Sun 24 May - Pentecost

HAPPY PENTECOST!

Today we mark the promised coming of the Holy Spirit to the followers of Jesus - and, in a sense, we celebrate the beginning, the ‘birth’ day of the church.

It’s one of the Sundays in the church calendar when we’re reminded of the power and mystery of God, of God who is both Creator of the universe and all things, as well as the God who knows each of our names.

We’re also reminded that we are all a part of something that is so much bigger than us: while we’re the church visible in this small 

corner of the earth, we’re also a part of the church that reaches all around the world; we are both a gathered, and a scattered people. As well as this, we belong to the church ‘invisible’ – 

all those who have walked in the footsteps of Jesus, down through the centuries who learnt about Jesus and passed the stories about him along to others. 

In all of that, so there’s the sense that to celebrate the day of Pentecost comes with more than a little bit of awesomeness – in the true meaning of the word: God mysterious and yet known, God unseen and yet seen in each one of us who are created in God’s image.

A prayer for Pentecost
Holy Spirit,

we pause in your presence,

aware that you do not arrive quietly or on our terms.

You move like wind:

unseen, uncontained, disturbing what has settled too easily.

You burn like fire:

not to destroy, but to refine,

to bring light where we have grown used to shadows.

Meet us here, in all our difference and expectation;

in our longing for clarity, and in our fear of what change might demand.

Slow us down enough to notice where you are already at work,

often ahead of our plans and beyond our control.

Loosen what has grown rigid.

Open what we have closed for safety’s sake.

Give us ears to hear your voice in unfamiliar accents and unsettling truths.

As we listen in this moment,

kindle in us a fire that does not rush to certainty but stays awake to compassion.

Let it shape our words, and our lives.

    ...   ...   ...

Renew us, remake and reshape us;

may we be braver in love,

wider in welcome,

and ready to follow wherever your Spirit leads.

Come, Holy Spirit.

Stay with us.

Move among us.

Make us alive.

Amen.       

On the 'birthday' theme for Pentecost, the fabulous Tabitha made us a Pentecost cake to share at morning tea. It went down well!! 

Thanks, Tabitha!   

'The Shepherd' worship reflections and church notices

Hi folks, today in various places around the world, the Church celebrates what has come to be known as 'Good Shepherd' Sunday. It's an opportunity to reflect on Jesus, our Good Shepherd, to pause and consider the words from John 10:1-10, and Psalm 23. And, given our very rural context and that we're in the midst of lambing season, it's very apposite.

On site, we are also learning a new - to us - song from the group New Scottish Hymns Band called 'You're the Shepherd'.
So, in our time here, let's begin with that.

CALL TO WORSHIP 
Come as you are – known and loved.
Come with joy, come with hope.
Come with your burdens, come with your doubts.
Come with your dreams, come with your fears.
For God calls you by name and rejoices....

PRAYER 
God of new life,
planting grassy meadows for picnics,
pooling clear waters for floating,
making starry skies for gazing:
you shaped us in your image so we might not ever want;
you sent women and men of faith to us,
sharing their experience of you,
encouraging us to look up to listen, to follow you.
Loving us, You sent Jesus to us,
that we might hear his voice and believe his plain spoken words:
and so we give you our praise and worship.

Loving God, when we are quiet in your presence,
when we try to pray and when we reflect on your word...
when we are surrounded by noise and bustle,
when people compete for our attention and we have too much to do:
help us to hear your voice.

When we are happy and secure in the love of friends and family
and at peace with ourselves...
when we are overwhelmed by regrets for the past,
disappointment in the present, 
and fears for the future...
when we are confident in our decisions and sure of our plans:
help us to hear your voice.

When we are bewildered by many choices
and confused about the right way to go,
in the day and at night, at home and at work,
in company and alone, teach us to listen...
help us to hear your voice. 

Lord, where the waters of our life have been troubled,
you still our hearts and minds.
Where we have walked in strange and difficult ways,
you guide us in the right paths.
Where we have walked even through the valley of death,
you have been beside us.

…In your mercy, restore our souls.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

REFLECTION: 
It was one of those stunningly gorgeous days – hardly a breeze; the sun, beaming down on the hills and along the glen, and I’d taken myself off down to the end of the garden with a cuppa, to sit on my wee stool and just watch the world go by for a bit. The river was all diamond-sparkly and everything felt right with the world. Looking across the river, I saw a shepherd, with his dogs, guiding some sheep down the slope towards it. I admired the relationship between man and dog, as they worked together to lead the sheep down and  then under the bridge to get to the field just along.
A good shepherd, thought I.
But it was time to head back inside and crack on with some work.
So, a little reluctantly, I did.

A couple of days later, I met up with someone who knew that particular shepherd very well, and I mentioned how much I admired his skill.

This was met with a huge grin.

Apparently, if I’d stayed watching, I’d have seen five minutes later, that same shepherd, in the river, wading across to the other side in pursuit of a small group of rogue sheep who’d decided that they weren’t going to pay any notice to his instructions. 

I guess they thought that the grass really was greener on the other side..

So… a good shepherd, yes…

but not THE Good Shepherd that our bible passages refer to –

the one who says to his assorted group of listeners:

‘I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’

In a busy, busy, rush, rush world where too often the voice that is listened to is telling us all that our value is found only in what we can produce, and which calls us to be continually, relentlessly doing in order just to survive…

in an unquiet, fractured, and fearful world, where too often fear is weaponised and it seems that the only voices we hear are those that divide and create discontent and where difference is seen as suspect…

in a world that too often feels as if everyone and everything is broken or breaking, as we listen to the voices of doom in an endless cycle of news…

perhaps it’s time to press the pause button and spend a little time thinking about Jesus our shepherd, to listen to his voice,  and to think about life beyond mere survival –

about life that is…abundant.

So, what is it to have abundant life and how do we find it?
Some of the answer to both questions are seen within the words of the Psalmist.

Who's voice are we listening to?
In the early part of the psalm, the Psalmist talks of God as the shepherd in whom we have all we need.

God is our abundance, our provider – the One who is more than enough.
If we listen to his voice, and follow where he leads, our needs will be met.
I wonder: what are the voices we might listen to that can prevent us from following the Shepherd?
And, what might we do - what small changes could we make - to help us better hear our Shepherd's voice?

And another question for reflection: 

take some time now to think about where God is leading you;

where he has led you in the past;

where he’s led you to now.

Pray about where he may be leading you in the future…

 

Work / life balance is not a new concept: it's in the Bible.
The Psalmist also reminds us that the Shepherd leads his flock to places of refreshing, places of stillness, quiet, where we can find rest. It's the very antidote to our hyper-consumerist society where, too often people are valued only by 'what they can contribute' - 

what they can produce... where they are seen as just expendable cogs in the machine of industry.
The 'shepherds' of industry are often too ready to fleece their sheep, rather than to tend them.
The Good Shepherd knows the wisdom to be found in giving his flock space to be, and to breathe, and to enjoy life. Which is also a better strategy for both a contented flock, and a way of ensuring that they are at their best... 

In the end, rather than rest, creative space, times of stillness, reducing productivity, it enhances it.
God, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, instituted the concept of rest right at the beginning of Creation:

after the sixth day, God rested. 

And later, God codified it: Sabbath rest. 

If resting is good enough for God, then... let's take the hint and rest.

Dark valleys.

It’s often been said that you don’t find many atheists in foxholes –

basically, when dark times come, in moments of crisis, that’s often when we turn to God for help and comfort. But even when we might not be quite with God, God our shepherd is always faithful and always with us:

there for us in our deepest point of need,

there when all other hope is gone.

He is the one who walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death, and out the other side of it.

If we pause, if we’re still, if we call…

we find that God is near.

Again, an opportunity for some reflection: 

stop and think about those times in your own life when things seemed darkest, and when you felt God’s presence close to you.

And, if in the present, there are difficult times that you’re navigating, why not use this time to offer your particular situation up to the One who listens and who knows your name…

We come full circle and ask again:

What is it to have abundant life and how do we find it?

Well, we do the work of listening to the voice of our Shepherd, Jesus –

who will show us the right way to go –

who will lead us to the paths of peace, of refreshing,

of quiet space apart from the noise and busyness that so often fills our lives –

a space in which we remember again whose we are and who we are:

called to be his.

As we follow, so his goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives.

And, knowing ourselves loved, knowing God’s goodness and mercy, we go ahead:

widening the path so that goodness and mercy will not just bless us, but others -

knowing that as we do:

we need not fear, 

we shall not want -

for there is more than enough:

overflowing cups of goodness and mercy and God’s abundance all the days of our lives.

And also knowing that the one who calls us

guards us and guides us, leads us and loves us

and never, ever lets us go.  Amen.

A blessing for this week:

BLESSING

We belong here with God’s family, 

but we also belong in his world. 

Called by God, he sends you to turn belief into action –

to be his hands, his feet, his loving heart, in the world.

As God’s own, 

as you go about your lives this week,,

God, our shepherd, goes with you, guarding and guiding you.

May the blessing of God, 

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 

be with you all, evermore... Amen.

NOTICES

Sun 3 May: Kirk Session meeting - 

after worship and morning tea this coming Sunday, Session will be meeting over a 'bring and share' lunch. This is an open meeting, and those who are not on the Session are most welcome to stay. The main business will be exploring our future within the cluster, now that we are officially in a deferred union with the newly united cluster parishes of Cairngryffe and Douglas Valley - now Clydesdale Trinity. It's an opportunity for looking, and planning, ahead. 

Added to this, Presbytery have asked that all parishes prepare a mission plan to be ready for attestation 2027. Having asked Presbytery on Saturday, we are able to do this particular exercise jointly with the Clydesdale Trinity Session - given it ultimately affects all of us, and saves us all doing this twice!

Sun 10 May, 10:30am : Christian Aid service -

It's coming up to that time of year again, an opportunity to remember the excellent work of Christian Aid, and, as we can, to support them. Along with our regular offering, there will be a bowl as you leave the church should you wish to make any donations to Christian Aid.

Looking further ahead:

Sun 24 May, 10:30am: Pentecost -

The day we celebrate the 'birthday' of the Church. The traditional colour of Pentecost is red, so, if you're coming to our on-site service, why not wear something red! 

'Under construction' - worship for Pentecost Sunday 8 June

WELCOME to worship this week, where we remember the day of Pentecost, and celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell within and among us...

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

CHURCH NOTICES/

Clydesdale food bank month: as this is a month in which communion falls, we support the ongoing work of Clydesdale Food Bank by collecting items/ donations. These will be uplifted at the end of the month and taken for distribution. If you prefer to make an online donation click on THIS  LINK which will take you to the food bank webpage.

Wed. 11 June, 7pm - unscheduled Session meeting: just a reminder to members of the Session that we have a meeting this week, with Karen Gillon, our presbytery link person from the Implementation Group. Sorry for the short notice of this meeting.

Not many notices this week! So, as you go into this week, know that God goes with you.

God bless
Nikki

'Gathered and scattered' - worship for Pentecost Sunday 2024

Welcome to worship. Today we celebrate Pentecost, the 'birth' day of the Church. To go directly to the service click on THE LINK HERE

Church notices -
Church of Scotland General Assembly is being held this week. Do remember all involved in the Assembly this year as reports are brought before those gathered both onsite and online. Lots of debate, lots of decision-making, as we both take stock of what's gone before and look ahead to the future and where we're going...

Sun 26 May: evening worship, 5pm at Leadhills Village Hall. All welcome.

Funeral of Ian Wilson: just a reminder that Ian's funeral will be held in the church on Tues. 28th May at 2pm. Please remember Bertha and the family in your prayers at this time.

There are no other immediate notices for this week - let's hope this warmer weather continues and there's a few more sunny days!! God bless as you move into a new week,

Nikki

Worship Sun 5 June: Pentecost

WELCOME/ Hello! Welcome to worship on this Pentecost Sunday – where we remember and celebrate the birthday of the church: the day of the coming of the Holy Spirit to those who followed, and still follow, Jesus.
Just to note that, on site, in the church building, we'll be holding our summer communion service.

Notices are below.
Meanwhile, if you'd rather jump straight across to our service the WORSHIP LINK IS HERE

NOTICES/ 
Caring hearts project - A wee update on our ‘caring hearts’ project – where we’re knitting or crocheting hearts for our 5 schools within the parish. The total number of hearts I’ve received so far is 125. Let’s see if we can push this to 200, and when we’ve got that target, I’ll be parcelling them up in readiness to distribute to our schools at the beginning of the new school year in August. A great effort so far everyone, so thank you so very much!   

Pulpit swap - Next week I’ll be across at Douglas and Rigside churches, where I’ll be conducting services of holy communion for both congregations. Onsite at Upper Clyde, we welcome Denham Macdougall – the interim moderator for Douglas Valley Parish, and also an elder at Cairngryffe church.
Online, I’ll be providing links to other online services to go and visit.

Jubilee Community events - Both Crawford and Roberton will be holding community gatherings today as part of the Jubilee weekend. If you're able, why not head along to support these events, and have the opportunity to catch up with folk for a blether and a cuppa.

These are all the notices. As we go into this coming week, may you know the comfort, the encouragement, and the strength of God's Spirit with you, in all you think, and say, and do.

God bless,
Nikki

Sun worship 23 May - Pentecost

WELCOME/
Hello and welcome to worship online on this Pentecost Sunday! We celebrate the 'birthday' of the church in our time of worship today, recalling and reflecting upon the coming of the Holy Spirit. We'll do so by taking a wee tour to a valley filled with dry bones - this from the Book of Ezekiel - and, then we hear the story of the disciples and of a mighty rushing wind and tongues of what looked like fire, resting on their heads... 
Unusually, there are no notices today, so, let's move straight on to our time of worship, which you can find by clicking ON THIS LINK.

And, as ever, I hope this time online is encouraging and helps to strengthen your faith, and put a spring in your step, as you travel along the way with Jesus.
Blessings on you this week,
Nikki

Sunday Pentecost worship with the Moderator

On Sunday the 31st of May, we celebrate Pentecost - the 'birthday' of the church.
This week, along with all the Church of Scotland parishes throughout Scotland, England, and internationally, we've been invited by the Moderator to join together in worship at 10am - although scattered, yet we are one in the Spirit of God. The service itself is recorded - and you may see a familiar face from Shetland who grew up here in the parish...
To access the service, click on ... THE LINK HERE

Given the very slight easing of the lockdown rules in Scotland, should you wish an outdoor socially distanced visit with the Minister, do let me know! I'd be able to do one per day, given the rules, but would be very happy to bring my thermos of tea and catch up safely for a chat should you wish.

Otherwise, the usual notices: if you know of someone who could do with some help by way of a referral to the Food Bank, or just a listening ear, give me a call and let me know.
Hope you're enjoying this glorious weather and the slight easing of restrictions - and have caught up with family... I know there's no hugs as yet, and I know some of you are missing cuddles from grandchildren and family members, but at some point, hopefully, we will get to a place where that can safely happen again.

In the meantime, do pass on any hymn requests you have, and I'll either put them within weekly worship, or add to a list for a Songs of Praise style service in early July.

This notices is going up earlier than Sunday just so you can be aware of the 10am start this week.
Until next week, take care
Nikki

Food for the journey: mid-week spiritual nourishment

Sunday was Pentecost, where we remembered the birth of the Church.
We also had a pulpit swap, with the Minister heading across to Douglas Valley to share in worship
at both Douglas and Rigside churches, while Mr Bill Love, the Douglas Valley Locum and Interim Moderator came to visit with UCPC.
The readings for Sunday were: Acts 2: 1-8, 12-21; John 14: 15-21
and Mr Love's sermon was titled: 'The World set on  fire'

As we think of Pentecost, and the fresh wind of God's Spirit at work, some questions
to help your reflections and prayer....

This week, we think of God’s spirit at work in the world in new and extraordinary ways.
Allow that spirit to transform you in new and extraordinary ways.

                                          In what ways have you stopped trying new things?
This week, try to develop a new skill, or use something you are good at
to make a difference to someone else. Perhaps paint a picture, pop in to see a vulnerable friend,
bake a cake, carry out the DIY for someone who struggles, think of the opportunities that arise.

In what ways can you deepen your relationship with God, 

by seeking to use your gifts for God and for others?

Think of those gifts that you have been given by God.
How can you use them in service of church and community?
Identify ways in which you might offer yourself to service within the church and community.
Look around you: where do you see the skills gap? What is missing?
How can you help?

And, to finish, a prayer:
O God,
You are Spirit;
You are wind;
You are breath.

You meet us in the wonders of creation,
in the awe of wonderful things,
in the terror of fearful things.
You blow among the fallen leaves,
the broken branches,
the whining pain
and the whirlwinds of delight.

Your wind gently touches our brow
with comfort and caress;
your forgiveness raises us to life;
your challenge disturbs our tidy piles
and spreads opportunities before our eyes.

Gentle Spirit, breathe on us your life.
Strong Spirit, open our closed doors to your compassion;
Universal Spirit, inspire us to sing and sigh for justice;
Spirit of Jesus, teach us to walk,
to work, to pray, to live, to love,
your way.

Awaken our dreams,
expand our visions,
heal us for hope,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

written by Prof. Bill Loader, a Minister in the Uniting Church of Australia, 
and former Professor of New Testament at Murdoch University

Sermon, Sun 4 June: Pentecost [wk40 WMRBW]

This morning we remembered the birth day of the church, Pentecost, and shared bread and wine together in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
In our prayers of care and concern, we also remembered London - and all connected and affected by the events of last night...
A shorter sermon today, in light of communion.

READINGS/ John 3:1-21;  Acts 2:1-24

SERMON …
Let’s pray: may the words of my mouth,
and the meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. Amen.

In the darkness of the night, he comes creeping,
seeking out the Rabbi all are talking about.
He hugs the shadows, hoping not to be seen,
filled with questions and assumptions and fear.
He knows God must be with the Rabbi –          
the many miracles are sign enough of that –
and when he finds Jesus, he says just that…
and is met with a response about second birth,
of being born anew,
born again through the power of God’s Spirit.
He… is puzzled by this, but the explanation puzzles him further.
The conversation moves on, focusing upon the manner of God’s love:
‘this is the way in which God shows his love for the world,’ says Rabbi Jesus,
‘God gave his only son – all who believe in him will have eternal life…
He is the light of the world. Those who choose to honestly seek for the truth will find him,
and they will stand in the light of his love for ever.’

I wonder…
how many times Nicodemus turned that meeting, that odd conversation, with Jesus over in his head?
Love, life, new birth in the Spirit.
Strange teachings, from a compelling, miracle-making man,
who some were beginning to believe was the Messiah – Saviour of Israel.
I wonder...
if Nicodemus ever made it out of the darkness and hugging the shadows,
and into the light and love that Jesus spoke of?
I wonder…
if Nicodemus, some time after the betrayal, death, and resurrection of Jesus,
found himself, one morning, some time around nine, filled with wonder:
feeling the power of the Spirit blowing through him,
hearing languages from all the ends of the known earth calling out in praise to God?
I wonder if Nicodemus was there,
among the disciples,
or in the city streets,
feeling perplexed and amazed and strangely alive…
and remembering a conversation about ‘the wind blowing where it will’
about being born of water and the Spirit,
of being reborn
and, in so doing, seeing the kingdom of God?
I wonder…
was Nicodemus there when Peter understood,
and somehow found the strength to stand up in the midst of
the great crowd and preach the good news?
Good news about God’s promises being fulfilled;
of dreaming dreams,
seeing visions,
and of the pouring out of God’s Spirit upon his people –
a people not forgotten,
but loved deeply,
so deeply that, through the Spirit,
God would live in them,
and they in him…
the same Spirit, as Brian MacLaren notes,
who had descended like a dove upon Jesus:
‘the same Spirit who filled him’ and who would ‘fill all who opened their hearts?'
The Spirit of new life and resurrection.

The story of the coming of the Spirit and the birth of the church
has echoes of another, more ancient story.
A story from near the beginning of time.
A story of humans gathering together, and, wanting to be like god,
building a great and mighty tower –
a tower that would be so high that they would reach heaven
under their own steam;
a tower that would be a monument to their achievements,
but which, in reality, was a symbol of their pride, and of overreaching themselves…
a tower that would come crashing down,
along with their dreams of placing themselves above God,
and which would, upon breaking, scatter into a thousand pieces,
send them scattering,
and scramble their one language into many.
A tower built in Babel that ended in babble.
From unity,
into diversity…
and enmity.

And, thousands of years later, a reversal,
for, on that day of Pentecost, a new thing:
unity and diversity –
harmoniously coexisting.
God drawing people –
in all their diversity,
their difference,
together in celebration and praise –
with open hands and hearts.

The Spirit blows where she will –
uncontained,
not able to be placed in a box:
wild and joyful and free.
And for those of us who like things done decently and in good order,
the story of Pentecost is a little unnerving –
a reminder that it’s not we who are in control,
but God…
and God is ceaselessly at work
within us,
through us;
at work in the world in the most unexpected places.
Are we, who are God’s people,
prepared and ready to open ourselves fully to God’s Spirit –
to allow God to move in us, and among us,
empowering and equipping us to, like Peter,
share the good news of God’s love
in a world hugging the shadows and feeling afraid?
Amen.

Christian Aid Week update: 'Wonderful Worms'

It's Christian Aid Week. Here's some of what we've been doing so far:

On Sunday, during worship, 
we celebrated both Pentecost and Christian Aid Week - with plenty of red splashed about the worship space.
A small team had tiptoed in on Friday night, and blew up nearly 100 balloons, and hung up Christian Aid bunting. After all those balloons, we were getting a little light-headed!

In the weeks leading up to the service, the minister had asked people, if possible, to wear something red on the day - so along with our decorations, we also had Pentecost/ Christian Aid people. There was also a rather large birthday cake to celebrate the 'birthday' of the church - which we enjoyed at morning tea after the service. We have a special collection bucket at the door for both Sundays, and hopefully will raise some money to help folk living in difficult conditions in Bangladesh... including providing worms...

which we've been learning about in Leadhills and Lamingon Primary Schools.  We've been thinking about people who live on the river islands in Bangladesh, and a strange kind of 'buried treasure' - wonderful worms. The worms are part of a project by Christian Aid to help people living in the river islands enrich what is quite poor soil - the worms help to make good compost, and in turn, encourages good, healthy food to be grown. You can watch the video here:

Sunday preview: Pentecost and cake...

Join us as we wish the church a very 'happy birthday' this Pentecost Sunday - and yes, I think there may be cake!

[apologies for lack of updates - the Meenister was away at the General Assembly!]