Online worship: Sunday 23 August 2020

23rd 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:

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Introit

I hear the voice of God
calling to me every day,
I hear the voice of God
calling every day.

Music: Stuart M. Mitchell

Welcome

From the comfort of our homes we gather to worship.
Whether through printed word, or through the gift of technology,
we are a community.
Here we seek connection to the Divine.
Come, let us worship God,
shown to us through the risen Christ.

Call to Worship Spill the Beans

Jesus is the King of Kings.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
Jesus is the Wonderful Counsellor.
Jesus is our Lord and Saviour.
We gather here to worship God,
the Father of Jesus,
and the Holy Spirit, our guide.

Jesus is
the King of Kings.
Jesus is
the Prince of Peace.
Jesus is
the Wonderful Counsellor.
Let us offer our worship
to God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Holy Spirit.

Hymn 96 You are before me God

You are before me, God, you are behind,
and over me you have spread out your hand;
such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too high to grasp, too great to understand.

If I should take my flight into the dawn,
if I should dwell on ocean’s farthest shore,
your mighty hand will rest upon me still,
and your right hand will guard me evermore.

Words: from Psalm 139, Ian Robertson Pitt- Watson
Tune: Sursum Corda

Opening Prayer Spill the Beans

Loving God,
we do not always see you,
we may not always hear you,
We might not always know it,
but you are always there.

You send your message to us,
you speak to us in so many ways,
through Jesus,
through our friends and family,
through our senses,
and our dreams.
We might not always know it,
but you are always there.

You have called each of us by name,
you have shown your love for us in so many ways,
through Jesus,
through our friends and family,
through our world,
and our emotions.
We might not always know it,
but you are always there.

We come to you as we are,
in awe of your majesty and mercy.
and we lay at your feet our whole being,
We remember that we, your church,
are built on a solid foundation of rock,
and through your love we will never fall,
emboldened to love our neighbours as ourselves,
and to preach your holy Word to the world.

We gather as one body
of broken bones,
seeking to do your work,
praying for forgiveness when we fail
to live as you have told us,
asking for support when we falter
from the path of love for all.
We ask for boldness to live in your example,
to give ourselves wholly to your mission,
and work tirelessly to praise you, and love your people.
Amen.

Old Testament Reading Psalm 124

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side
—let Israel now say—
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
when our enemies attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone
the raging waters.

Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

New Testament Reading Matthew 16: 13-20

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Anthem Sicut cervus

Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum,
Ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus.

Like as the hart desireth the waterbrooks:
So my soul longeth for thee, O God.

Words: Psalm 42:1
Music: G. P. da Palestrina (1524-94)

Reflection

Hymn 678 Here is the place

Here is the place, now is the time:
an inner voice has bid me come;
here, in the company where Christ is known,
he claims my life, he speaks my name.

Here I declare a seed of faith,
a will to learn, a gleam of truth,
and ask for singleness of heart to speak
what God has put into my mouth.

I seek the real and face the cost,
I give away my lack of trust,
in joyful hope I take the Spirit’s lead;
I go with all who follow Christ.

Words: Shirley Erena Murray (1931-2020)
Tune: Suantrai

Prayers of Intercession and the Lord’s Prayer

Gracious God,
in love you created us,
so it is with confidence that we bring our prayers to you.
In prayer we seek to turn the keys of faith, hope and love,
the keys that open the door of your kingdom.

We pray for those who feel they have had doors shut in their faces by others:
those who live in fear of losing their homes,
those who are bullied for being different,
and those who feel unfairly treated by the education system.
We pray for those who are so often overlooked and undervalued,
and for those picking up the pieces after they feel their lives have tumbled in;
May they experience doors being opened to them,
for you are a Lord who stands with the powerless and the insignificant.

Gracious God, hear our prayer,
and in your love, answer.

We pray for those around us,
for the many who continue to suffer because of the pandemic and those who care for them.
We pray for family and friends who are suffering:
those struggling physically or emotionally,
those working to overcome mental illness,
those facing challenges at home or at work,
those facing surgery or grieving the death of a loved one.

Gracious God, hear our prayer,
and in your love, answer.

God, you have called us to pray for those we find difficult to love.
We ask you to bless them.
Open our hearts so that we may see them as you see them,
and be able to respond to them with your love.

Gracious God, hear our prayer,
and in your love, answer.

We pray for your Church around the world,
that it would be a living demonstration of your coming kingdom:
turning the key of open hospitality,
ready to help in times of need,
showing love to friends and enemies alike,
seeking to live in peace with all.

Gracious God, hear our prayer,
and in your love, answer.

Open our eyes to recognize your presence in our lives.
Open our mouths to tell others what you mean to us.
We bind our prayers together in the prayer that Jesus taught:

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

Sending and Benediction

May we be like Peter,
and tell the world who you are,
and when we forget, or cannot see you,
ask others to show us who you are.

May we live out our faith
in word, in action and in love.
knowing the love of God the Father,
strengthened through knowing the risen Son,
and inspired by the Holy Spirit,
in this place,
at this time,
and 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
Opening Prayer: Joanna Stark
Reader: Mary Davidson
Prayers of Intercession: Jocelyn and Michael Cunliffe
Vocal ensemble: Eleanor Wilson, Caitlin McGillivray, Drew Crichton, Andrew Carvel
Piano Accompaniment: Drew Crichton
Director of Music: Brigitte Harris
Communications: Alison Bruce and Susan McLarty
Service produced by Andrew Carvel

Image: Photo from Pexels (text added)
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