Sunday 16th August 'A tale of two fathers'

This week, in our time of worship, we continued working through Luke's gospel. Our overall theme focused upon greatness - what makes it, and where we find it. The readings today were:
Psalm 104: 1-5, 24-28, 31-34;  Luke 9:37-50

Why a tale of two fathers?
Immediately preceding our passage from Luke is the story of the transfiguration - our reading begins with Jesus, John, and James and John having just come back down from the mountain. It's a high point - both literally, and spiritually - and a space in which God, as Father, affirms his son, Jesus 'this is my Son, listen to him.'
And having experienced this, Jesus and the three disciples come back down from this mountain-top moment and come face to face with another father, another son: the son, demonstrably unwell...the father, distraught. 

As part of our reflection upon this section of Luke's gospel, we imagined the story of the father and the son being recounted by the father after both had returned home... 

I remember the night he was born.
Remember the cries of my wife, giving birth;
remember later
the smaller, high-pitched cry of my son.
It had been a difficult birth and, in the end,
proved almost too much for my wife’s body.
She survived, but there were no more children:
he was our first, and our last.
And how we loved him— he gave us such joy.
We mirrored each other:
fretted when he fretted,
laughed when he laughed,
and grew to know each other well.
Until we didn’t.
Something had changed.
He was no longer himself -
no longer the happy care-free boy we’d come to know.
Instead, he was a stranger, howling into the void, his body not his own.
We’d watch in horror as he’d fling his wee body to the ground,
terrified that he would hurt himself.
We felt… helpless,
seeing his limbs twitching,
his mouth frothing: onlookers to someone not in possession of themselves.
Where where was our wee boy in the midst of all of this? 
We learnt to sit with him,
my wife crooning a lullaby to soothe him,
to bring him back to us.

We also discovered who our true friends were—
fewer than we’d thought,
but those few stayed by us,
didn’t shun us like the others in the village.
Even so, as time went by,
it just felt better to stay at home,
shut ourselves away;
the stares and whispers were just…
too much.
But it was through our friends
that we heard of the Rabbi.
He had been travelling around,
doing amazing things,
transforming people’s lives
and he was headed our way.
I knew there and then that I’d take our son to see him.
It was worth the looks,
the pointing fingers,
the name-calling.

At first, I asked the Rabbi’s disciples:
they seemed unable to help,
but they took us to Jesus.
Even as we approached,
my son lost control,
threw his body to the ground,
and then the awful convulsions overtook him.
At a word from Jesus, however, it …stopped.
Whatever had overtaken my son was gone.
I looked into his eyes.
“Daddy?”
And then I held him close and cried.
Jesus had brought him back,
and, in the doing,
had given not only my son his life back,
but all of our futures combined.

We sat together in the dust awhile, recovering,
watching a spat between the Rabbi’s disciples.
Sounded like his followers
were trying to find their own place
in the pecking order.
Jesus turned back to us,
smiled, picked up my wee son
and placed him in the middle of their circle.
“See this little one?
Welcome those like him—
the smallest,
the ones thought of as unimportant,
the least.
And know this, in God’s pecking order,
the ones who are considered the greatest
are the ones like these.”

Well, that was different.
Never heard teaching the likes of that before.

Then Jesus and his disciples went on their way, as did we.
As my son and I approached the house, my wife saw us –
knew something had changed,
and ran and scooped our son up –
we clung together, with joyful tears,
our son, squashed between us…
precious, loved.

Our boy …is back.
Thank God.*
--------------------------

A blessing as you move into the week:

May we welcome the opportunity to live called to holiness,
loving our brothers and sisters,
working with our hands to help our neighbours,
for this is where we find true greatness.

May we go from this place
astounded at the greatness of God,
amazed at all Jesus has done and is doing,
and recognise the work of the Spirit given to us in our daily lives.

And, as we go:
may the blessing of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with us all, evermore.
Amen

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Just to note that there were no specific church notices this week... very unusual!!

*the father's reflection, written by Nikki, can also be found in the resource Spill the Beans

Update 6 August

 

NEWS, INFORMATION, UPDATES 6th AUGUST

Annual leave:
The minister has now returned from annual leave.

Many thanks to the Rev. Morag Garrett, minister of Coalburn and Lesmahagow Old Parish for providing funeral cover over the holiday, to Mr Roy Garrett for conducting worship on Sun 26 July, and to Ralph Barker and Ursula Baillie for leading our Songs of Praise service on Sun 2 August.
Thanks, also to Dr Dee Yates and Ms Heather Watt for acting as parish contacts during this time.

Annual Stated Meeting: our ASM will be held on Sunday 9th August on the return of the minister. During the meeting, we will receive the accounts and hear an overview of 2025. This is much later than usual this year, but huge thanks to Ralph, and to the presbytery finance team for helping untangle some 'heritage' accounts that had held up the accounts being approved. 

Parish magazine - summer edition: we are hoping that this will be ready around mid-August and available for distribution.

Martin Raine: we were very sad to hear of Martin's death. Please remember Janet and the family at this time. The funeral will be held at the parish church on Thurs 13th August at 2pm. Thereafter, refreshments at the family home in Crawford.

Update for Mon 20 July - Wed 5 August

NEWS, INFORMATION, UPDATES for MON 20 JULY - WED 5 AUGUST

Annual leave:
The minister will be on annual leave during this time.
Funeral cover will be provided by the Rev. Morag Garrett, minister of Coalburn and Lesmahagow Old Parish. Her contact details are: email -  MGarrett@churchofscotland.org.uk or phone deleted
General parish queries - should any arise, please contact Dr Dee Yates on deleted from Mon 20th - Tues 28th July. Thereafter, Ms Heather Watt on deleted
Worship cover will be provided by Mr Roy Garratt on Sun 26th July, and by Mr Ralph Barker and Mrs Ursula Baillie on Sun 2nd August - this latter will be our annual Songs of Praise worship service with themes centring around Ps 100.

Annual Stated Meeting: our ASM will be held on Sunday 9th August on the return of the minister. During the meeting, we will receive the accounts and hear an overview of 2025. This is much later than usual this year, but huge thanks to Ralph, and to the presbytery finance team for helping untangle some 'heritage' accounts that had held up the accounts being approved. 

Parish magazine - summer edition: we are hoping that this will be ready around mid-August and available for distribution.

Martin Raine: we were very sad to hear of Martin's death. Please remember Janet and the family at this time. The funeral will be held at the parish church on Thurs 13th August at 2pm. Thereafter, refreshments at the family home in Crawford.

Sun 5 July 'Who? Where?'

WELCOME
This week, in our time of worship, we continued working our way through Luke's Gospel, and paid a wee visit to the Book of Acts.

Our readings:
Luke 7:1-23 and Acts 10:1-8,21-35.

Reflection
One of my favourite films is ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, and I was slightly reminded of it as I looked at our readings for today… except in this instance, it’s more a case of ‘two centurions and a widow' which, if it were a film, would have one of those wee inserts in the end credits, adding in John the prophet with a wee dialogue to underscore the point of the whole story:
‘Are you the one…?’
‘Actually, yeah…’

Both are big readings, with a rather large cast, and quite a lot going on.
As to the people involved, if you were to try and classify most of them, they're divided into 'insiders' and 'outsiders', with a strong emphasis on the outsiders.
For Luke, the umbrella under which these passages sit is very much about identity and belonging.
And right at the centre …is Jesus.
(physically, in the case of the Gospel reading, and working through Peter by the Spirit, in our reading from Acts)
Now, there’s quite a lot going on in our readings, but, if you were to distil them down, you’d find two key questions being discussed:
Who is Jesus? and…
Where is he to be found?

Having recounted Jesus' 'sermon on the plain', Luke moves on, as do we:
getting into the more nitty gritty of Jesus’ public ministry.
Jesus’ identity is very quickly established through the praise and acclaim of the crowds who clamour to see who he is. Here, in these early days of his ministry, the people realise that there’s something different about Jesus – he may be a carpenter’s son, but there’s more to him:
at the very least, Jesus is a prophet. And, as word spreads around the countryside- it’s not just Jewish people who are hearing of his words and deeds, which is where our first centurion comes into the picture, as does the grieving mother in Nain.

In choosing to highlight their stories, and the story of Cornelius in Acts, Luke’s keen to point out that Jesus is for everyone, not just the perfect, select few;
indeed, that Jesus goes beyond the bounds of culture, class, creed, and is there for friend, and enemy alike.
This latter, particularly in the case of our two centurions who are very much a part of the machine of the oppressive state that controls Judea. Interestingly, in both cases, it is the local Jewish people who vouch for their characters - yes, they are Romans, yes, they're in the military, but even though their enemies, they're... decent men.
And so, in both cases, these outsiders are helped - if we're all Jock Tamson's bairns, then the principle is even more so when it comes to God: we are all God's children.

But what of the widow?
Here is a picture of grief at its most stark, and also of social collapse. The woman’s lost not only a child but the shape of her future.*  With her son gone, she has no means to sustain herself. In this moment, as she takes her son for burial, her grief is fresh, raw and it's in this moment that Jesus enters the scene. Moved with compassion, the son is restored to life, and the mother, restored to her son.
Where is Jesus?
He’s right there with her, in her grief.
In this story, Luke demonstrates that Jesus is not remote, not detached:
Jesus is found on the road of mourning, in the public place of heartbreak, where loss has stripped everything back.*
Who is Jesus here within this story?
Jesus is the compassion of God made visible.

And then, we have John - John who is languishing in prison at Herod’s command. And, acting almost as a post-script to what Luke is trying to tell us about Jesus, the plain question is asked:
‘Are you the One, or should we look for another?’
And rather than answering in a parable Jesus sends back the reply, quoting from the prophet Isaiah, telling of all that he’s been doing:
the signs of God’s kingdom of heaven breaking in to earth.
It’s his way of saying to the followers of John:
‘Tell John, yes, I am.’
Jesus is indeed the One of whom prophets spoke, the One who continues in the line of prophets, but is more than a prophet: he is God’s own Son walking in the midst of humanity and all we experience.
And, in faith, I have to believe that Jesus is there in every situation of sorrow and grief amongst the people of Venezuela right now, just as he is in the wider world;
just as he is in each one of our lives – with us in sorrow, pain, anxiety, despair, and with us in joy, and laughter, and all the goodness of life as well.
At Christmas we refer to Jesus as 'Immanuel' – meaning ‘God with us’.
So, where is Jesus?
With us.

In his poem, ‘The Call’ 17th century poet and priest, George Herbert expressed his own understanding of who Jesus was to him:
not only the way, the truth, and the life, but his light, his strength, his joy, his love, his heart.
The poem is copied below.
Who is Jesus? And where is he?
Luke, in both his gospel and in the Book of Acts gives us some compelling answers.
And, like George Herbert, while we might not write poetry about it, what of our response?
Where are we when it comes to Jesus and who do we say he is?
Amen.

'The Call'
Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life;
Such a Way as gives us breath, 

Such a Truth as ends all strife, 

Such a Life as killeth death. 

Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength;
Such a Light as shows a Feast, 

Such a Feast as mends in length, 

Such a Strength as makes his guest. 

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart;
Such a Joy as none can move, 

Such a Love as none can part, 

Such a Heart as joys in love.

*with thanks to this week's Spill the Beans material...

Sun 14 June 'Blessed are... the refugees'

Monday marks the beginning of ‘Refugee Week’ – and certainly, it’s a theme that is more relevant than ever, especially after the events in Northern Ireland and Scotland over this last week.

Nicola Brady, the General Secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland writes: 

'It is an ancient tradition across the world that holy places are considered places of sanctuary for those at risk of persecution. In the Christian faith this principle is enshrined in Scripture and given powerful expression in the ministry of Christ and the disciples of the early Church, who sought hospitality as they journeyed to share the Good News in dangerous times.'

Mindful of that, and mindful that we as God’s people are people with God’s good news to share, so we spend time this week in worship thinking about radical welcome and hospitality.

Bible passage for the week: Luke 6:17-31 
¹⁷ He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. ¹⁸ They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹ And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. ²⁰ Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
²¹ ‘Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 
²² ‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. ²³ Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.  
²⁴ ‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 
²⁵ ‘Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.  
²⁶ ‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. 
²⁷ ‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. ²⁹ If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. ³⁰ Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. ³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Reflection

Most of you will have heard of the Sermon on the Mount which is found in Matthew chapter 5.

And, listening to our gospel reading this morning, many of the words that Jesus was saying sound oddly familiar. The passage from Luke, however, is referred to by biblical scholars as the ‘Sermon on the plain’ – no ‘mount’ here:

no standing 6 feet above contradiction in this passage.

Echoing last week’s theme, ‘on the level’ and not standing above, continues the theme of Jesus as the one who breaks down hierarchies, for all of us are equal in God’s eyes.

And the language we use to describe one another – our fellow human beings –
is important, because words matter.

Yes, we all know that old Victorian rhyme:

‘Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me.’

But hurt is not just about physical scars and bruising:

words matter, for words can wound the heart, the mind, our very souls –

the sense of who we are,

our sense of worth,

our sense of belonging,

of being welcome, included.

Over the last years – in the lead up to Brexit, and beyond –

there have been a lot of words, a lot of headlines, a lot of news items and interviews with various people all ready to give their particular 'hot take' on the matter of one word which has become a portmanteau word:

a catch all that has quite a few layers of meaning within it and which gets bandied about without dealing with the nuances that it contains.

That word:

immigrants.

It's become a short-hand, catch all word that, in some quarters, just means ‘foreigners’,

and within those particular quarters are people who willingly spout racist rhetoric and attack people both verbally and physically. However, there is a vast difference between an immigrant who willingly chooses to come to this country to settle and work, and between an asylum seeker forced by extreme circumstances to seek refuge, and the refugee:

the asylum seeker who has been given refuge.

Under international Law, every human being on the planet has the right to seek asylum:

let’s be clear – there is no such thing as an ‘illegal’ human being.

This week is ‘Refugee Week’ and the key theme for the week is ‘courage’.

It’s estimated that, globally, there are currently around 43 million refugees, almost half of which are children. These are people who have been through horrors that we can scarcely imagine. 

They have been forced from their homes by conflict, persecution, disasters such as floods and drought, and extreme poverty. Many will have been separated from loved ones; many will be traumatised and grieving. For refugees around the world, courage is often a daily necessity. 

It is the courage to face unknown journeys, learn new languages, navigate unfamiliar systems, or simply to wake up each morning and step into an uncertain world.

Those who flee see the possibility of “life and prosperity” if they leave, and the threat of “death and adversity” if they stay, and so, they choose life.

Along with the many words, new stories, images of those seeking refuge, we've also been seeing reactions to those fleeing from harm and arriving here in the UK:

in the midst of all the words, there's been a slew of misinformation. Far right groups have wasted no time in galvanising themselves to stir up conflict, spilling over into violence.

We’ve seen the signs, heard the rhetoric and the slogans:

‘stop the boats’.

This last week, we saw the horrors of those who would twist facts and statistics about asylum seekers and refugees in such a way that it divides community. We saw the news coverage coming from Northern Ireland where people were being hunted down, and targeted; where people’s homes were being burnt down: households that had within them little children –

the very ones who Jesus welcomes with open arms…

and then, we saw the naked racism on display in the march in Glasgow on Buchanan St.

Jesus would weep.

It was reassuring, however, to see the number of people out in Glasgow yesterday, protesting against such behaviour.

But what of our text from Luke's gospel?

What is being described is a bold vision of life and community that expresses the values and commitments of God’s reign:

a stunningly countercultural vision of the life of those who follow Jesus, of life and relationship within the realm of God.

The blessings and woes that Jesus outlines, describe a world that reverses almost everything that his disciples – than and now – know of how things work. And if you spend time with these words, it’s hard not to hear in the background the words of Mary, before Jesus was born:

the words we know as ‘the Magificat’ – which I noted earlier in the year was a political manifesto for change, for liberation.

Here is Jesus, pointing to God’s great reversal of the way things are to the way things could and should be:

a world shaped by God and not human mores.

They are promises to those who are suffering in this world that God still sees them, loves them, and is intent on their thriving. Jesus’ words are also warning calls to his hearers that they are called to live with attention and generosity toward their neighbours, even as God is attentive and generous.

This is generally not the way the world operates; it is not a comfortable or safe path to walk. 

We are much more familiar with self-preservation strategies that prioritize our own safety and comfort, 

…perhaps even at the expense of others’ flourishing. 

There is no soft and easy message to proclaim from this text. 

It is the sort of message that could get one crucified by the empire…

And so we come back to that word ‘courage.’

At a time when some seek to divide and blame, Refugee Week 2026 calls us to come together and share the courage to welcome, to stand for what we, as followers of Jesus, believe in, and to celebrate culture and community – to be joyful, imagine new possibilities, dream, heal, and connect.

Courage isn’t always loud or bold. 

It can be found in simple acts: 

opening your door to a neighbour, trying new food, reading a book, or watching a film that changes

your view of the world. It can be speaking up, befriending the stranger – the refugee in your midst.

And, it's also well to remember:

Jesus himself, and his family, were refugees.

On the other side of the story of the birth in the stable, and the joy, and the love, and the good news of God’s kingdom breaking into the world is the story of the King of that land, the tyrant, Herod the Great. Alerted to news of the birth of a baby boy who would reign as king, through the visit of men from the east seeking the child, Herod was determined to find the child and destroy him. That determination led to the slaughter of every male child in Bethlehem under the age of two.

The holy family fled in time, finding refuge in Egypt for a time before eventually coming home –  which is actually the dream of most refugees:

if it was safe to do so, most would return to their homeland in a heartbeat.

Thinking of his escape to Egypt, and thinking of the words to those gathered on the plain – the message today is simply this:

if we cannot have compassion for refugees, we cannot call ourselves Christians. 

If we do not help refugees, we cannot call ourselves the church.
Words matter.

Courage is one.

Compassion is another - compassion, which is at the heart of what Jesus is getting at in our text for today.

As Jesus said:

‘Do to others as you would have them do to you.’

And, in the words of Nadia Bolz Weber, 

‘blessed are the merciful, for they totally get it.’

(n.b. within worship, we showed a clip of Pastor Nadia B-W giving a contemporary feel to the 'blessed are' sayings).

Let’s pray:

God of love and compassion free from borders, 

your presence spans all creation.

In Jesus, you took sanctuary in us; 

and in you, we find our eternal sanctuary.

We behold you in community with those 

uprooted from their homes by war, 

poverty, persecution and extreme weather, 

especially those who make their way 

to these shores on small boats.

Be the shelter of their lives.

Bless their courage and resilience 

in seeking freedom and sanctuary.

Help us to build cultures of welcome, 

hospitality and sanctuary for all:

to build community where there is conflict;

compassion where there is cruelty;

humanity where there is hatred;

hospitality where there is hostility;

And so, to practice and proclaim hope. 

In the Name of Christ, we pray.   Amen

(today's reflection built upon resources provided for Refugee Week from CTBI - Churches Together in Britain and Ireland)

Sun 7 June 'Is the hokey pokey really what it's all about?'

Hello and welcome to our online reflection based on our Sunday morning service of worship.

Welcome is very much the theme today, as we hear of a feast to which Jesus was invited and see just who was ‘in’ and just who was ‘out’....

Notices

Just a couple of notices to flag up:

Tues 9 June, 10:30am funeral of Morag Forrest.  This will be in the church and then followed by her committal across at Roberton Cemetery. 

Please do keep the family in your prayers at this time.

Clydesdale food bank: As this is a communion month, the food bank box is once again in the church vestibule and ready to accept any donations of food and hygiene products – if you’re able to help, that would be very much appreciated.

The box will be uplifted on the last Sunday of the month

and, as ever, thanks in advance.
To help online, please go to this LINK to make a donation.

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Our Gospel reading for the day:

Luke 5:27-39 

After this he went out and saw a tax-collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ ²⁸ And he got up, left everything, and followed him. ²⁹ Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax-collectors and others sitting at the table with them. ³⁰ The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his  disciples, saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax-collectors and sinners?’ ³¹ Jesus answered, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; ³² I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.’ ³³ Then they said to him, ‘John’s disciples, like the disciples of the Pharisees, frequently fast and pray, but your disciples eat and drink.’ ³⁴ Jesus said to them, ‘You cannot make wedding-guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? ³⁵ The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.’ ³⁶ He also told them a parable: ‘No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹ And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine, but says, “The old is good.”’

Reflection

For our time of reflection, one of life's big questions:
What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
'In, out, in, out, shake it all about, you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about.'...
But is it?
This, as we think about the ‘in’, ‘out’ in relation to our gospel reading for today, in which we see some who think of themselves as the ‘in’ group, and those who they consider are ‘out’. 

So what have we got here in our text?

There’s Levi, who we know more familiarly as ‘Matthew’.

Levi’s a tax collector.

Levi is based in Capernaum – which is loosely being used by Jesus and his disciples as a handy go-to base from which to travel around the surrounding countryside of the Galilee region.

Capernaum is a port town, a trading centre, a busy place.

A useful place for a tax collector to set up his business – 

and, no doubt, Levi’s set up his tax booth so it’s right in the midst of things:

a place where he can easily access those who are obliged to pay tax.

His is a face that would be well known and because of his career, Levi is generally the last person anyone really wants to have dealings with.

In the time, and place, and cultures of the day, there are all sorts of pecking orders, hierarchies.

Levi lives in a land where a foreign power rules – the occupying Romans.

They have their own particular customs, rituals, culture, their own social niceties and levels of status.

Given they’ve taken over the country, the Romans consider themselves at the at the top of the pile:

the ones who are most definitely ‘in’.

And because they view themselves as conquerors, they very much look down on those they’ve conquered and, who they were essentially, oppressing.

Outwith the Romans, there were the Jews, whose land it was, and who had their own particular customs, rituals, culture, and ways of classifying people who to them were either ‘in’ or ’out:

which people were important and which ones weren’t;

who was contributing, and who wasn’t;

who to include and who to avoid at all costs.

Now, if the Romans looked down on the Jews, 

the Jews looked down on those who were not Jewish, those they called ‘gentiles.’

But, whether Jew or Gentile, all of them have to pay their taxes to the Romans.

And, while Levi’s not a Roman, he works for them,

and has built up substantial wealth in doing so.

In the eyes of his own people, the Jews, just because of the nature of his work, Levi’s considered to be of dubious moral character, a collaborator and a traitor.

But there’s more:

because he also spends time with people of all kinds, there are those in the Jewish religious hierarchy who view him as ‘unclean’.

While it’s a cause of upset and offence to the pharisees and the scribes that Jesus both calls Levi to follow, and then accepts a dinner invite, I’d hazard a guess that no one is more surprised than Levi at being asked to hang out with Jesus and his followers. And unlike the followers who were fishermen, Levi just can't simply return to his job should things not work out: there's no Plan B, no going back.  When Jesus invites Levi to come and follow him, well, a little like the hokey pokey, Levi turns himself around – for to repent means just that, to turn from what you’re doing.

In doing so, he discovers that, for the first time in however long it’s been, he’s less a case of being ‘out’:

he’s in.

He belongs.

It’s a cause for celebration.

The sign of his belonging is further seen by Jesus willingly accepting a place at Levi’s table for a feast. To sit at table and share a meal was a sign not only of sharing hospitality, it was a symbol of relationship - you were considered an extension of the family.

Jesus sits with Levi and his friends - those considered completely 'out' by the Scribes and Pharisees - and it completely messes with their whole social, religious, and hierarchical understanding of how the world worked.

Jesus was a rabbi, one who was supposed to know the Law,

Jesus was one of 'them'.

What on earth was he playing at?

Grace.

Simply, grace.

Grace is about God’s gift of life and goodness, of God’s enduring love for humanity.

It reflects his nature to love without limits, to love freely, unconditionally, whether we ‘deserve’ that love, or not.

And so, Jesus reminds the scribes and the pharisees that they are already ‘in’ –

they already know God’s grace.

Jesus doesn’t need to sit and eat with them …

he needs to be with those who feel cast out:

the ones who in so many ways within their lives have never really felt they’ve been included,

who’ve never felt they’ve belonged, 

who’ve never felt that they deserved God’s grace:

the ones who’ve felt that God’s love is not for the likes of them.

Sitting at table, Jesus is showing those gathered at the feast that they are not ‘them’…

not ‘the others’,

but that they are utterly loved and held within God’s grace, just as much as the scribes and the pharisees are – in God’s eyes, there is no ‘them’, only ‘us’.

Last week, we were thinking about God as Trinity:

the three and oneness of God –

and we thought about the concept of Trinity within the framework of relationship:

One God, in perfect community –

bound by love, which unites, not excludes.

God, as a Trinity of love, calling us into a relationship of love –

with God, and with one another.

In a week in which we are invited to come to the table where Jesus is host, this story reminds us that as with Levi, his grace is extended to us, 

for, as with Levi and all those gathered around the table for that particular feast so long ago,

we gather to share in the meal of grace created for all who follow,

and, in doing so, to turn their lives around -

and discover, that in him, as with Levi,

so too, we are welcome,

we are included,

bound together in a relationship of love with him.

Who are the ones we might think of as ‘them’, 

the ones we think of as ‘out’ not ‘in’?

How might we turn ourselves around from that way of thinking, and so extend God’s grace, God’s love?

The story of Levi’s calling, of Jesus breaking bread with him and the company of those considered by some as ‘outcasts’ is a story of profound grace:

about a life turned around.

It’s a story that calls us to rejoice that no one is beyond hope,

no one is beyond God’s love and grace.

And it’s a story that challenges us to share that grace.

May you know the blessing of God's grace, this day and everyday. Amen.

Let's pray:

Gracious God,
In a moment of quiet prayer, we pray for all who are on our minds and in our hearts this day, and bring to you our own particular needs…

Lord, we commit the week ahead to you. 

Shine your light into every situation so that we can see where you are at work and follow your lead. 

Send us out as people of hope to bring your love into every place you lead us.

We offer you these prayers, 

in Jesus’ name, amen.

'A wee minding' - Worship Sun 28 Dec

WELCOME to worship on this last Sunday of the year, and the Sunday immediately following Christmas. Our usual custom on this Sunday is to hold a service of Lessons and Carols. As that's a bit too complex to organise via our limited tech, online, we've a wee minding: a shorter time of worship with a couple of carols, a reading, some candles, a prayer, and a blessing - to keep you going through the week.

Just a note about online worship as we go forward:

We're scaling back a little, so at the moment, the plan looks like this -
we return online for the season of Lent, through to Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. Thereafter, we'll have an online service roughly once a month, with Pentecost, some summer sessions, Harvest, and Remembrance, before beginning once again at the start of the church year with Advent once more. This may well be rejigged, so please do feel free to give some input, we'd be happy to hear your thoughts!

Meanwhile, for this week, the WORSHIP LINK IS HERE 

Enjoy the rest of Christmastide, a happy Hogmanay to you, and God's blessing upon you for the new year.

Nikki

'Lament' - worship for Sunday 13 July

WELCOME to worship this week. We're continuing our series on the Psalms, this week, exploring Ps 22 - a lament of David. Our 'take-away' question is 'Where are you, God?'

As we listen to David, and hear a little of Job's story, we find that rather than a sign of doubt, to ask questions of God is much more a demonstration of faith...

The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE and is now available to access.

CHURCH NOTICES/
Hymn nominations: planning a little ahead, for our Songs of Praise celebration service in 10 August, it's time to get nomination your favourite hymns for possible inclusion. Either message me via the 'contact us' facility on the right hand side of the page, or simply leave a comment under today's blog post.

These are all the notices, so until next week, may you know God's presence with you throughout this coming week.

Nikki 

'Thanks' - worship Sun 6 July

WELCOME to worship this week. 
We continue delving into the Book of Psalms. This week, Ps 111, accompanied by David's great hymn of praise in 1 Chronicles 16:8ff. Our theme today: gratitude and giving thanks.

You can find the WORSHIP LINK HERE

CHURCH NOTICES/
Favourite hymns needed! In preparation for our upcoming Songs of Praise service on 10th August, do please nominate your favourite hymns in advance, so that when I come back from annual leave, I can go through your choices and hopefully include them in the service. We have 8 hymn slots to fill. You can nominated more than one hymn choice. Either leave a comment on this page with your nomination, or over on YouTube under the worship video. I look forward to seeing how the playlist shapes up!!

In the meantime, have a good week, 

God bless
Nikki 

'Faithful' - worship Sun 29 June

WELCOME to worship this week as we continue our travels through the Psalms. This week, we explore Ps 145 and reflect on God's faithfulness.

The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE.

CHURCH NOTICES/ 
Clydesdale Food Bank: just to say a very appreciative thank you for the donations given to the Food Bank this month.

Clydesdale Trinity Cluster: Douglas Valley 'Souper Sundays' - our friends from Douglas Valley asked if we would flag up their upcoming Souper Sundays after their time of worship to which representatives from the wider cluster are very welcome to attend.
The dates are:
6th July 2025; 17th August 2025; 28th September 2025; 26th October 2025; 16th November.
They’re also planning a Big Summer Breakfast Event for 27th July.

Meanwhile, may you know the blessing of the One who is faithful, over the course of this week.

Take care
Nikki 

'Forever' - worship Sun 22 June

WELCOME to worship this week. We continue our wee daunder through Psalms, this week, reflecting on Ps 118 - and our key word is 'forever'.

The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE

CHURCH NOTICES
Cluster and potential union update: just to note that I'll be updating our dedicated page soon to keep you all in the loop on where we're currently at in the process.
Otherwise:
Clydesdale Food Bank: just a reminder that this is a food bank month, so all donations gratefully received. To go directly to the Clydesdale Food Bank donations page CLICK HERE.

As you go into this week, may you know God's steadfast love, which endures forever.

God bless
Nikki

'We choose joy' - worship Sun 15 June

WELCOME to worship this week, where, over these next weeks, we'll be taking a wee daunder through several of the psalms, each exploring a different theme. Today, we consider joy.
The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE

CHURCH NOTICES
Support your local foodbank: just a reminder that over the Sundays of June we are flagging up the great work that Clydesdale food bank does in our wider area, helping those most vulnerable within our communities. If you're able to help, please click on the LINK HERE which will take you across to their website, where you can make an online donation.

And this week in our prayers, let's remember our children and young people as they approach the last week of the school year - particularly for all the P7's moving from Primary to Biggar High School, and, for our young people at Biggar High who are finishing this year and moving on to known and as yet, unknown adventures.

Have a joy filled week

God Bless,

Nikki

'The imitation game' - worship 1 June, 2025

WELCOME to worship, where we find ourselves in the third and last week reflecting on the words of the prophet Micah, on what the Lord requires of us: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.

Just a quick recap – in week one, we examined the Micah passage through the lens of 1st Corinthians, which reminded us that we do what the Lord requires as a community – each bringing our different skills and talents to the mix.
Last week, we thought about the appropriate industrial work kit for the task, as we looked at Micah through the lens of Colossians where we were encouraged – to ‘clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,’ and a little further on: ‘above all, clothe yourselves with love – which binds everything together in perfect harmony.’

This week, the lens we’ll explore Micah’s words with come from Ephesians which urges us to ‘be imitators of God’…

So, if you like, in a nutshell -
Week 1 – community
Week 2 – clothes
Week 3 – copying

Our WORSHIP LINK IS HERE and the service will be available sometime after 8pm Sunday evening.

CHURCH NOTICES:
Only the one, which is that as this is a month in which communion falls, we're once again flagging up the work of Clydesdale Food Bank. There'll be a box in the vestibule for items of food and other goods over the Sundays of June. To help online just CLINK THIS LINK which will take you to their website, where you'll be able to make a donation.

May you know God walking with you through this week, and until next time, 

God bless,
Nikki

'With what?' Worship for Sunday 18 May

WELCOME to worship this week where, over these next three weeks, we’re going to be hearing a particular passage from Micah each week, along with an accompanying scriptural text.

So, spanning these three weeks, we’ll be hearing from Micah 6, verses 6-8 – reminding us just what the Lord requires of us… and these three actions:
to do justice
to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with our God…
Our question for the day: ‘With what shall I come before the Lord?’

Our WORSHIP LINK IS HERE (and finally available - apologies for the delay due to tech issues!)

CHURCH NOTICES -
Apology: my  apologies for being away slightly longer than anticipated, and not delivering worship online. Just prior to returning from annual leave I received news of the deaths of my mother and stepfather, so took an extra week off. Huge thanks for folks filling in while I’ve been away. Also, thanks for the kind words during this unexpected double bereavement; I’ve felt very much supported, and it’s much appreciated. 

Parish newsletter: due to the above, our newsletter is now a wee bit behind schedule, as I'd hoped to get the last of it done and dusted before I came back from leave... There's just a couple of items that I'll need to rejig, but soon, friends, soon.

General Assembly of the Church of Scotland: it's that time of year again, and this year, I'm a commissioner. This means that, even though I'm back from both holiday and compassionate leave, my time this week will be fully given over to Assembly matters.
I'll be more fully present in the parish from Friday!
If you do need to get in contact with me, either email, or use my mobile number - I might not be able to answer immediately, but do leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can: 07985919509

Sun 25 May - Stated Annual Meeting: it's also this time of year... according to my diary, our SAM is this coming Sunday and will be held on site immediately after worship. All are welcome to attend and share a cuppa as we look back over the last year.

Evening worship: a reminder that our evening services are on hold for the moment, so there'll be no worship this evening in Leadhills.

Sun 1 June - quarterly Communion: looking further ahead, don’t forget that our quarterly service of communion is on the horizon, and will be held on Sunday the first of June… 

God bless as enter into a new week,
Nikki

WELCOME to our time of worship this week as we continue our Lenten journey. If last week we found ourselves in the wilderness, this week it's a lot more lush: tree by stream, with fruit in season, and some advice for navigating the river of life from the writer of Psalm One, and the Apostle Paul. 

The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE 


CHURCH NOTICES/

Church newsletter: the deadline for items to go into the newsletter is by end of play today. So if you do have something you’d like to see in the newsletter, please do get it to Dee by midnight!!  

Pulpit swap: a reminder that I’ll be across at Douglas Valley next week, for a baptism and to share in communion. While I’m over there, worship onsite will be conducted by Denham Macdougall, from Cairngryffe. Online, I’ll put up the usual links to services elsewhere here on the blog, should you wish to join in worship. 

Cluster conversations: Just to note that on Wednesday evening, there’ll be another of our cluster meetings exploring our potential union with Douglas Valley and Cairngryffe – at Douglas. And Dee and I will be going to represent Upper Clyde. Do please keep these meetings and the ongoing conversation in your prayers. Thanks.

Food bank donations over Lent: don't forget that over the season of Lent, we'll be gathering items for the Clydesdale foodbank. Should you wish to make a donation online you can CLICK THIS LINK to take you across to their website. Thanks in advance.

'Wow'- worship for Sun 2 March

WELCOME to this week's time of worship, where on this Transfiguration Sunday, we spend some time up on the mountain-top with Jesus.

Our WORSHIP LINK IS HERE

Church notices follow...

CHURCH NOTICES/
Communion - As today is a Communion Sunday in the parish church, just a reminder to those living within the parish who are unable to attend, that home communion is available on request. Please do let Nikki or Dee know if you would like us to 'extend the aisle' and share communion with you at home, we'd be very happy to help.

Church newsletter: We are now in the process of preparing out Easter newsletter. If you would like to contribute any items for inclusion, please do get in touch with Dee or myself. If you don't have Dee's details, just use the 'contact us' facility to the right of our blog page, to get in touch.

Fri. 7 March -
11am - Funeral of Jean Carrick in the parish church, followed by graveside committal at Lamington Cemetery. Do please keep the family in your prayers at this time.

2pm - World Day of Prayer - the combined Guilds of Upper Clyde, Rigside, and Cairngryffe will meet together at Cairngryffe Parish Church for the annual World Day of Prayer. Refreshments will be provided after worship.

'Jesus is my superhero' - worship for Sun 23 Feb

Welcome to worship this week. Over these last weeks we've been exploring various aspects of Jesus. We began with Jesus the boy, moved to Jesus the storyteller, and this week, it’s wonder-working Jesus – as we hear two different accounts from Mark’s gospel, of Jesus demonstrating his power.

The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE 

CHURCH NOTICES -
Jean Carrick: Some sad news to share. If you’ve not yet heard, Jean Carrick died on Monday. Please keep Jimmy and the family in your prayers at this difficult time. Jean’s funeral will be on Friday the 7th of March, at 11am, here in the parish church, followed by a committal at Lamington Cemetery.

Evening worship: a reminder that evening worship will begin again on the last Sunday of March, and not this evening. So, if you turn up to Leadhills hall at 5 this evening you’ll be having a rather quiet time of it!

Quarterly Communion: this coming Sunday, the 3rd of March, will be a service of Communion, on site. Please do let anyone know, who you think would like to come along, and remember, that all are welcome, for it is the table of the Lord, and he invites us to come and share and remember.

As you go out into a new week, may you know God's presence with you each step of the way.

God bless

Nikki

'The Source' - worship Sun 9 Feb

Welcome to this week's time of worship where we'll spend some time thinking about that one tantalising story of Jesus, between birth and baptism as an adult at the beginning of his ministry. How might this story of the young Jesus help us navigate our way in a topsy-turvy 21st century?

The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE and the service should be available from around 5.30pm today.

Church notices:
Thanks - to everyone who helped with lifts last week, for our road trip to worship with our friends at Cairngryffe Church, for the visit of the Moderator. It was a lovely service and great to catch up with folk over refreshments afterward.
Boiler - a huge thank you to Sara, our excellent and very diligent church cleaner, who went above and beyond on Thursday, having come into the building to a new 'swimming pool' in the hallway by the boiler - a small part had either worn or snapped, causing water to leak. Her industrial wet 'n dry vac really came into its own! Thanks also to Willie, our ever-reliable property convenor, who jumped in his car after a quick phone call and who managed to stop the leak. 
Tues 11, 7pm - Kirk Session meets via zoom - I suspect the boiler will enter into some of our discussions!! 

Boilers notwithstanding, have a great week, 

God bless
Nikki                    

'Road Trip' - worship with the Moderator, Sun 2 Feb at Cairngryffe Parish

Welcome to worship in which Upper Clyde went on a wee road trip to join with our friends at Cairngryffe Parish Church, as they welcomed the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev. Dr Shaw Paterson. It was a lovely service - beyond the Mod. and the refreshments after worship, I confess to be very impressed by the heated pews - apparently a 'mod-con' installed in 1962, and still working brilliantly over 60 years later. Given we were elsewhere for our time of worship, and that Cairngryffe, like ourselves, don't have the facilities to provide live streaming for worship, I was permitted to film the Moderator's sermon, and also recorded his blessing at the end of the service.

The readings chosen as the basis for his sermon were
Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Luke 4:21-30. 

The video is a little rough and ready, so do bear with it! Hope you find his sermon an encouragement.

The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE and should be available from around 4.30pm Sunday afternoon.

The only notice to flag up is to note that there will be a meeting of Session on Tuesday the 11th of February at 7pm, but I'll note this again next week. The main area of discussion will focus upon our Southern Ministries cluster, and potential Union. We'll also begin to prepare for the upcoming annual attestation of records by Presbytery, and appoint/ reappoint office holders.

As you move into and through the week, go, knowing yourselves beloved, and blessed by God, this day and always!

Nikki

'What next?' - worship for Sun 26 January

WELCOME to worship this week...
Within our time of worship today, we remember International Holocaust Memorial Day, which
falls on 27 January...

If the question last week was 'what if?', this week, we ask 'what next?'

The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE 

Church notices:
Sun 26 Jan: Evening worship - just to note that there is no service at Leadhills in January. We'll be back on the last Sunday of February.

Sun 2 Feb., 11am: Joint service - Just a reminder that this coming Sunday, we'll be on the road, as we travel across to Carmichael to share in worship with our friends at Cairngryffe Parish Church, and enjoy a visit from the Moderator, the Very Rev. Dr Shaw Paterson. The service begins at 11am and refreshments will follow thereafter. Please do alert folk you know within the parish that our building will not be open on Sunday and do encourage them to come along. If you're needing help with transport, please get in touch and we can arrange this.
Online worshippers - I'm not yet sure if this service will be live-streamed. If it is, I'll put up the appropriate link. If not, and if it's possible, I'll try to record the Moderator's sermon, at least, and post that up on our YouTube space... and if that's not feasible, then I'll put up the usual links to connect you with other online services.

Minister availability this week: just to flag up that I'm not quite as available this week due to a follow up visit to hospital. Hopefully, I'll have a better sense of progress and navigating this new 'normal'. If you do need to get in touch, it's best to contact me via email - minister.upperclyde@gmail.com and I can respond as I'm able through Tues afternoon-Fri morning.