CCL 125049 Charity No SC002937
Contents
- Welcome
- Hymn 127 O worship the King Tune Hanover (Church Hymnary 4th Edition)
- All age time
- Prayer
- Reading Matthew 15: 21-28 (Good News Bible)
- Hymn 511 Your hand O God has guided Tune Thornbury (Church Hymnary 4th Edition)
- Reflection
- Prayer for others
- Hymn 130 Ye servants of God Tune Laudate Dominum (Church Hymnary 4th Edition)
- Blessing
Welcome
Welcome and let us worship God
‘It was not to judge the world that God sent his Son into the world, but that through him the world might be saved.’ John 3: 17
Hymn 127
1 O worship the King, all glorious above;
O gratefully sing his power and his love;
our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
pavilioned in splendour and girded with praise.
2 O tell of his might, O sing of his grace,
whose robe is the light, whose canopy space;
his chariots of wrath the deep thunder-clouds form,
and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.
3 The earth with its store of wonders untold,
Almighty, thy power hath founded of old;
hath stablished it fast by a changeless decree,
and round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea.
4 Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
it streams from the hills; it descends to the plain,
and sweetly distils in the dew and the rain.
5 Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
in thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail;
thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
our maker, defender, redeemer, and friend!
6 O measureless might, ineffable love!
While angels delight to hymn thee above,
the humbler creation, in lowlier ways,
with true adoration shall sing to thy praise.
All age time (for ages 0-100)
Today’s Bible story
In today’s Bible story Jesus and his friends are in Southern Lebanon. A Lebanese woman comes to him seeking healing for her daughter, and Jesus is impressed with the woman’s faith. Her ethnicity is no barrier
Something to do:
- Using the internet or an atlas and ruler, find out how far it is from Galilee to Tyre and Sidon
- Find out some facts and figures about Lebanon. How does it compare in size and population with Scotland or West Dunbartonshire?
- Draw a map of Lebanon or a picture of a Cedar of Lebanon
Something to think about
If Jesus and his friends were travelling from Galilee to Tyre and Sidon today how easy a journey would it be? What are the problems?
Do you know someone who is:
- a child under the age of 12
- a teenager
- retired
- born in a country outside the United Kingdom
- of Afro-Caribbean heritage
- of South Asian heritage
- who uses a stick, crutch, zimmer or wheelchair
- has problems seeing or hearing
- has learning difficulties
- is Moslem, Hindu, Jewish or Bhuddist?
How good are you at coping with people who are ‘different’? What is the problem? How might you be able to address it?
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father
You want us to love ourselves
to accept that we may not have the perfect looks or figure
to accept all that growing older brings
to accept that we may not be brilliant
we may not be high achievers
we may not be highly talented
to accept that we do however have knowledge and skills
and have a contribution to make to our community and world
You want us to love ourselves
but not be self-centred
to think of others and their needs
to think of you and what you expect of us
Forgive us when we get the balance wrong
and put Self centre stage
Help us to remember that we are always loved and valued by you
Help us to love and value others
and let them feel loved and valued
Help us to love and honour you
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
Bible reading
Matthew 15: 21-28
Jesus left that place and went off to the territory near the cities of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman who lived in the region came to him. “Son of David!” she cried out. “Have mercy on me! My daughter has a demon and is in a terrible condition.”
But Jesus did not say a word to her. His disciples came to him and begged him, “Send her away! She is following us and making all this noise!”
Then Jesus replied, “I have been sent only to those lost sheep, the people of Israel.”
At this the woman came and fell at his feet. “Help me, sir!” she said.
Jesus answered, “It isn’t right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”
“That’s true, sir,” she answered; “but even the dogs eat the leftovers that fall from their master’s table.”
So Jesus answered her, “You are a woman of great faith! What you want will be done for you.” And at that very moment her daughter was healed.
Hymn 511
if the video above will not play, try the music version below:
1 Your hand, O God, has guided
your flock, from age to age;
the wondrous tale is written,
full clear, on every page;
your people owned your goodness,
and we their deeds record:
and both of this bear witness:
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.
2 Your heralds brought glad tidings
to greatest as to least;
they summoned all to hasten
and share the great King’s feast;
and this was all their teaching,
in every deed and word,
to all alike proclaiming:
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.
3 Through many a day of darkness,
through many a scene of strife,
the faithful few fought bravely
to guard the nation’s life.
Their Gospel of redemption,
sin pardoned, life restored,
was all in this enfolded:
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.
4 Your mercy will not fail us,
nor leave your work undone;
with your right hand to help us,
the victory shall be won;
by mortals and by angels
your name shall be adored,
and this shall be our anthem:
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.
Reflection
The Gossip and the Curmudgeon
Gossip While I was in the queue at the fish stall I heard that that Jesus-guy has been away on his holidays with his pals. They all went over the border to Lebanon. How are they supposed to follow the Guidelines on correct behaviour for hand-washing, eating and all the rest in a place like that, I don’t know…
Curmudgeon Aye, they’re all foreigners there!
Gossip …and I gather he was even healing folk there.
Curmudgeon That’s disgraceful! There are plenty of folk here who need to be healed. If he can do healing he should be doing here, among his own people. He shouldn’t be wasting his time going abroad and healing foreigners. Let them get their own healers.
Gossip They say it isn’t just abroad that he deals with foreigners. In broad daylight here he has been seen dealing with Samaritans, Syrians and Romans…
Curmudgeon No? That’s awful!
Gossip …talks to them, heals them…
Curmudgeon What on earth for?
Gossip …and…he mixes with all sorts of ‘odd’ and ‘unsavoury’ people, not ‘nice, people’ like us. Don’t know what his mother must think about where she went wrong with him. He’s been seen talking to crooks and dodgy dealers, those that work for the corrupt lot in power, and the occupying troops, ‘women of low repute’ and complete wastrels
Curmudgeon Calls himself a rabbi! They’re all the same – can’t trust a single one of them.
These may indeed have been the sort of reactions that Jesus encountered as he went about Galilee and Judaea teaching and healing. Like many communities then and now there was a strong sense of ‘respectability’ and a feeling that everyone should be like ‘us’ – and those who are different (for whatever reason) were neither welcome nor included.
Jesus’ message and behaviour challenged, and challenges, such views. He spoke of God’s love and concern for everyone; that no one was any ‘better’ than anyone else as everyone fell short of God’s expectations on human behaviour (which were measured not by keeping rules or practices, but how God and other people are treated); and that God is ready to embrace and forgive everyone, and enable them to live the caring and compassionate lives he wants.
Jesus did indeed deal with all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds. The ones who annoyed him, who got the sharp end of his tongue, were not the ‘outcasts and sinners’ but the hypocritical ‘unco guid’. Jesus welcomes all sorts into his family, his circle of friends, his church. He invites us and them to experience his love and forgiveness, and to find the power to become changed people serving him, and working to build the world of peace and justice that he wants.
Prayers for others
Heavenly Father
We are all different, all unique
we have a lot in common with other human beings
but no one is quite the same as us
You love them, you love us
and in loving us you embrace the differences between us
We are not so good at that
we tend to expect everyone to be the same, to be like ‘us’
and people who don’t fit that template can have a hard time
it may be because of their appearance
their ethnicity, their accent, their religious affiliation, their disability
where they live, where they went to school, which team they support
their sexuality, their gender
the views that they hold on certain subjects
Help us, help people all round the world
to see their neighbours through your eyes
to value them, not fear or despise them
We pray for all who are striving to put right past wrongs
and to build inclusive communities
Help us to work at making your church
an example of the kind of inclusive community you want
We pray for all who are ill,
those who look after them
and those who worry about them
those waiting for or receiving treatment
and those for whom there is no treatment
those who are lonely, feeling down, or grieving a friend or loved one
those who are worried about home, work or money
a friend or a relative
those who are living with the after-effects of natural disasters
those who do not have enough to eat, or somewhere to call home
those who long to live in peace and safety
those who have fled from their homes seeking safety
We pray for the Queen, the Government
all in positions of leadership in this and every land
We pray for your church
our own congregation
the wider church in Dumbarton
the world-wide church
We bring to you our prayers for people and situations of special concern to us
And we sum up our prayers in the words of the prayer Jesus gave us
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen
Hymn 130
1 Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,
and publish abroad his wonderful name;
the name all-victorious of Jesus extol:
his kingdom is glorious, he rules over all.
2 God ruleth on high, almighty to save;
and still he is nigh, his presence we have;
the great congregation his triumph shall sing,
ascribing salvation to Jesus our King.
3 ‘Salvation to God who sits on the throne!’
let all cry aloud, and honour the Son:
the praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,
fall down on their faces, and worship the Lamb.
4 Then let us adore, and give him his right:
all glory and power, all wisdom and might,
all honour and blessing, with angels above,
and thanks never-ceasing, and infinite love.
(Amen, amen.)
Blessing
God the Father sends you out
to be his witnesses wherever you go
to work to bring healing and wholeness in all you do
and the blessing of God Almighty
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
rest and remain with you, today, and every day, and for ever. Amen
Lovely service thank you