gave the very thing he most needed.
When evening came, the disciples tried to salvage the night — remember they too must have been reeling from the news about John. Some of them had known him, and all of them would have heard about him and known the significance of what Herod had done. They may have been scared along with their sadness, wondering if it could happen to them, too. And could they trust this crowd once it got dark? Who knows what might happen out in this isolated place.
When Jesus instructed them to give the crowds something to eat, notice again that Matthew tells us something a wee bit different than Mark or Luke: the disciples say “we have nothing here…except.” They knew what they had, unlike the way Mark told it. But they thought it was nothing, hardly even worth mentioning. How often have we dismissed our own gifts or assets, thinking they’re nothing really, not worth even bringing up?
Jesus’ response then is so beautiful. He says: “bring them here to me.”
Bring what you have to me.
I don’t care if you think it’s nothing, or if it’s not what’s needed, or if it’s impractical…whatever you have, bring it here to me.
I’ve been thinking so much about that tiny instruction, and how often we ignore it.
Bring it to Jesus. Whatever you think of what you have to offer…bring it to Jesus. Whatever you think of what burden you’re carrying…bring it to Jesus. Whatever you think something is worth, or not worth…bring it to Jesus.
It turns out that we are often really poor judges of what Jesus can work with. We second guess him, or decide on his behalf that it’s too much or too little, or get it into our heads that we have to work it out on our own and let him know what we’ve decided. But that’s not what Jesus instructs the disciples in the story. He tells them to get over their own self-assessment and bring everything to him.
And when they do…a miracle happens.
What blessings might multiply if we, too, bring things to Jesus?
Whatever resources we have discounted or ignored or assumed weren’t worth mentioning…what if we brought those forward and put them in his hands? And I mean even the littlest things, like a seemingly small offering, or an hour we’d be willing to offer to spend with someone who’s isolated in their house, or half an hour to make a phone call, or the ability to make shortbread or cupcakes, or the willingness to make a meal with a few extra servings and drop those extras at someone’s house when they’re struggling, or the gift of imagination or some skills in sewing or cleaning or internet researching or being detail-oriented. When we bring those things to Jesus, we may just find that he can do more with the gifts we never even thought anything about than we realised…and can use them to be a blessing to the broken-hearted, to the lonely, to the overwhelmed, to the community.
And those situations we’ve tried to manage ourselves and decided are beyond us so we’re giving up…what if we brought them to Jesus? Not only world peace or homelessness or poverty or climate change or even the presbytery plan, but closer to home things like that friendship that has fallen apart and we don’t understand why, or the way money just doesn’t stretch the way it used to, or the church activity we’ve loved for a long time but is getting harder and harder to run, or the fear we’re trying to avoid but keeps cropping up about “what will happen to us.” We so often exhaust ourselves trying to do things on our own, while Jesus is over there saying “bring it here to me.” We can’t imagine what he’ll do about it, so we just don’t bother, we just muddle through getting more and more frustrated until eventually we give up all together, and try to find something else to blame. But maybe it isn’t our job to pre-decide what Jesus can or will do…maybe it’s just our job to bring what we have and see what he says? It could be that he’d show us something we haven’t seen or considered before. Or that he’ll increase our capacity…our energy, imagination, or time. Or that he’ll show us what to prune so that something new can grow. Or something else entirely that we couldn’t have dreamed…like turning five loaves and two fish into a feast for thousands!
There are so many ways that Jesus can use what we bring. When we place ourselves and our gifts and our situations into his hands, no matter what we think about what we’ve brought and no matter how scared or sad we are about it, I can guarantee that one result will be a blessing. It may be as practical as a meal or as intangible yet meaningful as a conversation. It may be healing or filling or confusing. It may not be the blessing we expected or thought we wanted. It may be a blessing for us or one for us to offer to others…or, ultimately, as most blessings are: both.
So whatever you have, whatever you think of it…bring it to Jesus, and a miracle will happen.
May it be so. Amen.
Online hymn: You Are A Refuge (Resound Worship)
Sanctuary Hymn 540: I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Rowan Tree)
Offering (Sanctuary only)
Sanctuary Offering Response 557 verse 1
O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee:
I give thee back the life I owe,
that in thine ocean depths its flow
may richer, fuller be.
Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
All we have and all we are is a gift from you, O God,
and we come with gratitude and praise for your care for us.
Your compassion reaches out to us and your love surrounds us,
your presence with us means we can face whatever may come.
We bring ourselves, and our world, to you,
trusting that in your hands,
a blessing can be found in the midst of the brokenness.
We bring to you today
those who are grieving, and feel that comfort is far off…
those who are lost, and feel they are wandering without purpose…
those who are lonely, and feel they have been forgotten…
those who are ill, and longing for healing…
those who are overworked, and longing for rest…
those whose burdens are heavy, especially those no one sees…
those who are afraid, especially of someone in their own home or family…
those who live in the midst of violence, and are losing hope for peace…
those sleeping rough in these changeable weather conditions…
those who aren’t sure how to feed their families during the school holidays…
those who are struggling with their mental health
and aren’t getting the help they need…
those who work in our surgeries and hospitals and care homes,
worrying about how to do it all…
We hardly know what to ask for, the hurts can be so overwhelming,
but we trust you when you say “bring it to me.”
And so we bring it all to you…
pain and loss, hope and dream, and everything in between…
both our desire for change and our fear of it…
demands for peace and justice, and the unwillingness to do it…
There’s so much in the world that must break your heart, O God,
and we pray that you would break our hearts of stone too…
move us with compassion, stir us from the inside out,
to become an answer to prayer for our neighbours you call us to love.
We bring our prayers to you…
and we bring ourselves to offer for your service.
May we become a blessing to the broken-hearted.
May we be companions to one another on this journey of life.
May we hold each other’s stories with grace.
And may we have open hearts and open hands to share your abundance with all,
not only in words but in actions.
We ask in the name of Jesus the Christ, 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 565: My Life Flows On
Benediction
Pablo Picasso once said that “the meaning of life is to find your gift, and the purpose of life is to give it away.” Whatever gifts you have been given, bring them to Jesus and let him turn you into a blessing that can be shared with others.
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. 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 are seeking a part-time Parish Assistant! The role is 20 hours per week, in pastoral care and community work. More information is here or you can contact either John Boyle or Teri. The closing date for applications is the 7th of July. Please invite those who might be a good fit for working in our team to check it out!
* Registration is open for St John’s Summer Exploratorium, our new summer holiday club for P1- P7 children, will be from 24-28 July, 9am – 1pm. More information and registration will be available soon. If you would be interested in helping with advance preparation (decorating, advertising, etc), or during the week in the kitchen (breakfast club from 8:30am, or lunch), or during the week with the programme (which requires being added to our Safeguarding/PVG register), please speak to Teri or Graham Bolster.
* Starter Packs are short of kitchen roll, children’s & adult shampoo, and tea bags. The FoodBank are short of biscuits, UHT milk, tinned fruit, and tinned meats. You can bring donations to the church and place them into the boxes in the vestibule. Thank you!
* You can read all about the latest from the school in Venda by downloading their new newsletter, complete with stories and photos! Just click here!
* We worship in the sanctuary on Sundays at 11am, and all Sunday worship is also online (or on the phone at 01475 270037, or in print). 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.
* Did you know that the ministry we do at St John’s costs about £2700 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 new 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 is on a summer break!
* Young Adult Bible Study is on a summer break!
* The 2nd Gourock Boys Brigade anniversary Grand Charity Ball will be Saturday 9th September 6.00 for 6.30pm in Greenock Town Hall. Tickets priced £50 or £500 for a table of 10 are available now! We are delighted to announce that every penny raised from ticket sales and our charity auction on the evening will go directly to our chosen charities. This event is open to all so please spread the word, book your table, put the date in your diary and look forward to what we are sure will be a Second To None evening of enjoyment and celebration. Speak to Alan or any other officer of the BB for more information.
* Free period products are available in the church toilets for anyone who might need them, thanks to Hey Girls and Inverclyde Council.
Sunday service for 13 June 2021
Sunday service for 13 June 2021, Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson, Gourock St John’s
Manse phone: 632143
Email: tpeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk
To hear an audio recording of this service, please call 01475 270037
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Prelude Music (in person only)
Welcome/Announcements
Call to Worship
1: Sometimes Jesus sits down beside us, teaching and feeding and healing.
2: Sometimes Jesus sends us on ahead, to prepare the way for him.
1: Sometimes Jesus invites us to join him in his work, following in his footsteps and doing what he does.
2: Sometimes Jesus calls us to come to him, stepping out of the boat onto the stormy sea.
All: All the time, he is with us. So let us worship together.
Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, from age to age you are the giver of every good gift, the One who calls us out of ourselves to meet you. You are at the centre and at the margins, working wonders. Your goodness is the foundation of all life, and we gather as your people to praise and bless you. From near and far, with comfort and anxiety, carrying hope and wonder alongside frustration and longing, we come together to seek your blessing. We admit to that we are of two minds, uncertain of your place and faltering in our trust. We confess to you, Lord, that more often than not, our minds and hearts of full of things that bear little resemblance to you, and our lives reflect that mind set on human rather than divine things. We feel divided, and we allow our energy to be consumed with ourselves—our fears, our wishes, our feelings, our thoughts, our work, our scarcity, our position. Forgive us, O God. Forgive us our self-focus. Forgive our divided attention. Forgive our inability to trust you and your providing and guidance. We trust that in your hands, brokenness can become a blessing, fear can turn to trust, and there will be enough. Empty us of all that does not glorify you, and fill us instead with your word of hope, your promise of abundant life. Lead us in walking your Kingdom Way, as your people forgiven, loved, and free. We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Music
Online: How Clear is Our Vocation, Lord (words by Fred Pratt Green, tune: Repton)
In Person: Mozart Adagio K356
Children’s Time (in person only)
Reading: Matthew 14.22-33
Today’s reading is from the gospel according to Matthew, chapter 14, beginning at verse 22, and I’m reading from the New Revised Standard Version. We pick up directly at the end of the story of Jesus feeding 5000 men, plus women and children, with just 5 loaves and 2 fishes. The disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers, and then…
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’
Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’
Sermon: Tipping Point
What do you think are the chances that the disciples were singing a first century middle eastern version of a sea shanty that night in the boat? They had only a few miles to go, yet with the wind and the waves, they could not row hard enough to bring the boat to shore. A rousing work song to keep them rowing in sync would be just the thing…though I suppose the wind might just carry their voices away.
Several of the disciples were experienced fishermen, who’d had their share of nights straining at the oars in an unexpected squall. These were people who knew what to do and how to do it. They knew the traditions, the stories, and the rituals, they knew the lake, they knew the way things were supposed to be done. In that boat, they would have been implementing all the strategies they had learned from a lifetime of experience.
And yet, it wasn’t working. The wind was against them. With or without a jaunty tune to sing, they weren’t moving in the direction they wanted to go.
I have a feeling many of us can relate. Whether we’re looking at our work and the way our usual ways of organising our work flow or handling our email or communicating with new employees don’t seem to be getting the same results…or looking at our personal lives and realising that they’re out of balance and need re-prioritising because we’re tired of being tired…or looking at the church and wondering why doing the things we’ve always done doesn’t seem to reach people the way it used to. Perhaps it feels like we’ve just stalled, or maybe like we’re going the wrong way. Home, work, politics, or church….We have probably all had that feeling of the wind being against us, of working ourselves to exhaustion yet getting nowhere.
When Jesus came strolling up to them, in the middle of the night, in the middle of a storm, in the middle of the lake…they were not just physically tired, they were mentally tired from trying to figure out what to do next, how to adapt to the fact that nothing was working. They didn’t have the capacity to imagine a different way, so they continued on with the way that wasn’t working, hoping that maybe this time…so it’s no wonder they thought they were seeing a ghost. There was no space for something new. But Jesus said “I’m here, don’t be afraid.”
Now, as an aside: I know I’ve said this before, but telling someone not to be afraid never works. Honestly it’s something I would have expected God to learn by now…but I suppose even God has habits that are hard to break despite the fact they don’t work! And these disciples were already afraid because they had tried everything they knew and nothing was working, the wind and waves were battering them, and now they were looking at Jesus standing on top of the water. It’s just a new fear on top of the fear that had been building all night.
Anyway…Peter was the one to speak up. And Peter was the one who decided to get out of the boat.
Remember, there was a storm going on. The waves have been battering the boat. The wind was against them. They had rowed all night and gotten nowhere, or worse than nowhere, backwards. Yet even with the wind and the waves and the exhaustion, Peter decided that the best option was to step out of the boat, onto the sea — the symbol of chaos, remember.
Which means that the status quo, continuing to try and fail, repeating the same traditional ways over and over again without any results, was more painful, more frustrating, more fear-inducing, than going into the chaotic unknown.
Peter had no idea what would happen when he got out of the boat. He only knew two things: first, that he could not keep putting energy into something that wasn’t working, watching it dissipate into thin air like their voices carried away on the wind, and second, that Jesus was outside the boat.
Often the moment when we decide to consider change is the moment when the balance tips and the pain and frustration of the old ways starts to outweigh our fear of the unknown. It becomes worse to stay put than to move…so we move. Most of us don’t move quite so dramatically as to step out of a boat in the middle of a storm, but it still might feel like that emotionally or spiritually!
It’s risky, to step out into the unknown. But it’s also risky to stay in the boat, doing the things we’ve always done, exhausting ourselves without anything to show for it. The question is: which is the greater risk?
The answer to that question, for Peter, was in the second thing he knew. Jesus was outside the boat. And it is always — ALWAYS — riskier to be apart from Jesus than with him. So even if he is doing something impossible or crazy, it’s better to be where he is.
Did you notice that when Peter stepped out of the boat, he was doing it? He was walking on the water, against all odds, contrary to everything he thought he knew about himself and the world and what was right or even possible. It was only when he took his eyes off of Jesus that he began to sink. As long as he was focused on Jesus, on doing what he was doing and going where he was going, he was succeeding at the impossible new thing.
Many people right now are rethinking their patterns of life and work. Do we have to keep working the way we used to, even though we know it isn’t the only way and maybe not even the best way for our health or for the planet’s health? Or could there be a different way of relating to work, to politics, to society, to the earth, to our neighbours and coworkers and employers and employees…a different way of relating to ourselves?
The church is also undergoing a huge and difficult shift — there is change coming at every level of the church, from the national structure down to the local buildings and ministers. The way we are used to doing things is not working, and we are at — or perhaps even past — that tipping point, where the risks of staying the same are higher than the risks of doing something new. Like the disciples in the boat, we have worked ourselves to the bone, doing and doing and doing the things that used to work…we’re exhausted and frustrated, and scared, and we’re not getting anywhere. If anything, we’re going backwards, and the wind is against us. We are finally beginning to come to the same understanding as Peter: we can’t keep putting our energy into something that isn’t working.
I think we are still looking for his second realisation though: that Jesus is outside the boat.
Out in the chaos, uncontained by the structures and the restrictions of the boat…Jesus is out there on the waves, walking wherever he wants to go.
Did you know that one of the old metaphors for the church was a boat? Many church buildings are designed to look like an upturned ark, in fact, keeping us all safe inside, in the midst of the stormy seas of life.
But Jesus is outside the boat.
And it is ALWAYS riskier to be apart from Jesus than to be with him. No matter how safe the boat feels, no matter how much we would prefer the problems we know to the ones we don’t know, the truth is that persisting in our own ways under our own power, while Jesus is out in the world doing a new thing, will be the death of us. There is a reason that we say that “we’ve always done it this way before” are the seven last words of the church. Because doing that just to keep afloat will literally suck our energy away, until there’s nothing left, and the waves and wind will overwhelm the boat.
Jesus is out there…calling us to join him. Calling us to trust him. Calling us to step into something new and scary, yes — into a way of life, and a way of being the church, that we never imagined and that feels impossible. But like Peter, if we keep our eyes on Jesus, he will not let us fall.
May it be so. Amen.
Music Online: Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns
Online Announcements/Prayer concerns
Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer
We look for you, Lord, in all kinds of places—
in the church, and in the creation, and in the boat, and in our hearts.
But you appear where we least expect it, in the impossible,
walking toward us on the stormy water,
right through the wind and waves.
And you call us to join you.
Focus our eyes on you,
and give us courage to leave what we know and step into your way.
We listen for you, Lord, in all kinds of places—
in your word, in our churches, in prayer, in other people’s voices.
We listen, hoping to hear a word that confirms our faith and our hope.
But you speak where we least expect it,
in the impossible, from your place outside the boat,
and when we listen carefully all we hear is you saying the impossible:
do not be afraid.
Give us ears to hear you calling from beyond business as usual,
in the voices of those who have been left behind,
in the groaning of the earth,
in the cries of hungry children and fearful parents,
in the shouts for peace and the silence of the despairing.
We wonder about you, Lord, in all kinds of places.
We wonder how you got out there and what you’re doing outside the boat.
We wonder how you can possibly say “do not be afraid.”
We wonder whether we should stay in the boat or step out on the waves.
Give us hearts that want to be where you are, more than we want to be comfortable.
Fill your Church with your Spirit,
that we might be moved to join your mission even when it feels scary.
Use us to reveal your goodness and love and justice and hope to a world in need.
Teach us, O God.
Teach us to see you in the unknown and unexpected,
and guide us into the new life you offer.
We pray in the name of Christ, 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: SUNG Hymn 352: O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing
Benediction
This week, lift your eyes out of the usual ways and look for Jesus…and when you see him, ask for him to call you to where he is, even if that’s out of the boat. Keep your eyes on him, he will not let you fall. 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 (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
* 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.
* Young Adult Bible Study is on Zoom at 1pm, we are reading through the Gospel According to Mark. Contact Teri for login details.
* 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!
* You can download a free summary / recap of this year’s General Assembly from the Life and Work website here.
* Starter Packs update: in May Starter Packs were provided to 24 homes. Within these homes were 17 single people, 8 families including 13 children. The Monthly Focus for June is Children’s Shower Gel, Shampoo, Sponges/Face Cloths. Items in short supply: Shaving Foam, Soap and Hand Wash. As always, thanks to everyone for your continued support.
