Christmas Day Service 2020

Gourock St. John’s
Christmas Day 2020
Service prepared by The Rev. Teri Peterson
Email: tpeterson@churchofscotland.org.uk

~~~~Transcript:

*Hymn #301: Hark the Herald Angels Sing

John 1.1-14 (NRSV), lighting the Christ candle
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Carol Calendar: O Come, All Ye Faithful

Teri’s Christmas Tree

*Hymn #313: See in Yonder Manger Low

Poem: I cannot tell you how the light comes (Jan Richardson)

I cannot tell you
how the light comes.

What I know
is that it is more ancient
than imagining.

That it travels
across an astounding expanse
to reach us.
That it loves
searching out
what is hidden,
what is lost,
what is forgotten
or in peril
or in pain.

That it has a fondness
for the body,
for finding its way
toward flesh,
for tracing the edges
of form,
for shining forth
through the eye,
the hand,
the heart.

I cannot tell you
how the light comes,
but that it does.
That it will.
That it works its way
into the deepest dark
that enfolds you,
though it may seem
long ages in coming
or arrive in a shape
you did not foresee.

And so
may we this day
turn ourselves toward it.
May we lift our faces
to let it find us.
May we bend our bodies
to follow the arc it makes.
May we open
and open more
and open still

to the blessed light
that comes.

*Music: Love Came Down at Christmas (improvisation by Philip)

Poem: First Coming (Madeleine L’Engle)

He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace
He came when the Heavens were unsteady
and prisoners cried out for release.

He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He died with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine. He did not wait

till hearts were pure. In joy he came
to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
He came, and his Light would not go out.

He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.

We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!

Prayer
Thank you, God, for coming to be with us in the midst of everything.
Thank you for bringing your Word to life,
and thank you for living alongside us from birth to death,
not in a faraway powerful palace,
but in a normal family in all its complexity and wonder.
We never expected you to come so close —
right into our houses, when we’re still in our pyjamas,
without even time to sweep up the needles that have dropped off the tree overnight.
Yet here you are, demanding our full attention.
Now we pray that you would keep our eyes on you when you’re no longer a cute baby cooing and rolling over and sleeping in our arms…
Give us the stamina and courage to keep you at the centre of our lives
when you are stretching our minds,
asking questions,
and pointing a new direction.
Give us hands ready to reach out with your compassion,
hearts ready to open wider than we ever imagined,
feet ready to walk beside the wandering,
and minds set on your justice.
Remind us that the gift of Christmas isn’t just for Christmas, it’s for life —
abundant life, in the kingdom you are bringing to earth, even now.
We pray for your counsel, your peace, your comfort, your love
to be known in this and every place,
until all the world joins the song of the angels,
with our voices and our deeds.
We ask in the name of that beloved baby who is lord and saviour of all, 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.

*Music: The Work of Christmas by Howard Thurman music by Dan Forrest (virtual choir video)

Benediction

You who have seen glory, shine it into the world!
You who have heard the word, speak it into the world!
You who have come to the manger, bear Christ into the world!
As you celebrate, may you know the fullness of grace and truth.
Love has come, and never will leave us.
May the love of God be the foundation on which we live,
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be the light that guides our way,
May the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be in our every breath.
Go in peace. Amen.

Christmas Eve Service 2020

Gourock St. John’s
Christmas Eve 2020
Service prepared by The Rev. Teri Peterson
email: tpeterson (at) churchofscotland (dot) org (dot) uk

~~~~~Transcript:

Organ Prelude: Christmas Night Pastorale, by Corelli

Hymn #294: On Christmas Night All Christians Sing

Welcome

Fischy’s 2020 Christmas song: Even in the Strangest Times

Lighting the Christ Candle
One: For the anxious new parents and the creatures of instinct,
All: the light shines.
One: For the onlooker and the message-bearer,
All: the light shines.
One: For those at work and those working at home,
All: the light shines.
One: For the traveller and the host,
All: the light shines.
One: Far from the centre of power,
regardless of the plans of the authorities,
in the midst of everyday life,
with ordinary people,
All: the word became flesh and lived among us.
~Christ Candle is lit~

Hymn #315: Once in Royal David’s City (virtual choir video)

Reading: Luke 2.1-7 (Alan & Helen)
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Reflection
You may have heard me talk before about the layout of an average family’s house in ancient Palestine — how the ground floor had two sections, the front section was at street level, and the back section raised a few feet up, and then there might be an upper room, either built in or as a loft or even as a sort of shack on the roof. The street level at the front was where animals were kept. The raised bit at the back of the ground floor was where the family lived, with perhaps a table and some stools, maybe a fire at the back, and sometimes a straw mattress on the floor, or sometimes just wool blankets. At the very front of this platform, were little indentations that could hold animal feed, so that animals could eat at head-level. And then the upper room was for guests.

That upper room was already full when Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem — which means there were likely already half a dozen people up there sharing straw mattresses and blankets on the floor. Now of course there would have been a lot of people traveling for the census, but it was still absolutely unthinkable to turn someone away — offering hospitality and caring for guests was the most important duty in the ancient world. But there was no space in the upper room, and the family was crammed into the back half of the ground floor…so the only available space was down front, with the animals.

Keeping animals in the ground floor of the house meant their body heat could help keep the house warm in winter. It would also keep them safe, as animals were likely any family’s most expensive possessions, since they could provide wool and milk, perhaps eggs, or even meat — for the family and for trade. It was risky to have travellers bedding down amidst their literal livelihoods, but it was also the only option.

So often we picture Jesus being born out in a field surrounded only by freshly-bathed animals and silent snowfall. But far more powerful is the truth of the story: that he was born right in the middle of everything, surrounded by people who had to figure out how to make it work with what they had. It wasn’t particularly clean, it wasn’t quiet, it wasn’t solitary….but it was still beautiful.

Yes, of course the Son of God being born is beautiful, as any baby is. But just as beautiful is the real picture that never quite fits into a Christmas carol: the picture of people putting their own comfort at the bottom of the priority list, in order to make room for others in need. The picture of young and old, family and guest and animal, unable to sleep through Mary’s shouts and cries and the unsettled animals, gathering around to encourage and support a mother in labour, to swaddle an infant and lay him in the safest place—the indentation that served as a food trough, where he can’t roll off the edge or get stepped on—and to celebrate the safe delivery, which was by no means guaranteed in those days, or now. The picture of a new family, unconventional and non-traditional in many ways. The picture of people who didn’t just say no because they didn’t have the perfect answer, but who instead took a risk and found that their last available floor space was now occupied by the baby who would change the world.

There was no room for guests…but that’s ok, because Jesus didn’t come to be a guest, separate from us. He was born in the middle of the mess and mystery of life, and that was made possible by people who put others first, who prioritised hospitality and compassion more than their own comfort and security, who were willing to figure out how to help even when the obvious answer was no.

It doesn’t make a pretty Christmas card or a lilting carol, but it does give us something to live by, every day of the year.

Music: O Holy Night (BSL video)

Reading: Luke 2.8-14 (Reids)
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

Reflection
I saw a music video recently in which this part of the story involved an angel basically herding the shepherds out of the fields toward the town. It made me laugh, which was not the point of the video! but also made me think about what that night might have been like. The shepherds were terrified, just as the disciples will be later when the glory of the Lord shines around at the Transfiguration, just as the ancient Israelites were terrified at Mount Sinai when the glory of the Lord shone from Moses’ face. To come that close to God’s glory is to be able to see things perhaps you’d rather be able to ignore.

So maybe the angel herded the shepherds, who were used to doing the herding themselves. Or maybe the shepherds ran away in fear and had to be corralled back together to hear the good news. Eventually, though, the whole host of heaven — like all the stars in the sky — can hold back no more, and they burst into song.

While today in covid-times that would be more than enough cause for us to take many large steps backward, in that moment it must have been a wonder to behold. To see all God’s messengers, the great cloud of witnesses, the stars themselves, singing praise.

I wonder what style of music they chose? Were they classical types, sounding like Handel’s Messiah? Or more like a praise band? Or perhaps like a school show, or like a church congregation, everyone making a joyful noise and sometimes even singing in tune, even if they can’t quite all clap together.

I like to imagine that the choir of angels singing actually sounds like something we could join in with. Not too perfect, because then it’s intimidating to try. Not so off-key that you can’t pick out the melody. Somewhere in between, it’s just right: the sweet spot where all of us can sing of God’s glory and share the good news, in a way that sends others running to see the amazing things God has done.
Music: Gesu Bambino by Pietro Yon

Reading: Luke 2.15-20 (Bolsters)
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Reflection
Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

She must have been exhausted, between travel, and labour, and the first hours of motherhood. There would be more tired days ahead, too, with midnight feeding and inexplicable crying and trying to toddler-proof a first century house. Even the Son of God would still have his moments, surely, and his parents would likely have an experience very similar to any other parent — what one of my friends describes as “the days are long but the years are short.”

Many parents want to hold onto these moments, these memories, forever, but then the days are so long with sleep deprivation and worry and threenager battles…and the years so short, you blink and they’re grown. Yet here at the very beginning, Mary does what any mother does: treasures the moment, holds onto it, and hopes for time later to think it all over and figure out what it means.

Strangers had praised him and repeated the words of angels into his ears. Songs of God’s glory were still echoing around. Everyone was amazed. And Mary — prophet who sang of God’s kingdom overturning the powers of this world, teenager who said yes to God, mother of the Messiah…she treasured, and pondered.

What might it look like for us to join Mary in letting the word sink into our hearts, to let it become such a part of us we aren’t sure where we end and the word begins? To treasure it, and hold on to it for dear life through all the ups and downs that are coming? To find that all that pondering of the word changes how we speak and respond and act?

As we receive the gift of the Word Made Flesh this night, may we be transformed by holding this treasure. Amen.

Music: Adam lay ybounden

Prayer
Holy God,
we give you thanks for coming among us once again,
revealing your love for your world,
calling us into new life by bringing your kingdom to earth in a baby.
Your presence shines with glory,
even as your fullness dwells in fragile flesh —
not in the official structures,
but in borrowed homes and among working people,
in an occupied land and a troubled time.
We give you thanks that
as you walked in the garden,
as you led your people,
as you spoke with your prophets,
you meet us here again, tonight.
Whether we are prepared, or not;
whether it feels familiar or strange;
whether we are in the appointed place or out in the fields;
even now you break open the barrier between heaven and earth.
We expected you, O God,
yet still your coming surprises us.
When you break through,
pushing your way into our lives when we aren’t quite ready,
all we can do is give you our full attention.
Like a baby we can’t take our eyes off of,
we look to you in wonder, in awe, and a little bit of fear.
What will you be like?
How will you change us?
How can we do our best for you?
Yet you just reach out and take hold of our hands and our hearts,
offering love beyond measure,
and asking only the same in return.
**~silence…leading to Silent Night (hymn #309)

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.

Olive’s reflection and reading John 1

*Recording of Adeste Fidelis

Benediction
This holy night, may your eyes shine with the light of the star.
This holy night, may your hands carry the weight of generosity.
This holy night, may your heart sing with the peace of the heavens.
This holy night, may your life reflect glory.
And may the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, go with you, this night and always. Amen.

*Organ postlude: Ding Dong Merrily by P. Wedgewood / arr. P Norris

Sunday Service for 15 November 2020

15 November 2020
Worship prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson,
St. John’s Church of Scotland, Gourock
Contact: tpeterson at churchofscotland dot org dot uk
Church Announcements can be found at the end of the manuscript.

Hymn 111: Holy, Holy, Holy

Prayers, Reading, Sermon

Hymn 250: Sent By the Lord Am I

~~~~~~~

Call to Worship
Holy, holy, holy!
The whole creation proclaims God’s power.
We come to join our voices with the chorus of heaven and earth,
praising God’s name and seeking God’s way.
Let us worship God together.

Prayer
You are holy, Lord, and we long for just a glimpse of your glory.
We stand in awe, uncertain of our place but certain of your grace.
Meet us again today, overwhelm us with your presence,
and make us ready to respond to your call.
For we know, Holy God, that we have not lived up to your vision for us. Our hearts are often hard, our minds closed to things we do not understand, our self-awareness limited. We confess that we have chosen the path of least resistance, thinking of our comfort rather than of justice for your future, not realising that was the way of destruction rather than peace. We admit that we often come into holy places seeking to justify ourselves, yet we find instead that your holiness shakes us to our core. We know you can make us worthy to stand in your presence, so we offer our confession and pray for your mercy. Reach out with the fire of your love to cleanse and heal us this day, that we may faithfully respond “Here I am” and join in your kingdom work: wherever you would have us go, whatever you would have us do, however challenging the message may be. 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,
and 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.

Reading: Isaiah 6.1-8 (New Revised Standard Version)

The prophet Isaiah lived in the 8th century BCE, when the Assyrian empire was expanding, conquering the northern kingdom of Israel and destroying much of the southern kingdom of Judah. Isaiah lived in Jerusalem, the only city relatively unharmed in this war, and he spoke primarily to the kings, priests, and their wealthy advisors. Isaiah insisted that being God’s people involved not only worshipping the One God, but also behaving in ways consistent with God’s plans—and that God’s concern was primarily for those outside the halls of power, without wealth or connections. Much of the first section of Isaiah is about God’s vision of justice and righteousness, and how the leaders of the nation fall short of that vision, and therefore both oppress their people and lead them astray. In today’s reading from Isaiah chapter 6, the king has died and the nation is in turmoil. We hear about Isaiah’s vision of a visit to the throne room of God, where heavenly beings worship and where Isaiah receives the difficult grace of confession and call. I am reading from the New Revised Standard Version.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3And one called to another and said:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’
4The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 5And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ 8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’

Sermon: A New Call For a New Time (Becoming God’s People 9)

I love the prophet Isaiah. It’s my favourite book in the entire Bible, in part because of the beautiful language. Isaiah paints pictures with words. He’s the one who gives us the peaceable kingdom, where the wolf will dwell with the lamb, the calf and the lion, the little child shall lead them. He shows us God’s vision of the mountain where all people from every nation come and feast together and hear God’s word throughout the world, where swords will turn into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. Isaiah writes about every valley lifted up and mountain brought low, about the desert springing into life, and about God’s justice breaking yokes of oppression. And even when he is writing about the consequences of the people’s sinfulness, he does so with such lovely poetic language!

Today we get one of his famously beautiful word-paintings about an encounter with God in the Temple. He saw, with his own eyes, a God so overwhelming that only the skirts of his robe filled the whole temple, and the heavenly worship literally rocked the house. In a flash, Isaiah realised he was in over his head — and he said so. He didn’t pretend that he was worthy, or that he understood, or that he was certain he was in the right place. He didn’t assume that he was seeing this vision because of his great faithfulness or as a sign of favour. Just as we offer a prayer of confession near the beginning of a worship service, the first thing Isaiah did on entering this heavenly worship experience was admit his failings. He knew that a face to face encounter between humans and God could be dangerous, because close proximity to such holiness burns — as it did for Moses, and as it did for the disciples on the Emmaus Road, and for many others throughout scripture and history.

I love that the response of the seraphim, the heavenly attendants who are flying about and singing, is to say “we can solve this problem.” God doesn’t kick Isaiah out, instead they reach out and make Isaiah ready. A burning coal to the lips sounds like a nightmare to me, but remember that fire cleanses but also heals. It can be used to purify…and it can be used to cauterise and close up a wound. Isaiah is strangely made whole, made clean, made ready to stand in God’s presence, and he lives to tell the tale.

This encounter with God was both an experience of overwhelming majesty — of smoke and singing and painful beauty — and also an intimate experience, being noticed, and touched, and spoken to. It’s that experience that was still tingling in Isaiah’s mind and heart when he heard God ask the heavenly court “who will go” and it’s that burning desire to serve this overwhelming God that caused Isaiah to speak up and say “here I am, send me” even though he had no idea what he was saying yes to. God didn’t say “I need someone to go to this place, do this thing, and say these words” — Isaiah answered a call based only on his relationship with God, not based on whether he thought he could do the task. He had already experienced God making him ready to stand in the holy presence, so surely God would also be able to equip him for the work ahead.

At this point, I think we need to know that Isaiah began his life as a prophet in the last year or so of King Uzziah’s 40 years on the throne. Even though things around the kingdom were changing and disintegrating and while other empires were rising and encroaching, this had been a long period of relative political stability with the same leader…but now it was over, and it wasn’t really clear who would succeed Uzziah or what sort of king they would be. The world must have felt upended and uncertain, as many periods of political transition feel. The people he would speak to were not following God’s ways, the society was unjust and people were suffering. A prophet’s job is to tell the king things he often doesn’t want to hear, so Isaiah must have wondered what sort of relationship he might have with the next ruler, and whether he would be more or less receptive to seeing things God’s way.

I love that we get this story of Isaiah’s encounter with God a few chapters in to his book. Usually call stories are right at the beginning, but the way this book is written, it feels as if the prophet was already following, already faithful, already working, and in the midst of that life and work came this moment of awe and wonder and confession and compassion and a renewed sense of purpose.

I wonder if we who are in the middle of our own faith journeys, who are experienced Christians and church-goers, still expect to encounter God when we come to worship, the way those who are new to the faith do? And if we did, would we be focused on explaining the ways we think we’ve gotten it right, or on admitting we need God’s help to make us holy, or just soaking up the beauty and wonder? Are we open to a mid-life correction, to a new call from God that might take us in a different direction than we’d been going before…and that might burn a little bit? And would we answer that call before we even knew for sure what it would entail?

So often I think we are prone to simply doing what we’ve always done, believing what we’ve always believed, praying how we’ve always prayed. We forget to notice beautiful things, and even when we do, we don’t let them soak in and transform us, which makes it harder then to put that beauty back out into the world. We think that if it hurts to let go of something, that must be a sign that we’re supposed to hold onto it — forgetting that sometimes the old has to be burned away. We forget that learning and growing and changing is a part of life, and we chastise politicians who change their positions over time, or mock people who adjust their behaviours as they learn new information. But from the simple things, like how we have learned the value of face coverings over the past eight months when initially they weren’t thought to be important, to big things like shifting our views and actions of colonialism or white supremacy or sexism, we all learn and grow and change.

How much more, then when it comes to God? We know that the love of God is never changing, but we also know that God’s call to us is for particular times and places…and that can change as the context we live in changes, even if that means we need a burning coal to the lips to make us ready for the new thing.

In Isaiah’s time, the political leader was changing, the world stage was in some disarray and it wasn’t clear how it would shake out, and the prophet needed to both be reminded of God’s unchanging power and majesty and also hear a new call for a new time.

Honestly, that sounds a bit like it could have been written today, doesn’t it?

So perhaps we ought to be ready for an encounter with the Holy…to soak up God’s glory and to listen carefully for what new thing God might be calling us to do in this new time. Like Isaiah, we may be overwhelmed by God’s greatness in the face of all the uncertainty around us, or we may cry out when we realise we can’t keep going on the same path. But also like Isaiah, we can trust that God will equip us with whatever we need for the days ahead, and our relationship with God will carry us, even into the unknown — and so we say, Here I am, send me.

May it be so. Amen.

Prayer
We cry Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord,
for you are beyond our comprehension,
beyond our imagination,
beyond our human-ness.
Our gratitude is all the offering we can make
for your mercy and justice that brings us close and sends us out.
We long to be gathered to your side,
finding comfort amidst the skirt of your robe,
for you are far bigger than the structures we have built.
The world shakes, and the ways we have known have ruptured.
There is so much bad news, we hardly know where to turn.
Yet with you, there are always seeds of hope.
And so we lift our prayers for those who despair,
for those who have come undone and can see no way forward;
for those who are living with illness;
for those who suffer, especially at the hands of others.
Brief silence
May your holy healing touch bring peace.

We lift our prayers for those in positions of power in this world,
for those tasked with leading our community,
for those who make decisions that affect many.
Brief silence
May the lamp of your holy wisdom shine brightly in their lives.

We lift our prayers for those who work for change,
for those doing behind-the-scenes tasks for justice,
for those who have left the familiar in search of safety or a better life,
for those who teach and organise, welcome and care, tell their stories and protect their children.
Brief silence
May they be filled with your holy courage and persistence.

We cry holy, holy, holy, Lord —
as we pray for your holiness to spill over into your world, through our lives.
And when you call for someone to join the work of the angels,
we pray for your Church, that we will be ready and willing to say “send me.”
Through the power of your Holy Spirit and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray.
Amen.

Benediction

Friends, as you go into the world bearing the image of God, reflecting the beauty of God, and listening for the new call of God, 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.

Benediction Response
Words and tune (Gourock St. John’s): 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.

Announcements

If you would like to attend in-person worship in the sanctuary, you will need to book a place as we can only safely accommodate 35 people at a time under current distancing guidelines. Please phone Cameron (630879) on a Friday morning between 10-12 or Anne Love (07904 617283) on a Saturday morning between 10-12 to book in for that Sunday. If we reach our capacity, you’ll be given the first seats the following week.
Inside the church: face coverings must be worn, you may give your offering at the door rather than by passing it through the rows, we will ask you to sit in a particular seat to ensure everyone’s safety as there is a one-way system in place, and the service will be around half an hour with no singing but with instrumental music. Families are welcome, and children should stay in the service for the whole half hour — there will be a children’s time for them though! If you’ve been out of the area in the past 2 weeks, or if you have any symptoms that could be covid, please plan to worship online rather than in person.
If the government Tiers or regulations change, that could affect our services. Should that happen, we will contact everyone who is booked in for a service, and will use all our regular communication channels to advise of any new restrictions or procedures or plans.

Online and audio recording-by-phone worship will continue, and the print version will continue to be available on request.

The Boys Brigade is again meeting in the large hall — if you know any boys from P1 – S6 who would like to explore what it’s all about, please contact Alan Aitken: alanandrewaitken at gmail dot com. There are spaces available in all sections (Junior Section on Mondays at 7pm, Anchor Boys on Tuesdays at 5:30pm, Company Section on Fridays at 7:30pm). The Guides are working on their plans and hope to start up after Christmas. For information, contact Gillian Dick: gndick at hotmail dot com.

No other organisations or groups are currently using our halls, so that we have time to adequately clean and ensure the space is safe for everyone. This will be reviewed after Christmas.

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. 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 by post or with a neighbour who is coming to in-person worship and we will ensure they are received. Remember: no one is coming to your door to collect your envelopes, so please stay safe!

Sunday Service for 24 May 2020 — Seventh Sunday of Easter

24 May 2020: 7th Sunday of Easter
Service prepared by the Rev. Teri C Peterson,
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Contact: tpeterson@churchofscotland.org.uk

Welcome and Announcements
Though we cannot be together in person, we can be together in spirit! Please note the following announcements:

- Children’s Time happens each Sunday morning at 11am on Zoom. If you would like the login details, please contact Teri.
- Churches across Scotland are calling people to join together in prayer on Sunday evenings at 7pm, placing a lit candle in the window and spending time in prayer for others, and we will have a prayer service Live on our Facebook page. In addition, the moderator of our Presbytery has asked us to pause each day at 11am to pray for healing, health care workers, and our community.
- Feel free to share this with others, with the attribution information at the top. If you know someone who does not have access to the internet and who also does not receive the tape ministry, you can either print this service out and share it with them, or let Teri know via email or phone call and we will be sure they receive a printed copy.
- Mid-week there is a devotional email that goes out, it will be printed and included with the following Sunday’s sermon distribution. You can subscribe to the email here.
- Also mid-week there is a facebook live video devotional or a Virtual Tea Break on the St. John’s Gourock Facebook page.
- We now have a youtube channel! You can subscribe there so you never miss a video. Don’t miss “wine and the word” — an occasional series during the 5pm hour that helps us transition from one part of the day to the next, via reflections similar to those that would normally have been in the “God’s Story, Our Story” take home inserts given out each week.
- If you or a church member you know is in need of friendly phone calls or help with anything while they self-isolate, please contact Teri. Elders are already in contact with people in their districts as well, and you can pass information to them! We are hoping to continue and even deepen our connections to one another, building up the Body of Christ even when we can’t be in the building.
- Parklea has plants for sale! While we can’t have our usual plant sale in the church hall, you can still support this community organisation and get your spring and summer plants by visiting their website.
- Pentecost is coming next Sunday—31 May! If you’d like to download and colour in a Pentecost prayer to hang in your window, you can get one here. We’d love to see them everywhere when we’re out for exercise! Also, beginning this Thursday or so, when you’re out for a walk you might find a Spirit Selfie Station on one of the church doors! Stop and take a selfie and send it to Teri so we can put together a slideshow—both to see each other and to celebrate the Church’s birthday….and to remember that the Church is the people, not the building.

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The Doxology (tune: Old Hundredth)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ all people here below;
Praise Holy Spirit evermore;
Praise Triune God, whom we adore!
Amen

Prayer
God of resurrection power,
you called your Son out of the tomb
and in so doing, called the whole creation into new life.
Even now, you call us to join your way of resurrection,
you lift our eyes and raise our hearts,
you transform our minds and renew our spirits.
Bring us once again into awareness of your presence,
that we may offer you our worship,
and be nourished for your kingdom’s work.
We pray in the name of the risen Christ. Amen.

Hymn 489: Come Down, O Love Divine

Reading: 1 Corinthians 12.31-13.13 (New Revised Standard Version)

If you prefer a manuscript to read along, it’s below the video!

But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Sermon: A Legacy of Love
(easter theme: witness apprenticeship programme)

Throughout the Easter season we have been learning alongside the apostles about how to be Christ’s witnesses in the world. Our apprenticeship programme has included lessons in making eye contact and really seeing people, in having an abundance mindset, in being a praying community, and in having a teachable spirit. Now here we are in the last week of the season, the final lesson before we are sent out from our apprenticeships to put all our new skills into practice in the world.

What better lesson to end with than this? Faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Love is like the foundation of our pyramid. Picture something like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, with food, water, shelter, and safety at the base — they have to be in place before a person can give their energy to things farther up, like relationships or education or self confidence. In this case, it’s Love that is the base of this hierarchy. Without the base, nothing else is possible. Any efforts at using gifts of knowledge or prophecy or even faith will fall flat if we haven’t built on a foundation of love.

And God is Love, according to 1 John chapter 4, and those who abide in love abide in God and God abides in them. So if we are not building on a foundation of Love, we have actually built a foundation on something other than God — a foundation that will wash away when the storms come.

These are words that are often read at weddings, to mark the beginning of a new phase of commitment in a relationship. But they were actually written to a community that was well on in their life together, and it was falling apart. The church in Corinth was conflicted, divided, and frustrated. There were divisions over socio-economic status, background, worship style preferences, and theology. And there was conflict over who was most gifted, or who had better gifts and talents than others. They had trouble even sitting at the same table for the Lord’s Supper. It was a church family pulling apart at the seams.

That’s the community to whom Paul writes that there is a still more excellent way, and this is that way: Love.

Not love the warm fuzzy feeling, not the kind of love that’s printed on a greeting card or expressed in a box of chocolates. This is love that is active and hard working — it is actively patient, making room for the different experiences of others; it is actively kind, doing for others as we would have done for us. This is love that refuses to keep a mental catalogue of past grievances, that never seeks our own advancement at the expense of others, that does not make sport of differences or even jokingly rejoice in an enemy’s bad fortune. This is love that carries the weight of relationship, refusing to lay it aside only for convenience or personal preference, that looks forward and insists on faithfulness.

And God is Love.

What incredible news, that God is like this! How different from the way so many people think of God. But this is indeed the God who looked at the creation and called it good, who led the people out of slavery and into freedom, who guided the Israelites through the wilderness even when they moaned every day of those 40 years, who insists on justice for the poor, the immigrant, and the marginalised, who took on flesh in Jesus and lived among us, gathering all sorts of people from all sorts of places, touching lepers and blessing children and feeding the hungry and forgiving the people who crucified him and commissioning women to tell the good news of the empty tomb. God is love: actively patient and kind, making room for all kinds of experiences, carrying the weight of relationship, refusing to keep a note of past infractions, being faithful.

And we are made in the image of God.

As people we spend a lot of time crafting our image, deciding what is important and building a life.
All those other things the Corinthians valued…all those other things we value…all those things we think define us, that we use to craft that image and build that life…knowledge, wisdom, prophecy, communication skills, awards, talents, work…all those things will come to an end. They are all temporary, however much we might like to think they’re permanent. But love never ends. Love lives on long after we do. Love comes from God, and calls us to God and each other, and existed before creation and will exist long after. And after all, what’s left after we are gone? People may remember our achievements, our skills and talents, for a time. But our most enduring legacy is love — or lack of it. The mark we leave on the world begins and ends with love.

That’s true for individuals and for communities — Jesus said that the world would know his disciples by how we love. That should be the marker of the Church here and now, and that will be our legacy.

And if we have not love, we are nothing.

Without love, we are nothing, have nothing, do nothing.

Indeed, without love, Paul says, we are a distraction. A noisy gong, a clanging cymbal — something that could be part of the ensemble, making music together, calling people to attention, but instead just pointlessly rattles about, drawing people away from the truth rather than toward it.

Sometimes I think we have built on some other foundation, not love. Sometimes a foundation of preferences, of traditions, of fiscal realities, of rules and regulations, of cultural baggage…there are many possible foundations, but they aren’t the base of the hierarchy of needs for the Body of Christ. And so we have distracted people from the good news of God’s grace and power, from Jesus’ saving work, from the Spirit’s continual call, because without love all our words are just noise.

How will people see our faith? How will they know the God we proclaim? How will they know the love and the call from Jesus?

By our love.

Patient and kind, making room for people to come with all their quirks and foibles, different experiences and needs.
Not arrogant or rude, not insisting on our own way.
Not keeping track of the things of the past.
Bearing burdens together, not leaving some to carry them for our desires to be easily and cheaply met.
Enduring together, not abandoning some as if they are disposable.
Holding faith and hope together, not resigning ourselves to injustice because it’s too difficult to tackle.

We don’t understand everything — we see as if through a mirror or a dark glass. But that is no excuse for withholding love. We do not have to know fully in order to love! Indeed, we might even say that as we continue to build on love, we will see ever more…without it, we will always have only the tiniest sliver of understanding. It’s only by loving that we learn to love more, just as we learn any other skill by practicing it. That’s how we grow up and mature in faith, by ensuring a strong base and then practicing love, not just in the easy moments but in the difficult ones as well.

So as our apprenticeship comes to an end, the work of witnessing begins…and though we may not feel as prepared as we would like, neither did the disciples who stood on that mountaintop hearing Jesus commission them. But we don’t have to know everything in order to build from a foundation of love, to act in love, to speak in love, to live in love, to leave a legacy of love. All those other lessons matter, but this one matters most, and without love all the others fade away.

Now faith, hope, and love abide….and the greatest of these, the largest, the chief, the base of the hierarchy of needs, the foundation without which nothing else can be…is love.

May it be so. Amen.

Prayer
Loving God,
You create, redeem, and sustain all things
in the power of your love.
We thank you this day for being the foundation
of our lives, and of our life together.
We are especially grateful for
your patience,
your kindness,
your willingness to bear with us
even when we are not faithful to you.
From age to age, you endure,
and your love leads us on.
We come, bearing the burdens of our community,
holding both friend and enemy in your light.
In your mercy, hear our prayers
for those who suffer, in body, mind, and spirit…
for those who care for others so tirelessly,
on the front line and behind the scenes…
for those working diligently to guide us
into a new way of living…
for those in fear…
for those living in unsafe situations…
for those who feel overlooked or forgotten…
for those who wait in hope for a new dawn…
for your creation groaning…
May your comfort,
your peace,
your courage,
your justice,
your wonder,
your grace,
your hope,
your faithfulness,
your love
fill every place,
every heart,
every home,
every crack,
every hole,
every mind,
every body.
Your love never fails.
You never give up,
and we pray that we too would have the fortitude to persevere in loving as you love.
We offer ourselves, body, mind, and spirit, to you,
trusting in your grace and mercy.
We lift these prayers in the name of Jesus the Christ,
your love in the flesh, 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.

Offering Prayer
In Christ you have given us all things, O God, and also called us to give of ourselves, following his way. As we enter into this resurrection life, make our giving a witness to your generosity. May we know the blessings of the kingdom, even as we seek to live in it each day. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

If you haven’t already, please consider setting up a standing order so that your spiritual practice of giving can continue even when we are not able to be together in person. If you’d like more information about that, please contact Peter Bennett, church treasurer, or Teri and she will direct you to the right person! If you aren’t able to give by standing order, you are invited to place your envelope in a safe place until we are able to be together again. Please remember: no one will come to your door to collect your offering while the church building is closed without contacting you first! Stay safe.

Offering Response Hymn 410, verse 4
(tune: Easter Hymn, Jesus Christ is Risen Today)

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!

Hymn: Proof of Your Love

Benediction
As you live this resurrection life, preparing to be a witness to Christ’s love and God’s grace, may you build always on a foundation of Love. And remember: the Spirit of God goes above you to watch over you; the Spirit of God goes beside you to be your companion; the Spirit of God goes before you to show you the way, and behind you — to push you into places you might not go alone; and the Spirit of God goes 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 Response (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.

Sunday Service for 26 April 2020

26 April 2020: 2nd Sunday of Easter
Service prepared by the Rev. Teri C Peterson,
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Contact: tpeterson at churchofscotland.org.uk

Welcome and Announcements
Though we cannot be together in person, we can be together in spirit! Please note the following announcements:

1. Children’s Time happens each Sunday morning at 11am on Zoom. If you would like the login details, please contact Teri.

2. Churches across Scotland are calling people to join together in prayer on Sunday evenings at 7pm, placing a lit candle in the window and spending time in prayer for others. We will have a prayer service Live on our Facebook page at 7pm. In addition, the moderator of our Presbytery has asked us to pause each day at 11am to pray for healing, health care workers, and our community.

3. Feel free to share this with others, with the attribution information at the top. If you know someone who does not have access to the internet and who also does not receive the tape ministry, you can either print this service out and share it with them, or let Teri know via email or phone call and we will be sure they receive a printed copy.

4. Mid-week there is a devotional email that goes out, it will be printed and included with the following Sunday’s sermon distribution. You can subscribe to the email here.

5. Also mid-week there is a facebook live video devotional on the St. John’s Gourock Facebook page.

6. We now have a youtube channel! You can subscribe here so you never miss a video.

7. If you or a church member you know is in need of friendly phone calls or help with anything while they self-isolate, please contact Teri. Elders are already in contact with people in their districts as well, and you can pass information to them! We are hoping to continue and even deepen our connections to one another, building up the Body of Christ even when we can’t be in the building.

8. Please don’t forget about the various organisations we normally support — they are open and still serving the community in really important ways, and they are in need of assistance both in the form of donations and sometimes volunteers. Please be in touch with them directly if you can help. This includes Starter Packs, Compassionate Inverclyde, The Foodbank, and a variety of other local organisations that depend on your support.

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The Doxology (tune: Old Hundredth)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ all people here below;
Praise Holy Spirit evermore;
Praise Triune God, whom we adore!
Amen

Song: I will rise

The reading and sermon are on video here, or you can read below:

Reading: Acts 3.1-10 (NRSV)
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, ‘Look at us.’ And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.’ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God, and they recognised him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

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Sermon: Eye Contact
Over the last several weeks, I have noticed a drastic change in something I didn’t expect. Yes, a lot has changed, obviously, and we are all finding our way in this strange new reality. But a side effect seems to be that we often no longer look at each other. When I’ve been out for a walk, or when I’ve been sitting in the front window watching people go by, it seems that now many people look away when approaching another person. It’s almost as if even just making eye contact will spread the virus.

Of course there are some people we’ve always turned away from. When walking through city streets and seeing rough sleepers or people begging for change, one of the most common responses is to avert our eyes, as if looking away will also make the problem of poverty go away. And there are other situations where we look at everything but someone’s eyes, whether through morbid fascination with a wound or condition or accident, or through conscious or subconscious sexism or racism or whatever.

But looking away from our neighbours, even when there’s a whole street, or a closed window, between us? That’s new. It’s a different level of “social distancing” than I think was really intended by the phrase!

I’ve been thinking about this a lot, in part because it’s unnerving, and in part because it is the exact opposite of what happens in today’s reading. Peter and John were doing the things we would expect them to be doing, going about their daily business, including joining other Jews for daily prayer at the Temple. And on their way in, their usual routine was interrupted by someone else.

It’s striking that they were willing to be interrupted, diverted from their task…even now when our daily business is different than it used to be, it’s so easy to ignore or overlook those “distractions” that may just be opportunities to lift someone else up.

This man they were willing to turn aside to see had never been able to walk, but he did have friends who helped carry him places. Each afternoon those friends took him to the gate that led into the Temple, so that people who were on their way to worship, and therefore might be feeling generous and looking for a way to enhance their spiritual life through giving, would have the chance to give to him. He must have assumed Peter and John were just another worshipper. It does not appear that he knew anything about them, or about Jesus….he was just going about his daily business, the same as they were.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed this before, but often people who are on the streets asking for help have downcast eyes. They rarely look at the people passing. Perhaps that is due to shame, or perhaps it is due to the crushing disappointment of making eye contact with so many people who then look away in disgust or embarrassment or guilt, or perhaps they are just protecting themselves, or others, from seeing the pain and beauty of the world. It seems that perhaps this man also wasn’t looking up much, because he had to be told to look up.

When Peter and John looked intently at him, stopping in front of him and giving him their full attention, it was an unusual moment. That would still, today, be an unusual moment. And then they said “look at us”—I can just picture it, a verbal version of reaching out and tipping his face toward them. In fact the word that’s used when it says Peter “looked intently” at him has the connotation of “stretching”, like reaching out with his eyes and looking into the man. Then he asked the man to look back, and he fixed his attention on them. Their eyes locked together, and it’s almost as if these windows to the soul were opened….they saw each other, as equals, as whole, real people, made in God’s image, beloved.

Had anyone ever done that before?

It’s surprisingly intimate, to look into another person’s eyes for any length of time. It really is almost as if you can see inside the other person, if you look intently enough. And especially right now, as masks become more common and so facial expressions are harder to read, our eyes are communicating more than ever. Perhaps that is why we rarely look as intently as Peter and John were doing….and perhaps that is why right now, when so much of what we would see or reveal is fear, we don’t make eye contact. We don’t want people to see how afraid we are, and we don’t want to see how afraid they are either. If we can hide our eyes, we might be able to hide our emotions and our spiritual state as well, protecting ourselves from being known. Unfortunately, that can also be a barrier to knowing the full extent of grace and love, too.

When Peter said “I have no silver or gold,” I wonder then if he saw a quick flicker of disappointment in the man’s eyes before he finished the sentence. The man may have thought that his expectations were about to be dashed, when in reality they were about to be exceeded.

Peter then gave him the most incredible gift he had ever received — in the name of Jesus Christ, stand up and walk. He lifted him up, in body and in spirit.

And this man, who had been deposited outside the Temple every day for his whole life, never being allowed in, jumped up and began to walk and leap and praise God….all the way in to the Temple for the first time, with the other people who were going in to pray. No longer an outsider, he was healed physically, and spiritually, and communally. And the first thing he did was go in and praise God, with body, mind, and spirit. The people inside recognised him as the man who used to sit outside…but had they ever actually seen him before? Had they ever looked him in the eye before? Had a conversation? Seen him as a whole, beautiful, loved, equal human being?

I wonder: is this what could happen, if we looked at each other with the eyes of Christ?

Peter and John looked this man in the eye, gave him their full attention, and saw him the way Jesus did. He looked them in the eye, perhaps the first time he’d ever been treated as an equal by people going into the Temple, and saw the grace of God come to life.

So I wonder: can we be ready to be diverted from our daily business, if God places an encounter in our path, even six feet away? And can we really look at people, truly see them? What would it be like to actually look people in the eye, to hold that eye contact (even from across the street or through the window!), and to take the moment of recognising each other as beloved people of God, equals, in this together, handling things in different ways, longing for something we can’t yet understand? And then….can we offer people, in the name of Christ, a living example of God’s grace and healing? Sure, we probably won’t literally lift each other up by the hand right now. But we can lift each other up in other ways, in Christ’s name. We can share the gift we do have, rather than only focusing on what we don’t have. Peter didn’t have money to give, but he did have something else. What do we have? How can we offer that as grace to another, acting as the Body of Christ still living and active in the world?

I believe we can. Whether we look in each other’s eyes through a computer screen or a window, or by listening intently with our whole attention fixed on what the other person is saying from the other end of the phone, we can give each other the gift of being seen. And perhaps we will also then experience the gift of being seen, even if it makes us feel vulnerable, even if it is unfamiliar. There is nothing quite like the love that comes from truly being seen for who we are, from making eye contact with another person. To see and to be seen is a conduit of healing.

And then, in the name of Christ, we can give each other what we have. Whether that’s words of comfort, or a prayer, or a card in the post, or a friendly phone call, or picking up shopping and including a wee treat, or artwork in the window, or whatever we can do….we can lift each other up, in Jesus’ name.

Be ready for the opportunity in the encounters. Look, and really see. Offer what we have, in Christ. That’s how we will be his witnesses, even now, even here.

May it be so. Amen.

If there is someone else with you, maybe take a moment to practice: just look each other in the eye, without breaking eye contact, for a minute. Allow yourself to be seen, and take the time to really see, and to let love and grace be known.
If you are alone, you might try looking in the mirror. It can even be hard to meet our own eyes sometimes, but try to imagine that you are looking with Jesus’ vision, into your own eyes, and know yourself loved by God.
I also recommend the facebook or instagram accounts “Eyes of Children Around the World.” Take a moment to really look into the eyes of these people from different places, and to know them as equals, made in God’s image, beloved, too.

You are invited to place your offering envelope in a safe place until we can meet again. Or, if you haven’t already, to consider setting up a standing order so that your spiritual practice of giving can continue. Please remember: no one will come to your door to collect your offering while the church building is closed! Stay safe.

Offering Response Hymn 410, verse 4
(tune: Easter Hymn, Jesus Christ is Risen Today)

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!

Prayer
God of love and grace,
when you made us from the dust of the earth,
you looked into our eyes and breathed your spirit into our bodies, and we live.
Still, you look on us with love and compassion and mercy.
We thank you for your vision that sees us fully and truly.
We thank you for the gift of being seen and known,
and we pray for the gift of seeing ourselves and others as you do.
Give us the eyes of faith, to stretch our vision to your kingdom.

We know that you see all things, nothing is hidden from you.
You know the suffering of your people, the burdens we carry and the difficulties we face.
Even when we aren’t sure how to pray, your Spirit intercedes for us, with sighs deeper than words.
So we name before you our concerns, knowing that you already care for them….
*for people who are ill, at home or in hospital
*for people whose minds and spirits are troubled
*for people who aren’t sure whether they are sick enough to seek help
*for health care workers, and for those who support their work, caterers and cleaners and delivery drivers and test processors and so many more
May your healing presence be a constant truth, filling each person with your courage and comfort.

*for those whose homes are not places of peace
*for those who must go to work, and all whom they encounter
*for young people and their parents and teachers, trying to adapt
*for those who have positions of power, as they seek to do what is best for everyone
May your peace that passes all understanding guard and guide them.

*for those we often overlook…people without homes, people without enough to eat
*for the world, and the concerns that have receded from view…those suffering from climate change, famine, and war
*for those living on the edge, struggling to stay sober, to stay above water, to stay safe, who are too often seen as just a statistic
May your justice come rolling down like waters, righteousness like a mighty stream.

God, we long to see and be seen,
to know the healing and grace that comes with
making eye contact with you, our risen Lord.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
we ask for your blessing this day,
on us, on our neighbours, on your church, on your world.
Strengthen us to stand up and walk,
to leap into praise,
to know our true worth as your people,
and to look eye to eye with compassion and mercy.
We ask these and all things in the power of the Holy Spirit
and 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.

Hymn: God, be the love to search and keep me

Benediction
As you live this resurrection life, learning to be a witness to Christ’s love and God’s grace, 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 Response (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.

Sunday Service for 19 April 2020

19 April 2020: 2nd Sunday of Easter
Service prepared by the Rev. Teri C Peterson,
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Contact: tpeterson at churchofscotland.org.uk

Welcome and Announcements
Though we cannot be together in person, we can be together in spirit! Please note the following announcements:
1. Churches across Scotland are calling people to join together in prayer on Sunday evenings at 7pm, placing a lit candle in the window and spending time in prayer for others. We will have a prayer service Live on our Facebook page at 7pm. In addition, the moderator of our Presbytery has asked us to pause each day at 11am to pray for healing, health care workers, and our community.

2. Feel free to share this with others, with the attribution information at the top. If you know someone who does not have access to the internet and who also does not receive the tape ministry, you can either print this service out and share it with them, or let Teri know via email or phone call and we will be sure they receive a printed copy.

3. Mid-week there is a devotional email that goes out, it will be printed and included with the following Sunday’s sermon distribution. You can subscribe to the email here.

4. Also mid-week there is a facebook live video devotional on the St. John’s Gourock Facebook page.

5. We now have a youtube channel! You can subscribe here so you never miss a video.

6. If you or a church member you know is in need of friendly phone calls or help with anything while they self-isolate, please contact Teri. Elders are already in contact with people in their districts as well, and you can pass information to them! We are hoping to continue and even deepen our connections to one another, building up the Body of Christ even when we can’t be in the building.

7. Please don’t forget about the various organisations we normally support — they are open and still serving the community in really important ways, and they are in need of assistance both in the form of donations and sometimes volunteers. Please be in touch with them directly if you can help. This includes Starter Packs, Compassionate Inverclyde, The Foodbank, and a variety of other local organisations that depend on your support.

~~~~~~

The Doxology (tune: Old Hundredth)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ all people here below;
Praise Holy Spirit evermore;
Praise Triune God, whom we adore!
Amen

Hymn 727: In the bulb there is a flower

If you’d like to see/hear the sermon, you can watch it here, or you can read it yourself below.

Reading: Acts chapter 1, verses 1-14 (NIV)

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’
Then they gathered round him and asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’
He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’
Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Sermon: When the Time is Right

Is this the time?
How about now?
Are we there yet?
When?

It feels like the press corps asking questions of our leaders, as much as the disciples asking questions of Jesus — when? How much longer? What do you mean by “wait here”?

The disciples didn’t love the waiting time any more than we do. Sitting around, waiting for something to happen — or, in our current case, hoping that very little will happen — is not what we expected resurrection life would look like. So I suppose it makes sense that when Jesus started to talk about the gift of the Holy Spirit, they immediately jumped to wondering if this was the moment that all their expectations would finally be fulfilled. After all, they had followed faithfully (and less faithfully, sometimes)….they had lived through the ultimate disappointment of their expectations, and then seen that God was more powerful than they had ever realised. Surely now that all that humiliation and death business was out of the way, Jesus would at last take up the mantle of the messiah they expected him to be, defeating the powers of this world and setting the system to rights?

There is some danger in imposing our expectations on God. One of those dangers is that God may have completely different expectations in mind….and so ours will be challenged, or perhaps outright dashed.

The risen Christ saw his disciples clamouring about him, and he heard their pleas, and this time he didn’t say “how much longer must I put up with you?” Instead he calmly explained that this resurrection life wasn’t going to be about their expectations of God, but rather God’s call to them. So first, we would have to wait. And then, when the time is right, Jesus says, “you will be my witnesses.”

Those are Jesus’ last words to his friends and followers: when the time is right, you will be my witnesses.

The question on the disciples’ minds must have been: when will the time be right? When is the time?

When Jesus began to rise toward the sky, I wonder if any of them remembered the story of Elijah and Elisha. When Elijah’s earthly life was over, rather than dying, he was taken up into heaven. Elisha knew that something was about to happen, and he asked Elijah for the gift of “a double share of your spirit.” And Elijah told him that if Elisha could keep his eyes on him while he was going into heaven, then his request would be granted. Elisha, therefore, stared after Elijah, who was taken up in a fiery chariot into the sky, for a long time, until the sky was empty, and after. And only then, when he was certain he had seen all he could see, did he turn away, take up Elijah’s mantle, and carry on — with the gift of Elijah’s spirit alive and well within him.

We always sort of make fun of the disciples for staring at the sky long after the soles of Jesus’ feet disappear amidst the clouds. But perhaps they were waiting for that gift of the Spirit — if they saw him go into heaven, then the Spirit would immediately fill them and they would feel ready to take up the mantle and carry on. And if they didn’t feel any different that day, then no wonder they stood staring at the sky, squinting against the sun as their necks began to ache.

It took some more men in white robes — the very messengers we usually call angels — to call their eyes back to earth. This time the messengers did not start with “do not be afraid,” instead they reminded the disciples where they had come from, and what they were meant to do. “Men of Galilee”….remember who you are. Remember where you met Jesus first. Remember what he did, and taught, and now what he has called you to do. Don’t just stand here looking for him to meet your expectations. Your job now is to go out and meet his expectations.

I wonder what it felt like to return to that upper room, having no idea how long they would need to stay there.

Actually….I think maybe we have some idea what it feels like now, more than we ever have before!

But to know that at some point, they would be sent out to be witnesses, not just to the people they already knew, but also to their historic enemies, and also to people far and wide whom they had never even heard of, let alone met?

How does one prepare to be a witness?

First I think we need to consider what the word “witness” means. A witness is someone who testifies, who speaks in order to give evidence to those who are trying to discern the truth. And what they speak about is what they know — what they have seen and experienced themselves. That experience can also often lead to testimony by behaviour, by their actions or way of life changing because of the experience they have had, so that others can see, as well as hear, the story that the witness knows.

And Jesus says that we will be his witnesses.

The disciples heard that call, so different from what they hoped and expected Jesus would do. They thought he would change the world so that the kingdom of God was visible everywhere, from top to bottom and all around….and instead he reminded them that the kingdom was embodied in him, and that they were now to be his Body. Instead of meeting their expectations, he turned them around and insisted that it was us, the Body of Christ, who would carry on the work of changing the world, making the kingdom of God visible everywhere. In Jerusalem and Judea — the places where they were to wait, to stay, to shelter in place. And then in their neighbouring country. And then to the ends of the earth. Wherever they went, the kingdom would be, and it was their testimony that would help people see it — by living and telling the story of their experience of Jesus, they would be the witnesses that all who seek truth need in order to come into resurrection life.

It’s a tall order, and I wonder if perhaps as they walked down the Mount of Olives, the disciples maybe wished they’d been given an easier answer? “Stay home” might have felt more manageable if it came with “because I’ll be right back with all the answers you need, and the power to change everything to exactly the way you envision it.” Instead they got “stay home, for however long it takes, and be ready to be a reliable witness to my grace, justice, love, and hope when you come out.”

Which brings us back to the question: how do we prepare to be a witness?

Jesus’ friends and followers give us the pattern. They spent their time in lockdown in prayer. They waited on the Holy Spirit. They prayed, they told the stories of Jesus’ life, and they were alert to whatever God had to show them, even behind closed doors.

Remember, they knew firsthand that closed doors were no barrier for the risen Christ, and so would not be a barrier for the Holy Spirit. Even locked in the upper room, they could see and hear and experience God with them.

And perhaps the most important part, honestly…maybe even more important than the time spent in prayer and in reminding themselves of God’s word: they wanted to be ready.

They wanted to be ready.

That desire to answer Christ’s call meant that they were able to spend however long it took, whether it was days or weeks, preparing in prayer and recalling the story. They wanted to be effective witnesses when the time was right — to tell the story so that people would understand its truth, to live lives changed by their experience of the risen Christ so that people would see his power. So they prayed. They listened. They looked for God right where they were. They read the scriptures. They encouraged each other. They stayed alert to the movement of the Spirit.

From the outside, that will have looked like wasting time, like hiding in fear, like dilly-dallying. Why weren’t they continuing to ask when things would change? Why weren’t they just getting on with it now, regardless of the instructions? But they had heard Christ’s clear call to resurrection life, and they knew that when the time was right, he would send them out.

Perhaps we too can use this time to prepare to be the witnesses Christ calls us to be. The world has changed, people are looking for hope, for truth, for grace….more than ever, we could use some evidence of resurrection. When the time is right, will they see us living resurrection life? Will they hear our story of love more powerful than death and be convinced? Will the truth of God’s amazing grace be seen and heard in Christ’s Body, so that the whole world understands the kingdom of God is at hand?

If we want to be ready, the Spirit can show us the way. So let’s not waste this crisis in asking questions that betray only our own expectations for someone else to do something….instead, let’s prepare to be witnesses, in our neighbourhoods, our town, our nation, and the world.

May it be so. Amen.

Offering Response Hymn 410, verse 4
(tune: Easter Hymn, Jesus Christ is Risen Today)

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!

Prayer
Living God, we thank you for this day that you have made,
and for the community you have called together to be the Body of Christ.
We offer our prayers for your Church,
striving to be faithful in the places you have planted us,
even when we are apart,
even behind closed doors,
even in virtual space.
Your power of resurrection life is greater than we can fathom,
and we pray that it would be visible through and among us, even in these days.

Loving God, we thank you for your constant presence,
for the promise of companionship on this journey.
We remember this day those who feel alone, who are isolated,
who are ill and have no one by their bedside,
or who are anxiously waiting for news from a loved one in a hospital or care home.
We lift up our prayers for those whose mental health is suffering in these days,
and for those whose home is unsafe and they can’t see a way out.
May your healing grace fill each of those spaces,
bringing comfort and peace, courage and hope,
and the knowledge that you will never leave us nor forsake us.

Lord God, we thank you for all who witness
to your goodness, your help, your grace, your love.
We especially pray this day for those who are caring for others,
and for those whom we used to overlook but now call essential.
For nurses and doctors and carers,
for janitors and bin men and hospital laundry workers,
for grocery store clerks and bus drivers and teachers,
and all who keep the world running.
Give them your strength and compassion, your hope and your help.
May we see your self-giving love in their acts of service,
and may they know that they are your hands and feet.
And, O God, we pray you would give our leaders
the courage and wisdom to do what is right and good for all,
including those so often forgotten.

You are the God of the living, the God of life itself.
We pray for your protection and your care,
your guidance and your wisdom,
for ourselves, for our neighbours, and for our world.
We trust in your promise, and pray to be found faithful when the time is right.
It is in the name of the risen Christ that we offer all these prayers,
and we gather them up with the prayer Jesus taught us:
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.

Song: Holy As A Day Is Spent

Benediction
As you live this resurrection life, preparing to be a witness to Christ’s love and God’s grace, 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 Response (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.

Holy Week 2020

This week our Holy Week services have been via video…you can find them here (and subscribe to your YouTube channel!).

Maundy Thursday evening:

Good Friday at noon:

Good Friday evening:

Holy Saturday:

Sunday service for 5 April 2020 — Palm Sunday

5 April 2020: Palm Sunday
Service prepared by the Rev. Teri C Peterson,
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Contact: tpeterson@churchofscotland.org.uk,

Welcome and Announcements
Though we cannot be together in person, we can be together in spirit! Please note the following announcements:

1. Today is Palm Sunday! If you would like to join our palm parade, you can download and print your very own palm branch by clicking here. Colour it in and hang it in your window, so we can all join in welcoming Jesus together!

3. During Holy Week, there will be a Facebook Live devotion each day at some point during the day (some will be morning, afternoon, evening…). In addition, Holy Week At Home activities have been sent to families with young children — if you would like an emailed activity pack for P1 and younger, please email Teri and she’ll send it to you!

4. Feel free to share this with others, with the attribution information at the top. If you know someone who does not have access to the internet and who also does not receive the tape ministry, you can either print this service out and share it with them, or let Teri know via email or phone call and we will be sure they receive a printed copy.

5. Mid-week there is a devotional email that goes out, it will be printed and included with the following Sunday’s sermon distribution. You can subscribe to the email here.

6. Also mid-week there is a facebook live video devotional on the St. John’s Gourock Facebook page.

Call to Worship: Psalm 118.19-29 (NRSV)
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
   that I may enter through them
   and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
   the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me
   and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing;
   it is marvellous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
   let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
   O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
   We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God,
   and he has given us light.
Bind the festal procession with branches,
   up to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
   you are my God, I will extol you.
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever.

Song: Hosanna / Praise is Rising

Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer
Holy God, we come with hosannas and palms,
seeking your passion.
We seek to know your heart,
and to follow your way.
And yet we enter this week with trembling,
for we know it holds things we would rather avoid.
But you have promised never to leave us nor forsake us—
so walk this journey with us, Lord.
Or rather, guide us to walk with you.
For we confess that often we would prefer you to walk our way,
not the other way round.
We confess that we find it difficult to understand your intentions,
and sometimes your symbols are lost on us.
And we admit that we use our opinions as if they are your facts,
to keep others out and to silence other voices.
We come with hosannas and palms,
seeking your passion…
forgive us when we seek our own passion rather than yours,
when we turn our eyes from the cross
and, through our silence,
give power back to the violent status quo.
May your forgiveness take root in us,
that we may turn and re-turn
until we are transformed into your people of love.
Open our lips, O God, that we may declare your praise.
We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, Love Incarnate, 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.

Sung prayer 382, verses 2-3
(tune: Passion Chorale, O Sacred Head Now Wounded)

O Lord of life and glory,
what bliss till now was thine!
I read the wondrous story;
I joy to call thee mine.
Thy grief and bitter Passion
were all for sinners’ gain;
mine, mine was the transgression,
but thine the deadly pain.

What language shall I borrow
to praise thee, heavenly Friend,
for this thy dying sorrow,
thy pity without end?
O make me thine for ever,
and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never,
never outlive my love to thee.

Scripture Reading: Mark chapter 11, verses 1-11 (NIV)

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you doing this?” say, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.”’
They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, ‘What are you doing, untying that colt?’ They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
‘Hosanna!’
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’
‘Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!’
‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

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: The story is in the details

I have some friends who have said that in these days of “distancing” and “lockdown” and “isolation”, they notice more than ever when there are crowds of people in, for instance, television shows. It has already been so drilled into us to stay two metres apart, even after just a few weeks, that it’s startling to see crowds jostling each other on screen. It feels almost like a different world.

This story of Jesus entering Jerusalem feels a bit like that, as it’s full of things we can’t do right now….there are people moving about, going from town to town, and then lining the streets like a crowd at a parade, shaking out clothes and laying them down, handing out branches, shouting near each other without face masks….it’s startling how quickly something like this starts to feel unusual.

Of course, that day was unusual. Not because of the parade aspect — that may actually have been the most normal part of the day. At Passover there would be throngs of people coming to Jerusalem, making their pilgrimage to the holy city for the holy festival. And often those already in the city, whether residents or pilgrims who arrived earlier, would line the streets and welcome them. Normally they would do so by singing psalms, and the pilgrims would respond…and there are several psalms set aside for just this purpose, for going up to Jerusalem and for welcoming others in. Notice in our opening psalm today, Psalm 118, there is a line for those who are in the city already: “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.” And there is a response from those who are entering: “The Lord is God, and he has given us light.” The psalm even mentions the branches!

But the details of the day…they were unusual. Mark’s gospel is renowned for its details, things that you wouldn’t expect to hear, as when he notes that during the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus had people sit down on the green grass, or when Jesus was asleep on the boat during a storm, he had a pillow. So I want to just explore a few of the little details Mark gives us in this story, details that we might usually gloss over. Why do these little details matter? Mark is a good storyteller, and he is the most concise of the gospel writers. He never wastes a word in conveying the point he wants to get across, so he would not have included them if he didn’t think they were important for some reason. Each of these seemingly insignificant details must tell us something about Jesus, and about the drama that is unfolding in Jerusalem.

Bethany was about 2 miles from Jerusalem. There Jesus sent his disciples to look for a donkey — which would have been the normal mode of transport, of course, aside from walking. But this wasn’t just any donkey, it was a young, unbroken, never-been-ridden-before donkey. Why does it matter that the donkey is, shall we say, new?

In the prophets of the Old Testament we read that God’s anointed one will come, not on a warhorse, but on a donkey, a humble everyday pack animal. In contrast to the Roman emperor and his officials, Jesus enters God’s city in God’s way, and anyone who knew of his teaching and healing and then saw this entry would understand the reference. But why a young donkey that had never been ridden? Even the most humble person shouldn’t need to subject themselves to an unbroken colt. Then again, in the prophets we hear God saying “behold, I am doing a new thing…”. Could there be some symbolism here, of a new thing entering the holy city? Completely new, and maybe a little awkward to watch….. Not just a new king, but a completely new way of living, of understanding the world, of knowing God.

Most homes at the time had a space at the front of the ground floor for animals to live. But this donkey was tied up in the doorway….not inside the house, not somewhere separate outside either. It was in in-between space, public and private at the same time. Why does it matter that the donkey was tied up in a doorway?

This week, Jesus is in and out of Jerusalem every day. The whole week feels a bit like the city and the disciples and even Jesus holding their breath. We are at the threshold of something big, but it isn’t all the way out in the open just yet. Each moment of the week takes us in and out…big public moments in the Temple, private moments in back rooms, and in-between in dining rooms with friends. There’s a lot of coming and going, as if we need reminding that Jesus and the ways he is changing the world affect every arena, not just public life, not just private life, but all of life.

When the disciples untied the donkey from its doorway parking space, people questioned them, and the next unusual detail emerges: they said the teacher needed it, and would bring it back shortly. When exactly was Jesus planning to return the donkey?

I confess that there is a part of me that wonders if that detail is actually answered in the next bit:

Jesus entered the city, and went up to the outer court of the Temple, and looked around…. “but since it was already late” he turned right around and went back to Bethany for the night. Why was it late? Did they get a late start? Did the unbroken donkey colt take longer to ride than he anticipated? Was there a big crowd and they couldn’t move fast enough? And why simply look and then turn around and go two miles back up the Mount of Olives to the very place they’d just left?

…was he late returning the donkey?
It does seem as if Mark is trying to tell us that the procession into the city took a very long time, not just the 45 minutes or so you would expect if you were making the journey in normal circumstances. Sadly, I think this might be one detail whose background we will never know for certain, but it is interesting to think about why it might have taken such a long time to go two miles! Perhaps it’s a reminder that we cannot control God’s timing.

And one last detail, which all the gospel writers give us, and which is even in the Psalm if we know what to look for, but which often escapes us as modern readers in English translation. The crowd was shouting Hosanna — which we sometimes use as if it’s interchangeable with Hallelujah, but it isn’t really. Hosanna means “save us” — did you see it in the psalm? “Save us, we beseech you, O Lord” the psalmist wrote. Though, interestingly, in the responsive use of the psalm, those are the words said by the people approaching Jerusalem, and in the gospel story of Palm Sunday they are the words said by the crowd welcoming him into Jerusalem. And, of course, the name Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew) has the same root as Hosanna….Jesus means “God saves”. So there is no one better for them to shout “Hosanna — save us!” to than the one whose very name is salvation.

It’s probably obvious why the order of the psalm response would be reversed. Of course it is the crowd that needs saving, and Jesus that can deliver. There would be no need for Jesus to be the pilgrim chanting those words, of course, when he embodies God’s salvation in himself.

I wonder, if we were to join the crowd, welcoming Jesus into the city, what would we be asking of him? When we call out “save us, we beseech you!” what are we asking for? Right now, of course many of us would ask for saving from pandemic viruses. But when we take all these details into account — the threshold at which we stand, the new thing that Jesus is doing, which is all-encompassing of every aspect of our private and public lives, the fact that God’s time is not always aligned with ours — what are we asking when we pray for The One Who Saves to rescue us?

The crowds that day were likely asking God “save us from Rome!”

Perhaps some of us today are praying “save us from ourselves!” as we become uncomfortably aware of things within us that are normally masked by our activities and relationships and busyness.
Or maybe “save us from each other!” if being cooped up together is starting to get to us!
Save us from illness…..save us from death…..save us from grief….save us from despair….
Some might be praying to save our economy, save our NHS, save our planet…

Whatever you are praying for today, know this: Jesus is salvation. Not just his name, but his life, his presence, his Way, his Truth. And he turns everything around, from the order of the psalm response, to the order of the world. He is doing a new thing that no one else can accomplish, and it will involve all of us—heart, soul, mind, and strength—in his love.

May it be so. Amen.

Offering Prayer
Lord, you call us to match our giving to our gratitude.
It feels impossible, for all we have is a gift from you,
and we cannot hope to fully express our thanks.
But with you, all things are possible.
Teach us again that in giving, we are able to receive,
and in practicing generosity, we become more like you.
Bless these gifts, the fruits of our labour,
that they may in turn bless others, bringing glory to you
and a glimpse of your kingdom on earth.
We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

Offering Response Hymn 392, verse 4
(tune: Rockingham, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross)

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
We call out, O God…
We call out in praise and gratitude, for all your gifts to us.
For your love and mercy,
for the gift of your Son living among us,
for the gift of your Spirit living within us,
for the gift of your creation sustaining our life,
for the gift of minds and hearts that seek to serve.
We call out to you, offering our thanks
for those who are
tirelessly researching;
processing tests and scans;
working behind the scenes;
keeping shelves stocked and rooms clean;
tending the sick and dying;
assisting neighbours;
phoning friends.
May they know that they are your hands and feet,
and may they sense your presence with them,
and working through them.
…
We call out to you, O God, for you are the one who saves us.
We call out in fear, in anxiety, in grief…
We call out in hope, in trust, in love…
For those who are
ill, at home or in hospital or in care;
bereaved, and unable to grieve with friends;
anxious or depressed, and missing their coping strategies;
lonely, and feeling forgotten;
living amidst violence, and wondering how to find safety.
Send your healing, comforting Spirit to fill them,
and bring peace and hope like a light in the shadows.
…
We call out to you, O God, for you are the one who saves us.
We call out, because injustice depends on our silence.
We call out on behalf of those whose voices have been muted.
For those places and peoples in the midst of war, famine, violence, and unrest:
May your peace transform all things, in homes and streets and halls of power.
For those who are counting on our attention being diverted:
May your goodness be stronger than evil.
For those who have lost jobs, or homes, or independence, or hope:
May your kindness be evident in the hands of friend and stranger.
For all of us, in the midst of this upheaval:
May we remember that you turned things upside down,
and may your courage sustain us as we seek to do your will even now.
…
We call out to you, O God: Hosanna, Jesus.
Amen.

Song: Hosanna to the King

Benediction
Whatever is on your heart when you cry out “Hosanna, save us”, know that the Spirit of God goes above you to watch over you; the Spirit of God goes beside you to be your companion; the Spirit of God goes before you to show you the way, and behind you — to push you into places you might not go alone; and the Spirit of God goes 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 Response (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.

Sunday Service for 29 March 2020, fifth Sunday in Lent

29 March 2020: 5th Sunday in Lent
Service prepared by the Rev. Teri C Peterson,
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Contact: tpeterson (at) churchofscotland (dot) org (dot) uk

2. Feel free to share this with others, with the attribution information at the top! If you know someone who does not have access to the internet and who also does not receive the tape ministry, you can either print this service out and share it with them, or let Teri know via email or phone call and we will be sure they receive a printed copy.

3. Mid-week there is a devotional email that goes out, it will be printed and included with the following Sunday’s sermon distribution. You can subscribe to the email here.

4. Also mid-week there is a facebook live video devotional on the St. John’s Gourock Facebook page.

5. If you or a church member you know is in need of friendly phone calls or help with anything while they self-isolate, please contact Teri. Elders are already in contact with people in their districts as well, and you can pass information to them! We are hoping to continue and even deepen our connections to one another, building up the Body of Christ even when we can’t be in the building.

Call to Worship
One: Let us, together and individually, observe a holy Lent:
turning away from all that does not glorify God,
and turning toward the cross,
obediently following Christ’s way of love and justice.
All: We come to seek God’s help in discerning
what we must lay down and what we must take up,
what we must end and what we must begin.
For the way is narrow that leads to life,
but with God all things are possible.
One: Let us worship God together.

Hymn 399 (verses 1-3, 5, 7): My Song is Love Unknown:

Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer
Gracious God, we can never comprehend your love for us — you meet us where we are, and call us to new life, and with you all things are possible. We give you thanks for your mercy, from everlasting to everlasting, and we come before you this day admitting that we are not always as lovely as you have created us to be. We know that we do not need to pretend with you, for you are never deceived by the image we project, and so we confess that we have sometimes looked with scorn on those who are different. We have scolded others for their choices, directing attention to ourselves and our self-righteousness rather than to you. We have used all the right words…to serve ourselves and put others down. Forgive us, O God. Forgive us for how quickly we can twist your way to suit our own ends. Forgive us for drowning out your voice with ours. Forgive us for withholding compassion and grace, and for choosing love last rather than first. Have mercy on us, turn us again to your way, and give us courage, Lord, to live like you. We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, Love Incarnate, 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.

Sung prayer 382, verses 2-3
(tune: Passion Chorale, O Sacred Head Now Wounded)

Scripture Reading: Mark chapter 14 verses 1-9 (Common English Bible)
It was two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and legal experts through cunning tricks were searching for a way to arrest Jesus and kill him. But they agreed that it shouldn’t happen during the festival; otherwise, there would be an uproar among the people.
Jesus was at Bethany visiting the house of Simon, who had a skin disease. During dinner, a woman came in with a vase made of alabaster and containing very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke open the vase and poured the perfume on his head. Some grew angry. They said to each other, “Why waste the perfume? This perfume could have been sold for almost a year’s pay and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.
Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. You always have the poor with you; and whenever you want, you can do something good for them. But you won’t always have me. She has done what she could. She has anointed my body ahead of time for burial. I tell you the truth that, wherever in the whole world the good news is announced, what she’s done will also be told in memory of her.”

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: Not a Waste

Last night I happened upon a Facebook Live video of some musicians, half of a local band called Reely Jiggered, doing a little concert for their neighbourhood, which they called “Live from the Drive” — they set up sound equipment and everything, and had their mum hold the phone camera, and their neighbours came to their windows or doors and listened and clapped along. It was a delightful half hour of traditional music, and I could even hear the neighbours clapping.

And then, in the comments, came one person who said: shouldn’t you be in your house?

And then another: I hope no one is clapping along, you’re supposed to be inside!

Thankfully, the scolding didn’t seem to take hold, just a comment every now and then, here and there. But how easy it is to fall into that judgment….here were some talented women, providing entertainment for their neighbours in lockdown, no one crowding up into the drive or dancing in the street, just everyone enjoying the show from their own windows or doorways. But someone couldn’t stop themselves from scolding.

Elsewhere in groups of local folks I’ve seen people saying they got dirty looks from fellow shoppers in the supermarket when they bought a cake for their child’s birthday. And I’ve seen discussions about whether whatever someone ordered from Amazon was actually “essential” or if it was some frivolous thing that risked the driver’s life to deliver. Not to mention the people (usually who are out driving somewhere!) commenting on how many people are out for a walk or queuing for the shop or asking for the newspaper….and that doesn’t even get into the sarcastic answers people get to genuine questions. Scolding has become our pandemic pastime.

Jesus was a dinner guest at the home of Simon — sometimes known as “Simon the leper.” Whether or not the disease referred to in the original Greek text was actual leprosy or something else (it could have been eczema, or rosacea, or any number of other things that were not contagious, the word is literally just “skin disease”), Simon was someone that people who cared about appearances would not have associated with.

Jesus was already a target, the leaders of his community were plotting to get rid of him. They were cunning enough to know that they want to do it quietly, not during the most celebrated festival of the year, when the city is full of visitors and people are already wound up. But the plot was underway, nonetheless.

It isn’t clear who was at that dinner party at Simon’s house. There were obviously several guests, but we don’t know who they were, other than that they were people who were willing to go to dinner at the home of someone who was ritually unclean, just two days before the Passover. Maybe it was Jesus’ disciples. Maybe it was Simon’s family, or some close friends. Maybe it was a gathering from the streets and alleys, like one of Jesus’ parables. Whatever the case, we know they were in the home of an outcast, and so must not have cared overly much about appearances, or social and religious and cultural taboos.

During dinner, a woman came in. Interestingly, as Mark tells it, there’s nothing strange about this, or about the woman herself. Other gospel writers give her a name or an occupation or a status, but not Mark. She’s just a woman with a jar full of pure nard — a costly and beautiful thing, meant for burials, or for celebrations. She would likely have been saving it for an important occasion. Even the jar itself proclaimed that this was special, not just the perfume you spritz on before a night out. Alabaster is fragile, it can be nearly translucent, and in the right light, it seems to glow. Once the top was broken, it could never be used again.

The woman took this special-occasion perfume, in its gorgeous luminous alabaster jar, and she broke it open over Jesus’ head.

She offered her most precious possession, the most beautiful thing she had, and the most costly. She recognised that the person invited to dinner that night wasn’t just another outcast, not just another person flouting social norms….he was something special, something worth her gift, worth sacrificing her best for. She gave her all to him.

Imagine how much courage it must have taken, to walk into that room full of men, including the one she recognised as the Messiah, and to anoint him — not just as the prophet, priest, and king we know Jesus to be, but for his death.

When the journey to the cross is completed, just a few days after this dinner, there will be no one to anoint his body, and no time for it anyway. But the scent of this perfume will still be in his hair and on his clothes. Her gift will go with him to the cross, and to the tomb…and he says that wherever his story is told, the scent of her gift will waft along there as well, her story will also be told.

And the others…whoever they were, these norm-flouting outcasts…they scolded her.
They scolded her.

She did something beautiful. She offered herself, heart and soul, body and mind, possessions and status. She recognised who Jesus was, and she worshipped him in the clearest way she knew how.

And they scolded her.

With every breath, the scent of perfume filled their nostrils…but they used that breath for something decidedly less beautiful.

These men who were already breaking all sorts of rules could not stand that this woman had broken not just her jar, but the rules they had just that moment made up.

Why not sell this costly thing and give the money to the poor?

This is the question of someone who has never saved something for a special occasion…never hidden something away for the right moment, when it might be needed….never done the emotional labour of preparing for a future that no one wants to think about. That perfume was at the back of the top shelf of the cupboard waiting for the day of a death or maybe, if they’re lucky, a wedding; not just a trinket brought out on a whim, and not a stash hoarded for a nice holiday. She knew that terrible things happened, and it was her job to be ready. And she was.

And they scolded her.

They did not understand. They made assumptions about why she would have such a beautiful thing, where she got it, what it was for. They made assumptions about her. And they voiced them — called her wasteful. Called her a waste.

Even as I write those words, I can feel the tears welling up. I hope you can feel it too, the harshness of those assumptions, flooding this woman whose worship was called a waste, whose life was in question, whose dignity was being stripped away by the very people who ought to have been on her side, one team of “outcasts” in the midst of a sea of powerful people’s plots.

They scolded her.

And somehow, she did not run away. She did not drop her jar and rush out of the room in tears. She did not shout at them that she thought they were all in this together, worshipping the Son of God right there in their midst.

I bet she wanted to, but Jesus stepped in. And in his defence of her, he said something that has been used and twisted throughout the centuries to justify plenty more scolding: “you always have the poor with you,” he said.

Too many have quoted this line and insisted it’s Jesus giving his blessing to an economy of haves and have-nots, that he’s defending the idea of keeping our expensive pretty things to ourselves even if other people starve.

That is not what the woman did, and it is not what Jesus said.

This sentence is the moment when it becomes clear that at least some of those dinner party guests must have been Jesus’ disciples. Because when he says “you will always have the poor with you,” he is making a statement about his disciples, the Church, who will be his Body on earth. You, followers of Jesus, will always have the poor with you…because you’ll be with them. That is where the Body of Christ is to be found, among the poor, the outcast, the sinner — in other words, the same places where Jesus was found during his ministry. That is where we are to look, if we want to find the Church: Among the poor. Defending the outcast. Bringing healing and wholeness to those who are broken.

Not scolding.
Not hoarding.
Not well-actually-ing.
Not imposing standards we don’t even live by.
Building up.
Serving.
Caring.
Loving.

Each week this Lent we have been practicing letting go of something, giving up something not just for Lent but forever (hopefully). We have tried fasting from being owned by our possessions, from being first, from being right, and from needing recognition. I wonder if this week we could practice fasting from judging….fast from scolding, from self-righteousness, from allowing our assumptions to guide our reactions. Because let’s be honest for a moment: most of the time, we have no idea whether those five people we saw out walking together live in the same house or not. We have no idea whether the person in the store has a special-needs child who only eats one shape of pasta. We have no idea what’s inside that box being delivered from Amazon, or why the person needs it. So let’s let go of our self-righteous assumptions. And when someone offers something beautiful, whether it’s a live concert from their driveway or a rainbow posted in the window or an offer of picking up the papers and a pint of milk for a neighbour, let’s fast from scolding them (or anyone else!) for it. Shame doesn’t usually lead to a change in behaviour, but love sure can.

Imagine if, instead of judging based on appearances and assumptions, we started from the truth that all of us, every single one, is made in the image of God, and doing the best we can with what resources we have available. Some of us are more or less prepared, physically and emotionally and spiritually. Rather than scolding, which takes up our own energy unproductively and also tears down and saps the energy of the person being shamed, let’s try to build up the Body of Christ, to show our love for one another, and perhaps, as we give up judgment, we’ll find ourself more able to offer compassion instead, no matter the cost.

May it be so. Amen.

~~~~~~~~
The Bible Study for Lent was based on the Greatest Showman. The storyline of the film involves a variety of people considered to be outsiders, misfits, and “freaks,” into a circus show. The performers become like a family, and being together builds their confidence in their own humanity and belovedness. At one point they are again stared at, shamed, and shut out of the wider community, despite all Mr. Barnum’s previous assurances to the contrary. It’s a pivotal moment in the film, when each of them, and all of them together, finally summon up the courage to live out the truth they have been learning: that they are wonderfully made, and loved, and deserving of dignity. Despite all the scoldings they have received, and all the shame they have internalised over the years, they dig deep and discover that they are allowed to be themselves, just like everyone else. Here is the video clip of the workshop of that moment — this is when the actors and director and writers were asking the studio for permission to make the film.

As you watch, dig deep in yourself too, and feel your belovedness. You are fearfully and wonderfully made, and God’s love is for you…and let it flow through you to others, too. One way we do that is through the spiritual discipline of giving. Consider how you might give of yourself and your resources to build up the Body of Christ, both right now and in the future. If you have a weekly offering envelope, please put it somewhere safe until we are able to worship together again. Please note: no one is going to come to your door to collect your offering! Save those envelopes up until we can gather again, or until your elder is in touch sometime after this health crisis is over.

~~~~~~~~~

Offering Prayer
Lord, you call us to match our giving to our gratitude. It feels impossible, for all we have is a gift
from you, and we cannot hope to fully express our thanks. But with you, all things are possible.
Teach us again that in giving, we are able to receive, and in practicing generosity, we become more
like you. Bless these gifts, the fruits of our labour, that they may in turn bless others, bringing glory
to you and a glimpse of your kingdom on earth. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

Offering Response Hymn 392, verse 4
(tune: Rockingham, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross)

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

You are Love, O God.
You create, and redeem, and sustain…all with love.
One word, and in that word you shine a light that brings us life.
Thank you —
we don’t have the vocabulary to encompass our gratitude,
but still we give you thanks
for the wonders of a new day,
for evidence of your care,
for enough to eat,
and safe places to stay,
and for so many things we have often taken for granted,
like conversations with friends,
and walks in the sun,
and the unexpected doorbell ringing.
In these days of so much change and uncertainty,
there are things we never thought to thank you for,
but now are at the forefront of our minds,
like our sense of smell,
and nice hand soap,
and hot running water in our homes,
and so much more,
so accept our gratitude and praise for all that we name before you now.
…
…
…
You are Lord of all — the earth belongs to you, and all that is in it,
so we pray now for your people who are in harm’s way.
We ask your protection and care for those serving in the Health Service,
putting themselves on the line each day as they offer
your compassion and wisdom to those who are ill.
May they know that they are your hands and feet, doing your healing work.
We ask your healing presence for all who are suffering,
especially those who cannot take a deep breath.
Fill them with your breath, Lord,
that they may know healing in their body, mind, and spirit.
We ask your comfort for those who grieve,
who have lost loved ones and can’t have a funeral,
who can’t be by a bedside,
whose hearts are heavy with loss.
In this valley of the shadow of death,
hold them close that they may know you are with us always.
We ask your peace for those places where violence reigns,
especially in homes where abuse is easy to hide when we are locked down,
and in areas where people take advantage of chaos and fear to inflict terror.
Change our hearts, O God, to seek peace rather than power.
We ask your wisdom for our leaders —
for people using the gifts you gave them to develop new treatments,
for people trying to guide us in a new way of living,
for people serving by creating new spaces and machines and protections.
Give them sharp minds and compassionate hearts,
to lead by example and to do the work you have given them to do..
And, O God, we ask your blessing on our families.
For parents trying to teach children and also work from home;
for families separated for their own safety;
for people far from their loved ones and anxious about their care.
May we see you in our midst,
your Spirit living and active even when we are confined,
your grace meeting our every anxiety,
that we may trust in you, and hope for your future.
Make us ready to extend your grace to others,
that all may know we are your disciples
by our love for our neighbour, near and far.
We pray these and all things in the name of Christ,
your living Word, love incarnate. Amen.

Hymn 502: Take My Life (tune: Hendon)

Benediction
This may be one of the hardest practices we will undertake, especially in these times. But still…for this week, try fasting from judgment and scolding, and see how much more energy there is for Christlike love and compassion!
And as you do, 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 Response (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.

Sunday Service for 22 March 2020, Fourth Sunday in Lent

22 March 2020: 4th Sunday in Lent
Service prepared by the Rev. Teri C Peterson,
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Contact: tpeterson (at) churchofscotland (dot) org (dot) uk

Welcome and Announcements

Though we cannot be together in person, we can be together in spirit! Feel free to sing the responses, even if you are alone, and to pray aloud or in silence throughout this service, and know that others are doing the same.
Please note the following announcements:

1. There will be church services broadcast on BBC1, including an ecumenical service for Mothering Sunday at 12:15 led by a former Moderator of the General Assembly and a Roman Catholic Priest.

2. Tonight at 7pm all are invited to join the National Day of Prayer, placing a lit candle in the window and spending time in prayer for others. A prayer to get you started can be found at this link. Also, Teri will be leading a brief time of prayer via Facebook Live on the church Facebook page.
In addition, the moderator of our Presbytery has asked us to pause each day at 11am to pray for healing, health care workers, and our community.

3. Feel free to share this service with others, with the attribution information at the top! If you know someone who does not have access to the internet and who also does not receive the tape ministry, you can either print this service out and share it with them, or let Teri know via email or phone call and we will be sure they receive a printed copy.

4. Mid-week there is a devotional email that goes out, you can see last week’s and subscribe to future mailings at this link.

5. Also mid-week there is a facebook live video devotional on the St. John’s Gourock Facebook page.

Call to Worship

One: Let us, together and individually, observe a holy Lent:
turning away from all that does not glorify God,
and turning toward the cross,
obediently following Christ’s way of love and justice.
All: We come to seek God’s help in discerning
what we must lay down and what we must take up,
what we must end and what we must begin.
For the way is narrow that leads to life,
but with God all things are possible.
One: Let us worship God together.

Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer

Loving God, we come today with such a mix of emotions…we are anxious and afraid, we are grateful, we are wondering, we are frustrated, we are hopeful. We are meant to be keeping our distance, and we admit that sometimes it feels as if you have kept your distance as well, though we know you are never far away. We don’t know where to turn, when the news is constant and the advice is conflicting, when we have put so much on hold, and it feels like loss after loss. We confess that we are tempted to fend for ourselves, and leave others to do the same. We confess that it can be hard to keep sight of you and your call to be gracious and compassionate. We confess that it’s easy to let fear rule. Lord God, we are sorry for the ways we have withheld love from you and from our neighbours and from ourselves. We ask your forgiveness. We long for your peace, your comfort, your safety…or even for things to “return to normal.” But you turn us around from the way we have been and lead us in the way you want us to go….so we pray you would turn us around to your way, and lead us onward. Give us courage to live as your people, to know we are forgiven and loved, and to share that grace with others. We pray 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.

Sung prayer 382, verses 2-3
(tune: Passion Chorale, O Sacred Head Now Wounded)

Scripture Reading: Mark chapter 12 verses 28-44 (NIV)

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’
‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.’
‘Well said, teacher,’ the man replied. ‘You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.’
When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, ‘Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:
‘“The Lord said to my Lord:
‘Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet.’”
David himself calls him “Lord”. How then can he be his son?’
The large crowd listened to him with delight.
As he taught, Jesus said, ‘Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the market-places, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.’
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few pence.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.’

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: Core Muscles

It was a few months ago now that I first looked at the readings for the Narrative Lectionary for the season of Lent, and about a month since I started planning just how this would fit with the Boys Brigade Battalion service we were meant to have today. The first part of this story, where Jesus gives us the most important commandments to love God and love our neighbour, are the verses I have been using each time I visit the various sections of the BB throughout the year. We have been working on Strengthening Our Core — both our physical and our spiritual core muscles. So in every section, no matter their age, we have had some exercise challenges, trying to see how long we can hold a plank position or a v-sit position. I will admit that when I started the session I was feeling pretty strong, but the first night I visited the Company Section, two boys held the plank for 4 minutes when I had fallen before the stopwatch got to the 2 minute mark — though to be fair, someone kicked my feet as we were all crammed up on the chancel! Each month we start the timer and see who can hold the position the longest, and we talk about why it matters that we have strong core muscles: because they hold our body together and make all movement possible. Without a strong core, we would have trouble with balance, with walking, turning, sitting down and standing up, picking things up, and of course all the more strenuous activities children do!

Once we have our physical core exercises done, we talk about our spiritual core, and this verse is it. Jesus says that our spiritual core, the muscles that allow us to do everything else, are this: love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself. If we strengthen these muscles, then we’ll be able to do everything else life throws at us. So each month we have talked about how we love God with our heart, or our mind, or how we love our neighbour.

So this seemed perfect for the service when all the local BB companies would be here.

Little did we know how much things would change, and how important this story would be for completely different reasons.

Over the past two weeks we have seen incredible kindness all around us. Groups of people wanting to help, offers to drop off shopping or to help set up technology. There seems to be a rebirth of community spirit and pulling together.

And we have also seen an incredible lack of kindness, too. We have seen people buying far more than they can use, and leaving others with nothing. We have seen people continuing to congregate in ways that seem to imply they’re willing to sacrifice other people’s lives in order to maintain their own convenience or fun. We have seen racist attacks against Asian people, because the virus is thought to have originated in China.

Yesterday during the government briefings we were begged repeatedly to “think of others”….when we’re shopping, when we’re planning to go out with friends, when we’re on public transport. Nearly every sentence, it felt like, asked us to consider the needs of someone else, whether it was NHS workers, elderly family and friends and neighbours, or supermarket clerks.

They stopped just short of saying “love your neighbour as yourself” but I wondered if it might not be the best way to get the point across. The golden rule seems to apply more than ever: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If you would want there to still be supplies on the shelf at Tesco when you get off a long shift at work, then take only what you need right now and leave the rest for others. If you would want someone to respect a safe distance from your parents, your grandparents, your neighbours, or yourself…then do that to others. If you would want there to be a nurse and a doctor available when you become ill or get injured, then do what you can to keep them safe. And in the same way, if you would want someone to check in just to chat when you’re feeling lonely, then go ahead and make a phone call to someone else who might be wishing someone would phone them! If you would want someone to offer to deliver your medicine or a pint of milk if you were poorly, then offer that help to your neighbours.

Loving God and loving our neighbour are inextricably linked, like all our core muscles are. If one muscle is weakened or sprained or torn, the others struggle to keep you going…and that’s true for our spiritual core too.

Jesus and the teacher discuss what commandment is the most important, and Jesus offers two, and each of them has sub-threads as well.
Love God: not just the feeling of love, but love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. So with every aspect of your being — your feelings, your intellect, your body, and your spirit. Nothing is excluded from God’s love, and nothing is excluded from the command to love. Using our spirits and our emotions to love God seem relatively easy and familiar, but using our bodies and our minds to love God might seem more unusual. But nonetheless they are important. God gave us brains, and expects us to use them for the building up of the kingdom, for discovering more about God’s world, for finding ways to encourage and teach and heal. God gave us bodies, and expects us to use them, to take care of them and to use them to take care of others. There is no aspect of our lives that God doesn’t care about — God made it all, gave us it all, loves it all.

And then we’re taught to love our neighbour as ourselves….which also means loving ourselves well. No one can fill another’s cup from their own empty jug. Before you say something to yourself, ask yourself if you’d say it to someone else. And, as we’ve already said, think about how even in everyday actions like buying just enough, or washing your hands, or offering some help, you can love your neighbour the way you have experienced being loved by God.

I think it is so fascinating that the conversation between Jesus and the teacher expands into conversations with the crowds. Jesus was teaching in the Temple courts, surrounded by pious people who had come from all over the country to worship at this holiest of places, plus local people popping in to see what was happening in the courtyard today, plus religious leaders and scribes, and probably political spies as well. In the midst of that place, surrounded by that particular crowd of people, he took the opportunity to say that we should watch out for the people who make a show of their love for God. Not only are they likely failing at loving their neighbour, they may actually be harming their neighbours—not leaving them anything on the shelves, as it were. Their preoccupation with being noticed, with gaining recognition for their greatness or their preparedness or their piety, meant they had no energy or attention left to do justice or love kindness, and they had missed the point of “walk humbly with God.”

And our core muscles are inextricably linked: If we aren’t loving our neighbours, we aren’t loving God….indeed, we cannot love God if we are not also showing love to our neighbours. And vice versa.

Right on cue, a parade of people putting their offerings in came by. The Temple treasury was meant to be used to support people in need, especially immigrants, orphans, and widows. Giving was — and still is — an important spiritual discipline, a part of the way we show our gratitude for all God has given us, and participate in the ministry God calls us all to do together. (I would be remiss if I didn’t say that this is still true even when we cannot worship together in person…as Peter said before, if you don’t already give by standing order, please consider it! But in the meantime, you can hold on to your envelopes until we are together again! And, of course, it is never a bad time to think about a legacy, to enable ministry to continue long into the future!)

But that day, people who had plenty to spare were ostentatiously giving out of their plenty, so everyone would know they had plenty more, not because they wished to help people in poverty, and not out of gratitude for God’s providing. They wanted people to know how generous they were, and how well-off they were.

Then came a widow, the very person the treasury was meant to serve. She didn’t have much, and obviously all those people with more than enough hadn’t seen her or thought to help, but she did have a lot of gratitude for God’s grace. She gave her offering, and it was an act of worship. Not an act desiring recognition, but instead an act recognising the Giver of every good gift.

Jesus saw her, when no one else did. We know he made a habit of seeing people that no one else saw. But this time, she didn’t want to be seen. She didn’t make her offering hoping someone would notice her. And thankfully, Jesus didn’t call her over and make a big deal about it. Instead, he called his disciples, his small group, to come into a private conversation, and he taught them to see as he saw — a woman who gave everything, who loved God with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength, and showed it by giving to help her neighbour even though she was the one who ought to have been given help.

That woman had a strong core. She didn’t need to show off her spiritual six pack, but it helped her live according to God’s way, even in difficult circumstances.

Each week of Lent we have been considering different things we might “give up” not just for Lent, but forever. We’ve talked about how often we are over full and owned by our possessions. We’ve talked about fasting from being first, and fasting from being right. This story, I think, leads us to try the practice of fasting from being recognised. What if we loved God and loved our neighbour, NOT so that people would see us and thank us for our service, but because it’s the core of who we are? What if we fasted from recognition, and just put love into action, every day, in whatever small or large ways we can, and let go of the need to be thanked or seen or noticed?

Now…I’m not saying we should give up thanking people, or recognising people’s contributions. Gratitude is a practice we should NEVER fast from. I am saying that perhaps we could try out fasting from our own personal need or desire for recognition, and simply show love because it’s what God asked us to do, it’s what God equips us to do, it’s what God created us to do.

Remember: God is love. And we are made in the image of God, which means we are made for love. Not only the feeling, but the action: love with heart, yes, but also soul, and mind, and strength. Love for our neighbour that is equal to our love for ourselves. Love that remembers that if one member of the Body suffers, all suffer together with it…our health and wholeness is bound up in the health and wholeness of our neighbours. Love that plays out in action — in the supermarket, and the doctor’s office, and the park. Though we have a lot of physical barriers right now (barriers that are currently another way of showing our love for our neighbour, because we value their safety and health!), love can reach across them, through phone calls and prayers and cards, bread and milk and paper goods, even as we keep our hands to ourselves.

Love God and love your neighbour. These are the core muscles we’re meant to strengthen so that everything else is possible — not so we can be seen as strong or good or pious, but so that everyone might know the truth: that God’s love is stronger than our fear, and even stronger than death. And it’s through us that people will know God’s love, so let us love one another, in word and in deed.

May it be so. Amen.

Offering Prayer

Lord, you call us to match our giving to our gratitude. It feels impossible, for all we have is a gift from you, and we cannot hope to fully express our thanks. But with you, all things are possible. Teach us again that in giving, we are able to receive, and in practicing generosity, we become more like you. Bless these gifts, the fruits of our labour, that they may in turn bless others, bringing glory to you and a glimpse of your kingdom on earth. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

You are invited to either place your offering envelope in a safe place until we can gather again, or to take a moment to think about how you might offer something to God today.

Offering Hymn 392, verse 4
(tune: Rockingham, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross)
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

Gracious God, You loved us first,
before there was a world,
before we took our first breath,
before we had the chance to deserve it.
You loved us first,
and like a mother hen, you gather us under your wings.
And we are grateful—or grace-full, even—
for you continue to love,
with every divine breath
living and active, creating and redeeming and sustaining,
bringing healing, bringing new life, bringing hope.
Now turn our hearts, and our minds, and our strength,
to love as you love,
creating and healing and active.
Where there is despair,
send your hope,
and make us into lights that shine in the darkness.
Give us courage to speak up and speak out,
to offer compassion even when we do not know what to say.
Where there is violence,
emotional or spiritual or physical,
in derisive words or hurtful actions,
fill the world with your peace,
and give us courage to be peacemakers,
to insist that it is not okay to cause pain,
that your way is a way of compassion and reconciliation,
a way of picking each other up and looking out for each other’s welfare,
not a way of putting down or pulling ahead.
Where there is brokenness,
bodies battered by illness,
minds racing the dark,
relationships gone awry,
may your comfort and healing flow,
and make us agents of your healing grace.
Give us courage to reach out,
to offer a call, a look, a prayer for wholeness,
a token of our care,
which is small compared to your power,
but still you call us to this ministry together.
In this world where scarcity seems to reign,
and where words are beamed instantly around the world,
where some give their whole life while others benefit
and where we reach first for weapons,
we need to know your love and your call yet again.
You are everywhere present,
Your spirit still flows free, O God,
in and among and between and through us,
bringing light and life, healing and hope.
May we recognise your image in every face,
and may we act as if we know what it is to be loved,
may we speak words of kindness and act on what we say we believe,
loving you by loving our neighbours
until all come together in your kingdom.
We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, your loving Word in action. Amen.

Benediction

Even at home, you can strengthen your core! Not just with plank exercises or V-Sits, but by practicing loving God with your whole heart, and your whole soul, and your whole mind, and your whole strength, and loving your neighbour as yourself.
And as you do, 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 Response (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.

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