Service starts at 11:15am in Riverside, streamed live to St Andrews & available on YouTube
Welcome
Make your paths known to me, Lord; teach me your ways. Lead me by your faithfulness and teach me, for you are God my saviour.
Psalm 25: 4-5
Choir Introit
Hymn 257 Singing we gladly worship the Lord together
Opening Prayer
Creator, Son and Spirit,
we gather together,
in-person and online
to know your presence
in our time of worship.
Meet us at our point of deepest need.
Connect us with the needs of others.
Equip us to join in your creative work.
Transform us more into your likeness.
We gather with individuals
and their communities in Zimbabwe (this Christian Aid Week).
May their stories make us hungry for justice
and even more impatient for change.
We sing praise to you.
But even as we raise our voices
we know we have faltered and failed.
Walking on paths that turned our hearts inward,
sitting with those who scoffed
at the cries of people in poverty,
mocking those on the margins,
denying the earth in her distress.
Where we have failed to bear good fruit,
to share your abundance for the earth,
when our actions and intentions
have been as fallen far short of your expectations
Lord, have mercy
Forgive us and restore us.
Inspire us now
to delight in your purposes,
to embrace your possibilities,
to inhabit your promises,
to flourish as fruit for the world you so love
and bring healing for all the nations.
through Christ our Lord we pray. Amen
All age time
This year the focus is on people in Zimbabwe, how they are affected by climate change, and how Christian Aid’s partners are helping them to adjust
Video 1 (Zimbabwe)
How long will the stomachs of children lie empty?
How long will their mothers pray in vain?
How long will temperatures rise beyond record?
How long will the clouds fail to give rain?
How long will the crop fields turn into dust?
How long will the floods cover the plain?
How long will so few live with far too much?
How long will so many be denied what they need?
How long before the healing of nations?
How long will injustice and suffering remain?
Hymn 516 We are marching
Bible reading
John 13: 31-35
Reflection
Over the past couple of years, when they haven’t been recording the latest twists of Partygate or Donald Trump’s tweets, news headlines have focussed on things like the Covid pandemic, the cost of living crisis and the war in Ukraine. All are very serious, and deserve our attention and prayers, but there are also other things equally serious going on in the world of which we have heard little or nothing:
- millions of people have fled from their homes in countries like Syria, Yemen and South Sudan, because of fighting and warfare – some to other parts of their country, some have gone abroad. Some, like the Rohingya were driven from their homes in what was effectively genocide, and some, like those from Venezuela, have fled because of economic collapse
- because of climate change many millions have faced significantly changed weather patterns: droughts when there used to be rains to help crops grow, and floods that destroy crops, homes and infrastructure
- millions lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation, healthcare, education, housing, employment and balanced diets
- millions live surrounded by air, water and ground pollution, which affects not only human beings, but all living things.
The three topics that have dominated the headlines in the last two years – Covid, cost of living and Ukraine – also have a significant impact on people in poorer countries. So many can’t access healthcare or vaccinations, fuel and other price rises affect them too, and the war in Ukraine is expected to impact on not only the price of foodstuffs but the availability of some of them.
Christian Aid is encouraging us today to think particularly about those affected by climate change. As well as reflecting on the challenges many face, it is also a time to give thanks for the positive steps taken by some of their partners to help people cope. By encouraging changes to agricultural practice, or growing different crops, farmers and small-holders can continue to fed their families and have surpluses to sell to pay their bills.
We believe that God is the Creator, caused all things to come into being, who delights in his creation, and who brought into being something that changes and develops. Change is an integral part of nature, and over the long years of planet earth climate has changed, species have come and gone. But humanity is merrily doing things that don’t need to be done, which is having a major, and perhaps irreversible, impact on the planet and all living things on it (including humanity). If we see some major changes happening now, what will grandchildren and great grandchildren see at the end of this century?
It is hard for us as individuals or as a church community to turn the tide of climate change, to convince politicians, businesses and electors around the world that lifestyles must change, and the economic costs of change be faced. But we can pray, and keep praying. We can lobby, and keep lobbying. We can support organisations like Christian Aid as they lobby, campaign and provide practical help to people in places like Zimbabwe, so that they not only survive, but begin to thrive.
Hymn 532 Lord you have come to the seashore
Prayers for others
Gracious God
We thank you for the privilege
of living in this global garden
planted to bear your fruit,
to delight our tongues,
to fill our stomachs,
to energise our bodies.
You have given us life
in all its fullness.
But many people do not experience that fullness
the earth groans from the way humanity treats it
and many live with hunger, fear, neglect
You care about your world
and each person in it
through your Spirit you seek to bring healing and wholeness
take and use these our prayers in your work
and use us too in the work of building your Kingdom
those who are ill, those who worry about them,
those who care for them
those waiting for or receiving treatment
and those for whom there is no treatment
those who are feeling lonely, down
or grieving a friend or loved one
those who don’t have enough to eat
don’t have somewhere to call home
those who are worried about family, friends, work, home,
money
those who long to live in peace and safety
we pray for the Queen, the Government
all in positions of leadership in this and every land
we pray for your church
the worldwide church, the wider church in Dumbarton
our own congregation
we pray for the work of Christian Aid and its partners
for all who will be engaged in Christian Aid Week
raining funds and awareness
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
Video 2 (Lord’s Prayer)
Hymn 692 Jesus puts this song into our hearts
Blessing (3-fold Amen)
Christ was raised from the dead
by the glorious power of the Father.
Set out, then, on a new life with Christ
And the blessing of God Almighty
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
rest and remain with you
today, and every day, and for ever