St Luke 3: 1 – 20

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
    make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
    and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
    and the rough ways made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”’

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.  Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’

And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’  He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’  Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done,  added to them all by shutting up John in prison.

Reflection

I wonder if Luke is having a little joke at this point in the gospel, as he describes John’s threats of unquenchable fire as ‘proclaiming the good news’!  But if we read back a little, Luke quotes Isaiah, implying that John is the voice crying out in the wilderness, promising that all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

In politics and public affairs people sometimes talk about ‘flying kites’ or ‘rolling the pitch’.  A story might make it into the newspapers that ‘No. 10 sources are considering such and such a change’ – and depending on how the idea goes down, it might die a death if Ministers judge that overcoming opposition wouldn’t be worth the effort – or it might get developed further.  Alternatively, in order to make the case for a change that might seem unpalatable, leaders might spend time underlining the problems with the status quo, and explaining why apparently easy options don’t work, so that a later reform proposal isn’t coming out of the blue.

What is John’s role in the gospel story?  We may be used to hearing readings like this in Advent, with a strong emphasis on preparing for Jesus’ coming.  But are we diminishing his message to merely pitch-rolling?  The vision Luke quotes from Isaiah goes further than just ‘doing the right thing’, despite John’s answers to the tax-collectors and soldiers – Isaiah sees the whole landscape being reshaped!  If this is what John means by bearing ‘fruits worthy of repentance’, then what fruits should we be bearing?

Prayer

Lord, we give thanks for your servant John.
We remember that people who remind us about right and wrong don’t always please the powerful.
Help us to hear their challenge, 
and bear true fruits of repentance, 
that in our lives we may reshape the landscape of our world
that your people may come closer to your kingdom.
Amen

 

St Luke 2: 41 – 52

Now every year Jesus’  parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.  And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival.  When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.  Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.  When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.  After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’  He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’  But they did not understand what he said to them.  Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.

Reflection

How reassuring the Holy Family was as full of cross-generational misunderstandings as most families today!  Parent: How could you do this to us?  Child: What’s the stress – it’s obvs I’m here!  Yet behind this is a deep sense of intergenerational community that we have largely lost. The festival includes all ages of relatives and friends, those who travel physically and metaphorically together in a shared life of faith.  The boy Jesus is safe, known and loved, his parents trusting the whole village to raise their son.  In an age of abuse revelations, when no institution appears trustworthy and individuals exploit trust, how might we rebuild such communities? How might we exercise the wisdom of serpents alongside the innocence of doves within relationships and balance protecting the vulnerable with God’s declaration it is not good for us to be alone and the lonely are placed in families?

In the Temple we see twelve-year-old Jesus sitting among the teachers (not sent out to Junior Temple) actively engaged through listening and asking questions and showing amazing wisdom and understanding.  How might we enable our children and young people to be actively engaged in their and our faith formation – creating spaces where together we listen to one another, enriched by both the questions and answers of different generations?

This story is alive with resonances of Jesus’ calling – a deep awareness of his Sonship, a desire to dwell in the Father’s presence, a stepping out of the safety of family life into the public eye, ongoing questions and discussions with religious teachers about the life of faith, a shocking absence for 3 days and a joyful reunion with those lovingly searching for him.  How might we enable children and young people to discern God’s call on their lives both now and into the future through their current experiences, passions and gifts?

Prayer

Loving God,
as we and all your children grow and change
in wisdom, in age,
in relationship with you and with others,
give us grace to enable and welcome change.
Help us to accommodate growing and changing children and young people,
to change with them,
and together to respond to your call
to grow up into the fulness of Christ.
Amen.

 
Today’s service is led by the Revd Nicky Gilbert

 
Introduction

Welcome to this service for 24th of November the day for the traditional feast of Christ the King.  I am Nicky Gilbert, a non-stipendiary Area Minister in the Wessex Synod on the south coast of England. As we near the season of Advent, we join together to think about Jesus as our king, and we worship him. 

Call to Worship 

The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty;
    the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;
    indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.
Your throne was established long ago;
    you are from all eternity.

Hymn     Immortal Invisible
Walter C. Smith (1867) Public Domain BBC Songs of Praise

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish but naught changeth thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all praise we would render, O help us to see
’tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.
 
Opening Prayers

Jesus our King; we come to honour you.
You have promised to meet with us.
You have called us to come, so here we are.
To listen to your heart, to look for your path,
to think about your truth, and to learn about your love.
King of our hearts meet with us here, wherever here is, Amen.

Reading     St John 18: 33-37

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

Reading     Psalm 132: 1-12

Lord, remember David and all his self-denial.
He swore an oath to the Lord, 
he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
“I will not enter my house or go to my bed,
I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
We heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:
“Let us go to his dwelling place, let us worship at his footstool, saying,
‘Arise, Lord, and come to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;
may your faithful people sing for joy.’”
For the sake of your servant David, do not reject your anointed one.
The Lord swore an oath to David, a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants I will place on your throne.
If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever.”

Hymn     We have a king who rides a donkey
Fred Kaan © 1968 Hope Publishing Company Sung by Andrea Maxson and Grimsby Minster’s Organist and Director of Music, Steven Maxson Printed and podcast in accordance to the terms of OneLicence  # A-734713  
 
We have a king who rides a donkey,
We have a king who rides a donkey,
We have a king who rides a donkey,
and his name is Jesus:
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
early in the morning.

Trees are waving a royal welcome
Trees are waving a royal welcome
Trees are waving a royal welcome
for the king called Jesus:
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
early in the morning.

We have a king who cares for people,
We have a king who cares for people,
We have a king who cares for people,
and his name is Jesus:
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
early in the morning.

A loaf and a cup upon the table,
A loaf and a cup upon the table,
A loaf and a cup upon the table,
bread-and-wine is Jesus:
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
early in the morning.

We have a king with a bowl and towel,
We have a king with a bowl and towel,
We have a king with a bowl and towel,
servant-king is Jesus:
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
early in the morning.

What shall we do with our life this morning?
What shall we do with our life this morning?
What shall we do with our life this morning?
Give it up in service!
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
Jesus the king is risen
early in the morning.

Sermon     King Sized?

For those of us born in the last 70 years we have not been used to having a king. We had a queen and our understanding of royalty was coloured by that. The one who loved her animals and served her people and chose to align herself with refugee bears like Paddington rather than great rulers.  It still feels little odd to sing God save our gracious king…. But Charles in now our king and he also chooses to align himself to the environment and work for a better future.

Kings, as I said, until now, were ideas that belonged in history books or fairy stories. King Henry VIII, fighting for religious reform/ freedom from Rome/ doing whatever he wanted depending on the season. King Canute trying to stop the waves as the tide came in. King Arthur and his round table and his brave knights fighting for good. Story kings who sent their sons on silly quests and locked their daughters in towers… King Midas who turned everything he touched to gold.

In Jesus’ time too kings were a mixed bunch, the Egyptian kings were Pharos, half divine. With power over the life and death of their subjects. The Romans had emperors who ruled over great empires with fear and power, absorbing one land after another. The Jews had puppet kings and rulers like Herod and Pilate who had no power without Roman support, as did the Roman ruled Britons when the Romans got here soon after. There were kings who took on legionary status, like king Solomon and king David who, although not a perfect person, was proclaimed as a great king.

Our psalm today was probably one of the ones that people sang on their way to the temple for special festivals, although it talks of David building God’s house it was his son, Solomon, who did build the first temple, using some of the preparations his father had made. Solomon too was legendary for his wisdom, people came from far and wide to hear him, even other rulers like the queen of Sheba.

So when we say that Jesus is king what do we mean? Many kings were thought of as great because they enlarged their people’s territory,  like king David, but Jesus is a king without an earthly kingdom, no territory here at all.  But Jesus, like king David, was shepherd for his people and protector and guide. Jesus did not build great temples although he did cause trouble in them from time to time.  Arguing with his teachers, clearing out the money changers. Jesus, like Henry VIII, argued with the religious leaders of his day, seeking reform, but unlike Henry he didn’t just want his own way.

Canute was a foreign king, a Viking, who won the hearts of many of his subjects, he brought peace and stability to the land, he may have been showing his people that he could not turn the tide; only God can do that!
Jesus did not hold back the tide like Canute tried to do, but did still the storm, even the wind and waves obeyed him. He longs for peace for his people, but not necessarily stability!
Jesus sends his disciples on quests but not silly ones (not usually anyway!) ones that bring his love and kingdom closer.  Taking the Good News of healing and acceptance, to the poor, the lost, the hungry. Jesus is not a king who locks anyone in a tower! Jesus was not half divine like the Pharos, but wholly divine and wholly human. Too much for our feeble minds to take in.

Jesus, like king Arthur, had his followers, who pledged to follow him and work for good, and a (not round) table of bread and wine to welcome us all. Jesus like our queen served his people to the very end. And aligned himself with the forgotten, the poor, the refugees, the outcasts. ( But not bears…)

Jesus’ reign never stops, his kingdom and kingship is forever. Unlike Midas, His treasure is not gold, but when he touches people they are changed. We are his treasure! He is no puppet king, he owes his power to no one, and no one falls outside his jurisdiction. Kings and queens still come and seek his wisdom. He is humble and compassionate and never sends his people where he will not go or eats while his people are hungry or turns his people away without noticing them.
 
So what does all this mean for us? We have a King who is not afraid, or too grand, or to busy, to walk among his people. We are his people, let us follow him as closely as we can. He is our forever king, and we are his people. Called to serve him in his kingdom now and later! Hooray for our King, Amen.

Hymn     Be Thou My Vision
Ancient Irish, Attributed to St Patrick, Public Domain 
sung by the choir and people of First Plymouth Church, Lincoln, Nebraska

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else but to me, save that Thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day and or by night,
waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord;
Thou my soul’s shelter and Thou my high tower.
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys O bright heaven’s Sun.
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
 
Prayers for the World and Lord’s Prayer

Gracious God; we pray for the world you love.
We pray for kings and queens 
and prime ministers and presidents 
and all earthly rulers.
The loyal and compassionate, 
the trustworthy and honest, 
the wise and the considerate. 
Give them the strength to continue in wisdom.

We pray also for leaders who fall short of these high ideals, 
for those who forget 
who they are meant to be protecting and supporting,
give them ears to hear the voices of those they have power over 
and hearts to listen in compassion.

We pray for those who make big decisions, 
doctors and teachers, nurses and aid workers, parents and police.
Help them to listen to the needs of others.

We pray for all those who have to live with the decisions of others.  
The powerless, the landless, and the disempowered.

We pray for our communities, 
for less division and more cooperation, 
less anger and more understanding. 
We ask that you show us how to be the best neighbour that we can be.

We pray for our families for all the love we find there, 
and for grace and forgiveness when things get hard.

We pray for ourselves, 
you know when we fall short of being the best we can be,
you know when we find it hard to maintain our boundaries, 
and when we fail in our compassion. 
You know the things that keep us awake at night 
and the things we look forward to.
Guide and protect us dear King. 
Help us to be the good subjects of your Kingdom.

All these things we pray about with hope and trust, 
in the name of Jeus who loves us and who left us these words, 
Our Father…

Hymn     The King of Love My Shepherd Is
H. W. Baker (1868)  Sung by Chris Brunelle and used with his kind permission
 
The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never.
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow,
with gentle care he leads me;
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with heavenly food he feeds me.

Perverse and foolish, I have strayed,
but yet in love he sought me;
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.

And so through all the length of days,
your goodness fails me never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing your praise
within your house forever.
 
Blessing

May God the father who loves you,
Jesus the King who reigns over you,
and God the spirit who empowers you, 
be with you and those you love and pray for, 
now and forever. Amen.

Luke 1: 67 – 80

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:

‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has looked favourably on his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a mighty saviour for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
    before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    by the forgiveness of their sins.
By the tender mercy of our God,
    the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.’

The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.

Reflection

“You need to have a sit-down with your ego,” warned pop band The Saturdays in the 2010 hit, Ego. While that advice was aimed at an egotistical lover, the lyrics have echoed throughout this week’s Daily Devotion passages.
Shedding our ego is a theme that’s also explored in more spiritual depth by Franciscan friar and popular writer Richard Rohr. He asserts that letting go of one’s ego is necessary in order to focus on God, switching priorities from individuality to community.

Sadly, putting aside our egos is something we’re not always good at doing in churches. Too many of us like the sound of our own voice and forget we have two ears and only one mouth, a useful reminder about the need for balance between listening and speaking.

In today’s Bible passage, we have examples of not one but two people putting their own egos aside to prepare the way for others. First Zechariah, then John.

Over the past two days, we’ve followed the story of how Zechariah the priest was left unable to speak after hearing the news that his son would prepare the way for Jesus. Even though Zechariah’s incense offering took place away from public gaze, as a priest he was used to being the centre of attention.

Instead, he needs to put aside his own ego and focus on the work his son will complete for God. In today’s verses, he praises God for that mission.

As for John the Baptist, during the coming weeks of Advent we’ll remember how he became the voice in the wilderness, preparing the way for Jesus. It’s a call parents and guardians, ministers and Sunday school teachers, elders and deacons have answered too, down through the ages, setting aside their egos to nurture children and congregations.

As for us, in what ways do we need to put aside our own egos? Today and in the days ahead, who are the people we need to let speak instead?

Prayer

God of my mouth,
please help me to have a sit-down with my ego.
Please stop me from loving the sound of my own voice.
Please prevent me from drowning out the voices of the prophets that need to be heard.
God of my ears,
please help me to knock some sense into my ego.
Please stop me from speaking when I need to listen.
Please make me listen, and not just hear.
In the name of Christ,  
Amen.

St Luke 1: 57 – 66

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father.  But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’  They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’ Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed.  Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea.  All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

Reflection
I have always been rather intrigued by the meaning of names; and so, when the time came to name our children, we chose names that we were fond of and then looked up their meanings to ensure that they were the characteristics which we would like our children to have, once grown. For example, one of the meanings of a name we liked was ‘weary cow’ (we didn’t think this was a particular characteristic we longed for in anyone) but spelt a different way means ‘bearer of good news’!
According to a webpage titled Behind the name, John means ‘YHWH is gracious’, and Zechariah means ‘YHWH remembers’. It’s as if the whole passage of Luke 1 is summed up in the meaning of these two names.

Elizabeth has not been able to have children – a curse in a culture where children are so valued to carry on one’s family name; and now she has, at an advanced age, given birth to a son, who, as we know, will announce his cousin’s Lordship. So not only was YHWH gracious (defined as ‘courteous, kind, and pleasant’ according to the online Oxford dictionary), in remembering Elizabeth and giving her a child, but YHWH is gracious (defined as ‘showing divine grace’) to the child who will be the first to recognise Jesus as the Messiah – both in the womb and then later in his own public ministry.

Priest Zechariah must have often wondered what YHWH was remembering, because perhaps he felt it wasn’t him! Until YHWH did remember! And the rest, as they say, is history.

We chose names for our children because of who we hope they will become, but YHWH chose us because of who we already are, no matter our name, no matter our age and no matter our status in society.

YHWH is gracious and remembers.

Prayer

YHWH, thank you that you are a remembering, gracious, personal God who, no matter who I am or where I may be in my life and faith journey,  has not forgotten me and still calls me by name. Amen.

St Luke 1: 5 – 24

In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.  But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.

Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty,  he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense.  Now at the time of the incense-offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.  Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him.  But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.  You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,  for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.  He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’ Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.’ The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.’

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary.  When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak.  When his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said,  ‘This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favourably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.’

Reflection

When we read the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth we are reading the story of two people whose lives did not turn out the way they expected. Upright people who have lived with disappointment, not through any fault of theirs.  Is it any wonder then that Zechariah takes some convincing? He wants some evidence. Despite the angel telling him ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard’ he is doubtful. He stops just short of yelling ‘fake news’ at the angel, in his struggle to believe God is working on it.

It is seriously hard when it feels like our prayers are falling into silence. Those dark moments when we wonder if God is even listening. When we perhaps feel forgotten. This passage holds a reminder that God hears prayer. Zechariah’s years of waiting did not mean God had ignored him.

For Zechariah the answer simply came in God’s timing, which was far better and more miraculous than Zechariah could have imagined – he just had to be willing to hear God in return. Prayer is always a dialogue with God. We both speak and listen. God hears us, but we need to be open to hearing God’s voice in return, to being changed, to being called away from the easy answer we seek towards the work of justice and Kin(g)dom.

Prayer

Thank you God for hearing our prayers, spoken and unspoken, formed and formless.
Help us to listen to you speaking in the world around us. Silence us when necessary, and teach us to shout for justice when required.
Amen

St Luke 1: 1 – 4

Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us,  just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,  I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,  so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.

Reflection

Mark launches his Gospel with “the beginning of the good news” Matthew takes us through a rather long, and confusing, genealogy whilst John gives us a dose of profound theology.  Luke gives us a little bit of methodology.  He tells us that “so many” have set down an “orderly account” of the events of Jesus’ life.  Only four of these accounts made it into the Bible; others that are around are rather odd.  We know that Luke had material that wasn’t in Matthew or Mark (the angel Gabriel appearing to Zecharius and Mary, the birth of John the Baptist, Mary’s visit to her cousin, the words of the prayer the Hail Mary, the shepherds in the fields) and some material that he shared with Matthew (much of Jesus’ ethical teaching) and used all of what we now call Mark’s Gospel.  We know that Matthew had some material that either Luke didn’t have or didn’t use (those blessed genealogies, Gabriel reassuring Joseph, the Magi and the Slaughter of the Innocents).  And we know that John’s Gospel has lots of material not in the other three.  

We shouldn’t be surprised, the editor of Luke tells us he is also setting out an orderly account.  He doesn’t say he’s using these other sources but we can read.  He also tells us why he’s doing this ‘so that you may know the truth..’  It’s one thing to see these ancient texts as things to be analysed and compared; it’s another to understand them as source material for what we know about Jesus, his life, and his teaching.  Academic biblical study will focus on the texts, their sources, type, influence, historicity, and the editing processes used on them.  Faith seeks to understand the texts as sources for a fruitful path of discipleship.  At its best, the Church tries to hold together the various academic understandings along with faith in Jesus, the living Word of God.  

Prayer

Dear God,
good students know their sources,
get their referencing right,
and learn to analyse to better understand.
Help us to understand You better
through the source material You’ve given us,
ancient words in the Bible, and your Living Word, Jesus Christ,
Amen.

St Luke’s Gospel

Dear Friends,

It has been deeply moving to read so many of your comments and experiences over the last 10 days in response to the series on Safeguarding and the worship materials for last Sunday.  As ever these series are planned, and written, months in advance; it was timely (but accidental), then, that they appeared just as the Makin Report was released.  This report looked into John Smyth’s sadistic abuse of boys and young men, the Church of England’s failures in dealing with him properly over so many years and failings of senior church leaders.  As you know this culminated in Justin Welby announcing his resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury.  Over the last 10 days we’ve thought about safeguarding, what leadership might look like, what justice might mean and how we might help our churches be safer.  I hope these reflections have given food for thought; I know from the many people who’ve written to tell me of their own experiences how helpful some have found them. 

We turn, tomorrow, to St Luke’s Gospel which will be, on and off,  the Gospel we read on Sundays from the first Sunday of Advent until this time next year.    The Gospel of Luke tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.  Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-volume work which scholars call Luke–Acts, accounting for 27.5% of the New Testament. The combined work divides the history of first-century Christianity into three stages, with the gospel making up the first two of these – the life of Jesus the Messiah from his birth to the beginning of his mission in the meeting with John the Baptist, followed by his ministry with events such as the Sermon on the Plain and its Beatitudes, and his Passion, death, and resurrection.  Most modern scholars agree that the main sources used for Luke were a), the Gospel of Mark (which is copied almost in its entirety), b), a hypothetical sayings collection called the Q source and found also in Matthew but not John and Mark, and c), material found in no other gospels, often referred to as the L (for Luke) source (much of the Christmas story). The author is anonymous and there’s no name in the text despite the work with a named recipient. The most probable date for its composition is around AD 80–110, and there is evidence that it was still being revised well into the 2nd century.

We start this work tomorrow but will jump over the Christmas story, looping back to it in late November, and continue our reading through of this Gospel until Easter next year.

With every good wish

Andy

The Rev’d Andy Braunston
Minister for Digital Worship
 

1 Timothy 3: 1 – 13

The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher,  not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money.  He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way —  for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?  He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.  Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil.

Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for money; they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons.  Women likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be married only once, and let them manage their children and their households well;  for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Reflection

There’s much to ponder in these early instructions for Christian leaders; the Greek might mean “overseer” and the term “bishop” might not have meant then what we might mean it now.  We live in a world where there are women ministers and bishops.  In the paragraph about deacons it’s possible that “women” might have meant “women deacons”.  However, the focus for today is thinking about leadership criteria in regards to safeguarding.  Contemporary criteria for church leadership might include:

Whoever aspires to leadership in the Church desires a noble task.  Leaders must have no unspent criminal convictions, live a stable life with honest personal relationships, be temperate, sensible, hospitable, be good teachers, not suffer uncontrolled addictions, not be violent or have unresolved issues with anger.  They must be gentle, not argumentative, not be lovers of money and must manage themselves well, being self aware and committed to ongoing supervision to help this awareness grow.  If married they should treat spouses well with love and fidelity.  Any children must be loved and well treated; for if someone does not know how to be in loving relationships how on earth will they succeed in pastoral care?  Leaders must not be recent converts, or they may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil – and the press.  They should be humble and approachable.  They should be willing to be trained for their roles and to undertake refresher training realising they always have much to learn.  Church leaders know how to control their tongues and to hold on fast to the essentials of faith.  They know they are to be accountable to others.  

For a long time the Church has had impossible standards for leaders; now we tend to think of leadership as something akin to a covenant – with responsibilities and rights on both sides.  This is healthier and gives, I think, a more realistic view of leadership and helps us when things go wrong, as they invariably will.

Prayer

Safeguarding God,
help us to nurture those You raise up as leaders,
and to live with mutual accountability,
that Your people might be loved, 
the wounded tended, the vulnerable cared for,
and Your Church be ever safer.  Amen.

 
Today’s service is led by the Revd Andy Braunston

 
Introduction

Hello and welcome to worship for Safeguarding Sunday.  As we hear Tracy Chapman’s haunting song about domestic violence fade away we think about this year’s theme for Safeguarding Sunday “let’s talk about it”.  For some this will mean talking about what’s happened to them, for others it’s about talking about how to make the Church a safe refuge to find God, our shelter in the storm, and to find strength there to bring about change.  Our readings today all speak of finding safety, security and shelter in God amidst tumultuous times.  They are a good starting place to think about the role of safeguarding in the church as we seek to make our congregations places of safety, security and shelter.  My name is Andy Braunston and I am the United Reformed Church’s Minister for Digital Worship.  I live in Orkney off Scotland’s far north coast and am a member of the Peedie Kirk URC there.  Let’s worship God together.

Call to Worship

Arise in times of anguish and come to God, who delivers us.
Listen to God’s voice so that we awaken 
to everlasting life not everlasting contempt.
See through the light in the gloom to perceive God’s glory 
shine as the brightness of the day, like the stars forever and ever.  

Hymn     We Cannot Measure How You Heal
John Bell © 1989, WGRG the Iona Community (Scotland), admin. GIA Publications, Inc Sung by Ruth and Joy Everingham and used with their kind permission.  OneLicence # A-734713

We cannot measure how You heal 
or answer every sufferer’s prayer,
yet we believe your grace responds
where faith and doubt unite to care.
Your hands, though bloodied on the cross,
survive to hold and heal and warn,
to carry all through death to life
and cradle children yet unborn.

The pain that will not go away,
the guilt that clings from things long past,
the fear of what the future holds,
are present as if meant to last.
But present too is love which tends
the hurt we never hoped to find,
the private agonies inside,
the memories that haunt the mind.
 
So some have come who need Your help
and some have come to make amends,
as hands which shaped and saved the world
are present in the touch of friends.
Lord, let Your Spirit meet us here
to mend the body, mind and soul,
to disentangle peace from pain
and make Your broken people whole.

Prayers of Approach, Confession, and Grace

We come to meet You, delivering God, in an age of uncertainty;
we greet You with our pain and our praise, 
seeking healing in our weary woundedness. 
We cannot measure how You heal or answer our prayers,
yet faith and doubt combine to give us glimpses of Your coming Kingdom
where public and private agony will find peace.

We gather at Your table, Liberating Jesus, to be fed by Your own self,
to see Your hands hold, heal, and warn when we go astray
and embrace us in welcome when we turn back to You.  
In times of difficulty, we are tempted to trust 
in our wealth, politicians, and armies instead of in You.
Forgive us when we turn away from You,
when we cling to the safety of our pain, fear and memories 
which haunt us,
and when we trust in anything other than You.
Give us the courage to heal, to turn back to, and trust in, You.

We discern your presence, Most Holy Spirit, 
as perfume in the air, as light in the gloom, as joy in despair;
meet us here, O God, to mend and tend us,
to disentangle peace from our pain,
and to make Your broken people whole.  Amen.

Prayer for Illumination

Bless us, O God, with Your counsel, 
as the Word is read and proclaimed.
Instruct our lives and gladden our hearts 
that as we hear and think,
You may stir us to action and show us the path of life
where, in Your presence, there is fullness of joy.  Amen

Reading     Daniel 12:1-3  

“At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Psalm 16 

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”
As for the holy ones in the land, 
they are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.
Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; 
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out 
or take their names upon my lips.

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; 
I have a goodly heritage.

I bless the LORD, who gives me counsel; 
in the night also my heart instructs me.

I keep the LORD always before me; 
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; 
my body also rests secure.

For you do not give me up to Sheol or let your faithful one see the Pit.

You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Hymn     Heaven Shall Not Wait
John L. Bell (b.1949) and Graham Maule (b.1958) © WGRG, Iona Community, Glasgow G2 3DH  Scotland.  OneLicence # A-734713 Frodsham Methodist Church Cloud Choir accompanied by Andrew Ellams. Produced by Rev’d Andrew Emison and used with their kind permission.

Heaven shall not wait for the poor to lose their patience,
the scorned to smile, the despised to find a friend:
Jesus is Lord;he has championed the unwanted;
in him injustice confronts its timely end.

Heaven shall not wait for the rich to share their fortunes,
the proud to fall, the elite to tend the least:
Jesus is Lord;he has shown the master’s privilege 
to kneel and wash servants’ feet before they feast.

Heaven shall not wait for the dawn of great ideas,
thoughts of compassion divorced from cries of pain:
Jesus is Lord; he has married word and action;
his cross and company make his purpose plain.

Heaven shall not wait for triumphant Hallelujahs,
when earth has passed and we reach another shore:
Jesus is Lord in our present imperfection;
his power and love are for now; and then for evermore.
 
Reading     St Mark 13:1-8

As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray.  When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

Sermon

Living so far north we are lucky to have regular opportunities to see the Northern Lights or, as they are called in Orkney, the Merry Dancers.  I have an app on my phone which alerts me but takes no account of cloud cover nor the fact one can’t see the Dancers in daylight.  A much more accurate alert is provided by our neighbour who excitedly bangs on our windows to tell us!  The odd thing about the Merry Dancers is that they aren’t very exciting to look at with the naked eye – coming across as, at best, a shimmering green-grey light or, at worst, a slightly lighter bit of cloud.  However, once you realise these are the Northern Lights, they can look spectacular when photographed.  This makes me wonder which is the reality – what I can see with my eyes or what I can see in a picture.  Our eyes give a glimpse of what’s there, but a fuller truth is revealed in a picture where the lens picks up the colours and shows us a different reality.

In some ways that shouldn’t surprise us.  As Christians we pray for the Kingdom to come; we read of Jesus’ acts of power and love showing the Kingdom breaking into His world, we read his parables and his teaching which shows us how we can embody God’s Kingdom in our lives and loves but, at the same time, we know the Kingdom isn’t fully here, the world isn’t as it should be, injustice and evil haven’t been banished, people still suffer, the earth still groans from our harmful activities.  Just as our naked eyes catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights so we catch glimpses of the Kingdom breaking in – yet we don’t yet see it fully revealed.  

There are many places in our world where we long for the Kingdom to break in more fully.  We live in uncertain times; who would have predicted the breakout of riots in the summer in many cities in England and Northern Ireland?  We’ve elected a new UK government who seem to make much of the economic legacy they’ve inherited and are concentrating on telling how bad it is rather than being hopeful about change; sunny uplands seem to be as far away as the coming Kingdom.  As I write, the outcome of the American election hangs in the balance but will be known when this sermon is published.  Has the American public voted for the strong white man with easy answers or the nuanced mixed-race woman who ran for office with a sense of joy?  Life is hard for those struggling to get by – the reduction of support for pensioners this winter will hit some very hard indeed; countless people struggle to afford to rent somewhere decent to live and for many the dream of owning their own home is a laughable fiction.  Many of those who have had to live with various forms of abuse have not been believed when they told their stories; horrifically some experienced abuse within the Church.  Our faith tells us the Kingdom is coming and will shine like the glorious colours of the Merry Dancers, yet our eyes only show a glimmer in the dark.  This sense of trusting there’s more going on underpins our three readings today.

Daniel is a difficult book – it doesn’t appear much in the Lectionary.  It was written to encourage faithful discipleship in the face of a powerful oppressive empire which neither understood nor cared about Jewish life and practice.  Against this imperial oppression the author of Daniel asserts God’s sovereignty.  Today’s passage concerns a power vacuum after the death of a king – all changes of government can be disruptive; in the ancient world a peaceful transition of power that we (hopefully) see in democracies today was not guaranteed.  Rival claimants to a throne might battle it out and the ability to quietly get on with life became more and more difficult.  

Daniel offers comfort that this change too will pass.  Daniel introduces Michael into the equation as a great ruler who will protect God’s people; the name “Michael” means “who is like God?” and later tradition saw Michael as an archangel.  The passage is a rare glimpse of Jewish belief in an afterlife; the idea is to provide hope, relief to those suffering and to show that God is not far away.  Daniel thinks those who remained true to God under the oppression of empire will rise to light and life whilst those who weren’t faithful will rise to shame and contempt.   Those who have faith can see beyond the dull light and see the colours and glory of God’s coming Kingdom.

Like the passage from Daniel, Psalm 16 is about offering hope in uncertain times.  The poet opens by asking for God’s protection and refuge. In our contemporary society we are constantly told to be afraid – the Climate Emergency demands our attention but little action, it seems, from our politicians.  The media tells us of the dangers of smoking or eating too much sugar, of crime and fear of the outsider.  These stories attract attention, they sell.  They are amplified in our social media echo chambers.  The Psalmist seeks to reassure and offers an antidote to fear; trust in the Lord and ignore those who say otherwise.  The Psalm opens and closes with assertions of trust in God; in uncertain and dangerous times this is what matters; uncertainty can produce anxiety, living with danger can be horrific.  The Psalmist offers faith in God as a source of stability, security and strength.  God is not just a shelter from the storms and pains of life but a means by which injustice, pain, abuse, oppression and fear can be resisted and subverted.  Those who have faith can see beyond the dull light and see the colours, glory and change embodied in God’s coming Kingdom.

Daniel faced moving political tectonic plates in the ancient near east. Jesus also looked to world changing events.  The destruction of the Temple came in the year 70; all that remains now are parts of the Western Wall and an area where the Temple was to be expanded – now with a mosque on the site.  The area is often in the news and is called the Haram al-Sharif or the Temple Mount.  In Jesus’ time the Temple was the centre of Jewish life and worship; to imagine the destruction of this Temple would have been horrific.  In such horrible times anyone who offers certainty might be believed and followed.  We’ve seen in our political life the rise of the strong leader who offers certainty, easy answers to difficult questions, and who blame the weak and vulnerable for problems caused by systems controlled by the rich.  Jesus’ warning not to follow those who promise such answers in times of cataclysmic change is useful for us now to remember in times of political and environmental change.  Instead of the strong leader, the problem-solving blamers, we need to cling to Jesus who offers us true security in an age of change where we don’t often see justice, where the powerful manage to stay in power even when governments change, and when social media conspires with those who pedal hate to drive up fearful ratings.  Jesus’ good news can seem like fiction in an age of horror; we long for the glory of the Northern Lights but see only a dim glow in the sky.  Yet Jesus’ presence can comfort, inspire, strengthen,  move us to action and remind us that the eyes of faith see more than our own naked eyes.

What might these passages teach us, then, today – especially as we mark Safeguarding Sunday.  Daniel, in the face of overpowering forces, reminds us that God is near, looks after His faithful people, and – whilst there may not be justice in this world – the resurrection offers a hint of justice in the next.  Those imperial systems of oppression, injustice, patriarchy, and violence will be defeated and those who operate them and hide behind them will be punished.   Whilst we work to make our churches and our institutions safer places we know that many who abuse will not face justice; people are often not believed, evidence can be hard to get, and lies are often credible.  Holding fast to the glory and colour of God’s justice beyond the dim flickers of our own systems of justice can provide hope and the power to heal.  The Psalmist reminds us that the security which comes from God’s love can give strength to speak and to act.  The Church should always be a place of strength and safety encouraging all to speak out to find both justice and dignity.  When abuse is perpetuated, tolerated, or covered up by the Church we betray our fundamental calling and further obscure the signs of the Kingdom breaking through.  Jesus calls us, again and again, to trust in Him – something made more difficult if the Church proves untrustworthy.  In all these situations of pain, confusion and injustice these readings offer hope.  Daniel’s assertion that God safeguards His people with justice – even justice that happens beyond the grave as it is denied in life – offers hope.  The Psalmist’s certainty that in God we find safety and security gives a space for action – to tell the truth, to demand justice, to cry for change.  Jesus’ words in the Gospel reading remind us to look for him as the calm centre in the storms and struggles of life; not simply as a refuge but as a place to regroup, heal and work for change.  

So, as I walk my dogs last thing at night and gaze at the sky I sometimes get glimpses of colour, glory, and power that I can’t quite see.  As we live our lives of quiet discipleship we get glimpses of the Kingdom breaking in, releasing the captive, healing the wounded, and allowing the silenced to speak.  As we pray and as we proclaim God’s Kingdom, His power, glory, and love, break in forever changing us and our world.

Let’s pray:  

Justice-bringing God 
help us to see beyond the drabness of the news 
into the glorious colours of your kingdom; 
that as we yearn and work for its coming, 
you will help us make all things right.  Amen.

Hymn     The Kingdom of God is Justice and Joy
Bryn Rees (1973)  © 1973, Alexander Scott OneLicence # A-734713. Sung by the Revd Paul Robinson and used with his kind permission.

The kingdom of God is justice and joy;
for Jesus restores what sin would destroy.
God’s power and glory in Jesus we know;
and here and hereafter the kingdom shall grow.

The kingdom of God is mercy and grace;
the prisoners are freed, the sinners find place,
the outcast are welcomed God’s banquet to share;
and hope is awakened in place of despair.

The kingdom of God is challenge and choice:
believe the good news, repent and rejoice!
His love for us sinners brought Christ to His cross:
our crisis of judgement for gain or for loss.

God’s kingdom is come, the gift and the goal;
in Jesus begun, in heaven made whole.
The heirs of the kingdom shall answer his call;
and all things cry “Glory!” to God all in all.
 
An Act of Commitment

As God’s people we are called to glimpse the glory of the coming Kingdom,  where all are safe and valued, where justice shines like the stars at night, and where all hurts are healed.   As God’s people we are called to make our churches reflect the values of the coming Kingdom and so I ask:

Will you show God’s love by treating everyone with respect and dignity, 
love and grace, seeking to harm no one?
With the help of God, we will.

Will you help make and keep this congregation safe and support all those who have safeguarding responsibilities? 
With the help of God, we will.

Will you make space for those who’ve been hurt and harmed?
With the help of God, we will.

Will you work for the Kingdom so that all might be safe, 
those who face justice will find the grace of repentance, self-knowledge, and change, and so that healing becomes a hallmark of the Church?
With the help of God, we will.

Will you learn to see beyond the gloom and use the eyes of faith to see
the light, colour, excitement, and energy of God’s coming Kingdom?
With the help of God, we will.

May the God who began this good work within you, 
continue it until it is finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.  Amen.

Intercessions

Loving God, 
we lay before you the challenges that confront us 
at home, at work, in our communities and churches. 
May your Son, the Good Shepherd, 
guide and shape the life of your Church 
that all may find a welcome, secure in your presence. 

Jesus, Lord of the Church, in your mercy, hear us. 

Renew your Church in the love of truth and in passion for justice. 
Take from us all hypocrisy and deceit, and teach us to serve with humility and honesty those whose lives are broken. 

Jesus, Lord of the Church, in your mercy, hear us. 

Help us to cherish children and all in our community who are vulnerable, 
to protect them, and keep them safe. 
May this place rejoice to be a place  
where your love is celebrated with integrity. 

Jesus, Lord of the Church, in your mercy, hear us. 

Bring into your healing presence 
all who have been damaged and diminished by abuse, 
or whose lives continue to be overshadowed by guilt or fear, 
may sorrows be shared and memories be healed. 

Jesus, Lord of the Church, in your mercy, hear us. 

May those who have been damaged by abuse 
not simply survive, but flourish. 
May young and old discover your life-giving love, 
and delight in your gift of life, 
so that fun, laughter and joy overflow to your glory. 

Jesus, Lord of the Church, in your mercy, hear us. 

Merciful Creator, 
accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, 
our Saviour Jesus Christ who taught us to pray saying: Our Father…

Offertory

Giving is at the heart of our faith: God so loved the world that Jesus was given for its sake.  Jesus poured out himself in love to his friends and, on the Cross, for us.  The Holy Spirit gives us any number of graces to help us be faithful disciples.  We respond to God’s self-giving love through our own attempts to follow, through loving service of others and through the giving of our financial offerings.  We now pray for the gifts of grace and wisdom.

Giving God,
You shower your blessings upon us,
giving us gifts to herald Your coming Kingdom;
give us the grace and wisdom we need to see Your light in the gloom,
to see through faith You at work in our midst.
Bring light and life to all.
Bless this money which we offer to you,
and help us to use it wisely that it too may be a sign of Your love.  Amen.

Hymn     God’s Spirit is in My Heart
Alan Dale, Hubert Richards © 1982, Kevin Mayhew sung by Matt Beckingham and used with his kind permission. OneLicence # A-734713

God’s Spirit is in my heart 
He has called me and set me apart.
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 everyone the news that the Kingdom of God has come,
and go tell everyone the news that God’s Kingdom has come.

Just as the Father sent me 
so I’m sending you out to be,
my witnesses throughout the world, 
the whole of the world.

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 everyone the news that the Kingdom of God has come,
and go tell everyone the news that God’s Kingdom has come.

Don’t carry a load in your pack, 
you don’t need two shirts on your back;
God’s workers can earn their own keep, 
can earn their own keep.

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 everyone the news that the Kingdom of God has come,
and go tell everyone the news that God’s Kingdom has come.

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 everyone the news that the Kingdom of God has come,
and go tell everyone the news that God’s Kingdom has come.

Blessing

May the One whose realm shines like the stars at night,
the One who brings good news to the poor and downtrodden,
the One who brings love, live and laughter,
enable you to shine with the joy of the Kingdom,
encourage you to proclaim good news,
and energise you with divine healing,
and the blessing of Almighty God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with you all, now and always, Amen.