Categories
Minister Prayers Sermon

Do not be afraid: for 20 Dec 2020

Dear Friends,

This letter is going to run two weeks together as I’m unlikely to be able to get the posted letters out next week before Christmas Day. We are working hard to make sure that we can celebrate Christmas in a way that will lighten our lives and prepare us for light returning in so many ways. I know that many of us are struggling with the isolation we are being forced to live with and many are ready to rebel. However, there appears to be some light and we need to look after one another  for a few months longer. I’m really glad that so far the incidences of Covid within our congregations have been mild, and we need to aim to keep it that way.

Our morning service this Sunday 20 December  will be at 10:15am for a 10:30 start and will be led from Ansty Road via zoom by myself. 

Our Carol Service will also be Sunday 20 December at 6:30pm, led from Ansty Road & via zoom. 

Our Christmas Morning Service will only be available & via zoom 10:15 for 10:30 am

Our Communion Service at 10:30am on Sunday 27 December is due to be led from Ansty Road & via zoom by myself. It will focus on giving thanks for St.Columba’s on what is our last Sunday. However I’m conscious that this is within the 5 days where the Government is allowing more household mixing and I’m getting nervous about adding church to the mix. It might be useful for you to let me know if you intend being in church that morning as we might decide to just use zoom, in which case I could work alone from St. Columba’s. 

Whether you wish to be in church or not will be your own decision, but please do not come if you feel vulnerable or ill and please obey the restrictions that are in place. Remember we are in Tier 3 because it is deemed that there is a very high risk of spreading the virus and the hospital is working at capacity. For those who prefer to join via zoom the link is 

 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83142689496. 

You can also join by phone by dialling one of the following numbers

0131 460 1196, 0203 051 2874, 0203 481 5237, 0203 481 5240

When asked to enter your Meeting ID, key in 831 4268 9496#-  if asked for a Participant key just dial #. If asked for a password it is 512001 

A reminder that we are supporting a number of charities as part of our Carol Service. For Ansty Road that is The Coventry Boot Fund and St. Andrew’s Home. Our Church Meeting agreed that we would support both from the proceeds of the charity fund, but if you would like to add to those sums please send your gift by cheque to Caroline or via the church account Sort code is 202355 a/c no 60995746. Mark it for the Charity Fund in the reference box. For St. Columba’s it is to Christian Aid, https://www.christianaid.org.uk or send a cheque to me made payable to St. Columba’s URC, but tell me it’s for Christian Aid.

Be blessed, Craig

Worship for Sunday 20th December 

Hymn

No wind at the window, no knock on the door
No light from the lamp stand, no foot on the floor
No dream born of tiredness, no ghost raised by fear
Just an angel and a woman and a voice in her ear.

No payment was promised, no promises made;
No wedding was dated, no blue print displayed.
Yet Mary, consenting to what none could guess,
replied with conviction, “Tell God I say,  “Yes”’.

John L. Bell (b1949) © WGRG, The Iona Community 1992

Prayer 

Into our world as into Mary’s womb

Come, Lord Jesus

Into the forgotten planes as into the stable

Come Lord Jesus

Into the lives of the poor, bringing hope

Into the lives of the powerful, bringing caution

Into the lives of the weary, bringing rest

Into the lives of the wise, bringing restlessness

and into our lives and longings

whatever our estate

Come Lord Jesus

This is the good news

Christ is coming

and blessed are those who wait on the Lord

Therefore come quickly Lord.

(Cloth for the Cradle p57)

Come that we may know mercy

for the times when we have known no hope

for the times when we have acted in power

for the times when we impose upon the weary

for the times when we have not listened to wisdom

Come that we may know grace

that we may know your blessing

that we may live following your Way

this day and each day.

Craig Muir

Bible: Luke 1:26-38

“Do not be afraid” What apt words for our time. 

Mary was not to fear the angel or the challenge before her. The same phrase had been heard time and again throughout the Hebrew Bible. First by Abraham as God made a covenant with him, then by Hagar in the wilderness as she feared for the life of her son. From Moses as the Israelites fled Egypt, from Boaz as he arranged to marry Ruth, from Elijah as he spoke with the widow of Zarephath and then by the angel to Elijah as he faced the soldiers of King Ahaziah. That is just a few examples as so many times people have had to face an uncertain future and be reminded to be unafraid.

Later Jesus would repeat this to James and John as they were called to be disciples, then to all the disciples as they faced a future empowered by resurrection and then to John as he received the book of Revelation.

“Do not be afraid.” How much do we need that for ourselves? 

You will know your own fears, for yourself and your family.You will know the fear we all have for public health, for our economy, for a changing political landscape. As we look back through history we can see that humanity has often been here before, and that at such times some have been aware of God’s presence encouraging them to be courageous. But that does not mean that we ignore the reality of particular grief, dread, dismay. It does not mean we ignore injustice, oppression, abuse. It does not mean that we no longer hold to account those who profit from fear. Mary’s response will challenge the powerful and proclaim good news for the lowly and hungry. 

“Do not be afraid.” It is time to step forward with faith.

Prayer

We can hardly wait, dear God.

Looking out upon a world

that is far too familiar with Isaiah’s sorrows, 

the mounting ashes of our failures

and the heavy heart of human suffering, 

your coming cannot be too soon.

So pour out your Spirit now, today. 

Bind up broken hearts

and release the good word

and the goodwill

that we have held back too long.

Announce your clear intentions now. 

Garland your sorry world with joy 

and clothe it with

the splendour of your presence here. 

Plant a new way of life

in which truth and justice 

stand rooted like a tree.

Psalm 126 paraphrase

Make us into a new race of people

who love justice,

cherish their commitment to each other 

and are eager for your coming.

We can hardly wait. Amen

Lord Jesus Christ,

born for us in a stable,

making your humble way into our lives,

we praise you for your tireless search 

for lost humanity. 

Hold us we pray.

And so that we might serve you, 

and you alone,

grant us your Spirit’s wisdom

to know and reject all that is evil and harmful,

to turn only to you for our pleasure,

and to spend ourselves for the sake of your kingdom and its peace. Amen

Duncan Wilson: URC Worship Book

Hymn 

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord! 

Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice; 

tender to me the promise of his word; 

in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.

 

Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word! 

Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure. 

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord 

to children’s children and for evermore!

© Timothy Dudley-Smith, 9 Ashlands, Ford, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 6DY England

 

Lessons and Carols 20 December 2020

Voluntary: Love came down at Christmas

Lesson 1  Mark 1:1

RS 167 Once in royal David’s city

Lesson 2  Psalm 80:1-7

RS 135 Joy to the world

Lesson 3  Isaiah 61:1-4,8-11

RS 144 It came upon the midnight clear  

Lesson 4  Mark 1:2-8

Song: What joy is mine

Lesson 5  Luke 2:1-7

RS 145 O Little Town of Bethlehem

Poem:BC:AD

Song   Silent Night, Holy Night

Lesson 6  Mark 1:21-45

Song: O Holy Night

Reflection  Mark’s Christmas

Hymn: Dream a dream, a hopeful dream

Poem read by David Monks 

Song  God rest ye merry gentlemen

Prayers of Intercession

Lesson 7John 1:1-14

RS 160 O Come all ye Faithful

Share in your own mince pies, mulled wine, coffee and tea from home. 

Categories
Minister News Prayers

The beginning of the good news …

I need to start with some sad news today and inform you that Marjorie Wilkinson died on Tuesday 1 December. Funeral details will follow when we know them. Marjorie had a life long association with Wyken, as her parents were amongst the founding members of the church and she was a faithful member throughout her life. Please hold Gillian, Gina and all the family in your prayers.

The other sad activity has been picking through the archives at St. Columba’s, reading so many of the activities of the past and deciding which need to be kept, binned or shredded. My shredder is getting very tired! I have also been disposing of many items stored away around the building,  making arrangements to auction the better items and scrap everything else. If there is something you want to rescue I need to know this weekend – although be warned, it might already have gone.

It was also sad to realise that we would normally have been holding the Life Path Carol Service this week, It feels strange not to do so and I have had one sad telephone call from Michael who normally plays the organ.  However, I have been in contact with Diane, the Chief Executive and we  have pencilled one in to be held at Ansty Road next year. That felt good.

This it seems is the nature of Advent; so much sadness and yet the promise of good things in the future. We hold these things in tension. Some want to charge straight through the sadness; the radio has moved to incessant Christmas songs, insisting we must all be jolly. Advent invites us to acknowledge and live with our sadness whilst seeking new life. It allows us to name our sadness and to take time to let the hope seep in. Perhaps by Christmas, hope will have found a new level. 

I also look forward to receiving volunteers to contribute to our Carol Service on 20 December. If you haven’t done so already, please get in touch. We can record contributions via zoom. 

Our service this Sunday will be at 10:15am for a 10:30 start and will be led from Ansty Road via zoom by Chris Mellor. Whether you wish to be in church or not will be your own decision, but please do not come if you feel vulnerable or ill and please obey the restrictions that are in place. Remember we are in Tier 3 because it is deemed that there is a very high risk of spreading the virus and the hospital is working at capacity. For those who prefer to join via zoom the link is 

 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83142689496.

On Thursday 10 December at 7pm we will meet on the zoom link for 18:5 Bible Study looking at Joshua. 

 

Worship for Sunday 6th December

These notes have been prepared by Craig, but as I’m not leading worship on Sunday, the service on Sunday will be different.

Hymn

Hills of the North, rejoice, 

echoing songs arise,

hail with united voice

him who made earth and skies:

he comes in righteousness and love,

he brings salvation from above.

Editors of English Praise 1975 based on CE Oakley (1832-68)

Prayer

God of new beginnings

We thank you for this day

We thank you for new experiences

We thank you for familiar stories, told afresh

God of good news

We thank you for those we love

We thank you for those who care for us

We thank you for familiar faces, 

with whom we are blessed

 

God of Jesus Christ

We thank you for the story of his birth

We thank you for the stories he told

We thank you for calling us, 

word and flesh.

God of raised valleys and smoothed mountains 

We seek your way through wilderness

We seek your path through life’s journey

We seek a revelation of your glory.

God of enduring word

We listen for your voice

We say to the towns 

“Here is your God!”

We are gathered into your gentle arms.

 

God of mercy and hope

We confess our sinfulness 

in word and deed

in action and inaction

in our structures and values

We seek your mercy, 

Ask that you proclaim that our debt has been paid 

We declare our hope in your grace that carries each close to your heart and gently leads us into new beginnings.

Bible: Mark 1:1-8

You may have noticed that the poem I shared last week, ended just beyond this point with the declaration in the wilderness that Jesus is the Beloved. It linked the story of Hagar banished into the wilderness who becomes the first to name God as God-who-sees, with Hannah whose prayer God sees, with John the Baptist whose time in the wilderness declares that God’s time is coming. Throughout history many have felt the wilderness of a life that is filled with despair, sorrow, fearfulness. For many that is the real history of humanity. But the good news that Mark wants us to hear is that we can repent (turn around) and live differently. The kingdom of God is near and the history of ordinary people is as crucial in that kingdom as any named in history books.

Mark tells us that this is the beginning. That has a resonance with Genesis and with John’s gospel, but they were describing the beginning of history. This is not the beginning of history of course, It is one point in time, but it is the beginning of a new salvation history that will focus on Jesus, the Son of God who invites us on a new discipleship adventure. That beginning happens whenever we hear the story for the first time, or when we hear fresh once again, ready to change our lives.

That beginning of good news will mean something different for each of us, perhaps we need to change our focus in life, or amend the way we live, or be open to new ideas. When the time is right we will each know the way in which God is calling us into the beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the in-between time we listen for voices crying out in the wilderness, we listen for those God names as beloved, we listen for the urging of the Holy Spirit.

Charity Giving

Thank you to those who have supported the Giving Tree Project and to those who handed in their Mission boxes to Roberta. Those gifts have raised £112 that we will send to Commitment for Life.

I’m now going to encourage you to support those charities that we support at our Carol Services. For Ansty Road that is The Coventry Boot Fund and St. Andrew’s Home. Our Church Meeting agreed that we would support both from the proceeds of the charity fund, but if you would like to add to those sums please send your gift by cheque to Caroline or via the church account Sort code is 202355 a/c no 60995746. Mark it for the Charity Fund in the reference box. For St. Columba’s it is to Christian Aid, https://www.christianaid.org.uk or send a cheque to Craig made payable to St. Columba’s URC, but tell me it’s for Christian Aid. 

Prayer from Christian Aid

May you abound in the hope of the prophets, imagining another way.

May you abound in the hope of a mother, singing revolution.

May you abound in the hope of an infant, the incarnation of love.

May you abound in the love that builds hope this day and evermore.

And may you have a hopeful Advent and a comforting Christmas.

Amen.

 

Tune Kingsfold (RS 349, I heard the voice of Jesus say)

When out of poverty is born

A dream that will not die.

And landless, weary folk find strength

To stand with heads held high,

It’s then we learn from those who wait

To greet the promised day,

“The Lord is coming; don’t lose heart.

Be blest; prepare the way!’

© Kathy Galloway, the lona Community. 

Written for Christian Aid. 1990.