Online worship: Sunday 16 August 2020

16th Aug

Welcome! Please click on the play button (the triangle) in the sound file above to listen to Sunday worship from St Andrew’s and St George’s West, Edinburgh.
You can download a PDF of the Order of Service here or just follow it below:

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Preparing for Worship

“The longer we listen to one another –
with real attention – the more
commonality we will find in all our lives.
That is, if we are careful to exchange
with one another life stories and not
simply opinions.”

Barbara Deming

Welcome and Call to Worship

Love is…
offered to one and all.
Love is…
stronger than hate.
Love is…
willing to learn and change.
Love is…
brave and bold.
Love is of God
and God is love.

Let us worship
the one who loves us
and be prepared
to share that love
with one and all.

We come as mothers, daughters and sisters.
We come as fathers, sons and brothers.
We know the lengths we would go for our family.
We understand the depth of family love.
We come to worship the one whose love is stronger
and wider and deeper
than we can ever know or understand.

Hymn 608 Spirit of truth and grace

Spirit of truth and grace,
come to us in this place
as now in Jesus’ name God’s people gather.
Open our eyes to see
truths that will ever be,
and in communion draw us close together.

Spirit of joy and peace,
make all anxieties cease
with knowledge of the Father’s perfect caring.
Then may God’s children know
love that won’t let us go
and joy that fills each day, beyond comparing.

Spirit of life and power,
revive us in this hour
and stir our hearts to praise with true devotion.
Fill us with heavenly fire,
and every heart inspire,
that we may serve the world with your compassion.

Words: Iain D Cunningham (b. 1954)
Tune: Down Ampney

Opening Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer

Eternal God,
We thank you for the gift of this new day.
We were made to praise you and are most ourselves when we come before you in worship.
Guide us in our service this morning.
Help us to be attentive to you, to grow and learn, to be challenged as well as to be comforted.
Help us to listen for your voice today.

Forgiving God,
there have been moments this week that have been difficult.
There have been times where we have not lived up to everything you created us to be.
We have said and thought things that were not kind, or honest.
We haven’t loved other people or ourselves.
We are sorry.

God of fresh starts,
help us to wipe the slate clean.
Walk beside us and teach us your ways.
Give us hope that the difficult things won’t always be this way.
Help us to know your forgiveness for ourselves and show your forgiveness to others.

Help us believe that you are at work in and through our lives for the good of the world.
Help us believe that this congregation has something of value to offer its community.
Help us believe that when we befriend the lonely or encourage the frightened, heaven rejoices.
Help us believe that, though afraid, when we stand up to those who spew hate, you are with us.
You teach us that you want not just comfort, but freedom for all.
You show us, through raising Jesus from the dead, that love is more powerful than hate.
Help us live as people of the resurrection, as people of the Messiah who came not to give us what we want but what we need.
Help us be persistent in doing your will, to listen out for the pain of your people
and to never give up seeking to be part of the solution to the cries of the world.

We ask all this in the name of the One who is the new day, the One who taught us to pray saying:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us in the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen

I Lift Up my Eyes (Lockdown Psalm) Martin Wroe

New Testament Reading Matthew 15: 21-28

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Anthem

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child.
He’s got the whole world in his hands.

Words: Traditional
Music: Andrew Carvel (2016)

Reflection Azariah France-Williams

Hymn 115 Love is the touch of intangible joy

Love is the touch of intangible joy;
love is the force that no fear can destroy;
love is the goodness we gladly applaud:
God is where love is, for love is of God.

Love is the lilt in a lingering voice;
love is the hope that can make us rejoice;
love is the cure for the frightened and flawed:
God is where love is, for love is of God.

Love is the light in the tunnel of pain;
love is the will to be whole once again;
love is the trust of a friend on the road:
God is where love is, for love is of God.

Love is the Maker, and Spirit, and Son;
love is the kingdom their will has begun;
love is the pathway the saints all have trod:
God is where love is, for love is of God.

Words: Alison Robertson (b. 1940)
Tune: Amor Dei

Prayers of Intercession

Heavenly Father, thank you for your great love for the church. We pray that your people would have unity amid diversity and would love each other faithfully regardless of race, culture or background.

Give us, your people, a great love for your body, the church. May we love, serve and worship together, being filled with faithfulness and joy.

We ask for deep, meaningful relationships that cut across racial barriers throughout your church, that are used to demonstrate your love to a watching world.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

God of wisdom and grace, the power of truth and judgement;
We pray for those who have the power to do good and will not; who attend to no voice but their own; who dismiss the causes of injustice, and ignore the plight of those discriminated against.
We pray for those who have been repeatedly turned away but are not discouraged and have not become bitter.

Bring reconciliation through truthful dialogue. Mend our hearts and give us the courage to walk in forgiveness. Bring unity through justice.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

We pray for our leaders, decision makers in our community; political, church, judiciary, education. Lord, grant them wisdom. May they lead with empathy, justice and compassion.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

We pray for all who have lost loved ones at this time, that you, Lord, comfort them and abide with them that they may know they’re not alone.

We pray for the sick, those who are suffering; for all who are housebound, in hospital, nursing homes and hospices within our community. Lord, visit them and make your presence known. We pray for all who are worried and anxious about the future. Lord grant your peace and lead all to rest in your love.

We draw our prayers together in the name of Jesus, the One who calls us to live in faith, hope, truth and freedom. In ways known and unknown may we follow.

Amen.

Hymn 615 Holy Spirit, ever living

Holy Spirit, ever living
as the Church’s very life;
Holy Spirit, ever striving
through her in a ceaseless strife;
Holy Spirit, ever forming
in the church the mind of Christ;
you we praise with endless worship
for your fruit and gifts unpriced.

Holy Spirit, ever working
through the Church’s ministry;
quickening, strengthening, and absolving,
setting captive sinners free;
Holy Spirit, ever binding
age to age and soul to soul
in a fellowship unending,
you we worship and extol.

Words: Timothy Rees (1874-1939)
Tune: Abbot’s Leigh

Sending and Benediction Spill the Beans

With parental love, God sends us out.
Not with the crumbs from the table
but with all the jewels of the Kingdom.
We are not the blind leading the blind,
but the loved serving
the apparently unloved.

Share God’s love,
show God’s love to those you meet.
Share the jewels not the crumbs.
And may the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Sung Blessing The Lord bless you and keep you

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
And be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you
And give you peace.

Minister: Rosie Magee
Call to Worship: Mary Godden and Diana Thurston Smith
Guest Speaker: Azariah France-Williams
Reader: Lorna Cammock
Prayers of Intercession: Dunni Smith
The Choir of St Andrew’s and St George’s West, directed by Brigitte Harris
Vocal ensemble: Eleanor Cozens, Eleanor Wilson, Caitlin McGillivray, Drew Crichton, Andrew Carvel
Communications: Alison Bruce and Susan McLarty
Service produced by Andrew Carvel

Photo: Ylanite Koppens from Pexels
Hymns used under licence from CCLI 247862
Streaming licence 351013

St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church of Scotland Edinburgh. Charity SC008990
www.edinburghnewtownchurch.org.uk