Sunday service for 6 September 2026

Sunday 6 September 2026, Bloom Where You’re Planted 8
Gourock St John’s Church of Scotland
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson
Manse phone: 632143
Email: tpeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk

If the video doesn’t play, please click here to view it on our YouTube channel.

Today’s sanctuary service is an all-age service partially led by our youth organisations. There’s no manuscript for the full online service but the responses, reading, and prayers are printed here!

Opening Responses
God welcomes all, strangers and friends
God’s love is strong and it never ends

Whoever we are and wherever we come from,
God welcomes us here.

With lots of experience, or here for the first time,
God welcomes us here.

Sure what we believe, or still figuring it out,
God welcomes us here.

Prayer (Brownies)
Dear God, you created the world good and taught us how to look after each other.
We have not always done a good job of following your instructions.
Sometimes we say one thing and then we do something different.
Sometimes we are greedy, or unkind.
Sometimes we hurt others — whether we meant to do it or not.
Forgive us, God.
Help us to put your word into action.
Show us how to help others, and how to care for the world,
so that everyone can live life to the fullest.
We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Scripture Reading: James 1.22-25, 2.14-18 (New Century Version)
Do what God’s teaching says; when you only listen and do nothing, you are fooling yourselves. Those who hear God’s teaching and do nothing are like people who look at themselves in a mirror. They see their faces and then go away and quickly forget what they looked like. But the truly happy people are those who carefully study God’s perfect law that makes people free, and they continue to study it. They do not forget what they heard, but they obey what God’s teaching says. Those who do this will be made happy.
My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them? A brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food. If you say to that person, “God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,” but you do not give what that person needs, your words are worth nothing. In the same way, faith by itself—that does nothing—is dead.
Someone might say, “You have faith, but I have deeds.” Show me your faith without doing anything, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

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.

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer (Junior Section)
God, we thank you for your love.
We thank you for all the ways you care for us,
for our families and friends,
for the wonderful world,
for helping us when we are struggling.
There are a lot of people who need your help right now,
so we ask that you would fill them up with your Spirit.
Give them courage and hope and strength to face the challenges.

We pray for people who have lost loved ones,
and for people who have lost their pets.
We pray for people who are unwell,
and especially people going through treatment for cancer.
We pray for people who have been injured,
and have to learn to live with a disability.
We pray for people who are being bullied,
and for people who feel like they are different or don’t belong,
and for people who struggle to learn.
We pray for people who are hungry and don’t have enough to eat.

And we pray for ourselves,
that we would become people who help,
people who put your word into action,
people who make the world a better place for everyone.
Give us wisdom and strength and love
so that we can share your goodness with others.
We ask in the name of Jesus,
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.

Announcements

* We worship in the sanctuary on Sundays at 11am, and Sunday worship is also online.

* The first Sunday of the month at 11am is an all-age service, with different ways of encountering God’s word without a traditional sermon. All people — young and old, different personalities and learning styles, are welcome! You’ll find a more informal service with a variety of music, a Bible story, prayer, and some more interactive elements. The online service for the first Sunday will therefore also be different — there will still be a reading, prayers, and music, but usually not a sermon.

* Bowl & Blether is on the first Mondays of the month, with doors open from 11:30-1:30, and lunch served from noon. All are welcome for a bowl of soup, a toastie, a friendly chat in our warm hall! See you TOMORROW on the 7th of September.

* On Wednesday 9 September at 7pm in the Lyle Kirk Union Street, we have the opportunity to hear from people who work with the Hebron International Resource Network about life and work in the West Bank. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the situation in Palestine from people who live it, and to find out how we can help.

* Greenock Philharmonic Choir will be holding an open Choral Workshop on Saturday 12th September in Lyle Kirk, Greenock, 10am to 4pm. The cost is £15, which includes all music plus tea, coffee and home baking! All are welcome. We will sing music from around the world, finishing with Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine. Further info is on the choir’s website and Facebook page.

* We are moving into a time of Harvest, and turning our attention to how God’s faithfulness ensures our flourishing, through every season. To help us celebrate that He keeps His promise to be with us always, no matter the circumstance, you might like to bring to church a photo capturing what this has meant to you, personally. The photo could be of a person who has been a particular help or encouragement to you, or of an occasion or point in time that has been important to you in your faith.
Please place your photo in an envelope with your full name written on the front and give this to Anne Love. Anne will photocopy the photo, and return the original to you. These pictures, over a period of weeks, will form a collage of gratitude on the board we have put up on the wall: a visual testament to how we form part of a living story, a legacy, blessed by many hands to be fruitful, that we may in turn bless others.

* Starter Packs are in need of Bathroom/Kitchen Cleaner, Washing Up Liquid, Shaving Foam, Hand Wash,Toothbrushes for Adults.
The FoodBank are short of Biscuits and Juice as well as the usual items: Meals, Beans, Vegetables and Soup.
You can bring donations to the church and place them into the boxes in the vestibule. Thank you!

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

* Did you know that the ministry we do at St John’s costs about £3000 per week and we are currently running about £500 short? Everything we do is funded by your generous giving — all our support for young people, older people, bereavement care, community outreach, worship, study, spiritual growth, and community work is because of your offering. If you would like to set up a standing order in order to facilitate your spiritual discipline of giving, or if you would like to make an extra gift to support the ministry St. John’s does in our parish, you can give online by clicking here. If you would like to set up a standing order, please contact Teri and she can give you the treasurer’s details. You can also send your envelopes to the church or the manse by post and we will ensure they are received.

* Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Youtube, and to sign up for our email newsletter! Midweek you can watch Wine and the Word and Theology Thursday on Youtube, get snippets of thought or inspiration following Teri on TikTok, and of course keep up with announcements and events on Facebook and our weekly email.

Sunday service for 5 October 2025

Sunday 5 October 2025 — NL4-6, youth
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson
Manse: 632143
Email: TPeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk
Email Charlene, Parish Assistant: CMitchell (at) churchofscotland.org.uk

Sanctuary Prelude Music (praise band)

Sanctuary Processional Hymn 533: Will You Come and Follow Me

Welcome and Announcements

We Gather As God’s Family (As the Bible is brought in, we stand and sing)
A family gathered in love,
striving for justice and joy,
blessing the broken-hearted,
and sharing the hope of God’s kingdom.

Call to Worship (anchor boys)
One: In this holy space, God speaks.
All: To young and old together, God’s word comes alive.
One: In this holy space, we listen.
All: Wondering together what God will do.

Sanctuary Hymn GWA42: God Welcomes All

Prayer (two voices – Brownies)
Together: Let us pray.
1: God who speaks,
2: we admit that sometimes we don’t want to hear.
1: God who calls,
2: we admit that sometimes we are too afraid to answer.
1: God who is always close to us,
2: we admit that sometimes we act like you’re far away and silent,
because then we can do what we want.
1: God who does a new thing,
2: we admit that sometimes we just want things to be like they have always been.
1: God who gives gifts and tasks to young and old,
2: we admit that sometimes we don’t want to give up our control to the next generation.
1: God who listens,
2: we admit that sometimes we aren’t sure how to speak, how to ask,
how to pray for a difference.
Together: Forgive us, God who loves,
forgive us for how we have failed,
and teach us to live faithfully as your people.
Amen.

Hymn 251: I, the Lord of Sea and Sky

Bible Story and Reflection: 1 Samuel 3.1-21

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

*Samuel is still a child, learning from Eli and also learning just by being in the holy space. No one told him he didn’t belong — in fact, it looks like the temple itself was also his bedroom! He was at home, comfortable in the house of God.  but just being there didn’t mean he understood yet! It says that the word of the Lord was rare in those days, and that seems to be true even right there in the home and family of the priest.

Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

*It took Eli three times to realise that Samuel really was hearing something, and to finally figure out that he needed to teach Samuel what to do. How would Samuel have known that God could even speak? How would he have known what to say? Someone has to teach the next generation…so often we rely on them just being in a place, or picking it up somewhere else, but the adults who spend the most time with them are the ones who need to make sure to pass on the knowledge of how to listen for God, how to speak to God, how to worship God, how to serve God. These relationships that cross generations are how faithfulness gets passed down…but it only works if the grown ups realise their part and also do it!

Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

*Samuel did exactly what he had been taught! He was a good student, putting into practice what Eli taught him to say.

Then the Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.”

*What a scary message to receive…it’s a big deal, something way bigger than Samuel probably thought he could handle. He’s just a kid! And Eli’s sons must have been like big brothers to him — but they were doing really bad stuff, like stealing people’s offerings, and they wouldn’t stop, so they weren’t someone to look up to. God had big plans for Samuel though, and God knew that Samuel was capable of more than people usually think kids can do, and he understood more than people think kids understand. What if we recognised that God has big plans for young people? How would our community be different, if we trusted young people the way God trusts them? Kids — what would you think if God gave you a really big and really hard thing to do?

Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” He said, “Here I am.” Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.”

*Samuel had to teach his teacher, to share a really hard message. But Eli didn’t get Samuel into trouble for it, he trusted that if God had given this message to Samuel, then it must be for a reason. And he trusted that God’s ways would be good, even if it wasn’t that good for him personally. He allowed Samuel’s vision to be true, and stepped aside and made space for him to grow into his leadership role. Sometimes we grown ups think we have to hold on to our roles forever, or we have to be the ones who are always right. But Eli shows us that it is okay to trust God who raises up new leaders, and to do our part to make space for that next generation to take their place. We are not forever…our job is actually to do our best now and then to pass the baton.

As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

*what a change from the beginning of the story when God’s word was rare! Once Samuel learned from Eli how to listen to God, and once Eli allowed Samuel to grow into his potential, it turned out that the Lord was speaking often, and the word of God was spreading, and the whole country got the chance to hear God’s word. What a difference it makes when we learn from each other, listen to God, and make room for new leaders.

Dedication

Friends, you have been called by God: not to be perfect or all-knowing, but to be faithful, and to share your journey. For those of us who are older — we are called to pay attention to the experiences of the young people, and to pass on what we know of how to meet God, recognising that how God speaks to them may be different than to us, and may even involve difficult things. God is trusting them with big tasks, and we will need to learn to trust God’s judgment of their abilities. For those of us who are younger — we are called to learn to listen, both to God and to those who are teaching us about God. And we are also called to pick up some hard jobs that God has for us to do — God knows that we can do it, or else God wouldn’t give it to us, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. You are being entrusted with sharing God’s love with others, making sure that people can see and hear God even though the world is crazy busy and chaotic, and also with carrying out the tasks that will build God’s kingdom here.
None of us are doing this alone. God is with us, even when we can’t hear him speaking. And also, God has placed us in community — Samuel had Eli and Eli had Samuel! We have each other, across the generations, to help each other grow and learn and to support each other as we try to be faithful in every age.
Grown ups:
…if you are in leadership on the session, a committee or task group, a prayer group,…
…if you have volunteered for anything this year, from reading to cooking to cleaning or helping with anything at all…
…if you have attended an event or group like bowl & blether, contact group, choir or band, one of the fun fellowship events we put on through the year, etc…
…if you have donated items or money to the ministry of St John’s…
You are a part of what God is doing here. Will you continue to listen to God’s leading and participate in God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven? Will you?
Will you pray for these children, and for these organisations that seek to serve young people? Will you? Will you do your best to be an example of faith, hope, and love, to always make choices based on your values, so that in your words and your actions, these children will see God’s blessing and God’s call to faithfulness, for them and for others? Will you? And will you, in your own life, attend to the purpose God has for you, seeking God in prayer and offering yourself in service, that you might be equipped for every good work? Will you?

Young people…
…
…smurfs/brownies/guides:You are children of God, loved and gifted, and I know you have been exploring your own beliefs and your place in the God’s world. As you grow and learn and discover what part of the body of Christ God has made you to be, will you do your best to take part in the work God is giving you to do? Will you?
…brownie promise
…BB boys: Do you promise to be a loyal member of the Boys Brigade, supporting the activities of the Company? Do you promise to do your best to follow Christ and his purpose, to be a blessing to others? Do you?

Let us pray. (Junior section)
Here we are, O God.
You brought us together today,
and we pray now you would quiet our minds and hearts,
help us to truly be here in this moment,
that we may hear what you have to say,
and be honest in what we have promised.
We thank you for this Church family you have created.
We thank you for the Boys Brigade and the Girl Guides,
for parents and teachers and leaders and officers.
Give us the courage to stick with you,
to keep listening even if the message is hard,
and to commit to your way every day, not only today.
Make us a blessing to your world.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.

Hymn MP167: Give Me Oil In My Lamp (praise band)

Sanctuary Offering: Take It Easy (praise band)
*Offering Response: The Doxology (tune: Old Hundredth)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ all creatures here below;
Praise Holy Spirit evermore;
Praise Triune God whom we adore.
Amen.

Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer (two voices: Company Section / Guides)
1: We thank you, God, for revealing yourself
through your word
through your creation
through the people you place in our lives.
You are always on the move
and inviting us to join you in bringing your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

2: So we are bold to pray for things to change, O God.
For the injustice that seems so normal to us
to come to an end,
for people and creation that have been used and abused
to experience healing and hope,
with peace and compassion taking the lead.
For those who have power to use their positions well,
to speak up for what is right, to work for the common good, to insist on change.

1: For those who have become too comfortable with the way things are
and for those who never fit into the boxes we insist on
to find themselves in a new world at last —
where there is room for everyone to be themselves,
where there is enough food and clean water to go around,
where we have the imagination to stretch to your possibilities.

2: For the generation that has worked hard for a long time
to do their best to pass on the best of what they’ve learned
and also to make space for the next generation to step into their place;
and for young people in our midst to bring forward what is useful
and to use their gifts to make your vision real in our days.

1: And where it is hard for those older to let go or to take responsibility for their failings,
where it is hard for those younger to untangle and appreciate the foundations on which they build,
we ask for your help, Lord,
to give us open minds and gracious hearts,
courageous wills and strong hope.

2: On the 5th day of the month we join our hearts as your St John’s family to pray:
For Clyde Presbytery, for its staff, congregations, ministers, elders, and members.
For the staff of St John’s: for the minister, the organist, and the parish assistant.
For the land, people, and governments of the nations of Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia, and Poland.

1: We thank you for trusting us with big visions
and with challenging words,
things that seem beyond us and yet you believe in us anyway.
Speak your new world into being,
even here and today.

2: We ask in the name of Jesus
who taught us to pray together:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
Amen.

Sanctuary Hymn 703: National Anthem verses 1 & 3

Hymn GWA129: Build Your Kingdom Here (praise band)

Sending (anchor boys + Teri)
In a world where everything is changing, live with your ears open, your mind open, and your heart open to listen when God speaks, and to share God’s word in ways everyone can hear.

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 if you thought you were alone. And may the Spirit of God go within you, to remind you that you are loved more deeply than you can possibly imagine. May the fire of God’s love burn brightly in you, and through you into the world. Go in peace. Amen.

Sung Benediction Response (John L Bell, tune Gourock St John’s)
Now may the Lord of all be blessed,
Now may Christ’s gospel be confessed,
Now may the Spirit when we meet
Bless sanctuary and street.

Sanctuary Postlude (organ)

Announcements

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

* Starter Packs are in need of Bathroom/Kitchen Cleaner, Hand Wash/Soap, Shampoo, Deodorant.
The FoodBank are running low on tinned meat, tinned meals, tinned fruit, UHT milk, diluting juice, pasta sauces, and mens & ladies deodorant. You can bring donations to the church and place them into the boxes in the vestibule. Thank you!

* Bowl & Blether is TOMORROW, Monday 6 October! Doors open at 11:30, and soup & toasties are served from 12-1:30. All are welcome for a meal and a friendly chat in our cozy warm hall!

* The Contact Group meets on Tuesday the 7th at 2pm to hear from Isabel Lind talking about John Gault. All are welcome. The syllabus of this session’s events is now available, and the syllabus donation of £5 will go towards our charity fundraising.

* Wednesday Evening Bible Study is at 7:30pm in the Manse and we are reading Luke!

* Mark your diaries for lunchtime on Saturday 25 October — we’ll be having an 80s disco in the sanctuary! Visit the farmer’s market and then pop into the church to dance your heart out (or at least to tap your toes!) to your favourite 80s tunes.

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

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

Sunday service for 6 October 2024

Sunday 6 October 2024, “moving forward together” church family dedication day
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson
Manse: 632143
Email Teri: TPeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk
Email Charlene, Parish Assistant: CMitchell (at) churchofscotland.org.uk

(apologies for lower resolution video than usual — technical difficulties!)

** Today in the sanctuary is an all-age service, which means the online service is also a bit less formal, since the all-age service doesn’t normally involve a full sermon, and often has other interactive elements.
Today’s interactive prayer is an invitation to become a prayer partner — to put your name and age down on a card, and then we will collect all the cards and give them back out randomly, so that everyone has someone else in the church family to pray for. If you would like to have a prayer partner in the church family, please send your name and age to Teri (email or text) and she will make sure you get added to the mix!
In the sanctuary service we are also committing and dedicating ourselves as various groups within the church family today — for the full script of those celebrations and commitments, scroll to the end of the service just before the announcements.

We Gather As God’s Family (As the Bible is brought in, we stand and sing)
A family gathered in love,
striving for justice and joy,
blessing the broken-hearted,
and sharing the hope of God’s kingdom.

Prayer
Loving and Creative God, you have called us together to worship and work…
young and old, newcomer and long-time member, in the building and in the Spirit.
You have called us together to love and to serve
whether we are introverts or extroverts, leaders or followers.
You have called us together to teach and to learn
in our faith and doubt, hope and despair, wisdom and foolishness.
You have called us together to praise and to pray
singer and speaker and hearer, healer and in need of healing.
You have called us together to be the church
and we are filled with gifts to live as your people!
You have offered us such abundance and yet we do not know how to use it.
Sometimes we keep it for ourselves, to calm our fear,
saving up for our own security, insurance against days of scarcity.
Sometimes we hoard, wanting to have the most and the best.
Sometimes we insist we don’t have anything to offer,
closing our eyes to the talents you bestow.
But mostly we are inertia-bound.
We know what to do, but we don’t do it.
You give us the tools to do your work,
but we just look at them in wonder, then put them away in the closet.
Forgive us, O God.
Open our eyes, our hands, our hearts,
to know your abundance is enough for all,
to know your gifts are for using, not looking at,
to know we are blessed in order to be a blessing to others,
and to take our part in your Body, recognising that we all have a part to play in the coming of your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
We pray in the name of Christ, who gave everything he had for love of us all. Amen.

Reading and Reflection on 1 Corinthians 12 — note that this was actually recorded without notes so the manuscript here is an approximation constructed afterwards!

Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free….
newcomer or long time member, immigrant or Gourock-born, lovers of rock & roll and organ & choir, young and older, all the various categories and labels and boxes we put ourselves and each other in…we are one Body, through the one Holy Spirit.

Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot were to say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear were to say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? Imagine an eye just rolling around by itself…what can it do?
If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? Imagine an ear just hopping about…it can’t see or smell or feel…
In fact, if you think about it, an eye or an ear on its own not only can’t operate other senses, it actually can’t see or hear either. Because the only reason an eye works is because of the nerves connecting it to the brain, so the signals the eye receives can be translated into an image. And the only reason the ear works is because of the nerves connecting it to the brain…in other words, an eye or an ear or a nose or a hand or a stomach or a knee only work because they are connected to the head — and Christ is the head of the Body. When we are disconnected, separated, amputated from him, the Body doesn’t work on its own.

God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’, nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honourable we clothe with greater honour.
Sometimes we might be tempted to think we don’t belong — maybe our interests are different, we like music and it seems like everyone else likes sport, or we have really different family situations than what we think everyone else has, or our accent is different, or we had something happen in the past that makes us feel we don’t fit in, or it feels like everyone else has a lot of talents or money and we don’t.
And sometimes we might be tempted to look at someone else and think they don’t belong — they look different, or dress differently, or like different music or food or television than we do, or they don’t have the skills we think we need to carry on all the activities we used to like to do.
But both of these thoughts are actually lies. If we think we don’t belong, that’s not true. And if we think someone else doesn’t belong, that’s not true. The truth is that in the Body of Christ, everyone is needed. We cannot just cut each other, or ourselves, off. We also shouldn’t have the feet running ahead while the shoulders and heart are still holding back carrying a weight…no member of the Body should be leaving the others behind…though at the same time no member of the body should be holding the rest of the Body back for selfish reasons either. We move forward together, or we fall apart.

God has so arranged the body, so the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
We’re all in this together. We’re part of something bigger than we can really imagine, because the Body of Christ isn’t just here at St John’s, it’s all God’s people all over the world. Which feels like we’re a tiny part of something huge, which is true. And also, every single part, however small, is indispensable, and it takes all of us to care for each other, to celebrate together and to be sad together, to pray for each other, and to work together. God has a mission for the Body of Christ. That mission is the opposite of lots of adventure and spy movies, where things are to be kept secret…your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to reveal, to show the world God’s kingdom. To show the world what God’s love actually looks like. To show the world how to care for each other. To show the world how peace is possible — it feels impossible, especially right now, when there’s war everywhere and division and hate and violence and despair. But if we act like the Body of Christ, insisting that everyone is valuable and belongs, then the peace we create in our own community between people who seem so very different and yet all belong together, can give a glimpse of God’s peace that is possible.
Remember: every single member of the body is crucial. We can’t leave anyone behind on this mission, and we also can’t hold back the Body on its mission. We’re all in this together. And it is only possible if each and every one of us is connected to the Head. We have to be connected to Jesus, the head of the body. Without those connections to the head and to each other, we’re just a random dying piece, not able to actually do anything. When we’re connected to the Head and to the other parts of the Body, amazing things can happen. God’s kingdom is here, if we can put in the work together to help people see it. And the best days of God’s plan for us are still ahead of us.

So let’s get connected to Jesus the head and to each other, and everybody get to work. There’s plenty of ways for each part of the Body to contribute, from praying to attending, giving financially and volunteering, sharing and promoting and telling stories of what God is doing among us, taking the lead on a project or helping behind the scenes. Every single one of us belongs, and every single one of us is needed. No one is left out, no one is unimportant. Whatever your gift, however strange you might think it is…whatever your age or status, whatever your experience or understanding…God has put together the members of the Body EXACTLY AS HE CHOSE. God has chosen us to be here together today, and we get to be a part of God’s mission! The best days are coming, let’s do it together!

One: We belong to the body of Christ.
 All: We belong to something greater,
 One: where everyone is included.
 All: We belong to something greater,
 One: where all small tasks to help are significant.
 All: We belong to something greater,
 One: where everyone is needed.
All: We belong to something greater,
 One: where each of us has our own gifts with which to serve.
 All: We belong to something greater,
One: greater than you, or I, or us together.
 All: We belong to the body of Christ.

One: For the word of God in scripture
For the word of God among us
For the word of God within us
All: Thanks be to God

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
Holy God,
giver of every good gift,
we come with gratitude and praise
for your many blessings.
You breathe life
speak worlds into being
break open seeds to create anew
and call together a body to do your work.
We give you thanks with every breath.
…
Too often our thanks are clouded by grief, O God.
A world in need presses in on our attention,
and we wonder if it has yours.
Nations splinter, violence rages,
selfishness, greed, and anger seem the order of the day.
Where hate is easier to see than love, may your Body be a sign of compassion.
Where war seems easier than peace, may your justice soak in like rain.
Where division rules both minds and hearts, give us a glimpse of your kingdom.
When one member of the body suffers, all suffer together with it,
and today we suffer, O God, with your people in Israel and Palestine and Lebanon and Syria and Jordan and Iran and Yemen, in Ukraine, in Sudan and South Sudan, among the Yazidi in Iraq, in the fires of the Amazon rainforest, in the floods of Nepal and North Carolina, and so many other places that barely make the news.
 Today we suffer, O God, with your people feeling powerless—facing oppression and facing illness, seeking treatment and looking at last hope, working toward recovery and overcoming shame, wondering where they can go to feel at home in church or family or culture.
And when one member of the body rejoices, all rejoice together with it,
so today we rejoice with those who celebrate small steps toward justice,
with those who feel joy in new relationships and new possibilities,
with those who cannot help but sing your song.
…
On the 6th day of the month we join our hearts as your church family to pray:
*For the Church of Scotland, for the staff based in Edinburgh and around the country, for those serving on committees and forums, for programmes and resources they produce, for those training for ministry and those who support them, for our mission personnel abroad, and for the Church’s witness locally, nationally, and worldwide.
*For the youth organisations of St John’s: for the Anchor Boys, Junior Section, and Company & Senior Section of the Boys’ Brigade, for the Smurfs, Brownies, Guides, and Rangers, and for the Exploratorium holiday clubs. For their leaders, volunteers, young people, and families. May they grow in faith, hope, and love together.
*For the land, people, and governments of the nations of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, and Russia.

And as we celebrate all your have given us as a community, and all you are doing among us in these days, we give thanks for the ways we see you at work in the Contact Group, the Bible Study, the Intercessory Prayer Group, the facilities team, the choir and the praise band, those who serve on door duty, as readers, and as counters, those who donate flowers and those who arrange and deliver them, those who volunteer to clean our church building, the elders and the staff who lead us in your way, and those in the community who use the building we have been entrusted with — theatre groups, musical groups, fitness groups, community groups, and so many more. We are grateful for all the ways you bring us together, guide us in service, and send us out in grace. May we be dedicated to making your kingdom visible in this place.

You have equipped us for every good work, O God,
now give us eyes to see and ears to hear where you would have us use these gifts.
Fill our toolboxes with the things we need to carry out your plans,
and fill this Body with courage to work toward your goals.
Guide us as we seek to follow you each day,
bringing good news to all.
…
We pray in the name of Christ, the master carpenter, whose tools of wood and nails, love and justice and peace, continue at work in your world, even as we pray as he taught us:

Hymn: Send Us Out

Benediction
The best days God has in mind are still ahead of us. Let us grow together as the body of Christ, seeking God’s will and putting our faith into practice to serve in Christ’s name. And as we go, may the Spirit of God go above us to watch over us. May the Spirit of God go beside us to be our companion. May the Spirit of God go before us to show you the way, and behind us to push us into places you might not go alone. And may the Spirit of God go within us to remind us that we are loved more deeply than we can possibly imagine. May the fire of God’s love burn brightly in us, and through us into the world. Go in peace. Amen.

Sung Benediction Response (John L Bell, tune Gourock St John’s)
Now may the Lord of all be blessed,
Now may Christ’s gospel be confessed,
Now may the Spirit when we meet
Bless sanctuary and street.

~~~~~~~~

Church Family Dedication — today in the sanctuary we have invited all the groups and individuals who are part of St John’s family to join in and be celebrated and to commit themselves for the coming year. Here is the transcript of those dedications:

Being part of the Body of Christ means that there are no unimportant members, no parts we hide away or pretend don’t exist. Every part of the Body matters, and the way we use our gifts to build up the body, to be in community together, to help each other, to learn together, and to serve in God’s world together is so important. Every one of us has the privilege, the opportunity, and the responsibility to not only honour our past but to build on it to create the future that God has in mind for us.

St John’s is a family that indeed has many members, ranging in age from just a few weeks old to nearly a hundred, with interests and activities that encompass the whole spectrum of life. There’s something for everyone, and there are so many opportunities for us to be involved at whatever level works for us, our abilities and situation, and so today we give thanks and also commit ourselves to this Body, dedicating what we can, whether that’s praying, attending, serving, funding, promoting, or any combination! We celebrate that the Church of Jesus Christ, and St. John’s as a part of that Church, is living and active in many generations and forms.

Friends, you have been called by God: not to be perfect or all-knowing, but to be faithful, and to share your journey. There are many on this journey with us, and so:

I’d like to invite the leaders of the congregation: the elders, members of our vision task groups for Listening, Praying, Experimenting, and Development, and our paid staff to stand.

Thank you for your servant leadership! You have been tasked with discerning God’s vision and leading our response to God’s word. No one asked for perfection, but we do ask for faithfulness and commitment to helping us follow Christ as a community. We ask for you to be persistent in prayer, generous in time and energy, to lead by example as well as by word. Will you continue in this task of vision and leadership, assured of our prayers for you and our commitment to follow your lead? Will you?

I’d like to invite all those who lead us in worship: the choir, the praise band, readers, A/V team, those who serve on door duty, those who prepare or deliver flowers, and those who count the offering, to stand.

Through your gifts, we come together to direct our attention to God, to sing praise, to hear the word and respond, and to make worship a way of life. Thank you for the time and care you bring to our worship life. In the year to come, will you commit to enabling the worship of our community both in this building and outside it, diligently preparing for your role and listening always for the voice of God who calls us to a life of worship? Will you?

I’d like to invite the members of Tom’s facilities group, the cleaning team, and the gardening group to stand.

Without you, we literally wouldn’t be here in this space together. Your behind-the-scenes work, the countless hours spent in the workshop, on the roof, in tight corners, and covering every last centimetre of this building is work we rarely see in action, but we see the results. We are grateful for the gift of your time, your expertise, your early mornings and late nights, caring for this building that this family can call home. Will you use the gifts and skills God has given you to make God’s kingdom visible in our building and grounds? Will you?

I’d like to invite the leaders of the youth organisations to please stand.

You are called to share God’s love, to walk with Jesus, and to look for the movement of the Holy Spirit in the world. Today we ask you to be mindful of this task: to form young people in grace and gratitude, to help them discover God’s purpose for their lives, and to lead them in being a blessing to the world. Will you, by your work, your word, and the example of your life seek to advance Christ’s kingdom, to work in partnership with the Church to share the good news of God’s love? Will you?

And will you, in your own life, attend to the purpose God has for you, seeking God in prayer and offering yourself in service, that you might be equipped for every good work? Will you?

And now would the parents of young people please stand?

Friends, you are in the midst of one of the greatest tasks in the world. You are called to love unconditionally, to set boundaries and offer help, to point the way even though you cannot walk it for your children, and even though sometimes they might refuse to participate or even stop speaking to you when they don’t get their way. You are doing a good job. You have entrusted your children to the care of God, and of the church, and we are here to support you in this enormous task of raising up the next generation. You aren’t called to be perfect, or to do everything on your own. So I ask you, as well, to be mindful of the call to live your purpose. Will you pray for your children, and for the children of others, and for these organisations that seek to serve young people? Will you?

Will you do your best to be an example of faith, hope, and love, to always make choices based on your values, so that in your words and your actions, these children will see God’s blessing and God’s call to faithfulness, for them and for others? Will you?

Smurfs, Guides and Brownies, will you please stand. You are children of God, loved and gifted, and I know you have been exploring your own beliefs and your place in the God’s world. As you grow and learn and discover what part of the body of Christ God has made you to be, will you do your best to take part in the work God is giving you to do? Will you?

One of your leaders will come to help you make your Guide promise.

Boys Brigade members, in all three sections, will you please stand. You have heard God’s word, and you have seen the promises others have made. You, too, are part of the worldwide family of the Church, and God asks you to make a commitment as well. Do you promise to be a loyal member of the Boys Brigade, supporting the activities of the Company? Do you promise to do your best to follow Christ and his purpose, to be a blessing to others? Do you?

I’d like to invite all who participate in our Fellowship and Study groups: the Contact Group, Bible Study, Intercessory Prayer Group, Sunday morning prayer group, and Exploratorium, to stand.

Throughout the year you are learning and sharing, seeking God’s voice and holding one another’s stories with grace, building up the Body through friendship and prayer and study. Thank you for your faithful attention to God’s word and to one another. As you enter this new session, will you continue to listen for the Spirit, support each other in fellowship and prayer, learn about God’s world, and share what you have learned with others? Will you?

And I’d like to invite all our Community groups — theatre groups, Bowl & Blether volunteers or attendees, badminton group, yoga class, the Bothy, Ukrainian Community, and any others to stand.

Friends, we hope that you experience something of St John’s hospitality in this space, as you pursue so many different avenues of life: wellness and friendship and arts and culture and language and fitness and food and so much more. It is a privilege to be in community with you, to be able to share this place our forebears provided, and to seek together to be the kind of community that we want to see more of in the world — a community of grace and compassion, diverse in our backgrounds and interests and languages, working together to make the world a better and more beautiful place. As you come together for your gatherings, rehearsals, classes, games, meetings, and meals, and then go out again to every neighbourhood and work and school and business, will you seek the good, honour the full humanity of everyone, pursue peace, and live with love for the community we share? Will you?

All of us who think of St John’s as your church, all who call this church family or home, I have a question for you as well. The Church is far more than what happens here on a Sunday morning. Each of us is part of the Body of Christ, wherever we are, and whenever we gather, whether that’s for an hour on Sunday morning or for many hours in the evenings or on trips, or online, or only occasionally. Part of what it means to be the Body is that we rejoice together and weep together, we support one another and hold each other up. Will you keep all your fellow members of the Body in your prayers, offer your time and talent, and support them as we are members of one family, and take your part in the mission that God has given to us? Will you?

Announcements

* Bowl and Blether is TOMORROW, Monday 7 October, and also Monday 21 October, and on the first and third Mondays of each month through the winter. Doors open at 11:30am, soup and toasties are served from noon – 1:30. All are welcome to join us for lunch and a chat in our cozy warm hall. Volunteers are also needed and welcome, please speak to Teri or Charlene if you’d like to volunteer for set up, toastie-making, serving, or clean up.

* Charlene, our parish assistant, will be available for “Conversation Corner” (Vestry Hour) in the Vestry every Wednesday this month from 12:30-1:30-ish pm. Feel free to stop by for a chat, a pastoral conversation, or anything else on your mind! Please use the St John’s Road door, and ring the bell if it’s locked, she’ll come to let you in!

* Wednesday Evening Bible Study is in the manse at 7:30pm each week, and we are currently studying the book of Jonah.

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

* The first Sunday of the month at 11am is now an all-age service, with different ways of encountering God’s word without a traditional sermon. All people — young and old, different personalities and learning styles, are welcome! You’ll find a more informal service with a variety of music, a Bible story, prayer, and some more interactive elements. The online service for the first Sunday will therefore also be different — there will still be a reading, prayers, and music, but usually not a sermon.

* The Contact Group meets on Tuesday 8 October at 2pm in the Large Hall when Isabel Lind will join us to talk about Irish immigrants to Greenock. Looking ahead, on Tuesday 22 October at 2pm we will welcome Janice McAvoy to talk about Calum’s Cabins. Our Syllabus of Events is available for £5.

* Starter Packs are in need of soap, shampoo, Kitchen Towel, Cleaning Cloths
The FoodBank are in need of bottles of squash, tinned fruit, tinned ham, tinned soup, biscuits, ladies & gents toiletries. You can bring donations to the church and place them into the boxes in the vestibule. Thank you!

* Did you know that the ministry we do at St John’s costs about £3000 per week? Everything we do is funded by your generous giving — all our support for young people, older people, bereavement care, community outreach, worship, study, spiritual growth, and community work is because of your offering. If you would like to set up a standing order in order to facilitate your spiritual discipline of giving, or if you would like to make an extra gift to support the ministry St. John’s does in our parish, you can give online by clicking here. If you would like to set up a standing order, please contact Teri and she can give you the treasurer’s details. You can also send your envelopes to the church or the manse by post and we will ensure they are received.  It is also possible to donate to the work of the parish assistant, speak to Anne Love about how to go about directing new donations to that new item in the budget.

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

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

Sunday Service for 8 October 2023

Sunday 8 October 2023 — NL2-5, Conversations With God 5, Youth Sunday
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson
Manse: 632143
Email: TPeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk
Email Charlene, Parish Assistant: CMitchell (at) churchofscotland.org.uk

Sanctuary Prelude Music

Sanctuary: We Gather As God’s Family (As the Bible is brought in, we stand and sing)
A family gathered in love,
striving for justice and joy,
blessing the broken-hearted,
and sharing the hope of God’s kingdom.

Welcome & Announcements

Sanctuary Processional Hymn 198: Let Us Build A House (vv. 1-2, 4-5)

Call to Worship
One: From generation to generation,
All: our God is the Lord.
One: For our ancestors, yes, and also for us, here, today,
All: our God is the Lord.
One: In the stories of old, and the story we are still living,
All: our God is the Lord.
One: Listen — not just with your ears but with your whole self:
All: our God is the Lord,
and we will love God with all our being.

Sanctuary Hymn: What Kind of World Are We Passing On (Fischy)

Prayer
You have offered us a story with thousands of generations of blessing, O God,
and we come today to hear and to join in.
You set us free from the empires of destruction, scarcity, and supremacy
so that we can worship you together in spirit and truth.
The way of the world is
to get as much as we can, think of ourselves first,
and do whatever it takes no matter who gets hurt.
but You call us to another way:
the way of life, lived to the full,
sharing in your goodness and grace.
Help us today to hear you, and to obey, that we may live.

God of all times and places,
you have created a people and made us one with each other and with you.
We confess that we rarely think of ourselves as one human family,
even today let alone across the ages.
We benefit from things our ancestors have done,
without thinking of the cost borne by others in your family or the earth.
We choose not to think of how our choices affect the future we will never see.
Forgive us when we disconnect ourselves from responsibility to both past and future.
Forgive us our self-centredness
and our unwillingness to recognise the gift of being one part of your story.
Forgive us when we see your way of life as only a set of rules
by which we can judge others but not ourselves.
Help us to hear and obey,
learning your care and compassion for all your people and your world.
We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness
Our God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love — God is a thousand parts compassion for every four parts judgment. Trusting in God’s steadfast love to the thousandth generation, take up your place in this forgiven family, and live in that grace so that all may know the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Hear and believe this good news: in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Online Hymn 727: In the Bulb There is a Flower

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 5.1-21, 6.4-9 (New Living Translation)
Moses called all the people together and said, “Listen carefully. Hear the decrees and regulations I am giving you today, so you may learn them and obey them!
“The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Mount Sinai. The Lord did not make this covenant with our parents and grandparents, but with all of us who are alive today. At the mountain the Lord spoke to you face to face from the heart of the fire. I stood in between you and the Lord, for you were afraid of the fire and did not want to approach the mountain. He spoke to me, and I passed his words on to you. This is what he said:

“I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.
“You must not have any other god but me.
“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.
“You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.
“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your oxen and donkeys and other livestock, and any foreigners living among you. All your male and female servants must rest as you do. Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day.
“Honour your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
“You must not murder.
“You must not commit adultery.
“You must not steal.
“You must not testify falsely against your neighbour.
“You must not covet your neighbour’s wife. You must not covet your neighbour’s house or land, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbour.

“Listen! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

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
Have you ever felt like the Bible is just an old story of people who died a long time ago and doesn’t have anything to do with us?
Or like you’re tired of hearing your parents or grandparents talk about stuff they remember from back in the day…sometimes stuff about how hard life was, no one had any money, toilets were on the landing in the close, shipyard work was dangerous, the war was on…or how great life was when everyone went dancing and made friends with other people who ran down the hill for the same bus after work in the factories and you could support a family on one good job that you kept forever?
Or have you ever felt like people older than you are expecting something from you, like somehow we owe it to people who died a long time ago to do some particular thing, or to keep a particular tradition going even though it doesn’t mean anything to you, or to like the things they liked?

It turns out that the people Moses talked to had the same problem. He was super old by the time he said the stuff we heard read today, and he started out by saying to all the young people in front of him that he didn’t want to talk about stuff God used to do, or about stuff their parents used to do, he wanted to talk to them about what God was doing right now, and what they were supposed to do as God’s people right now, not because their parents had done it that way but because it was a legitimately good way to live.

I suspect that some of them rolled their eyes the same way most of us have done when our parents or grandparents tried to tell us something they thought was important. But for him to start out by saying “not with our ancestors but with us”…Moses is trying to get every generation to realise that God is not about the past tense, but about the right now. Because the facts are that the people standing in front of Moses that day were not actually there when he brought the stone tablets down from the mountain forty years before. They weren’t even born. And yet he says that this is important right now, today, for these young people, because the truth is that God is too big for just one generation. God’s story can’t be contained in just one age group or one set of people. So Moses tries to help them see themselves in a story that started before they were born, and will carry on long after they die, generation to generation. Not just to dismiss the old as something irrelevant, but also to take seriously the now as a foundation for the future.

In other words, we are part of a sort of chain…we are connected to the people who came before us, even the ones who came so long before us we can’t imagine why they still matter, and we are also connected to the people who will come after us, even the ones who will live so far into the future we can’t imagine what it will be like or what we have to do with each other. And because even one damaged link in a chain makes the whole thing weak and easy to break apart, it matters that we take seriously our place in the story. That’s why God gives us the rules we often call the Ten Commandments — because they are meant to help us build a community that supports each other, cares for one another, and builds up each other for the good of the whole. And sometimes that’s obvious, like…don’t kill. Well, duh. Clearly killing breaks down community and damages the links in the chain. Same thing with stealing and lying, which damage relationships. And that whole business about coveting — most of us don’t even really know what it means to covet something, but it’s really about wanting and trying to take something that isn’t ours, not in the same way as stealing but more like setting up a system that would manipulate the thing you want so you can have it and others can’t — like stacking the deck of the world so that some people are at a disadvantage so that you can take advantage of it.

But every few sentences there’s another reminder that we’re all connected, not separate individuals or generations that can just do what we want without consequences to others. There’s the bit about honouring our parents so that our own legacy in the land will be long and fruitful…the part about remembering the old stories so that we don’t repeat the mistakes our predecessors have made…the instructions to teach all this stuff to the next generation too, including the reminders we might need along the way, almost like putting an alert on your phone to keep it in front of your eyes all the time…and that scary business about how God’s punishment and God’s blessing extend past us into the generations still to come — a thousand generations of blessing will follow those who live their lives according to these community-minded instructions, and three or four generations of bad consequences follow those who choose a different or more self-centred way.

It sounds so unfair. But we also know the truth of it, because right now we are living with the consequences of the actions of people in the past few generations. The climate emergency was not created by you young people here today, but you and your children are the ones who will suffer most. The economic situation we are in today was not of our making, but we still have to figure out how to live with the choices of those who came before. Social realities like racism and homophobia and sexism and bigotry weren’t our idea, but they are still part of our lives, just hanging on from generation to generation.

You know how whenever there’s a story about time travel, the characters say they have to be super careful because if they do something little that changes things, it could affect the entire outcome of history and change the world in unexpected ways?

Why don’t we ever think that about how we live right now? Like…small changes we make today could affect the entire outcome of the future. Literally change the world. Do you ever think of yourself as changing the world by how you live?

We are supposed to be good ancestors to the people who will come along in another twenty years, a hundred years, a thousand years. What we do today, how we treat each other today, how we build community that cares for each other today…all of that can change everything. We are responsible to and for each other, and for the future.

It isn’t that we’ve always done it this way, therefore we always have to do it this way, and we just keep doing the old ways. It’s that what we do today matters — to us and the people around us, yes…and to people far away who we may never meet but who live with the consequences of our actions, especially when it comes to stuff like climate change or politics or violence…and also it matters to people who will be born a long time after we die. The culture we create now, the way we choose to look out for each other and for the earth, will affect them. So I hope every day we will ask the question: am I being a good ancestor? Am I living, making choices, treating others, in a way that sets up a good foundation for the future? Or am I going to be one of those people that in a hundred years people look back and say “I can’t believe they did that and we have to live with the consequences now”?

Choosing the way of life God sets out — the way of love, the way of community, the way of caring for and looking out for each other instead of only for ourselves — that way of life sets up thousands of generations of blessing. Let’s be those people.

May it be so. Amen.

Online Hymn: What Kind of World Are We Passing On (Fischy)
Sanctuary Hymn 727: In the Bulb There Is A Flower

Offering

Sanctuary Offering Response: God Our Creator, vv. 1 & 4 (tune: Bunessan; words: John L Bell & Graham Maule)
God our Creator, you in love made us
who once were nothing but now have grown.
We bring the best of all our lives offer;
for you we share whatever we own.

And with the people summoned together
to be the Church in which faith is sown,
we make our promise to live for Jesus,
and let the world know all are God’s own.

Sanctuary Youth Dedication / Promises

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
God of love and justice and freedom,
You are personally invested in your creation,
and we give you thanks for your attention and care.
We are grateful that you not only take notice of us,
but you come to be with us,
close by and interested in how we live.
We remember today those who feel alone, as if no one cares,
and we pray that your presence would be made known to them.
We pray for all those who think no one is paying attention,
and so it doesn’t matter what they do or how they feel or whether they’re here.
We ask that you would be visible, and your love so obvious that they can’t help but notice,
and know that they are beloved, wanted, and that they belong.
We remember today all those people who don’t have the luxury of sabbath,
who labour for others’ profit,
who have no choice but to keep working or to go hungry,
who long for a day off but can’t make ends meet.
May your abundance be a reality,
so that all people can experience the freedom of your kingdom.
We remember today those who have been victims of others’ greed,
who have lost lives, livelihoods, family, or friends to violence or jealousy,
and those who are unlucky enough to be at the bottom of the pile
when the system is rigged against them.
May your justice turn this world upside down,
and bring hope to those in despair and a future to those who see no way forward.
We remember today those who are caught in the ways of this world,
who can’t imagine anything other than the way we’ve always done it,
who want to believe that with you, all things are possible, but just don’t see it.
Reveal yourself, and your kingdom of justice and peace,
your way of life that overcomes death,
your truth that changes everything.
And remind us, again and again, of our part in your covenant story.
And on this 8th day of the month we join our hearts together as your church family to pray:
*For all who live and work in the centre of Gourock — for those who are neighbours of our churches, those who own businesses, those who use the library, and those who come into the centre of town for any reason.
**For those who use the building at St John’s — may they encounter your grace in our hospitality — and for the volunteers who keep the building clean and in good repair.
*For the land, people, and governments of the nations of Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, and Greece.
And we pray especially today for the people and land of Afghanistan in the aftermath of an earthquake, and of Ukraine as the war rages on, and of Israel and Palestine as the impossible situation there brings violence, destruction, fear, and grief yet again. May your peace that passes all understanding guard and guide all your people.
Teach us to love you with our whole heart, mind, and strength,
and to live as if your kingdom is coming on earth as it is in heaven.
We ask these and all things in the name of your son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
your living word, who taught us to pray together:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

Sanctuary Hymn 737: Will Your Anchor Hold

Sanctuary National Anthem vv. 1 & 3

Benediction
Listen! Our God is the Lord, and God is Love. In a world with so many choices about who to serve: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
And as you go, may the Spirit of God go above you to watch over you. May the Spirit of God go beside you to be your companion. May the Spirit of God go before you to show you the way, and behind you to push you into places you might not go alone. And may the Spirit of God go within you, to remind you that you are loved more deeply than you can possibly imagine. May the fire of God’s love burn brightly in you, and through you into the world. Amen.

EDICT FOR ORDINATION AND ADMISSION OF ELDER
Mr Joseph Heffernan, a member of this congregation, has been elected to be a ruling elder (and the Kirk Session has judged him to be qualified for that office and has sustained his election)*; Joseph Heffernan has accepted office as elder: if anyone has any objections why this member should not be ordained to office, they state their objection at the meeting of the Kirk Session in the small hall of Gourock: St John’s Church on Sunday, 15th of October, 2023, at 10.40am; if no relevant objection regarding life or doctrine is made and substantiated, the Kirk Session will proceed to the ordination.

* We plan to expand Bowl & Blether to add the 3rd Mondays of the month in the winter months, starting on the 16th of October. This will require a team of volunteers to make soup in the church kitchen in the morning, to make toasties, and to serve soup/toasties/tea/coffee, offering hospitality and a warm cheery chat to anyone who wants to come in through the winter. Please contact Teri if you would be willing to volunteer on the 3rd Mondays of the month over the winter.

* A funeral service for Mr Rodger Manson will be held at Old Gourock & Ashton church on Monday the 9th of October at 1pm.

* The Kirk Session will meet on Sunday 15 October at 10:40am.

* Wednesday Evening Bible Study meets in the manse on Wednesday 11 October at 7:30pm.

* A funeral service for Mr Norman Leitch will be held at Greenock Crematorium on Thursday the 12th of October at 1pm.

* On Sunday evening the 15th of October at 7pm we will have a special Songs of Praise, with Philip, the praise band, and the Connect+ singing group leading us. If you have any suggestions you’d like to submit, please send them to Teri by today.

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

* Starter Packs are short of Shaving Foam, Shampoo and Cleaning cloths.  The FoodBank are short of biscuits, UHT milk, tinned soup, tinned custard, tinned tomatoes. You can bring donations to the church and place them into the boxes in the vestibule. Thank you!

* Did you know that the ministry we do at St John’s costs about £3000 per week? Everything we do is funded by your generous giving — all our support for young people, older people, bereavement care, community outreach, worship, study, spiritual growth, and community work is because of your offering. If you would like to set up a standing order in order to facilitate your spiritual discipline of giving, or if you would like to make an extra gift to support the ministry St. John’s does in our parish, you can give online by clicking here. If you would like to set up a standing order, please contact Teri and she can give you the treasurer’s details. You can also send your envelopes to the church or the manse by post and we will ensure they are received.  It is also possible to donate to the work of the new parish assistant, speak to Anne Love about how to go about directing new donations to that new item in the budget.

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

* Youth organisations are in full swing, and we are especially looking for new members of the Anchor Boys and the Smurfs (P1-P3, boys and girls respectively). Young people are invited to come along to the Junior Section (P4-P6) of the BB on Monday evenings at 7, Anchor Boys (P1-P3) on Tuesdays at 5:30, Brownies and Guides on Wednesday evenings at 6pm and 7:30pm respectively, Smurfs on Thursdays at 6pm, and Company Section (P7-S6) of the BB on Fridays at 7. For more information on the Boys’ Brigade, email: 2ndgourock@inverclydebb.org.uk , for more information on the Smurfs (pre-Brownies), email Lyn at lyn41185@hotmail.com, and for more information on the Brownies/Guides, visit https://www.girlguidingscotland.org.uk/for-parents/register-your-daughter .

* The Church of Scotland has a new online learning platform called Church of Scotland Learning (more info here). The first set of modules is now available, and are designed with members of local congregations in mind and will help to grow faith, stretch minds and explore possibilities. They are set at an introductory level and accessible for all. We hope this will ignite people’s interest in learning more. Currently available topics include Vows for Elders; Vows for Ministers; Conversations in Discipleship, Exploring Discipleship, Talking About Your Faith; New Ways of Being Church; Knowing You Knowing Me (Learning to understand more fully where God is and what God is calling us to do); Theological Reflection for Everyone; Equality Diversity and Inclusion; and Unconscious Bias and Me. More modules will be added periodically, so sign up today by clicking here!

* Trinity College Glasgow and New College Edinburgh also both offer “short courses” for lay people — there are a variety of interesting modules available for online or in-person participation, including courses on Listening In Mission, worship, New Testament, Mission and our response to Presbytery planning, Creative Writing as a Spiritual Practice, and more. Please become a lifelong learner and dig into some of these opportunities that God is putting in front of us to grow in our faith and life together!

* Would you be able to host two university students from the USA from 8-11 June, 2024? They will each need their own bed, though they can share a room, and you would be providing them breakfast and dinner, bringing them to church on Sunday, and being a welcoming and engaging host as they get a cultural exchange experience. There would be some financial help to cover the food expenses. If you might be interested, please be in touch with Teri or Seonaid Knox, so we have a sense of how many students we can host.

Sunday service for 2 October 2022

Sunday 2 October 2022, youth enrolment service
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson
Manse: 632143
Email: tpeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk

Prelude Music

Welcome/Announcements

Call to Worship (Junior Section)
One: From many places, God calls us one people.
All: From perfect family trees and journeys that took several detours,
God calls us one people.
One: God’s generosity inspires ours—
All: in welcome,
in helping each other,
in laying aside assumptions,
in commitment to serve.
One: Come hear again God’s truth that defines what greatness is.
All: We come to worship God together.

Online Hymn: I Will Follow (Chris Tomlin)

Sanctuary Processional Hymn 171: Take Up the Song (tune: Highland Cathedral)

Prayer (Brownies)
Providing God,
we come with thanks for how amazing you are.
Your care for us goes beyond our expectations,
even though all of us fall short of your glory.
You are faithful to all, forever—
from the beginning of time,
you have called all kinds of characters to be your people.
When we forget that their story is our story, forgive us.
When we admire them from afar
while insisting that kind of faith isn’t practical for us, forgive us.

We confess that our commitment is often to our own best interest instead of yours,
and that when your path becomes difficult we will leave it un-traveled.
Teach us your ways again, and help us to be faithful.
Remind us today of your call to care for one another,
to bear one another’s burdens,
to offer ourselves in service,
and to build up the community of your people,
wherever we have come from and whoever we are.
Bind our hearts and hands to you,
for you are our God and we are your people.
Amen.

Sanctuary Children’s Time— Song: We will walk with God (Sizohamba Naye)

Sanctuary: Guides and Brownies Promise

Reading: Ruth (Common English Bible) (Company Section)
(Teri to tell the story of Ruth 1.1-14)
Ruth 1.15-19a
Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her gods. Turn back after your sister-in-law.”
But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to abandon you, to turn back from following after you. Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord do this to me and more so if even death separates me from you.” When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her about it.
So both of them went along until they arrived at Bethlehem.

(Teri to tell the story up to 2.13)
Ruth 2.14-18, 23
At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here, eat some of the bread, and dip your piece in the vinegar.” She sat alongside the harvesters, and he served roasted grain to her. She ate, was satisfied, and had leftovers. Then she got up to glean.
Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her glean between the bundles, and don’t humiliate her. Also, pull out some from the bales for her and leave them behind for her to glean. And don’t scold her.”
So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed what she had gleaned; it was about an ephah of barley. She picked it up and went into town. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She brought out what she had left over after eating her fill and gave it to her.
Thus Ruth stayed with Boaz’s young women, gleaning until the completion of the barley and wheat harvests.

(Teri to tell the story up to 4.12)
Ruth 4.13-17
So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife…and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be blessed, who today hasn’t left you without a redeemer. May his name be proclaimed in Israel. He will restore your life and sustain you in your old age. Your daughter-in-law who loves you has given birth to him. She’s better for you than seven sons.” Naomi took the child and held him to her breast, and she became his guardian. The neighbourhood women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They called his name Obed. He became Jesse’s father and David’s grandfather.

For the word of God in scripture
For the word of God all around us
For the word of God within us
Thanks be to God.

Sermon: Life Changing Choices

I really love a story with a happy ending. Sometimes stories just seem to end without actually finishing, you know? And sometimes they end with everyone dying or something terrible. But in the story of Ruth and Naomi, all the really terrible stuff happens right at the beginning, literally in the first few sentences. And after that, it’s a story of people working together to try to figure out what to do in this complicated world we live in. Every choice they make is a choice that could go horribly wrong, or it could be the thing that saves the day. And when everyone’s choices all add up together, it leads to a happy ending, pointing toward a bright future for God’s people, as this turns out to be the family of King David.

It might not feel like the choices we make every day are quite as important as the ones Ruth and Naomi and Boaz and all the others in this story were making. But the truth is that Ruth was just…living her life. She had no idea what the future would hold for her. She only knew that in each situation, she had to make a choice. And that’s true for us too. We don’t know what the future will hold. We don’t know whether the choices we make today will become the foundations of something incredible in years to come, or if the story we are living right now will turn out to be a story people are still telling hundreds of years from now. All we know is that in each situation, we have to make a choice.

Ruth made the choice, in the middle of terrible grief, to leave behind everything she had ever known in order to stick by Naomi. Her life was falling apart, but instead of going back to her old ways, to the place where she might have been comfortable, she chose to go with Naomi. Remember Ruth had never been to Bethlehem before, and she only knew four people from there and three of them had died. She would be going to a brand new place, in a foreign country, where she would stick out as a stranger. But her loyalty to Naomi was greater than her fear of the unknown. She chose to go to a new home, and to turn to a new God, and to take up a whole new way of life, because she loved Naomi and she was committed to being family with her.

Naomi didn’t really know what to do with that, so she just…stopped talking. She had lost her husband and both her sons, and now she was going home after a long time away, but she’d be accompanied by this foreign woman who was a reminder of everything that had gone wrong. Her sadness got the better of her. Even when they got to Bethlehem, Naomi just went into the house and stayed there. She was in a very dark place, and it almost seems as if she couldn’t really bring herself to get up and take care of things. She just sat there in her despair.

But Ruth had made a promise. So she decided to get to work keeping it. When she went out to try to pick up some of the grain that the harvesters had missed or left behind, she caught the eye of a man who had also made a choice: a choice to follow God’s way very carefully. There are rules in the Bible about how to harvest a field, and those rules say that you should always leave the edges for people who don’t have any land to come harvest a bit for themselves. Boaz was loyal to God and he wanted to do what God asked, so he not only left the edges but even told his workers to pull some extra out and drop it, and to keep an eye on this young woman to make sure she was okay. And then he asked her to his dinner table, too! He chose to invite her in, even though she was different, even though she was an immigrant, even though her life story kind of seemed like bad luck. He welcomed her as if she was one of them — which is also what the Bible teaches us to do. And his choice to welcome her and help her meant that it was a bit easier for Ruth to keep her promise to Naomi.

Both Ruth and Boaz made their choices…just everyday choices, in the middle of all the complicated life stuff that was going on. Ruth was grieving and sad and worried about Naomi. The two of them were hungry and there was no one to take care of them. She was different from everyone else, a newcomer, and people might even have been suspicious of her. She’d had a hard time in life so far. Boaz was pretty well-off, he had land and he could afford to pay his workers, and to give some charity too. He was busy, and important in his community. Boaz and Ruth were very different people, with different life experiences, different backgrounds, different everything. But in one way they were the same: they made choices that were based on their values, on what was important to them.

Ruth was loyal to Naomi, and to God. She valued love and family and faithfulness and compassion for people who are struggling, and she was willing to put in hard work to follow through on her choices. She stayed right beside Naomi when Naomi didn’t even know how to love herself, and she did everything she could to be sure Naomi was taken care of through the difficult times, and surrounded with celebration and friends in the good times.

Boaz was loyal to God. He valued hospitality, welcoming, caring for others, helping the poor, supporting his community, and following God’s instructions. He was willing to choose to use his wealth and his influence in the community to watch out for the person who was marginalised and at risk, and he made sure everyone had enough to eat and a family to be a part of.

The choices we make every day are also based on our values. Thinking about what is important to us will help us be more clear about what we should do when a new situation comes up. It might still mean that the choices are difficult, or might lead to really hard work or to scary unknown paths. But at least we will know that we did what is right.

As Christians, our first and most important value is God’s love — because God loves us, and asks us to love both God and other people as our number one priority. Jesus said it was the first and greatest commandment, and without love everything else falls apart. Imagine if Ruth or Boaz tried to make their choices without love! Who knows what they would have done, but I bet it would have been a different story! Sometimes it might feel really difficult to love God, when things are tough. And sometimes it might feel really difficult to love other people, when they’re annoying or when they’re out of sight out of mind…or when we’re too busy or too important or too sad. But here’s the thing: God chose us first, and God always loves us. God is faithful, loyal, and true. God never leaves us to figure everything out alone. Which means that we can also choose to be faithful, loyal, and true. We can choose to follow God’s way, like Boaz and like Ruth — and that will affect all our choices in this life. Being loyal to God will show up in our behaviour toward other people, toward the environment, toward our community, and even toward ourselves. Even though our everyday choices might not feel like a big deal or like they’ll make a difference, each and every choice, from how we speak to each other – to what we choose to eat – to what kind of work we do – to how we spend our money and our time…all of it is part of building a life on our values — starting from love and following God.

If you’re wondering how you’re supposed to decide what values will guide your choices, I always suggest starting with Jesus. Knowing his story, and the other stories about God’s people in the Bible, can help us think about what it means to follow his way. That was how Boaz knew what to do! Then pray and ask God to help — don’t forget to listen as well as talk, because God has a lot to say if we’re listening carefully! I think that’s how Ruth knew what to do. And then after that, look to people in the community who do the right thing and help make the world better, and who seem to have some peace and confidence doing it. All of us need people around us who will support us like Ruth supported Naomi, who will celebrate with us like the neighbourhood women did, who will sometimes give instructions like Boaz gave his workers, and sometimes just feed us a meal and give us a safe place to rest like Boaz gave Ruth, people who will be an example and also a mentor. Those people can be a guide as we learn and grow — at any age, not just when we’re kids! Part of God’s gift to us is the gift of community to challenge and support us to follow Jesus closer each day.

(SANCTUARY: commissioning youth leaders and parents)

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God. Each day is made up of so many choices, so many chances to live according to our values, so many opportunities to show God’s love to the world God loves so much.

May it be so. Amen.

Online Hymn 536: May the Mind of Christ My Saviour (tune: St Leonard’s)

Sanctuary Hymn: I Will Follow (Chris Tomlin; Praise Band)

Sanctuary: BB enrolment questions and prayer

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for Ruth’s persistence and for Boaz’s generosity.
Thank you for revealing your tenacity and faithfulness through them.
Thank you for all who have embodied your persistent, generous grace,
and taught us to do the same.

You invite us to bring the cares of our hearts to you,
trusting that there is no burden your Spirit cannot carry.
We heave heard your word of love and justice,
your promise to reveal your kingdom.
So in the midst of this world,
longing for peace, for hope, for truth, for justice, we bring our prayers:
For those who grieve,
whose tears are their constant companion,
who feel the bitter bite of loss.
For those without enough to eat,
As the safety net unravels.
For those marked as an outsider,
described by how they are different.
For those who are vulnerable —
for women, for the young, for immigrants and refugees —
always on high alert.
For those caught in power systems they cannot change,
working to exhaustion yet forced to thank their boss for the privilege.
For those who care for others,
both meeting needs and investing in their well-being.
For those making new connections,
for communities growing through friendship and commitment,
for networks of care that hold us fast.
May your persistent generous grace encircle all your people,
that wherever we look we see your goodness in the land of the living.

We ask these and all things in the name of Jesus the Christ
who taught us to pray together:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
Amen.

Sanctuary Hymn 737: Will Your Anchor Hold

Sanctuary Hymn 703: National Anthem

Benediction
And as you go, may the Spirit of God go above you to watch over you. May the Spirit of God go beside you to be your companion. May the Spirit of God go before you to show you the way, and behind you to push you into places you might not go alone. And may the Spirit of God go within you, to remind you that you are loved more deeply than you can possibly imagine. May the fire of God’s love burn brightly in you, and through you into the world. Go in peace. Amen.

Sung Benediction Response (John L Bell, tune Gourock St John’s)
Now may the Lord of all be blessed,
Now may Christ’s gospel be confessed,
Now may the Spirit when we meet
Bless sanctuary and street.

Postlude Music

Announcements
* You are invited to join in reading the Bible in a year for 2022 — immersing ourselves in God’s word throughout the year. We get together to discuss each week on Wednesday at 7:30pm in the manse at 6 Barrhill Road. All are welcome, no experience necessary! Feel free to invite a friend, too! Anyone who has ever wondered just what the Bible actually says and what it has to do with us is welcome.

* On Sunday 16 October, in the evening, we’ll be hosting a BIG SING, with the Connect+ singing group! The group will lead us in short songs from around the world, including songs from Iona, Taize, various countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, and will guide us in harmonies and rhythms we didn’t know we could do. It will be a wonderful evening of making a joyful noise. No experience necessary, no need to read music, just the willingness to join in!

* We are hosting an October holiday club for Primary aged children, 18-20 October, on the theme “Life in Plastic, NOT Fantastic: Caring for God’s Good Earth.” More information and registration is available at our website. If you are interested in volunteering in any way — whether helping shepherd groups, cooking lunch, providing leadership, or a little light decorating, please contact Teri!

* All worship is online (or on the phone at 01475 270037, or in print) and we also meet in the sanctuary at 11am. If you are able, please enter by the front door in Bath street, and only those who need step-free access should use the back door. If you feel unwell, please worship online, to protect both yourself and others in our community.

* The Kirk now has online giving! If you have not already set up a standing order in order to facilitate your spiritual discipline of giving, or if you would like to make an extra gift to support the ministry St. John’s does in our parish, you can give online by clicking here. If you would like to set up a standing order, please contact Peter Bennett, our treasurer, or Teri and she can give you his details. You can also send your envelopes to the church or the manse by post and we will ensure they are received. Remember: no one is coming to your door to collect your envelopes, so please stay safe!

* Youth Organisations have begun! If you or anyone you know is interested in the Boys Brigade (P1 – S6), please contact Alan Aitken or 2ndgourock (at) inverclydebb.org.uk. If you or anyone you know is interested in the Brownies or Girl Guides, please visit the website to register. For the Smurfs, our youngest girls, please contact Teri and ask to be put in touch with the leader.

*Young Adult Bible Study meets in the manse on the 2nd and 4th Sundays — at 7pm for a meal and a study of the gospel according to John. If you’d like more information, for yourself, a family member, a friend, or neighbour who is in their 20s, please contact Teri for the dates/times and other information.

*Philip is organising a choir for any interested singer to come and have fun, learn some of the new hymns, and sing sometimes in worship. Please contact Philip for more information: philipnor617@gmail.com

*TOMORROW 3 October, is the next Bowl and Blether — come along for a bowl of soup and a chat with friends and neighbours! if you’re interested in volunteering either in the kitchen or in welcoming/hospitality/serving, please speak to Teri.

Sunday service for 6 September 2026

Sunday service for 5 October 2025

Sunday service for 6 October 2024

Sunday Service for 8 October 2023

Sunday service for 2 October 2022

Church Details

Subscribe to our videos and emails!

Online Giving

Bible verse of the day

Church of Scotland News

InverclydeNow News

Copyright © Gourock: St John's Church. Registered in Scotland as a Charity SCO06412