Online worship: Sunday 10 May 2020

10th May

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:

Christian Aid Week

Choir: Hamba nathi

“Come walk with us for the journey is long.”

Traditional Xhosa hymn

Welcome and Call to Worship

God is in our midst, forming us to be God’s own people.
Though the way may be difficult, God will be with us.
We need not fear.
In the Lord we will take our refuge, for God is our strength.
Come to the Lord who will surround you with God’s own righteousness.
Lord, open our hearts and our spirits so that we may faithfully follow you.

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.

Iain D Cunningham (born 1954)

Prayer of Confession and Absolution with the Lord’s Prayer

God of all the Earth, be present with us now, in each of our homes, as we connect together.
Build us into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to you
through Jesus Christ, our risen redeemer and healer.

As we turn on the tap we turn our hearts towards you, O God.
As we wet our hands renew our thoughts, so we might be transformed.
As we lather soap between fingers and over all our hands, purge from us all that brings us harm and might harm others.
Remove the invisible guilt and shame that so often keeps us from you.
As we rinse our hands, we trust in your overflowing grace, making all things new.

And as a people bathed in your grace, hear us as we pray together the prayer that Jesus taught 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

Introduction to the Readings

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 31(NRSV) selected verses

1 In you, O LORD, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.

2 Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.

3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,

4 take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.

5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eye wastes away from grief,
my soul and body also.

10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,
and my bones waste away.

11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
a horror to my neighbours,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street flee from me.

14 But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”

15 My times are in your hand;
deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.

16 Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your steadfast love.

23 Love the LORD, all you his saints.
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.

24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the LORD.

New Testament Reading: John 14:1-14

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”

Hymn 189: Be still for the presence of the Lord

Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here;
Come bow before him now with reverence and fear:
In him no sin is found, we stand on holy ground.
Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here.

Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around;
He burns with holy fire, with splendour he is crowned:
How awesome is the sight, our radiant King of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around.

Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place;
He comes to cleanse and heal, to minister His grace:
No work too hard for him, in faith receive from him;
Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place.

David J Evans (born 1957)

Reflection

Anthem: Albert’s Hymn

Mighty Father, Lord of all,
Hear your children, when we call.
We were created by your word,
Now we praise you, Holy Lord.

Come Holy Spirit, guard our hearts,
Raise us up, when hope departs.
Bring us safe to Jesus’ side,
The Lord, our shepherd, will provide.

Jesus says to the weary, ‘Come!,
If your hearts would find a home.
Leave your troubled lives behind,
I will give you peace of mind.

Come my children, why delay;
Darkness quickly follows day.
Scattered sheep if you only knew,
I am sacrificed for you.’

Owner of earth and Heav’n above,
All creation sings of your love.
Source of all knowledge yet unknown,
All nations kneel before your throne.

Source of all knowledge, yet our friend,
You, our beginning and our end.

Words: Albert Namalambe (Malawi’s first Christian convert), transl. Jack Thompson; Music: Andrew Carvel

Prayer of Lament and Intercession

God our refuge,
we come to you with open hands, some of us with hearts full of questions, some of us bruised by bereavement, some of us fearful of what the future holds, all of us stunned by the events of this year.
Draw close to us now in each of our homes as we place our honest questions and hopes into your open, resurrected, yet scarred hands.