Sunday, April 18. 2021Recording of Zoom Service for 18th April 2021
Zoom Service 180421
Recording of Zoom Service for 18th ... Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Friday, April 16. 2021Ian & Julie's Zoom service for Sunday 18th April 2021
URC audio service
Ian & Julie's Zoom service for ... Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Sunday, April 4. 2021Brecon Beacons Pastorate Zoom Service for Easter Day 2021
An audio recording of this can be found atAudio of Easter Day service
Brecon Beacons Pastorate Zoom ... Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Sunday, April 4. 2021URC audio service for Easter Day 2021 led by Rev'd Dr Susan Durber
URC audio service for Easter Day
URC audio service for Easter Day ... Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Friday, April 2. 2021Zoom worship for Easter Day 2021Greetings on this most holy of days. Here is the text for the Easter Sunday service at 11.00am. If you wish to join us on Zoom the joining arrangements are Join Zoom Meeting Easter Day Zoom service Meeting ID: 354 035 1038 Passcode: 717837 We will not be hosting a Zoom service on the 11th. Alternative services are as follows: 1. Maesyronnen Chapel are holding their Annual Fair-trade service at 10.30am. Please see the home page for more information. 2. The usual URC audio service is also available. The service on 11th April is led by Rev’d Elizabeth Grey-King and the text is attached to this e-mail. The service will be available from around 09:45 on the Sunday morning and can be accessed via https://devotions.urc.org.uk/#LatestService. We will return to the usual pattern on Sunday 17th April. May we wish you a peaceful and blessed Easter. Easter Day – 4th April 2021 Welcome and Notices Music – An Easter proclamation (Antonio Vivaldi arr Tom Fettke) Call to worship Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia! This Easter day, we gather to worship, to give thanks, to celebrate life, resurrection, hope and the triumph of all that is good. Let us join together in celebration! HYMN: Christ is risen while earth slumbers (Tune: Blaenwern) 1 Christ has risen while earth slumbers, Christ has risen where hope died, as he said and as he promised, as we doubted and denied. Let the moon embrace the blessing; let the sun sustain the cheer; let the world confirm the rumour. Christ is risen, God is here! 2 Christ has risen for the people whom he died to love and save; Christ has risen for the women bringing flowers to grace his grave Christ has risen for disciples huddled in an upstairs room. He whose word inspired creation can't be silenced by the tomb. 3 Christ has risen to companion former friends who fear the night, sensing loss and limitation where their faith had once burned bright. They bemoan what is no longer, they expect no hopeful sign till Christ ends their conversation, breaking bread and sharing wine. 4 Christ has risen and forever lives to challenge and to change all whose lives are messed or mangled, all who find religion strange. Christ is risen. Christ is present making us what he has been - evidence of transformation in which God is known and seen. John L Bell (born 1949) and Graham Maule (1958-2019) © 1988 WGRG, c/o Iona Community, 21 Carlton Court, Glasgow, G5 9JP, Scotland. www.wildgoose.scot Prayers Christ has risen He is risen indeed, Alleluia! He lives for ever Alleluia! Lord Jesus Christ, we can only begin to imagine the wonder and relief in Mary’s eyes as she met your living presence in the Garden on that first Easter morning, and ran to share the Good News with the other disciples. We, too, want to feel that excitement as we celebrate that Jesus who was dead is alive, that good is stronger than evil, that love is stronger than hatred, that life is stronger than death and that you, Lord, are with us to the end of time. On this day of light and gladness we come to worship you. As we look at the cross – we see that it points upwards to our Creator God, downwards to people, but it points outwards too. Holy Spirit help us to express our worship in your world today by reaching out to others, by reflecting Jesus’ compassion and by sharing God’s amazing love in all the ways we can. And as we draw nearer to you in worship, our Living Lord, we want to say sorry for all the times we forget or ignore your living presence with us. For those times when we allow our own selfish wants to dominate our thoughts and rule our lives. For all those times we have been uncaring and unwilling to forgive others, Lord, please forgive us. Hear God’s words of love and mercy, your sins are forgiven. The Lord hears our prayer, Thanks be to God. Amen. Let us join our voices in praying in the pattern that Jesus gave us… The Lord’s Prayer SONNET: Easter Dawn by Malcolm Guite He blesses every love that weeps and grieves And now he blesses her who stood and wept And would not be consoled, or leave her love’s Last touching place, but watched as low light crept Up from the east. A sound behind her stirs A scatter of bright birdsong through the air. She turns, but cannot focus through her tears Or recognise the Gardner standing there. She hardly hears his gentle question, ‘Why, Why are you weeping?’ or sees the play of light That brightens as she chokes out her reply, ‘They took my love away, my day is night’ And then she hears her name, she hears Love say The Word that turns her night, and ours, to day. READING: John 20 v 11-19 11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she said, ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ 14 At this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realise that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’ 16 Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’). 17 Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”’ 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her. HYMN See what a morning 1 See what a morning, gloriously bright with the dawning of hope in Jerusalem; folded the graveclothes, tomb filled with light as the angels announce Christ is risen! See God's salvation plan, wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice, fulfilled in Christ the man, for he lives; Christ is risen from the dead. 2 See Mary weeping, 'Where is he laid!' as in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb; hears a voice speaking, calling her name; it's the Master, the Lord raised to life again! The voice that spans the years, speaking life, stirring hope, bringing peace to us, will sound till he appears, for he lives; Christ is risen from the dead. 3 One with the Father, Ancient of Days, through the Spirit who clothes faith with certainty, honour and blessing, glory and praise to the King crowned with power and authority! And we are raised with him, death is dead, love has won, Christ has conquered; and we shall reign with him, for he lives; Christ is risen from the dead. Stuart Townend (born 1963) and Keith Getty (born 1974) © 2003 Thankyou Music/Adm by Kingswaysongs, a division of David C Cook, www.kingswayworship.co.uk Used by permission Reflection One of the things that we often forget is that the events of the first Easter morning came as a complete shock to those involved. There was no doubt that when he was taken down from the cross on Good Friday Jesus was dead – very dead. The others crucified had to have their legs broken to speed up the process of death but there was no need to in Jesus’s. So, that morning, the disciples were still locked away in fear and shame and the women went out to anoint a dead body. The last thing they were expecting was an empty tomb and a message proclaimed by angels. When some of them went back to rouse the disciples, they refused to believe the story until they had gone and seen for themselves – until their story had been confirmed by men (nothing new there, then). While all this is going on, Mary remains in the garden. Whatever the angels have said to her does not appear to have registered because she still thinks that the body has been taken away. It’s only natural for her to approach someone who has the appearance of a gardener to enquire where the body has been taken so that she can find it. It is only when Jesus reveals himself to her that she realises who he is. Even so, he will not allow her to touch him but tells her to go and tell the others that she has seen him. Mary cannot live in the past but must develop a new relationship with Jesus that fits in with the new reality of a resurrected Christ. Initially on that morning the followers of Jesus experienced feelings of guilt, failure, confusion and fear. The joy came later but it’s important that we acknowledge this because there will be times when we will feel this too. We are human and all these feelings are part of what it means to be human – if we deny them, we are denying part of ourselves. So how are we feeling this Easter morning? I have mixed feelings as I welcome the signs of everything opening back up again but a little sad that we cannot gather together to share bread and wine and proclaim that Christ is risen. Despite the encouraging signs there’s still that bit of uncertainty about the future. Where do we go from here? We can’t go back to exactly what we were before so how do we reshape our relationship with God and Jesus in this new reality? Once the initial feelings had subsided the disciples had to wrestle with this question and the uncertainty that went with it. How were they to live with and relate to Jesus Christ, resurrected from the dead? Some of them tried going back to the old ways – fishing on the Sea of Galilee – but it was not a success and was followed by Jesus appearing and recommissioning them. Easter is a time for celebration, even in these restricted times. Christ has risen and God has made an emphatic statement that sin, death, violence, oppression and the powers of empire will not have the last word. But Easter is not a magic wand whereby everything is solved straight away. In the same way as God and Jesus surprised the world that first Easter morning God and Jesus are still surprising the world today. In the same way as these puzzled and fearful people were enabled to do far more than they envisaged through God’s power, God is still empowering us today, no matter how we may feel and in what circumstances we find ourselves. As we navigate our way through this new landscape, our hope still lies in the God who raised Jesus from the dead and in this we find our confidence. Prayers God of the resurrection, As darkness fell, Your love shone through. We pray that this same light might shine in the darkness around the world. God of the resurrection, As blood was poured out at the Cross, We pray for the blood poured out due to unnecessary war, may the love of the Cross bring healing and unity. God of the resurrection, As the empty tomb represents freedom, We pray for those struggling with addiction and mental illness in our community. May the freedom found at the tomb be a lived reality for those struggling today. God of the resurrection, As Mary found the tomb empty and voiced the news, We pray for women who face oppression and are unable to use their voice. God of the resurrection As Mary wept, we weep for those who grieve lost ones due to Covid-19 and other diseases. Surround them with your peace and love this day. God of the resurrection, May we be a resurrection people, As we approach communion with you and with each other, may we expect to be changed by encounter with you. Invitation to Communion Christ’s peace be with you, Christ’s peace within you, Christ’s peace behind you, Christ’s peace before you, Christ’s peace beside you, Christ’s peace to win you, Christ’s peace to comfort and restore you. Christ’s peace be with each of us and those we love. HYMN: What does this mean? (Tune Arizona) 1. What does this mean? That Easter Day When God raised Jesus from the dead So, sing for joy and praises say For death has lost its grip of dread 2. What does this mean? This Easter Day For Christ no longer is contained By failing flesh or human ways Traditions which keep him restrained 3. For God is God and will be so. New life is given on God’s terms In heaven above or earth below Divine intentions are revealed 4. And Jesus meets here today In bread and wine, he comes to us. We take him in, we breath love out So that God’s love can be shared thus 5. So risen Christ, be with us now Make us the people we should be That we may serve your world of change Until your glory we shall see. Ian Kirby 2013 altd 2021 Thanksgiving Prayer Holy Mystery that is Wholly Love, you are beyond complete knowledge, above perfect description. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Source of Life, Living Word, and Bond of Love, you are creative and self-giving, generously moving in all the near and distant corners of the universe. Nothing exists that does not find its source in you. Through fear-filled days and aching nights when the powers of death have done their worst, your love has never deserted us. Even when we turn away from you, you are with us; your presence never fails us, your gifts of hope and new life transform us. We praise you for Jesus Christ, risen to life, eternal as your love. With the women at the tomb, we raise the strain of gladness. Hallelujah! Life is stronger than death! The day of resurrection has come, scattering fear and gloom. And so we rejoice with all your people of every time and place, and with angels and archangels, to proclaim the glory of your name: It is Jesus, God incarnate, the Risen Christ, who joins us together as a community of broken but hopeful believers: loving what he loved living what he taught, and striving to be his faithful servants in our time and place. In this meal we remember Jesus, his promises, and the price he paid for who he was, what he said, and what he did. On the night before Jesus died, he took a loaf of bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, “Take and eat, whenever you do this, remember me.” After supper, Jesus took the cup, and poured, saying, “This is the new covenant, remember me.” We do remember. We remember his life of love, his friendship, his teaching, his dying, and his rising to life again. Holy Mystery, God the Spirit, we call on you to transform these familiar things, as you continually transform the world around us. Bless this bread and this cup, the wheat and the grape, the farmer and the harvest, the seed and the sower. So that in the sharing of these simple elements in community, we may taste and see your goodness. Breaking the Bread, Pouring the Cup The body of Christ, the bread of life. The lifeblood of Christ, the cup of blessing. The gifts of God for the people of God, Thanks be to God! Prayer after Communion Thank you, O Christ, for this feast of life. We are fed by your love; we are strengthened by your life. We are sent forth into this world to live your way and share your joy. We are now commissioned to: feed as we have been fed, forgive as we have been forgiven, love as we have been loved. Thanks be to God. Amen. HYMN: Christ is alive! 1 Christ is alive! Let Christians sing. The cross stands empty to the sky. Let streets and homes with praises ring. Love, drowned in death, shall never die. 2 Christ is alive! No longer bound to distant years in Palestine, but saving, healing, here and now, and touching every place and time. 3 In every insult, rift and war, where colour, scorn or wealth divide, Christ suffers still, yet loves the more, and lives, where even hope has died. 4 Women and men, in age and youth, can feel the Spirit, hear the call, and find the way, the life, the truth, revealed in Jesus, freed for all. 5 Christ is alive, and comes to bring good news to this and every age, till earth and sky and ocean ring with joy, with justice, love and praise. Brian Wren (born 1936) © 1969, 1995 Stainer & Bell Ltd Blessing The power of the Creator, who brings life out of death in this place. The risen Christ be our constant companion, The healing embrace of the Holy Spirit encircle us so that we see resurrection ever about us. Amen. All music copied and streamed under CCL 634229 & 138598, One Licence A735906 & PRS Licence 0021369.
Zoom worship for Easter Day 2021 Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Friday, April 2. 2021URC audio worship for Good Friday 2021
URC audio service
Order of Service Below you will find the Order of Service, prayers, hymns and sermon for today's service. You can either simply read this or you can click here to listen to the service and sing along with the hymns. This will open up a new screen, at the bottom of the screen you will see a play symbol. Press that, then come back to this window so you can follow along with the service. Daily Devotions from the URC Service for Good Friday 2021 The Rev’d Ruth Whitehead Introduction Welcome to this service, where we take time to reflect on the awful reality of Good Friday: a day of solemn worship, inspired by the reality of what it means to see God-made-flesh die on a cross of pain. My name is Ruth Whitehead and I am a minister of the United Reformed Church. I currently serve as Moderator of the South Western Synod, based in Taunton in Somerset. This is a reflective service, and I invite you, when you are listening, to press ‘pause’ at any point and give yourself time to reflect deeply and to receive God’s grace in this day. We begin our worship using the hymn ‘There is a green hill, far away’, written by Cecil Frances Alexander. She was born in Dublin, and lived for many years in Derry, where her grave lies. I once stood on the walls of the city of Derry and was shown a green hill, beyond the walls, which it is claimed inspired Alexander in her simple hymn. Her use of ‘us’ and ‘we’ throughout the hymn makes us reflect on both the cost and the meaning of the cross. She sums this up in the last verse with the repetition of ‘dearly’ – O dearly, dearly has he loved… reminding us both that Christ paid dearly on the cross and that Christ loves us dearly. There can be no better thought to begin our worship. Hymn There is A Green Hill Far Away Cecil Francis Alexander There is a green hill far away, without a city wall, where the dear Lord was crucified who died to save us all. 2: We may not know, we cannot tell, what pains he had to bear, but we believe it was for us he hung and suffered there. 3: He died that we might be forgiven, he died to make us good, that we might go at last to heaven, saved by his precious blood. 4: O dearly, dearly has he loved, And we must love him too, and trust in his redeeming blood, and try his works to do. Prayer of Adoration Let us pray: Holy God, who is eternally Father Son and Spirit, We take this time to pause in our lives to wonder at the Cross. We wonder how you, heavenly Father, could bear to send the Son to die out of love for the world. We wonder how you, Jesus the Son of God, could bear to suffer at the hands of those who hated you, and yet forgive. We wonder how you, the Holy Spirit, could move in the lives and the hearts of those who feared so deeply. As we wonder, so surround us with your love, we pray, that we may bear to look again at the Cross And know how dearly we are loved. Amen Prayer of Confession Our prayer of confession is based on the ‘Reproaches’ from the Roman Catholic veneration of the cross on Good Friday. The prayers are presented as Christ crying out to us, His people, against the injustice we have done after all the wonders God has performed for us. Let us pray: O my people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me! For I brought you out of the land of Egypt, and led you to a good land, but you led your Saviour to a cross. Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us. I parted the sea before you: but with a spear you parted my side. I took you through the desert with a pillar of cloud, but you took me to the judgment hall of Pilate. Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us. I rained down manna for you to eat, and gave you water to drink from the rock but you rained blows on my head, and gave me vinegar to drink. Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us. I made you a royal people, crowned with honour and lifted to a place of greatness, But you crowned my head with thorns and lifted me up on a cross Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us. Hebrews 10:16-24 The Holy Spirit testifies saying, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds," he also adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. Words of Forgiveness May the almighty love of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Hold you, forgive you, and make you holy. Amen. The account of Jesus’ crucifixion: John 19: 16b-27 They took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written." When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it." This was to fulfill what the scripture says, "They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots." And that is what the soldiers did. Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. Reflection We are used to thinking of Mary, the mother of Jesus, ‘pondering things in her heart’ at Jesus’ birth. In Alison Robertson’s hymn we hear Mary’s ponderings at the foot of the cross: Hymn While Mary was Watching Alison M Robertson While Mary was watching, they hung Jesus high. His feet hung beyond her, his hands reached the sky. His blood and his sweat soaked and matted his hair, She wished she could touch him, and show him her care. 2: She wished he could hear her; not even her shout would carry; the hubbub was shutting her out. His friends kept safe distance, away from the scorn; but she stood there rueing the day he was born. 3: She thought of the angel, before he began. She thought of the song of the faithful old man. She thought of the day she delighted to find her boy in the temple, with God in his mind. 4: She gazed at the Son, whom the Father had sent; and looking, and thinking, she saw what he meant. Lord Jesus, our Saviour, with Mary we bow to honour the death which gives life to us now. The word incarnation is used a lot in our celebration of Christmas. We hear the story of God’s love made flesh in Jesus, born from Mary’s body, and we might wonder what it means to say that God is one of us, with us, among us. We are used to thinking, too, of the bodily ministry of Jesus – the living breathing human doing the work of God’s kingdom and revealing his divine nature through teaching, healing and miracles. On Good Friday we contemplate the incarnation in a new way. As Jesus suffers and dies we cannot deny his human nature – real flesh, real blood, real pain. But we see more than just the suffering of an innocent man – we see the true depths to which God’s love will go for us, as Jesus, God made flesh, allows human beings to do their worst to him. Hymn O Sacred Head Sore Wounded Paul Gerhard O sacred Head, sore wounded, with grief & shame weighed down; O royal head surrounded with thorns, thy only crown; O Lod of life and glory, what bliss till now was thine! I read the wondrous story I joy to call thee mine. 2: What thou, my Lord, hast suffered was all for sinner’s gain; mine, mine was the transgression, but thine the deadly pain. By this, thy bitter passion, Good Shepherd, think on me; vouchsafe to me compassion, unworthy though I be. 3: For this, thy dying sorrow, O Jesus, dearest Friend, what language shall I borrow to thank thee without end? O make me thine for ever, and should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to thee. 4: Be near when I am dying, and, show thy cross to me that I, for succour flying, may rest my eyes on thee. My Lord, thy grace receiving, let faith my fears dispel, that I may die believing. and in thee, Lord, die well. Reflection 2 The genius of this translation of Paul Gerhardt’s hymn, which we have just heard, is in the use of the words ‘thine’ and ‘mine’. It reflects on the divine and human nature of Jesus, the suffering of Jesus, and the love of Jesus…and then it makes them personal to each one of us. I call Jesus ‘mine’, I admit that sin is ‘mine’, I ask the Good Shepherd to think on ‘me’ and make me ‘thine’. And so, in the final verse, I move from reflection on the death of Jesus to my own death that I may die believing, in thee, Lord die well. The death of Jesus on the cross is for me – for you – for each one of the human race who cannot help being wrong and broken, but who sees on the cross the incarnate love of God broken to make things right for us. This kind of reflection is nothing new: John Wesley describes it in his account of his ‘Aldersgate experience’, when his heart was strangely warmed “I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death”. Jesus dies: John 19: 28 – 42 After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfil the scripture), "I am thirsty." A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, "It is finished." Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, "None of his bones shall be broken." And again another passage of scripture says, "They will look on the one whom they have pierced." After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. Reflection 3 Jesus shows us the depths of God’s love for us in his suffering: but pain and death have neither the first word nor the last word in the story of created life. Throughout this next hymn about the cross, Alan Gaunt uses the name Love (with a capital L), in a way that might remind us of the use of ‘logos’ or The Word at the start of John’s gospel. Hymn The Love That Clothes Itself in Light Alan Gaunt The Love that clothes itself in light stands naked now, despised, betrayed receiving blows to face and head from hands that love itself has made. 2: The Love that lifts the stars and sun collapses, spent, beneath the Cross; the Love that fills the universe, goes on to death and total loss. 3: Love, helpless, comes to Calvary, rejected, scorned and crucified; Love hangs in shame, and dies alone, but Love abased, is glorified. 4: Extinguished with the sun at noon, Love’s light transcends all history; Love wrapped in linen, Love entombed, still wraps all heaven in mystery. 5: Though Love is lost, Love finds us here; though Love is absent, Love remains; where Love is finished, Love begins; where Love is dead, Love lives and reigns! Alan Gaunt’s hymn beautifully seesaws between the divinity of the Love that in the timeless Godhead was present at creation and the humanity of Christ who is naked, despised and betrayed. Here is the mystery and the glory of the cross – that the creator accepts suffering from the creatures Love itself has made; that the one whose glory fills the universe is emptied to the point of death. But when we hold these two opposites in tension we find, right in the heart of this hymn, that Love, abased, is glorified. Even as we reflect on the agony of the cross, we still call this Friday ‘Good’ – because we know this is not just another injustice in a broken world, it is the means of bringing healing to the broken and life to the world. The triumphant final verse of this hymn reminds us that Love which is lost, absent, finished and dead is the Love which finds us, remains with us, and begins again, to live and reign, and to bring all people hope. Prayer for the World As we prepare ourselves to pray for the world, we sing a hymn based on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s words ‘We turn to God when we are sorely pressed’ Hymn We Turn to God When We Are Sorely Pressed Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906-1945 We turn to God when we are sorely pressed; we pray for help, and ask for peace and bread; we seek release from illness, guilt, and death: all people do, in faith or unbelief. 2: We turn to God when he is sorely pressed, and find him poor, scorned, without roof and bread, bowed under weight of weakness, sin, and death: faith stands by God in his dark hour of grief. 3: God turns to us when we are sorely pressed, and feeds our souls and bodies with his bread; for one and all Christ gives himself in death: through his forgiveness sin will find relief. Loving God, Even as Jesus is abused and scorned, his cross speaks to us of your love for all. In Jesus, ‘sorely pressed’, yet still forgiving, we glimpse your healing for human bodies and souls. And so we bring to you our prayers for ourselves and our world. You know our need for release from illness, guilt and death. We pray for the millions affected by the spread of Covid-19, for a greater equality in healthcare and vaccine availability, and for all who care for others, that they may know healing. Loving God we turn to you.. and we know you hear us You know our need to be fed in body, mind and soul. We pray for those in desperate poverty, or who scrape an existence, that they may know life in all its fulness. Loving God we turn to you.. and we know you hear us You know our need for peace and wholeness of mind. We pray for those battling injustice or facing danger and hatred, that those with power may use it wisely. Loving God we turn to you.. and we know you hear us You know our need for security and a loving home. We pray for those driven out as refugees by poverty, violence, or human wickedness, that they may find a safe place. Loving God we turn to you.. and we know you hear us Loving God, as we turn to you, you find that you have turned to us – with forgiveness, grace, healing and new life. Thanks be to you. Amen. Blessing As we near the end of our time of worship and prepare ourselves to return to whatever our daily routine looks like, we sing or listen to Isaac Watts’ wonderful hymn ‘When I survey the wondrous cross’. Hymn When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Isaac Watts When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. 2: Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God; all the vain things, that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood. 3: See from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down; did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown? 4: His dying crimson, like a robe, spreads o’er his body on the tree; then I am dead to all the globe, and all the globe is dead to me. 5: Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. If we want to take one word into the rest of our day this Good Friday – perhaps ‘wondrous’ is the best one – a word we will hear again in our closing music. May the wondrous love of God be with you May the wondrous glory of Jesus on the cross go with you May the wondrous peace of the Spirit stay with you, Today and forever. Amen. Closing Music What wondrous love is this James Christopher What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul? What wondrous love is this, O my soul? What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul, to bear the dreadful curse for my soul? When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down, when I was sinking down, sinking down, when I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul. To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing, to God and to the Lamb I will sing, to God and to the Lamb who is the great I Am, while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing, while millions join the theme, I will sing. And when from death I’m free I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on, and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be, and through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on, and through eternity I’ll sing on. Sources and Thanks There is A Green Hill Far Away - Cecil Francis Alexander - sung by the choir of King’s College Cambridge. While Mary was Watching - © Alison M Robertson (SCM Press) - Sung by Phil &Lythan Nevard, Susan Durber and Ruth Whitehead O Sacred Head Sore Wounded - Paul Gerhard - sung by Phil and Lythan Nevard, Susan Durber and Ruth Whitehead. The Love That Clothes Itself in Light - © Alan Gaunt - sung by Phil and Lythan Nevard, Susan Durber and Ruth Whitehead We Turn to God When We Are Sorely Pressed - Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906-1945 - sung by Edinburgh University Singers, Ian McCrorie (Conductor), John Kitchen (Organ) When I Survey the Wondrous Cross - Isaac Watts - sung by the choir of King’s College Cambridge What wondrous love is this - James Christopher 1840 - sung at the Pittsburgh Regional All-Day Sacred Harp Singing March 2014 Thanks to Marion Thomas, John Marsh, Mandy Hibbert, Sue Cresswell and Claire Ette for reading various spoken parts of the service. Where words are copyright reproduced under the terms of Barrhead URC’s CCLI licence number 1064776, Some material reprinted, and streamed, with permission under ONE LICENSE A-734713 All rights reserved. PRS Limited Online Music Licence LE-0019762
URC audio worship for Good Friday 2021 Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Friday, April 2. 2021Worship for Good Friday led by Reverends Julie and Ian Kirby
Good Friday 2021
Into the shadows of chaos… The Light of the world Steps. From the silence of death The word of God breaks free. From the emptiness of our very being The bread of the world is broken. Mark 14:17-25 New International Version 17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.” 19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?” 20 “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 “This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” It was at a table that the story began: a people longing for freedom. A meal to prepare them for the journey into the wilderness. It was at a table that the story was retold: a teacher and some students wondering just what the coming hours would bring. A meal to prepare them for a journey into death. It is at the Lord’s table that the story is remembered, daily, weekly, monthly or less often, it is there, remembered by people struggling to be faithful. A meal to prepare us for the journey into resurrection. 26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial 27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’[a] 28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” 30 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice[b] you yourself will disown me three times.” 31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same. Gethsemane 32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” 35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 “Abba,[c] Father,”he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. 41 Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” Jesus Arrested 43 Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” 45 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46 The men seized Jesus and arrested him.47 Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 48 “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” 50 Then everyone deserted him and fled. We convince ourselves that we wouldn’t act as the first friends of Jesus did in this story. But dare we forget; We are the ones who slip away quietly when asked to stand beside the poor and oppressed. But dare we forget; We are the deniers of Christ Jesus when we turn our backs on the world does not recognise, or who don’t think or believe the way we do. But dare we forget; We are the greedy who cling to possessions we never use which could bless the lives of others. But dare we forget; We are the comfortable who are able to sleep through the cries of the earths hungry children. Let us remember who we are and who we can become. 53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. 55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. 57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree. 60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him. Rock star, Politician, Professional athlete; Of all the people you could have been, you chose to become a servant – a servant for us. Power, Wealth, Divinity. Of all the privileges you might have grasped, you chose to take hold of a cross – for us Paris, Cancun, Los Angeles. Of all the roads you might have taken, you chose the one running through Jerusalem – for us. Of all the people you might have died for – YOU did! Peter Disowns Jesus 66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said. 68 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.[a] 69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” 70 Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.” 72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time.[b] Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice[c] you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept. Coming upon that group of Asylum seekers and rough sleepers clustered on the pavement, we quicken our pace and cross to the other side as quickly as we can, unconsciously putting them at the bottom of the list labelled ‘outsiders’. When the phone rings, and it someone to let us know that the single mum is at the Chapel door again! And we shake our head: Say we’re sorry, that we are busy, have no resources now, as we turn back to ordering ‘stuff’ online. The little girl stands at the edge of the doorway, clutching her scuffed faded ted, in one hand and her favourite book in the other, hoping that this is the night that Dad has time to put her to bed, but with an almost silent curse, she is waved away with the phrase ‘I told you not to bother me’. Of all of the ways we can say ‘I do NOT know him’, we constantly seem to find more. Jesus Before Pilate 15 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin,made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. 2 “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “You have said so,” Jesus replied. 3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.” 5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. 6 Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. 9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. 12 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. 13 “Crucify him!” they shouted. 14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” No one asked him… Not the Chief priest or his bought judges, though fear would have deafened them. Not the governor, balancing political opinions on his decision. Not the mob: pockets full of nightmares, stomachs full of poverty, voices brimming with bile, no good ness and mercy flowing over their cupped hands. No, no one asked him, but don’t you think that Jesus himself would have said – maybe in a whisper, ‘Give them Barabbas’. 15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. The Soldiers Mock Jesus 16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. 17 They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. 18 And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. The Crucifixion of Jesus 21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. Ridiculed by his enemies, outcast of his kin, deserted by his friends, Godforsaken: The Morningstar of creation hangs covered with the grit of the sins of the world. Nailed to the cross, the carpenter of Calvary repairs our brokenness so that we might be restored to God’s Kingdom. The Death of Jesus 33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. Silence HYMN When I survey….. Where only a few days ago glad Hosannas rang out, There is now only the silent, weeping heart of God… We gather again as we are able on Sunday, as the story continues…
Worship for Good Friday led by ... Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Sunday, March 28. 2021URC audio service for Palm Sunday (28/03/21) led by Reverend Geoffrey Clarke
URC Daily Devotions
Worship for Palm Sunday 2021 URC audio service The Rev’d Geoffrey Clarke Opening Music Introduction Welcome to worship for Palm Sunday. Our service this morning commences with the celebration of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and moves on to ponder his self-giving love as heard and seen within the Passion Gospel. I am Geoffrey Clarke, Moderator of the East Midlands Synod of The United Reformed Church, (a Synod that embraces the counties and 127 churches of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes) Call to Worship People of God, on this wilderness journey, what will you eat? The word of the Lord is our daily bread. People of God, in this time of temptation, how will you live? Our faith is in the faithfulness of God. People of God, at this kingdom crossroad, whom will you serve? We worship the Lord our God alone. Reading St Mark 11: 1-11 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.”’ They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. Hymn: All glory, laud and honour to thee, Redeemer King Theodolf of Orléans 820, translated J M Neale 1851 All glory, laud, and honour To Thee, Redeemer, King! To Whom the lips of children Made sweet Hosannas ring. 1: Thou art the King of Israel Thou David's Royal Son, Who in the LORD'S name comest, The King and Blessèd One. 2: The company of Angels Are praising Thee on high, And mortal men, and all things Created make reply. 3: To Thee before Thy Passion They sang their hymns of praise; To Thee now high exalted Our melody we raise. Prayers of Approach, Confession and Forgiveness Loving God, at this time we remember that going up to Jerusalem cost Jesus his very life. So we come before you. conscious of the way religious words and holy phrases can slip so easily from our lazy lips and hardened hearts. What do we really know of your mountainous truth, your rock-hard integrity, the depth of your suffering for love of us all? Forgive us for the shallowness of our faith, and the timidity of our following: forgive us for the ready excuses we make for going our own way and claiming it as yours. Turn us round again, we pray, by your Holy Spirit, active within us and among us. Show us how to be open again to your faithfulness and to your freedom, that we may live new lives and be again bearers of the seeds of the Kingdom of Jesus. Here are words you may trust – words that merit full acceptance: Hear the Gospel word of grace: “Your sins are forgiven”. Thanks be to God. Prayer of Illumination Eternal God, whose word silences the shouts of the mighty: Quiet within us every voice but your own. Speak to us through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ that by the power of the Holy Spirit we may receive grace to show Christ’s love in lives given to your service. Amen. Hymn: Our Saviour, Christ, of Godly nature The Rev’d Michael L Forster (born 1946) Our Saviour, Christ, of Godly nature and equal in the Father's eyes, refused to clutch his rightful glory the way a miser grasps the prize. 2: Of all his heavenly glory emptied, his very self he freely gave, to clothe himself in human nature and wear the mantle of a slave. 3: Immortal God for us made mortal, the God-breathed Word drew human breath, then gave up even that to save us, obedient to the very death. 4: From death to life did God exalt him, to heaven's joy and earth's acclaim; on him, and him alone, bestowing the Name above all other names. 5: That at the glorious Name of Jesus all nations shall acclaim his worth, & every knee shall bow before him above, below and on the earth. 6: Let every tongue in earth and heaven proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, who shows the glory of the Father, our God for evermore adored. Reading: St Mark 14: 1 – 15: 47 The reading is interspersed with the hymn Christ, let us see by this most holy sign written by the Rev’d Michael Forster (born 1946) © 1995 Kevin Mayhew Ltd and sung by Iona Cameron. St Mark 14: 1-25 Narrator: It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; for they said, Other: “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.” Narrator: While Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, Other: “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” Narrator: And they scolded her. But Jesus said, Jesus: “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.” Narrator: Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, Other: “Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” Narrator: So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, Jesus: “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” Narrator: So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he came with the twelve. And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, Jesus: “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” Narrator: They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, Other: “Surely, not I?” Narrator: He said to them, Jesus: “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. For the Son of Humanity goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Humanity is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” Narrator: While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, Jesus: “Take; this is my body.” Narrator: Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, Jesus: “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Christ, let us see, by this most holy sign, love’s highest cost revealed in bread and wine. As you command, this also we will do, living and giving all to honour you. St Mark 14: 25-52 Narrator: When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, Jesus: “You will all become deserters; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Narrator: Peter said to him, Other: “Even though all become deserters, I will not.” Narrator: Jesus said to him, Jesus: “Truly I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” Narrator: But he said vehemently, Other: “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.” Narrator: And all of them said the same. They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, Jesus: “Sit here while I pray.” Narrator: He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And said to them, Jesus: “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.” Narrator: And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, Jesus: “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” Narrator: He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, Jesus: “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Narrator: And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. He came a third time and said to them, Jesus: “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.” Narrator: Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, Other: “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” Narrator: So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, Other: “Rabbi!” Narrator: and kissed him. Then they laid hands on him and arrested him. But one of those who stood near drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to them, Jesus: “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.” Narrator: All of them deserted him and fled. A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked. Christ, Lord of love, what treachery is this? See how your friend betrays y ou with a kiss! Change by your love all those who share his claim, all who call hatred holy in your name. St Mark 14: 53-72 Narrator: They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled. Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree. Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, Other: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” Narrator: But even on this point their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, Other: “Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?” Narrator: But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, Other: “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Narrator: Jesus said, Jesus: “I am; and ‘you will see the Son of Humanity seated at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” Narrator: Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, Other: “Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?” Narrator: All of them condemned him as deserving death. Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, Other: “Prophesy!” Narrator: The guards also took him over and beat him. While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, Other: “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” Narrator: But he denied it, saying, Other: “I do not know or understand what you are talking about.” Narrator: And he went out into the forecourt. Then the cock crowed. And the servant-girl, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders, Other: “This man is one of them.” Narrator: But again he denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, Other: “Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.” Narrator: But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, Other: “I do not know this man you are talking about.” Narrator: At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, Jesus: “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” Narrator: And he broke down and wept. Christ, by your friends in daily life denied, bruised by the fall which follows sinful pride, you, only you, can pardon and restore, reach out your wounded hand to us once more. St Mark 15: 1-15 Narrator: As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, Other: “Are you the King of the Jews?” Narrator: He answered him, Jesus: “You say so.” Narrator: Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, Other: “Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.” Narrator: But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed. Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. Then he answered them, Other: “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” Narrator: For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate spoke to them again, Other: “Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” Narrator: They shouted back, Other: “Crucify him!” Narrator: Pilate asked them, Other: “Why, what evil has he done?” Narrator: But they shouted all the more, Other: “Crucify him!” Narrator: So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified. Christ, Priest and Victim, this is now your hour, victim of priests’ and princes’ lust for pow’r; help us destroy the gods of pow’r and pride, and stand with you among the crucified. St Mark 15: 16-39 Narrator: Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. And they began saluting him, Other: “Hail, King of the Jews!” Narrator: They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. It was nine o clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, Other: “The King of the Jews.” Narrator: And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, Other: “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” Narrator: In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, Other: “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Narrator: Those who were crucified with him also taunted him. When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o”clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, Jesus: “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” Narrator: which means, Jesus: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Narrator: When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, Other: “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” Narrator: And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, Other: “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” Narrator: Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, Other: “Truly this man was God’s Son!” Christ who has shared your people’s darkest fears, Father who knows bereavement’s bitter tears, Spirit of love, with healing in your breath, hold and unite us at the time of death. St Mark 14: 40-47 Narrator: There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time. When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid. Father and Spirit of the dying Son, still undivided, Three for ever One, grant at life’s end that, trusting in your grace, we may surrender to your love's embrace. Reflection The late Fred Kaan, United Reformed Church hymnwriter and minister, was surprised that among his many hymns one that continued to be sung was his Palm Sunday hymn. Lyrically it was by no means his most theologically profound and the Companion to Rejoice and Sing suggests that “it is not a hymn for those who need to remain dignified”. The first line, despite its simplicity, affirms what today’s gospel readings proclaim: We have a king who rides a donkey and its fifth verse declares, Servant-king is Jesus. The kingship of the “servant-king” is in stark contrast to the power sought and held by all too many. Martin Luther, writing over five hundred years ago, reflected on leadership. He could so easily have been writing it today. I quote: "In the world there are many who seek only their own advantage, honour, and power. This never makes for good government. For such people have little interest in the country and the nation; they think that they alone must be feted and honoured. They are unwilling to endure peril, ingratitude, contempt and disgrace; or when they do encounter such things, they grow furious and foolish, begin to rage, and turn everything topsides-turvy. They are determined to avenge themselves and to carry their point even though everything is ruined and the government collapses. These people are not fit to rule." There may be longed-for comfort and reassurance in the Palm Sunday image of our faith being “feted and honoured” on the streets and resembling that of a victory procession. Palm Sunday is a welcome opportunity to assert the hope that, in the words of Philippians 2, at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Philippians 2: 10). But Palm Sunday celebrated in isolation from the unfolding story of Holy Week is escapism, albeit a tempting and welcome one! We do well to remember Kaan’s affirmation that we have a king who rides a donkey … servant-king is Jesus! If we cling too tightly to the notion that Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was recognition of his kingship and power we do well to remember his mode of transport. Riding a donkey is not an affirmation of glory! I’d suggest that rather than being a cavalcade of royal cars this is akin to Jesus being given a lift into town in Del Boy's three-wheeled Reliant Regal Supervan! Ours is a servant-king. And, ultimately, this is seen in the Passion Gospel – in the Crucified King. It should come as no surprise to any of us that the One acclaimed on Palm Sunday is subjected, just days later, to betrayal and denial by those closest to him. Acclamation is changed to derision as the hosanna-hymn morphs to the chorus of contempt. Today is an opportunity for us to reflect on what kind of God we glimpse in the servant-king and, at the same time, to consider in which crowd we stand. We claim our lives are subject to God’s reign and rule and yet also betray and deny God all too readily when the going gets tough. It is vital – and life-giving – for us to ensure that the focus is first and foremost not on ourselves but on our servant-king. His reign saves us. Luther recognised the features of bad leaders - those he describes as seeking only their own advantage, honour, and power and that they alone must be feted and honoured. There is a world of difference between such embodiments of power and privilege and the Crucified servant-king. Let the words of Philippians 2 challenge us all: Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. I conclude with words by Sam Wells, in his latest book, A Cross in the Heart of God: Passiontide is a story not so much about conventional notions of power such as military dictatorship, religious authority or terrorist violence, but about a power that’s at the same time far greater and more intimate than any of them – God’s enduring love for the whole world, and God’s intense love for us, Christ’s intimate friends. (A Cross in the Heart of God, Samuel Wells. © Samuel Wells 2020.) In short, we have a king who rides a donkey … servant-king is Jesus Intercessions Let us pray. God of Palm Sunday streets and Calvary’s hill, cheering crowds and weeping ones, we offer our prayers for the streets and hills, crowds and individuals in our own time: We pray for those for whom the crowds cheer and the red carpet is laid out, monarchs and presidents, prime ministers and politicians, whether their power is bequeathed or bestowed by vote, in democracies and in dictatorships: recalling Luther’s words, may they lead and govern as servants, not seeking their own advantage, honour and power but in the interests of all, and with a commitment that embraces the wellbeing of the least and the lowest. We pray for those who live in places where human rights and basic dignity are denied; those who are powerless and oppressed, enslaved or ignored. May they be upheld by the enduring love of God – and may that love be embodied in the care and concern of us all in praying and working tirelessly for a world in which all are valued and honoured. We pray for the Church: for our worship, witness and service, particularly in these challenging times. We pray for our shared endeavour to cry, “Hosanna” – our attempts to connect the faith and conviction of the Church with the needs and fears of those around us. Save us from a false piety and an obsession with self-interest, rescue us from despair and tune our hearts to sing your praise. Tune our hearts to an awareness of your presence on our streets as well as sanctuaries, in humble service as well as joyous recognition. Enable us to lay down the cloaks of our lives at the feet of the servant-king so that when the singing ceases our service persists. We pray for all for whom the desolation and grief of the Cross bear a painful resemblance to their own experience. For all facing the challenge of Covid-19 and all key workers, NHS and care home staff, and any and all putting their lives at risk for the good of the rest of us by ensuring essential services continue. And as we contemplate the amazing love of God, made manifest in the Crucified One, we pray for all in agony and grief. Those who suffer: the vast company of those who know mental, physical or emotional pain. We hold before God in prayer those whose names and needs weigh heavily on our own hearts. Finally, we pray for ourselves: that we may realise afresh the amazing love of God and find the help, strength and peace we need for lives lived to God’s glory. In the name of the servant-king, Amen. Hymn: My song is love unknown Samuel Crossman (1624 – 1683) My song is love unknown, my Saviour’s love to me; love to the loveless shown, that they might lovely be. O who am I, that for my sake my Lord should take frail flesh, and die? 2 He came from His blest throne salvation to bestow; but folk made strange, and none the longed-for Christ would know: but oh, my friend, my friend indeed, who at my need His life did spend. 3 Sometimes they strew His way, and His sweet praises sing; resounding all the day Hosannas to their King: then “Crucify!” is all their breath, and for His death they thirst and cry. 4: Why what hath my Lord done? What makes this rage and spite? He made the lame to run, He gave the blind their sight. Sweet injuries! yet they at these themselves displease and ‘gainst him rise. 5 They rise and needs will have my dear Lord made away; a murderer they save, the Prince of life they slay. Yet cheerful He to suffering goes, that He His foes from thence might free. 6 In life, no house, no home my Lord on earth might have; in death, no friendly tomb, but what a stranger gave. What may I say? Heav’n was His home; but mine the tomb wherein He lay. 7 Here might I stay and sing, no story so divine; never was love, dear King, never was grief like Thine. This is my friend, in whose sweet praise I all my days could gladly spend. Blessing May the cry of “Hosanna” lift our spirits and warm our hearts and the cry of “Crucify” ever remind us of our calling to carry our cross. And the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, remain with you, now and always. Amen. Closing Music Sources and thanks Liturgical Prelude by George Oldroyd (organ of The Spire Church, Farnham – 2020) Trumpet Voluntary in D by John Baston (organ of Basilica Santo Spirito, Florence, Italy – 2016) Both pieces played by, and received, with thanks, from Brian Cotterill http://briancotterill.webs.com Prayers of Approach, Confession and Forgiveness (© John Harvey, in Eggs and Ashes, compiled by Ruth Burgess & Chris Polhill, © 2004 Ruth Burgess & Chris Polhill/Wild Goose Publications.) Prayer of Illumination (Reprinted from Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church, USA. © 1993 John Knox Press.) All glory, laud and honour to thee, Redeemer King - Theodolf of Orléans 820, translated J M Neale 1851. Sung by Grace Community Church - Sun Valley, California Our Saviour, Christ, of Godly nature - The Rev’d Michael L Forster (born 1946) based on Philippians 2: 6–11 © 1997 Kevin Mayhew Ltd. Sung by Alive Church Lincoln Music Team, led by Howard Williams Christ, let us see by this most holy sign - the Rev’d Michael Forster (born 1946) © 1995 Kevin Mayhew Ltd and sung by Iona Cameron. My song is love unknown - Samuel Crossman (1624 – 1683). Sung by Truro Cathedral Choir Thanks to Myra Rose, the Rev’d Gordon Smith and Lesley Thompson for reading the Passion narrative. Also thanks to Walt Johnson, Mandy Hibbert, Glynis Purland, Alison Jiggins for reading other spoken parts of the service. Where words are copyright reproduced under the terms of Barrhead URC’s CCLI licence number 1064776, Some material reprinted, and streamed, with permission under ONE LICENSE A-734713 All rights reserved. PRS Limited Online Music Licence LE-0019762
URC audio service for Palm Sunday ... Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Friday, March 26. 2021Zoom services for Holy Week
2. If you are able to join us via Zoom, the joining instructions are as follows:
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3540351038?pwd=Ti9Wb3F6N2h1amRtb0FzWVg5WFYzQT09 Meeting ID: 354 035 1038 Passcode: 717837 Assuming I remember to press the right button this week, a recording will be available after the service. 3. We will be holding worship via Zoom during Holy Week and Easter as follows: Maundy Thursday at 7.30pm (with Communion) Good Friday at 10.30am Easter Day at 11.00am (with Communion) The joining code will be the same as the one shown above. March 28th 2021 Palm Sunday Call to worship He will walk a little in front of us towards Jerusalem. He will not be scared though we are apprehensive. If we try to discourage him, he will recognise the devil in our voice, and he will tell us as much in no uncertain terms. Then he will go on again, in faith to Jerusalem Make way, make way for Jesus Behold, your king is here, meek and humble and riding on a donkey Make way, make way for Jesus Prepare the way of the Lord HYMN: All glory, laud and honour 1 All glory, laud and honour To thee, Redeemer, King, To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring! Thou art the King of Israel, Thou David's royal Son, Who in the Lord's name comest, The King and BlessËd One. 2 The company of angels Are praising thee on high, And we with all creation In chorus make reply: The people of the Hebrews With palms before thee went; Our praise and prayer and anthems Before thee we present. 3 To thee, before thy passion They sang their hymns of praise; To thee, now high exalted, Our melody we raise: Thou didst accept their praises; Accept the prayers we bring, Who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious King. Gloria, laus et honor, Theodulf of Orleans (c.750-821) translated by John M Neale (1818-1866) Prayers Loving God, we remember that on this day your Son entered Jerusalem surrounded by praising, cheering crowds. We want to follow their example and shout our praises and hosannas. We long for the day when the powers of evil will be lessened, and we begin to see your Kingdom coming in all its glory. So, we praise you and worship you. Yet we recognise that we are human and fickle. Our hearts may be in the right place, yet so often our courage falters when we have to stand against the majority. We can praise and worship you on Sunday, yet, faced with a different majority view on Friday, join in the calls for crucifixion. Lord Jesus, you are aware of our fickleness. At the time of your greatest trial, you were betrayed, denied and deserted by your most trusted friends. You knew what it was to undergo fear and doubt about what lay ahead. So, we ask you to forgive us where we have failed you o by our desire to preserve our lives rather than follow you…. o for our fickle nature which can turn from devotion to indifference or even hate in the blink of an eye o for following the temptation of an easy life rather than a faithful life. Lord Jesus, who forgave Peter and the disciples, even Judas, forgive us now. Fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we may see you more clearly, love you more dearly and follow you more nearly, day by day. Hear the words of Jesus, “Your sins are forgiven’. Follow me. So, as God’s forgiven and beloved people, let us join together in these familiar words….. Our Father,…. Reading Mark 11:1-11. (New International Version) Jesus comes to Jerusalem as king 11 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, “Why are you doing this?” say, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.”’ 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, ‘What are you doing, untying that colt?’ 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, ‘Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ 10 ‘Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!’ ‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ 11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. This is such a familiar reading, we tend to focus on it during the Sunday before Easter each year as Jesus approaches the end of his earthly mission, and prepares 12 men to continue …yes 12 men to continue to spread the message and mission of God, now through the life and after next week the resurrection of Jesus Christ! No media – well not as we would understand it, no telegraph, phones, or computers. Just twelve men who had been with this man for three years of their lives. One of the things that I like to do with readings that are so familiar to us, in an effort to experience them in a new way is to imagine myself into the story. I sometimes use the Jewish Midrash way of doing this. I have a piece of paper in front of me, at the top I write the reading reference, I then divide the page into three columns but not to the bottom of the page. Reading What do I hear? Where am I? What do I see? Where is God, then and now? I think that this gives you the idea, it certainly helps me. So for me… I may well be in the background, observing the crowds, listening to the word Hosanna being shouted. Hosanna comes from the Hebrew and means ‘save’. Did the crowd want to avoid violence, or did they want the violence to increase in order to end the Roman Empire. It fascinates me to wonder and explore it really is one of the ways I learn about what and why I feel and believe what I do. But moving on. In the early 1580s, or so the story goes, Walter Raleigh, the dashing and well-dressed adventurer and poet, lay down his coat over a puddle so that Queen Elizabeth I could walk over it without getting her royal feet damp. Is that a true story? Historians think probably not. But I’m not sure that really matters. Something about that flamboyant gesture is so compelling that even today it remains an essential anecdote about the Tudors, offering an enticing insight into the relationship between the Queen and a dashing gentleman at court. What is it about laying down a coat that tells us so much about the relationship between the two people involved? Your coat is really quite important. A coat provides warmth and protection. For Walter Raleigh it might also have been expensive and stylish too – a status symbol. His laying down something precious for his Queen was a public statement of the high regard in which he held her. In our Gospel reading today we see not just one person laying down a coat, but crowds of people laying down their cloaks in the road as Jesus rides through on a donkey into Jerusalem. Even the disciples put their cloaks over the donkey for Jesus to sit on. There are lots of different players in this scene that Mark paints for us. There are the disciples who go on their strange mission to borrow a donkey; there are the donkey owners who for some reason agree to lend their colt to total strangers; there are the crowds of people singing and laying down cloaks and palm leaves. And at the centre of all this action is Jesus, surrounded by people who are celebrating his triumphant journey into Jerusalem. Each one of them making a gesture of submission and praise in his honour. This is a cacophony of worship. All of this, of course, is fulfilling the promise in Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” There are two narratives at play here on Palm Sunday, summed up in this prophesy from Zechariah; one is that Jesus is King, righteous and victorious. In contrast to this, there is a more subversive narrative; Jesus is lowly. He is riding on a humble donkey, not exactly a status symbol. The Jewish crowds celebrating Jesus’ arrival would have been praying for a messiah for the here and now, to overthrow Roman rule and to bring justice and peace. They might even have expected war and violence. But the donkey is an animal that historically symbolises peace. Jesus is not coming to establish power in the ways that people expected; through wrath and vengeance and violence. Jesus is subverting what power looks like. Of course, we know what happens next in the events of Holy Week. We know that the crowds will turn against Jesus, and that God’s love, grace and mercy will not be revealed through a military display or through bringing down the Roman Empire. Instead, God’s great act of love will see his Son scorned and rejected and crucified. Jesus demonstrates love and power through humility and frailty. And yet, we also know how this whole story ends. We know that in the power of the cross comes the promise of eternal life. We know that God’s love cannot be extinguished or diminished. Palm Sunday isn’t a false promise, Jesus’ last hurrah before crucifixion. Instead, Palm Sunday is a foretaste of the glorious morning of resurrection, and a preview of the new heaven and new earth that is still to come. The lowly subversion of power that we see in Jesus on the donkey is a power far greater than the violent oppressive power of any empire. The events of Palm Sunday remind us of the role we have to play in all of this. We are called to worship Jesus even when this puts us at odds with the narratives the world gives us about power and strength. Perhaps the challenge for us this Palm Sunday is this reminder that God subverts what we think of as important. We live in a world that tells us that wealth, security, power, status and beauty are what we should be worshipping. As we join the crowds of people welcoming in a lowly messiah on a donkey, is it time for us to put some of this aside? As we journey together to the end of Lent, some of us will have given up things we love and will be looking forward to having them again. That first bite of chocolate or glass of wine are just around the corner! However, maybe today God is asking you to give up other things, perhaps more long term. What is distracting your attention from Jesus? Lay it down at his feet. What is it that you have put your worth in? Lay it down at the feet of Jesus. What is it that is telling you you’re not good enough? Lay it down at his feet. Just like the owners of the donkey giving up a precious animal or the crowds of people laying down their own cloaks for Jesus, we too are called to lay down things that are precious to us at the feet of Jesus. What is God asking you to lay down today? This may sound like a great effort, but be encouraged: the people praising Jesus by laying down their cloaks on that first Palm Sunday rejoiced on impulse, moved by the beauty and majesty of Christ. We too are invited to enter in Jesus’ presence. To be moved by his beauty and his majesty so that our hearts are stirred into action. This Holy Week, as we journey to the cross and beyond to resurrection, my prayer for each one of us is that we might experience in ourselves this heartfelt celebration of Christ, singing in our own way: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” SONG: Meekness and majesty 1 Meekness and majesty, Manhood and Deity, In perfect harmony, The Man who is God. Lord of eternity Dwells in humanity, Kneels in humility And washes our feet. O what a mystery, Meekness and majesty. Bow down and worship For this is your God, This is your God. 2 Father's pure radiance, Perfect in innocence, Yet learns obedience To death on a cross. Suffering to give us life, Conquering through sacrifice, And as they crucify Prays: 'Father forgive.' Refrain 3 Wisdom unsearchable, God the invisible, Love indestructible In frailty appears. Lord of infinity, Stooping so tenderly, Lifts our humanity To the heights of His throne. Refrain Graham Kendrick (born 1950) © 1986 Thankyou Music/Adm. by worshiptogether.com songs excl. UK & Europe, adm. by Kingswaysongs, a division of David C Cook, www.kingswayworship.co.uk Used by permission. Prayers As we remember Jesus, entering into Jerusalem, we remember anyone for whom proclaiming their faith places their freedom and life in jeopardy. We pray for prisoners of conscience held in places throughout the world, seen as a threat to those who seek to hold on to their power and privilege. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. We pray for your church. We are aware that the many people who make up Christ’s body have different viewpoints on things and so often our public stance on many matters reflects this. So often we are tempted to remain silent lest we upset anyone, or our statements are so inoffensive that we really say nothing at all. Help us as we seek to walk the fine line between church unity and standing in the name of Jesus to speak the truth to those who need to hear it. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer As we begin to experience more freedom as COVID cases decline, guide our goverments in deciding how quickly we should return to something like the life we knew. Grant them wisdom in reaching their decisions, taking all necessary views into consideration. We thank you that many have already received one or both vaccinations but pray that we will remember those who are still waiting or cannot be vaccinated when we add our voices to what should happen in the future Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer We remember before you members of our chapel families as well as our families, friends and acquaintances. We thank you for the lives of those who have died and pray for their families and friends who mourn them. We pray for those who are struggling with health issues, that they would know your healing presence with them. Lord, in your mercy, hear your prayer Finally, we pray for our chapels as they reach out into their communities. Help us see our mission in showing the love of Jesus as more than just getting people over our thresholds but working with others for a better world. Give us strength and courage when the temptation arises to seek an easier life or go along with the loudest or most popular voices. Lord, in your mercy, hear your prayer Hear all our prayers as we ask them in the name of Jesus our Saviour. Amen. HYMN: Ride on, ride on, the time is right 1 Ride on, ride on, the time is right: the roadside crowds scream with delight; palm branches mark the pilgrim way where beggars squat and children play. 2 Ride on, ride on your critics wait, intrigue and rumour circulate; new lies abound in word and jest and truth becomes a suspect guest. 3 Ride on, ride on while well aware that those who shout and wave and stare are mortals, who with common breath, can crave for life and lust for death. 4 Ride on, ride on, though blind with tears, though dumb to speak and deaf to jeers. Your path is clear, though few can tell their garments pave the road to Hell. 5 Ride on, ride on, the room is let, the wine matured, the saw is whet; and dice your death-throes shall attend though faith, not fate, dictates your end. 6 Ride on, ride on, God's love demands. Justice and peace lie in your hands. Evil and angel voices rhyme; this is the man and this, the time. John L Bell (born 1949) and Graham Maule (1958-2019) © 1988, 1996 WGRG, c/o Iona Community, 21 Carlton Court, Glasgow, G5 9JP, Scotland. www.wildgoose.scot Blessing and dismissal He will walk a little in front of us into controversy He will not be scared, though we are apprehensive. He will argue with the intelligent, stop in their tracks the self-assured, touch the scabby, upset bank balances by his outlandish behaviour in the sanctuary and weep in public. Then he will go on again, in faith, towards Jerusalem. May the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us now, through this Holy Week and evermore. Amen.
Zoom services for Holy Week Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Sunday, March 21. 2021URC audio service for 21st March 2021 led by Mr Peter Pay
URC audio service 21-03-21
URC Daily Devotions Worship for Sunday 21 March 2021 The Fifth Sunday of Lent Peter Pay Moderator of General Assembly Opening Music Introduction Good morning. My name is Peter Pay. I am one of the two current moderators of General Assembly, a lay preacher and a member of Salisbury United Reformed Church. Call to Worship People of God, on this wilderness journey, what will you eat? The word of the Lord is our daily bread. People of God, in this time of temptation, how will you live? Our faith is in the faithfulness of God. People of God, at this kingdom crossroad, whom will you serve? We worship the Lord our God alone. Hymn O Praise Ye the Lord H W Baker 1821 – 1877 O praise ye the Lord! praise him in the height; rejoice in His word ye angels of light: ye heavens, adore Him by whom ye were made, and worship before Him in brightness arrayed. 2 O praise ye the Lord! sing praise upon earth in tuneful accord, all ye of new birth: praise him who hath brought you his grace from above, O praise him who taught you to sing of his love. 3 O praise ye the Lord! all things that give sound, each jubilant chord re-echo around: loud organs, his glory proclaim in deep tone, and sweet harp, the story of what He has done. 4 O praise ye the Lord! thanksgiving and song to him be outpoured all ages along: for love in creation, for heaven restored, for grace of salvation, sing praise to the Lord! Prayers of Praise and Thanksgiving Lord, we give you thanks for all you have given us, for the world you lovingly created, for showing us that we are welcome, that we are loved, that all are welcome, that all are loved all are included. We remember how our Lord Jesus gave himself for our salvation. We are your people and you are our God. Help us to learn your ways, to love your creation and to show your love and inclusion to all. May your word be written in our hearts. Amen The Lord's Prayer Prayer of Illumination Break open your word to us, O God, that we may listen, understand and obey, Amen. Jeremiah 31. 31-34 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more. Reflection Jeremiah is chiefly known for doom and gloom prophesies. However our passage today is quite the opposite. A message of hope. I personally have had rather too many operations on my heart in recent years. At the start, the defibrillator in my pacemaker was there to control when my heart rhythms went astray. I then had two Ablations which were focussed on ‘writing new ways in my heart’. Trying to make it operate, to beat in a different way so the defibrillator would not be needed. This causes me to reflect on Jeremiah’s words with new meaning. Humans do, sadly have in-built hardness in their hearts. Anger, Selfishness, greed, judgement, punishment seem to be instinctive- the way our hearts seem naturally to beat. Changing that beat is not easy it is innate and unconscious. God’s law is clear and helpful. I am a parent and am very aware of how my relationship with my offspring has changed over time. When they were young, we operated to a set of ‘house rules’. They understood what was expected of them and of us, I guess a sort of covenant’. We tried to instil a set of values and principles for their lives. As they grew up, we accepted that they were free to make their own choices and hoped that what we had ‘taught’ was still ‘written in their hearts’. And if they went astray, we continued to love and forgive. In a similar way, our relationship with God has developed over time. We continue to need God’s word, need His Law to be written on our hearts so that they may automatically beat in a different way. A way of Love forgiveness generosity inclusion. As our journey of faith continues, Gods ways will I trust, become more and more written in our hearts. In the meantime, we cling to those words ‘for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more’ Thanks be to God Prayer of Confession Lord, we know there is hardness in our hearts. We find it hard to forgive Hard to love others especially those who need it most Hard to give freely Hard to live as you would wish. Write your ways on our hearts that we may serve you more fully. Amen Assurance of pardon Lord we give thanks that you will indeed forgive our iniquity and will remember our sin no more. Amen Hymn: Now the green blade Rises John McCleod Campbell Crum Now the green blade rises, from the buried grain, wheat that in dark earth many days has lain; Love lives again, that with the dead has been: Love has come again like wheat that springeth green. 2: In the grave they laid Him, Love who they had slain, thinking that never He would wake again, Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen: Love has come again like wheat that springeth green. 3 Forth He came at Easter, like the risen grain, He had for three days in the grave had lain; quick from the dead the risen Christ is seen: Love has come again like wheat that springeth green. 4 When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain, where His touch can call us back to life again, fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been: Love has come again like wheat that springeth green. St John 12. 20-33 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour. “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. Reflection Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. It is a powerful analogy in our passage today, it works at different levels I will explore this with you as we approach Holy week- which is, for me the most important week in the Christian calendar. Any gardener will tell you (as my wife frequently does), choosing the right time and place to plant your seeds is a key decision. You prepare the soil, fertilise, till. You look for the right time. But once sown, you have less control. The germination process has started and cannot be reversed. Timing is everything! On other occasions, Jesus had said ‘my time is not yet come’ for example changing water into wine. Now He announces ‘My time is come’ Jesus planted himself deliberately. Jesus is in control of his career path He could so easily have carried on being popular Healing & teaching into old age. But He would have been a footnote in history By going to Jerusalem He choose the place and the time- Palm Sunday. He did not have to go but by going He started an inevitable process. For Jesus once He had launched the final process, there was also no going back. Jesus chose his path He was not the victim He initiated, He provoked, He challenged, He was willing to let it happen, He refused escape routes. Just look at His interactions with Judas and in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knows this is the Key moment- His destiny It is a hard road. It is not a soft option. Seed must die to grow. Once germinated, it is no longer what it was. Once risen He was no longer the same. He was Glorified So Jesus deliberately gave Himself to be sowed that the harvest might be our salvation. The number of his followers multiplied after his death. Many others died in His service. His death marked the start of others in turn sowing the seeds of salvation in others and working to reap God’s harvest. As the ‘whole people of God’ we are also part of that same continuum. We too are like wheat seeds, we must plant and be planted to be transformed. We are the source of continuation and growth. We are called to take the chance by offering to serve, accepting His call, being willing to fail.We are called to bring Him further harvest through our lives and our witness. We sow the seed in our churches, in our families, amongst our friends, at our work. Wherever we are. We sow by our example, teaching, preaching, serving, visiting, caring, giving, praying. We all have the germ of His spirit in us. It is our choice whether we allow it to germinate and grow or stays dormant. To keep or to share the Good News. Our choice- are we willing to offer ourselves? Amen Hymn From Heaven You Came Helpless Babe Graham Kendrick (b. 1950 From heaven you came, helpless babe, Entered our world, your glory veiled; Not to be served but to serve, And gave your life that we might live. This is our God, the Servant King, He calls us now to follow him, To bring our lives as a daily offering Of worship to the Servant King. 2: There in the garden of tears, My heavy load he chose to bear; His heart with sorrow was torn, 'Yet not my will but yours,' he said. 3: Come, see his hands and his feet, The scars that speak of sacrifice, Hands that flung stars into space To cruel nails surrendered. 4: So let us learn how to serve, And in our lives enthrone him; Each other's needs to prefer, For it is Christ we're serving. Affirmation of Faith As followers of Jesus Christ, living in this world— which some seek to control, but which others view with despair— we declare with joy and trust: our world belongs to God! From the beginning, through all the crises of our times, until His Kingdom fully comes, God keeps covenant forever. our world belongs to God! We rejoice in the goodness of God, renounce the works of darkness, and dedicate ourselves to holy living, for our world belongs to God! As committed disciples, called to faithful obedience, and set free for joyful praise, we offer our hearts and lives to do God's work in his world, for our world belongs to God! With tempered impatience, eager to see injustice ended, we expect the Day of the Lord. And we are confident that the light which shines in the present darkness will fill the earth when Christ appears for our world belongs to God! Prayers of Intercession Lord, there is so much on our hearts that we wish to share with you, so much we would wish to bring before you. Concerns of health, bereavement, economic struggles and social tensions. We live in a world of greed of selfishness, a world of exploitation, repression, extremes of wealth and poverty. So many facing injustice, cruelty, exclusion. A world being destroyed by the emissions we create. Nations struggling to live in peace with one another. May they all feel your presence in their times of need and Lord, Show us what we can do to sow the seeds of your love in these places. Offertory Giving is a key part of our spiritual lives as Christians. For many of us it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to get to church – yet there are still bills to pay – the M and M contributions which pay for our church’s ministers and organisation, utility bills and all the regular outgoings that our churches have. Similarly, charities across these islands have struggled as Charity Shops have been closed and street collections have been difficult. It’s always the poor who struggle most when times are bad. So many of us have continued to give sacrificially through the last year knowing that it takes more than a pandemic to diminish our spiritual lives. And so we give thanks Loving God, we thank you for the gifts you give us, and for the ability to return some of these gifts to you. Bless those who tend to our church’s money, renew us during this time of trial, that as we emerge, like the risen grain, we may attend more completely to worship and witness, evangelism and service, that your Kingdom may come. Amen. Hymn God is working His purpose out Arthur Campbell Ainger (1894) God is working His purpose out, as year succeeds to year; God is working His purpose out, and the time is drawing near; nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be: when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea. 2 From utmost east to utmost west, where human feet have trod, by the mouth of many messengers goes forth the voice of God: “Give ear to me, ye continents, ye isles, give ear to me, that the earth may be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.” 3 All we can do is nothing worth unless God blesses the deed. Vainly we hope for the harvest-tide till God gives life to the seed. Yet nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be, when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea. Blessing May God’s word indeed be written in all our hearts and may we offer ourselves as seeds to be sown so that the harvest may continue and that our lives may indeed be fruitful. And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and evermore. Amen Closing Music Sources and thanks Lobt Gott Ihr Christen (“Praise God ye Christians”) by Johann Gottfried Walther (organ of The Spire Church, Farnham – 2020) Toccata in Seven by John Rutter (organ of All Saints’, Odiham – 2020) Both pieces played by, and received, with thanks, from Brian Cotterill http://briancotterill.webs.com O Praise Ye the Lord - H W Baker 1821 – 1877 - Sung by the Harvard University Choir Now the green blade Rises - John McCleod Campbell Crum - Sung by the Smoke Fairies. From Heaven You Came Helpless Babe - Graham Kendrick (b. 1950)© 1983 Thankyou Music - Sung by Graham Kendrick from the album The Best of Graham Kendrick God is working His purpose out - Arthur Campbell Ainger (1894) - Sung on BBC’s Songs of Praise Thanks to Gunhild Wilcock, Steve Lee, Sylvia Nutt, Kirsty Knott, Dan Morrell and Antony Denman for reading various spoken parts of the service. Where words are copyright reproduced under the terms of Barrhead URC’s CCLI licence number 1064776, Some material reprinted, and streamed, with permission under ONE LICENSE A-734713 All rights reserved. PRS Limited Online Music Licence LE-0019762
URC audio service for 21st March ... Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Saturday, March 20. 2021Ian and Julie's Zoom Service for Sunday 21st March 2021
For those able to join us by Zoom at 11.00 am the joining details are as follows
Join Zoom Meeting Zoom Service Meeting ID: 354 035 1038 Passcode: 717837 Ian will also be taking the service at Maesyronnen at 2pm - which will use much of the same material. The 11.00 service will be recorded and the recording will be up later on Sunday or Monday morning. We are going to offer worship on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday - more details as to timings in the next few days. Just a reminder also that the final session of our Lent Bible Study meets on Monday at 7.30pm - same joining details. Sunday 21st March 2021 Call to worship Let us meet with the Lord, let us follow the Christ, let us be filled with the Spirit, Today and everyday. Amen. HYMN: God is love 1 God is Love: let heav'n adore him; God is Love: let earth rejoice; let creation sing before him, and exalt him with one voice. He who laid the earth's foundation, he who spread the heav'ns above, he who breathes through all creation, he is Love, eternal Love. 2 God is Love: and he enfoldeth all the world in one embrace; with unfailing grasp he holdeth every child of every race. And when human hearts are breaking under sorrow's iron rod, then they find that selfsame aching deep within the heart of God. 2 God is Love: and is enfolding all the world in one embrace; his unfailing grasp is holding every child of every race. And when human hearts are breaking under sorrow's iron rod, that same sorrow, that same aching wrings with pain the heart of God. 3 God is Love, and though with blindness sin afflicts and clouds the will, God's eternal loving-kindness holds us fast and guides us still. Sin and death and hell shall never o'er us final triumph gain; God is Love, so Love for ever o'er the universe must reign. Timothy Rees (1874-1939) Opening Prayers Everlasting God, we come before you today, just as we are. We come with the things that weigh us down. We come with the parts of ourselves we would prefer to hide. Our regrets, our fears, our shame. You know every part of us and yet you call us by name, just as we are. You welcome us in as part of your family. So, we come. We come to seek your light, your peace, your wholeness, your hope. You call us to share your love with the world. To sow hope and build bridges, especially at this time of physical separation and distance. We pray that you will strengthen us to be your people of light. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. Let us now say the Lord’s Prayer Readings: Jeremiah 31 v 31-34 31 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband,[g] says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more. John 12 v 20-33 20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.24 Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me. 27 ‘Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save me from this hour”? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. 30 Jesus said, ‘This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.32 And I, when I am lifted up[f] from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. I have not met many famous people. The only notable person I have ever queued up to see is the American theologian and pastor Brian Maclaren and that was to get his new book signed. The idea of going up to some of the support team and asking to see and speak to the keynote speaker off my own bat would not be something that I would ordinarily consider doing. Here we have some people, almost certainly men, who are described by John as Greeks, who want to see Jesus. I suspect that they are almost certainly people sympathetic to the Jewish faith (God fearers) if not actually converts as Jerusalem in Passover week was no place for tourists who had no religious business there. We are not told whether they actually got their wish. They may be used by John as a means of moving the story on or to make a distinction between the faith of these foreigners compared to the religious authorities in Jerusalem. The scene is set for one of Jesus’s discourses which are such a feature of John, especially in the last week. We’ve already noted that John has a tendency to use material based on the life of Jesus but not necessarily in the right order. John does not have a passion scene in the garden, moving from the entry to the arrest seamlessly. This is Jesus’s moment of crisis, where he humanly contemplates the horror of what is to come and ponders whether he might escape it momentarily. In keeping with the picture that John’s Gospel paints of Jesus, this is only fleeting, followed by a firm restatement of his purpose and mission – the salvation of the world. That’s not really my main focus for today, though. Ever since I began thinking about the readings for today’s service, the phrase ‘We want to see Jesus’ has been running through my head. If someone wants to see Jesus today, how do we show them? (inviting them to go and have a chat with the minister, is not a valid answer for the purposes of this sermon!). One obvious answer is to point them to the Scriptures. After all, this is how the stories of Jesus have been handed down. I think it’s fair to say that the Gospels are not always easy to understand and while the Holy Spirit can help, there’s a nagging thought in my mind that something more is needed. In any case, the early church managed quite well without the written gospels and I suspect that if we were really trying to show someone Jesus, we’d want to show something of Jesus alive in the world today through the Holy Spirit. This is where it becomes tricky because it means that we have to get involved. Most of us are familiar with the image of the body of Christ. We use it frequently especially during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. I do wonder, though, whether we spend more time applying it to relationships within and between churches and denominations. There’s nothing wrong with that but I wonder, especially during the self-examination of Lent whether it would be equally helpful to imagine how we as the body of Christ might look at, relate to and act towards the world that God made and which God loves. Reading the Gospel accounts, there was an attractiveness about Jesus which drew people to him. He showed his love to the world, even when he was holding up its shortcomings and failures. Ultimately that love for the world took him to the cross, in the hope that this love would continue to draw people to follow him. Over the last few weeks in our Lenten Bible Study, we have been considering climate change and global heating and what our response to this should be. The question is, as the Body of Christ, how should we consider this and act accordingly? We may not agree on the answer, and any consensus may mean people making concessions, but I do not think, as the body of Christ that we can avoid having this discussion. There are many other concerns happening in the world that we cannot close our eyes to if we are serious about our role as co-creators with God shaping a renewed, transformed and better world. The state is empire and will always put its energies into preserving its own interests and power. it suited its purposes to enlist the assistance of the church in times past, but those days are no more. Of course, this will not be popular. Jesus was lifted up, executed as a blasphemer, a heretic and a threat to the power of the Roman Empire. If he had just existed as a loving and caring healer and teacher, he might have been dismissed as just another eccentric Rabbi, but he demanded transformation which required sacrifice and faced people who were doing quite well out of empire with the challenge of the Kingdom of God. Like many organisations, the pandemic has spurred the United Reformed Church to take a long hard look at itself. Questions are now being asked about our structure, presence and purpose. Of course, there are many factors which are driving this, but I would hope that what comes out in the end is a renewed understanding of our part in the body of Christ, not just in organisational terms but also how we look at the world as part of the body of Christ. This process is just getting under way and we will have a part to play in due course, but I wonder whether this is an opportunity to re-evaluate the life we have together and how we might show our closeness to Christ to those around us, not in a narrow, moralistic way but in a wider way that embraces the communities and world around us, The reality is that many of us are tired, wanting the security of what we knew before lockdown and dubious that we have the energy for this transformation. The good news is that we do not have to transform ourselves – that is the divine task through the Holy Spirit. All we need to do is to allow this to happen. Paul exhorted the church at Rome: 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. Nonconformism to the pattern of this world is wider than just the normal things we associate with it but extends to the values of greed and power which we see exhibited so often in our society. In challenging these and demonstrating that there is another way, we allow people to see Jesus in a similar manner to how he was seen in 1st Century Palestine. If we seek to imitate Jesus, we may well get the same reaction from those who see this as a threat. There is a narrative taking shape in this country that those in power and the media will seek to defend at all costs especially against all those who are seen as ‘not one of us’. At some stage, Christians may well come up against this and we should be aware of this possibility. We will not all engage in this renewed vision to the same extent but prayer is always important for those who are facing the consequences of following Christ most acutely. This Lent, may we use the days we have left before Easter to continue examining our lives, allowing God to continue the transformation within us and enabling us to show people Jesus in our individual and communal lives. Amen. HYMN: May the mind of Christ my saviour 1 May the mind of Christ my Saviour live in me from day to day, by his love and power controlling all I do or say. 2 May the word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour, so that all may see I triumph only through his power. 3 May the peace of God my Father rule my life in everything, that I may be calm to comfort sick and sorrowing. 4 May the love of Jesus fill me, as the waters fill the sea; him exalting, self abasing- this is victory. 5 May I run the race before me, strong and brave to face the foe, looking only unto Jesus as I onward go. Kate Barclay Wilkinson (1859-1928) Prayers for others Lord God, We are all part of your family. We are all bound together in a love that will never cease or grow tired. We offer you our prayers for your creation, for our siblings across the world in need of your hope and comfort. We pray for those living in the midst of conflict, wondering if home will ever feel safe again. For those worried about loved ones who have gone to fight. For those sacrificing everything to protect their families and ensure their safety. We offer a prayer for peace, remembering that this must begin with us. Leader: Lord of all hope All: Shine your light in the darkness We pray for victims of abuse of all kinds. For those who do not feel safe in the place they should call home. For victims of bullying in the workplace, who feel unable to speak up for fear of losing their job. For those trapped in toxic relationships and friendships. We give thanks for those who seek to provide freedom and a listening ear to victims of abuse, and we pray for the strength and compassion to provide the same in any way we can. Leader: Lord of all hope All: Shine your light in the darkness We pray for those living in poverty, or without a safe place to call their own. For the families struggling to feed their children. For those forced to live on the streets, with even fewer places to go in this time of increased restrictions. For our siblings across the world whose countries are facing the worst of the climate crisis, and enduring the food and water shortages that often come with the extreme conditions. Leader: Lord of all hope All: Shine your light in the darkness In a moment of silence, we bring before you those known to us, who are in need of your loving presence at this time: [Silence] Loving God, gather up the names spoken into the silence, and accept all of the prayers we offer today. It is easy to feel like our offerings are small, that the love we share doesn’t go far, but we know that, in you, our small acts can spread far and wide. May we be bearers of your light in this world. In Jesus’ name, we pray Amen. HYMN: Lord, thy church on earth is seeking 1 Lord, thy church on earth is seeking thy renewal from above; teach us all the art of speaking with the accent of thy love. We would heed thy great commission: go ye into every place? preach, baptise, fulfil my mission, serve with love and share my grace. 2 Freedom give to those in bondage, lift the burdens caused by sin. Give new hope, new strength and courage, grant release from fears within: light for darkness; joy for sorrow; love for hatred; peace for strife. These and countless blessings follow as the Spirit gives new life. 3 In the streets of every city where the bruised and lonely dwell, let us show the Saviour's pity, let us of his mercy tell. In all lands and with all races let us serve, and seek to bring all the world to render praises, Christ, to thee, Redeemer, King. Hugh Sherlock (1905-1998) © Successor to Hugh Sherlock/administered by The Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes Blessing May the fulness of Jesus fill us as we leave this act of worship so that we may be the body of Christ in God’s world. And the blessing of God, Creator, Saviour and Guide be with us and all God’s beloved people made in the divine image, now and evermore, Amen. All music copied and streamed under CCL 634229 & 138598, One Licence A735906 & PRS Licence 0021369.
Ian and Julie's Zoom Service for ... Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Sunday, March 14. 2021Audio of Ian & Julie's Zoom Service for 14th March 2021
BBP Zoom service
Audio of Ian & Julie's Zoom ... Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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Sunday, March 14. 2021Saturday, March 13. 2021Ian & Julie's Zoom service for Sunday 14th March 2021
The service for Sunday is attached. For those able to join us by Zoom at 11.00 am the joining details are as follows
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3540351038?pwd=Ti9Wb3F6N2h1amRtb0FzWVg5WFYzQT09 Meeting ID: 354 035 1038 Passcode: 717837 Just a reminder also that Session 4 of our Lent Bible Study meets on Monday at 7.30pm - same joining details.Sunday 14th March 2021 Call to worship Called by you to worship and praise Not to be condemned but to be forgiven. God’s people have gathered Let us worship God together. HYMN: For the beauty of the earth 1 For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies: Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise 2 For the wonder of each hour of the day and of the night, hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light: Chorus 3 For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind’s delight, for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight: Chorus 4 For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, friends on earth, and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild: Chorus 5 For thyself, best gift divine to the world so freely given, for that great, great love of thine, peace on earth and joy in heaven: Chorus Folliott Sandford Pierpoint (1835-1917) Prayers Let us pray Eternal God, you do not need our praise. The world itself tells of your glory… sunrise and bird song, the ruggedness of the landscape, the randomness of rain, beauty for the eye, nourishment for the body, music for the soul…. all these speak of your goodness these honour your name. You do not need our praise. Other places can do it better with finer music or fewer words with centuries of tradition or buildings of rare beauty. Other people can do it better, where two or three are gathered who live in poverty or under threat, and who, despite all that oppresses them. rejoice to be call your own. What can we add by way of magnificence or testimony when these are more eloquent? You do not need our praise, but we need to praise you. It is the yearning, the restlessness which you have planted in us. It is our desire for a true home and unconditional acceptance that brings us here. All the rumours we have heard about you are true: you love you forgive you transform And you know us… oh, how you know us, You perceive in us what needs to be forgiven, and what in us needs to be changed. We need no more words, just penitence. Lord have mercy upon us Christ, have mercy upon us Lord, have mercy upon us These are the words of Jesus. They are so strong and true, so believe them: “I am come that you may have life in all its fulness.” “Go in peace, your sins are forgiven: Come, each one, and follow me.” Now God, help us to live as a forgiven people – visibly different, gloriously free, for Jesus’s sake. Amen. In this confidence, let us pray the prayer of Jesus Readings Numbers 21:4-9 Complete Jewish Bible 4 Then they travelled from Mount Hor on the road toward the Sea of Suf in order to go around the land of Edom; but the people’s tempers grew short because of the detour. 5 The people spoke against God and against Moshe: “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt? To die in the desert? There’s no real food, there’s no water, and we’re sick of this miserable stuff we’re eating!” 6 In response, Adonai sent poisonous snakes among the people; they bit the people, and many of Isra’el’s people died. 7 The people came to Moshe and said, “We sinned by speaking against Adonai and against you. Pray to Adonai that he rid us of these snakes.” Moshe prayed for the people, 8 and Adonai answered Moshe: “Make a poisonous snake and put it on a pole. When anyone who has been bitten sees it, he will live.” 9 Moshe made a bronze snake and put it on the pole; if a snake had bitten someone, then, when he looked toward the bronze snake, he stayed alive. John 3:14-21 New International Version 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[a] 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. Reflection Here we are at the fourth Sunday of Lent. Mothering Sunday: What interesting readings have been set in the lectionary for today. Not only are we not in our buildings, with the ability or opportunity to hand out gifts to enable us to give thanks for our own Mothers, the fact that we are mothers, God mothers or Aunts, with the chance and privilege of showing a mothering type image to the young people in our families and friendship circles but we have readings that speak of struggle, darkness and even death! So where do we go from here…? I think that both of the readings are showing us, yes us in 2021, the caring nurturing even mothering side of God, in the Old Testament through Moses leading the Israelites through the desert, a complaining bunch of folk who are rather keen on getting things their own way rather than facing the struggles before them in order to reach the promised land. There are two things that really strike me from this reading, I have deliberately taken the passage from the Jewish Scriptures in order to illustrate the first. The Jews were so in awe of God that they believed that it was wrong to say the word God, hence the use of the name Adonai. Among many traditional Jews even the word "Adonai," meaning "My Lord" or "My God," is not spoken outside of prayer services. Because "Adonai" is so closely linked to the name of God. Furthermore, because YHWH and "Adonai" are not used casually, literally dozens of different ways to refer to God have developed in Judaism. Each name is linked to different conceptions of God's nature and aspects of the divine. For example, God can be referred to in Hebrew as "the Merciful One," "Master of the Universe," "the Creator," and "our King," among many other names. These are ways that show respect to the one who created us and in whose image we are made, I have thought for the first time this year that the person that we refer to as Mum, is the one who has grown and nurtured us helped to shape us into the individual that we are today and the only other person or people who affords her that title are our sibling’s. These are unique relationships to be cherished. I’m not suggesting that they will all be wonderful and plain sailing all of the time there will be easy times and darker times and even time when we grumble like made and stamp our feet! Much like the people that Moses is leading to better times and places are doing in the passage from numbers. Which brings me to the other point about this reading. Moses lifts a snake upon a staff for the people to look at, if they were bitten by a snake and looked upon the bronze snake on the pole they would be saved. All around the world the snake on a staff has become the symbol of medical institutions, when I was in the Air Force my lapel badges were actually brass clips of a snake around the staff with a pair of wings at the top, to represent that I was part of the Medical services. Anyone who has been in the medical professions or indeed required surgery will know that healing is often preceded by pain and discomfort. Sometimes hurt has to come before healing. Is that not the message of this season of Lent? The passage from John starts with a reference to Moses lifting up the snake and comparing it to Jesus being lifted on the cross. If we had read the verses at the beginning of this Chapter we would have heard of Nicodemus approaching Jesus at night, under the cover of darkness with his questions, but not only asking questions, getting to know Jesus and allowing Jesus to know him, building a living and loving relationship. Maybe much like the relationships with our Mums, there will be times when we don’t understand Jesus, there may well be times of doubt, anger and even rebellion. I think that all Mother /child relationships have their ups and downs. I can certainly remember my mum reminding me that while she would always love me there were times when she ‘didn’t like me very much’! I can’t say I blamed her either. Little by little however, trust and relationship grows until we have unconditional trust in Jesus Christ. This is the story of Johns Gospel, the story of the disciples’ growth, faith and trust; it is our story too… For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. I don’t believe that eternal life is something that we begin after death, it is the life that we are given to live today. It is the life of God that live in and through each of us and our actions each day. I believe that to save someone means to pull that person from danger so that he or she is not hurt, and a life is not lost. It is to liberate those who are held by oppression be that of their own making, it is to release prisoners all those bound by cords of guilt, anxiety and being held unjustly physically captive. I believe that it means to do all we can to heal or make whole, be that people or creation. Jesus came to save us from the fears that keep us locked up within ourselves. There are many, many reasons why opening ourselves to this new life may be too scary, too challenging; there will be times when the road ahead is rough and feels like a step too far, there might be stress and heavy winds, being in relationship with God isn’t an insurance policy that nothing bad will ever happen to us again. It is however, reassurance that as we navigate the twists and turns of life we don’t do so alone. It can take time for our own protective shells to weaken and the journey of openness to begin. The seed of the Spirit is within us as it grows, if we are aware of it and listen for it, we will hear God whisper into each of our hearts, I love you, just as you are. My prayer for all is that we will not only be conscious of that but that we accept it and want to respond to that love with love and so grow in love and learn to emerge from the shadows and live in the light. Amen. HYMN: Moses, I know you’re the man 1 'Moses, I know you're the man,' The Lord said. 'You're going to work out my plan,' The Lord said. 'Lead all the Israelites out of slavery, And I shall make them a wandering race Called the People of God. 2 'Don't get too set in your ways,' The Lord said, 'Each step is only a phase,' The Lord said, 'I'll go before you and I shall be a sign To guide my travelling, wandering race, You're the people of God.' So every day We're on our way, For we're a travelling, wandering race, We're the people of God. 3 'No matter what you may do,' The Lord said, 'I shall be faithful and true,' The Lord said, 'My love will strengthen you as you go along, For you're my travelling, wandering race, You're the people of God.' 4 'Look at the birds in the air,' The Lord said, 'They fly unhampered by care,' The Lord said, 'You will move easier if you're travelling light, For you're a wandering, vagabond race, You're the people of God.' So every day We're on our way, For we're a travelling, wandering race, We're the people of God. 5 'Foxes have places to go' The Lord said, 'But I've no home here below,' The Lord said, 'So if you want to be with me all your days, Keep up the moving and travelling on, You're the people of God.' Chorus Estelle White (born 1925) © 1969 Stainer & Bell Ltd and McCrimmon Publishing Company Ltd Prayers Loving God, our heavenly Father, in our worship today we say thank you for all that our mothers are to us and for all that they do for us. But we also know that for some people this is a difficult day holding hurt, grief and perhaps anger. We pray that you will draw alongside those who are hurting today to comfort them and surround them with your tender care. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. We pray: · for women who grieve because they are unable to have the children they so long to hold and love. · for mothers who grieve because, like Mary, they have had to see their child die too soon. · for mothers who grieve because they are cut off from their children by disappointment, anger or bitterness. · for mothers who are worried or afraid for their child’s well-being or safety. We ask you, heavenly Father, to bring healing, comfort, forgiveness and peace into the hearts and minds of hurting mothers. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. We pray: · for children who grieve because they have lost their mother through illness, accident or violence. · for children whose mothers have been unable to give them the love and care they need so that they now live in families and homes which are not their own. · for children who are still living in homes that are unsafe and with adults who cannot put the child’s needs before their own. · for children who through hardship and poverty are not being provided with an adequate diet or basic medical care. We ask you, heavenly Father, to bring love and security, courage and hope into the lives of hurting children today. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. We ask you heavenly Father, to bring healing and forgiveness into the lives of all those for whom today brings back painful memories of broken relationships and loss. Help us all to find in the brothers and sisters of Christ a loving family with whom we may show your love and tender care for all your hurting children. Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer. Loving God, trusting in your promise to hear us when we pray in faith, we ask you to bless all our relationships in the families of our homes, our church and our communities so that through our lives your loving will for us may be done. Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. HYMN: God’s Spirit is deep in my heart 1 God's spirit is deep in my heart; he has called me and set me apart; and this is what I have to do? what I have to do: He sent me to give the good news to the poor, tell prisoners that they are prisoners no more, tell blind people that they can see, and set the downtrodden free, and go tell ev'ryone the news that the kingdom of God has come; and go tell ev'ryone the news that God's kingdom has come. 2 And just as the Father sent me, so I'm sending you out to be my witness throughout the world? the whole of the world: Chorus 3 Don't carry a load in your pack; you don't need two shirts on your back; a workman can earn his own keep? can earn his own keep: Chorus 4 Don't worry what you have to say; don't worry, because on that day God's spirit will speak in your heart? will speak in your heart: He sent me to give the good news to the poor, tell prisoners that they are prisoners no more, tell blind people that they can see, and set the downtrodden free, and go tell ev'ryone the news that the kingdom of God has come; and go tell ev'ryone the news that God's kingdom has come. Words adapted by Hubert John Richards (born 1921) from New World , Alan Taylor Dale (1902?1979) © Oxford University Press Blessing May the grace of God, the love of Christ and the blessing of the Holy Spirit surround us and all God’s beloved people made in the divine image, now and evermore, Amen. All music copied and streamed under CCL 634229 & 138598, One Licence A735906 & PRS Licence 0021369. Intercessions from https://www.katharinesmith.org.uk
Ian & Julie's Zoom service for ... Posted by Rev Ian Kirby
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