A Thought for the week Archive

Sunday 23 November 2025

'CHRIST THE KING' SUNDAY

This Sunday (23 November) marks the end of the Christian Year. We now progress into Advent, leading on to the celebration of Christmas.  In many  branches of the Christian Church, this Sunday is celebrated as 'Christ the King' Sunday, when Christ's authority over all things in heaven and on earth is fully recognised and acknowledged - the One in whom "God in all his fullness chose to dwell." (Colossians 1: 19)

In the period immediately after World War 1, there arose a profound suspicion of authority, while the inter-war years saw a marked increase in the process of secularisation throughout Europe.  For many people the War itself had shaken or destroyed their faith in God and humanity, and in consequence there was antipathy to religion in general, and to Christianity in particular. In the political sphere, dictatorships were on the rise, while even within the Church, much of traditional Christianity - including the authority of Jesus Christ - was being questioned, and even rejected.  In this deeply sceptical age, something was needed to bring Christ back into focus and "crown him Lord of all." 

It is said that 'Christ the King' Sunday started in 1925 as a means of restating the ultimate sovereignty of Jesus Christ over all things, and was thereafter soon adopted by mainstream Christian denominations. This image of Christ as King is found in many of our hymns, and in Christian art - and is especially prominent in stained glass windows.

One of the lessons of 'Christ the King' Sunday is that we all live under the most just and gentle rule of Jesus Christ - the One who, according to St. Paul, has "the primacy over all creation." (Colossians 1: 15)

When we speak of Christ as King, we are not thinking of some oppressive ruler - a capricious tyrant - but as someone who was prepared to die for us, and whom God raised to the highest place in his presence.  The Christ whom the disciples followed here has become the risen, ascended and glorified Lord, to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given. And today, he brings us mercy, truth, love and forgiveness in infinite measure - those healing gifts this wounded world so urgently needs.

At this time of continuing uncertainty, and when the world seems to have lost all logic and commonsense, and also its spiritual moorings, and when many voices loudly clamour for our attention, it is reassuring to know that 'Christ the King' is our ultimate authority in this life and the next, and that his eternal rule is one of light, love and life!

    "Now we rejoice to name him King:
     Jesus is Lord of all the earth.
     This gospel-message we proclaim:
     we sing his glory, tell his worth." 
                        
                          Edward Joseph Burns (b.1938)

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
​
Holy God, righteous and merciful,
on this Christ the King Sunday,
we confess that we have failed to live
as if Christ ruled over us, as if Christ
inspired us, guided and directed us.
Having honoured him with our lips,
we have betrayed him by our thoughts,
words and deeds, and in countless ways
we have lived as if we had no need of him....

Create in us a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within us,
that we may walk in Christ's way
and live by his truth and his love,
every moment of our day
and every day of our life;
for his name's sake.   Amen.

THE PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Almighty and everlasting God,
of whose faithfulness there is no end:

On this Christ the King Sunday
we pray for the life of the world,
for all nations and their governments,
that there may be peace and prosperity here,
and in all parts of the earth.
We pray for our own country,
for our King and all who lead and serve us,
that we may live and work and worship
under Christ's most just and gentle rule....

On this Christ the King Sunday
we pray for the Church of Jesus Christ,
that your Church may be strengthened in faith,
blessed with new vision and abound in holiness,
and so be much more conformed to your image
and to your purpose of love for all mankind,
to the glory of your name....

On this Christ the King Sunday
we pray for all in need:
for the sick, the suffering, the sorrowful,
and for those afflicted in any way,
by pain, or by other circumstances....
May Christ the King grant to each
health of body, soundness of mind,
serenity of spirit, and peace of heart,
   now and always....

On this Christ the King Sunday
we pray finally for ourselves,
that in all the changes and chances of life
we may find our help, our healing and our hope
only in the unfailing love of Jesus Christ;
to whom with you, Father, and the Holy Spirit,
be all glory, honour and praise,
in time, and in all eternity.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

Christ the King make us faithful
and strong to do his will,
and bring us to reign with him in glory.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us,
   now and always.   Amen.

Sunday 16 November 2025

TRINITY 22
A SENSE OF WONDER

As our 'season of remembrance' closes and the end of this Christian Year comes next Sunday, we cannot fail to see the Autumn leaves in their varied and distinctive colours, hanging from trees and hedges, lying by our roadside verges, or forming a carpet over our lawns and gardens  It is not surprising a poet has said that "Autumn is a season clothed with wonder."  The Northern Lights, seen over Amble in Northumberland on Tuesday night, and in other parts of the country during the week, add to the wonder this season has already brought, and to the great mystery of the universe as God's handiwork.

The writer of Psalm 19 was someone whose very heart beat with a sense of wonder.  In a powerful passage, we find him gazing at the heavens, and just pondering the sheer mystery of it all.  "The heavens are telling the glory of God," he cries.  Everything in the universe bears the signature of God, the Creator, thereby generating within him a sense of wonder at the sheer mystery of it all.

John Taylor, a former Bishop of Winchester, once said that in our lives we are surrounded by wonders.  But there is, he adds, always a danger of losing 'our sense of wonder.'  Why should this be?  It may be due to the fact that some things no longer surprise us, and create the wonder they once did.  It may also be due to the fact that the modern mind is not keen on mystery.  It craves fact and truth, and, unlike the Psalmist, is unable to gaze in wonder at what is not easily explained.  Our loss of any sense of wonder may also have been triggered by the enormous explosion of knowledge in recent years, diminishing our capacity for awe and mystery.

The fact remains that wonders do surround us every moment of our lives.  Every morning is a miracle.  The birth of every child is a miracle.  Our very being here is a miracle.  An old proverb, often spoken in a sarcastic and derisory way says that "wonders will never cease."  In the literal sense, that is true; and for this we must thank God and be grateful.  We lose our sense of wonder at our peril.  The great Albert Einstein said that whoever has lost the capacity for wonder might as well be dead, for they have closed their eyes on life.  A strong statement indeed!

The Church must also keep alive a sense of wonder. Wonder lies at the foundation of its worship.  In and through worship we should foster that sense of awe and mystery that leads us to what St. Paul calls "the things not seen, the things that are eternal." And when we think of that great passage in St, John's Gospel (3: 13ff), which speaks of God coming into the world in the person of Jesus Christ, we cannot help but feel the wonder of it all within us - something we will celebrate shortly.

The English novelist, G.K. Chesterton said: "The world will never starve for the want of wonders.... but only for the want of wonder."  Let our Christian calling, as a Church and as individuals, be to keep alive a sense of wonder in our modern world, something like that profound sense of awe experienced by the writer of Psalm 19, and by countless others in every age.  As an American preacher warns us:

"Where there is no vision,
The people perish.
But where there is no wonder,
They have perished already."

As our 'season of remembrance' closes and the end of this Christian Year comes next Sunday, let us keep alive a sense of wonder in our lives, so that we may glimpse the glory of God everywhere around us!

PRAYERS FOR TODAY

O God, as we see the light of this new day,
awaken within us once more a sense of wonder,
that we may come before you with awe and reverence
and see your hand in all that you have made;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

O God, the well-spring of our life,
pour into our hearts the living water of your grace,
that we may be refreshed and restored by you;
and rekindle within each of us
a profound sense of awe and mystery,
that we may look at the world
through the eyes of wonder,
and see glimpses of your glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

O God, as we work and pray each day
for the coming of your perfect kingdom,
keep within us a profound sense of wonder
at the mystery of your creation,
that in the wonder of your works
we may see glimpses of your glory
and worship you with thankful hearts;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the love of the Father enfold us,
the wisdom of the Son enlighten us,
the fire of the Spirit inflame us;
and may the blessing of God rest upon us
and abide with us, now and evermore.   Amen.

Tuesday 11 November 2025

REMEMBRANCE DAY: 
A SHORT COMMEMORATION

God is our refuge and our strength, a timely help in trouble.

Those who look to the Lord will gain new strength, they will soar as on eagles' wings; they will run and not feel faint, march on and not grow weary.

O God, as we mark this day of national remembrance, fill our hearts with thanksgiving for all your mercies to us; give us grace to honour the fallen, not only with our lips, but in our lives; and grant us your peace in our time; through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

The Silence.
Silence is kept for two minutes.

"They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning,
We will remember them."

We will remember them.

In memory of those who died,
make us better men and women
in our day and generation;
and in gratitude to God
let us live as those who are not their own
but who are bought with a price.   Amen

Teach us, good Lord, 
to serve you as you deserve:
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward
save that of knowing that we do your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us,
this Remembrance Day and always.   Amen.

Sunday 9 November 2025

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY: A THOUGHT

"At the going down of the sun
and in the morning,
We will remember them."

Once again, on Remembrance Sunday, we hear these moving words at war memorials, churches, schools, parade grounds and other locations where those who gave their lives in two world wars, and where those who have lived and died in the service of mankind, are commemorated.  They were written by the English poet, dramatist and art scholar, Robert Laurence Binyon CH, and come from his poem For the Fallen, written in 1914, when Binyon was on a visit to the cliffs on the north Cornwall coast.  These lines, the central part of the poem, are called the 'Ode of Remembrance,' and were first published in The Times in September of that year.  Today, they have been claimed as a tribute to all casualties of war, regardless of nation.

On Remembrance Sunday, we hear much about the supreme sacrifice having been made for our 'freedom,' and to enable us to live in a world where 'nation shall speak peace unto nation.'  We value our freedom greatly, and we continue with our thanksgiving and remembering for we have no right to forget.  The liberties we enjoy today were bought at a price: at the cost of countless lives. We pray that by remembering the conflicts of the past, we may work for a peaceful future - for ourselves, for our children and for our children's children.

In the Old Testament, the prophet Micah (4: 1-5) offers us a vision of the world as it might be, a vision that throughout the ages and into modern times has captured the human imagination.  It has been said of this passage that it is so striking in its vision, so evocative in its language and such a powerful expression of human hope, that it has become a classic text.  There is no certainty as to whether Micah actually wrote these words - the same passage occurs in Isaiah (2: 2-4) in almost identical form - but the message of the text is clear: instruments of war will no longer be necessary, as nations will live under God's law of love; the terror of violence and battle will become a thing of the past; and in this new world, nations will live together in harmony, each with its own faith, but Israel with a renewed faith in its one true God.

In order to create such a world, we must take our 'freedom' seriously, and we must use it responsibly.  All too often, 'freedom' degenerates into licence, and an excuse to do as we please, and not to do as we ought. Most of us do use our 'freedom' aright, and are forever grateful to those who laid down their lives to make it possible.  There are others, however, who have debased the concept of 'freedom,' and have turned liberty into licence, and an excuse to do whatever they please. There is nothing new about this.  Writing to the Christians at Galacia, St. Paul had to remind them that their Christian freedom gained by the death of Jesus Christ was not a permit to act recklessly and irresponsibly, but a gift of grace to behave in a truly Christ-like way.

The Scottish philosopher David Hume said that "the corruption of the best things gives rise to the worst." The corruption of 'freedom,' so evident today, gives rise to all kinds of misguided practices and wrong values.  It is therefore incumbent on us to use the 'freedom' won for us in a way that honours those who paid for it with their lives.  What it ultimately comes down to is this:

At the going down of the sun
and in the morning, 
we will remember them.

The question we must ask on Remembrance Sunday is this:  
Would they wish to remember us?

PRAYERS FOR REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

God of power and love,
bless our country and commonwealth.
Give wisdom and strength to the King,
govern those who make the laws,
guide those who direct our common life,
and grant that together we may fulfil our service
for the welfare of the whole people
and for your praise and glory.

Bless our sailors, soldiers, and airmen.
Defend them in danger.
Give them courage to meet
all occasions with discipline and loyalty.
So may they serve
the cause of justice and peace,
to the honour of your name.

Bless our friends
and those who were our enemies,
who suffered or are still suffering from war.
Grant that your love
may reach out to the wounded,
the disabled, the mentally distressed,
and those whose faith has been shaken
by what they have seen and endured.
Comfort all who mourn the death of loved ones,
and all who on this day
miss the comradeship of friends.

Bless your Church throughout the world.
By your Holy Spirit
draw the scattered flock of Christ
into a visible unity,
and make your Church
a sign of hope to our divided world.
Grant that we who bear your Son's name
may be instruments of your peace,
bringing peace to our homes,
our nation, and our world.

And now, rejoicing in the communion of saints,
we remember those whom you have gathered
from the storm of war
into the peace of your presence,
and give you thanks
for those whom we have known,
whose memory we treasure.
May the example of their devotion inspire us,
that we may be taught to live
by those who learned to die.
And at the last, grant that we,
being faithful till death,
may receive with them
the crown of life that never fades;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

From:   Common Order (Church of Scotland),
             Edinburgh 1994, 417, 418, 419

THE BLESSING

God grant to the living, grace;
to the departed, rest;
to the Church, the King, the Commonwealth,
and all mankind,
peace and concord;
and to us and all his servants
life everlasting.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with us all, now and always.   Amen.

Sunday 2 November 2025

TRINITY 20
ALL SAINTS' TIDE

"Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses... let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us...".

In the Christian Year, this is All Saints' Tide - All Saints' Day falling each year on the 1st November.  When we think of a saint, we may think of a figure in a stained glass window: a man or woman of outstanding spiritual and moral qualities, whose influence and example have gained them a permanent place in Christian devotion.  We may also find a saint depicted in a painting, carving, tapestry or other object of Christian art.

In Reformed thinking, all the faithful are saints.  It has been said that saints do not belong exclusively to the past, but are real people in the world today.  It is claimed that each of us has known many saints or saintly souls - those who first brought us to faith, those who have encouraged us on our way, those who have provided care, compassion and comfort when most needed, and those who in other ways have sustained us on life's journey. Saintly souls are real today as in every age.

The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews (11: 32-12: 2) thinks of all those who have gone before him. Someone has referred to the list of those he mentions as faith's "hall of fame."  He then sees them as occupying a grand stadium, making up an 'unseen cloud of witnesses,' for evermore around us.  In other words, like a vast audience in a sports stadium, the saints of old and all the faithful servants of Christ are now unseen, but not unknown witnesses to our performance in this life.

This means that our own Christian life is not lived alone. Every moment is lived under the gaze of the heroes of the faith, and of ordinary souls of every age and place who are now within that 'blest communion, fellowship divine.'  With such an audience looking down on us, we cannot possibly fail to go on our way with courage, hope and patience.  They cheer us and support us until at last we join them in the presence of Jesus Christ.

At  All Saints' Tide, we remember and give thanks for those who have have gone before us in the Faith, and for countless others, known and unknown, who have touched our lives in many ways, and now in God's eternal presence.

Above all, we remember that we live this life in their company, in fellowship with them and under their watchful gaze.  And with an audience like this around us, we may run with perseverance the race of life that lies before us, upheld by those saints and heroes of the past who have now completed their journey.

"Rejoice in God's saints, today and all days!
A world without saints forgets how to praise."
                                                      Frederick Pratt Green (1903-2000)

"God's will be done till saints in earth and heaven are one."
                                                       Anonymous

"Let saints on earth in concert sing
With those whose work is done."
                                                     Traditional Christian Hymn

A PRAYER FOR ALL SAINTS' TIDE

Almighty God,
you have knit together your elect
in one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body of your Son.
Give us grace to follow your blessed saints
in all virtuous and godly living,
that we may come to those inexpressible joys
which you have prepared
for those who perfectly love you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and ever.   Amen.

From:    Common Order (Church of Scotland),
             Edinburgh 1994, 690-691

A PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

Gracious God, faithful and constant
across all the ages: as we pass
through this earthly life, encourage us
through all who have journeyed before us,
that we may encourage those who, in time,
come after us; and in our own journey of faith,
help us to learn from lives lived for you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May God give us grace 
to follow the example of the saints
in all virtuous and holy living.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us,
now and always.   Amen.

Sunday 26 October 2025

​TRINITY 19
ANNIVERSARIES : A THOUGHT

An anniversary has been defined as "an annual celebration of a significant event," and in our social calendar there are many of them.  Anniversaries may be celebrated with a series of personalised rituals, cultural customs and creative activities, turning ordinary days into days of meaningful and lasting memories.  Anniversaries are most commonly marked by the giving of gifts, and the sending of cards, flowers and other messages - and also by inviting family and friends to lunch, dinner or some other organised gathering.

Anniversaries are generally joyful occasions - landmarks we pass on the journey of life.  They provide an opportunity for people to meet, who may not have seen each other for a time, and they are also, as one commentator has put it, "a perfect occasion for good company, good conversation and good cuisine."  They can also, however, become an occasion for lengthy speeches and what we may politely call 'inflated reminiscences.' Perhaps there is truth in the view of the Irish writer, John Pentland Mahaffy (1839-1919), that "The most popular speaker is the one who sits down before he stands up!"

In his letter to the Christian community at Colossae, St. Paul issues instructions on how God's people there ought to behave.  "Put on, then, garments that will suit God's chosen and beloved people."  (Colossians 3: 12)  He then lists these as compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Thereafter, he makes this point firmly: "Always be thankful." (1: 15)  These three highly significant words are particularly appropriate, not only for an anniversary, but as a rule of life.  There is so much for which to be thankful, though we are often more prone to complaining.  This brief verse is a clarion call to gratitude, reminding us that gratitude is one of the great graces with which Christians ought to clothe themselves, not only at anniversaries, but at all times.

Having served the rural communities of Kirkmichael and Straiton for fully forty years, my own personal response is one of profound gratitude - profound gratitude not only for the love and support received during this time, but for the immense privilege of conducting worship, administering the sacraments, officiating at marriages, funerals and baptisms, and for gaining entrance into the homes and hearts of so many people, whether in sunshine or in sorrow.  My personal debt of gratitude is beyond measure, and the faithfulness of God throughout the four decades has created a rich legacy of memories - which are truly a testament to God's grace.

"Always be thankful."  That was St. Paul's instruction to God's people at Colossae. And it remains his instruction to us today, especially in an age where gratitude may increasingly be an old-fashioned virtue, but nevertheless one which expresses good manners, and inspires a sense of dignity and worth in our society and culture.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

"Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; 
his love endures for ever."   Psalm 107: 1

Almighty and eternal God,
our dwelling-place in all generations:
teach us once more the grace of gratitude,
that we may always be thankful,
not only for our anniversaries,
but for all your blessings to us,
more than we can desire
and so much more than we deserve;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

AN ANNIVERSARY PRAYER

O God, as we mark our anniversaries,
these significant milestones in our life,
fill our hearts with gratitude
and our day with your grace.
May each anniversary we pass
deepen our faith, enrich our love,
and strengthen our commitment to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all, now and evermore.   Amen.

Sunday 19 October 2025

TRINITY 18
NICKNAMES: A THOUGHT

Nicknames of all kinds are something we are familiar with today.  

A nickname is often a substitute for the true name of a famous person, place or object.  Commonly used to express affection, it may also be a means of expressing dislike or disdain, or tinged with a touch of sarcasm.  Many personalities have been better known by their nickname than by their real name.

William 1 of England is thus better known as "William the Conqueror," while Queen Victoria was dubbed "Grandmother of Europe."  John Dundas, the Battle of Britain fighter ace, was nicknamed "Dogs," while Eric Lock, another Battle of Britain pilot, had the amazing title "Sawn Off Locky."  "Woodbine Willie" was the popular name given to the Rev. Geoffrey Studdert-Kennedy, who, as a Chaplain in the First World War, took cigarettes along with Bibles to the soldiers, while Eric Treacy, a former Bishop of Wakefield, was called "The Railway Bishop," due to his passion for railway photography.

According to Acts 11: 26, "It was in Antioch that the disciples first got the name of Christians."  This is thought to have been a nickname for the large number of converts in the city, a title that owed more to mockery than merit.  Professor William Barclay tells us that the people of Antioch were at that time renowned for finding sarcastic nicknames, and when the bearded Roman Emperor Julian came to visit them at a later date, they called him "The Goat."  As such, the title "Christian" meant "these Christ-folk."

"It was a contemptuous nickname; but the Christians took it and made it known to all the world.  By their lives, they made it a name not of contempt but of respect and admiration and even wonder."  (Barclay)

This marks a transformation moment, reflecting a significant shift in how the followers of Jesus were perceived.  It marks the identity of believers in Christ - distinguishing them from Judaism and other religious groups, and establishing a new community of faith.  The term "Christian" now denoted a follower of Jesus Christ, and not just one who held a belief or beliefs about him. To be a "Christian" meant a commitment to a lifestyle based on the teachings of Jesus.  What we have here is a significant moment in the early Christian Church, arising from a nickname born in the city of Antioch - a city known for its diverse, multicultural population.

We understand that the first "Christians" did not appreciate the name, but, like so many other nicknames, it stuck. The question arises as to why they should be called "Christians" in the first place.  They certainly never gave them this title to themselves.

Perhaps the nonbelievers in the city saw their loyalty to Jesus Christ, and the grace of God at work in their lives.  Perhaps there was something about them that was compellingly attractive, and the word "Christians" emerged in a sarcastic context.  We cannot say for certain.  But  Acts 11: 26 assures us that it was in this great thriving city that "the disciples first got the name of Christians" - a nickname they made respectable and admirable.

What would these people call us today?  If we were in their midst, or in the company of those with little or no time for the faith, would there be sufficient grounds for calling us "Christians?"  Or would they call us something else, and invent a nickname we would never want to bear?

The word "Christians" may have been a nickname, but it was in fact a great compliment.  Today, let us take that title and make is so attractive that it is no longer one of disdain, but one of "respect and admiration and even wonder."

A PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

Almighty and ever-living God,
in whom we live and move and have our being:
we give thanks for the gift of this new week, 
with its opportunities of pleasing you.
May everything we do this week
be an offering of love, as we as of duty;
and when its days are over,
may we receive your blessing
and remain your faithful servants;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

Gracious God, you first created this world
and have given it to us as our earthly home.
Help us to cherish the life of your creation:
to respect its dignity and worth,
to protect its natural beauty,
to defend it from all danger,
and to make this world
a place of prosperity and peace
for all your people;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

AN EVENING AND A CLOSING PRAYER

Heavenly Father,
as the day draws to a close
and evening shadows darken,
bless all that we did today
and forgive us what we failed to do;
and as we go forth to our rest,
may your holy peace possess us
and keep us through the coming night;
for Jesus Christ our Lord's sake.   Amen.

God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and at my departing.

THE BLESSING

May God the Father make us holy in his love;
God the Son enrich us with his grace;
God the Holy Spirit strengthen us with joy;
may the Lord bless us
and keep us in eternal life.   Amen.

Arran - "Sleeping Warrior"

Ailsa Craig - "Paddy's Milestone"

Girvan Steeple - "Stumpy"

Croy Brae - "The Electric Brae"

Portpatrick - "The Port"

Sunday 12 October 2025

TRINITY 17
THE LORD IS YOUR KEEPER

"The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade
on your right hand."

The shorter days, the longer nights, the falling leaves and the much cooler air are a sure and certain sign that autumn has arrived.  After a beautiful summer, we have passed into that season between summer and winter - a season noted for its splendid colours, and its Harvest gifts.  Autumn has been called 'a season of transition,' a time of change between one part of the year and another; and 'transition' is much in evidence these days.

It has been said that the whole world is passing through a period of transition and turmoil.  If we think about it carefully, everything seems to be unstable and unpredictable, whether in the Church, the nation, the community, or in the wider arena of international affairs.  At the present moment, there is concern about an energy crisis, with escalating fuel bills faced by businesses and domestic users in the coming months. Banks and other well-known department stores continue to close, and there are warnings of severe challenges for the NHS this winter.  And church closures will continue as ageing congregations and a declining number of attendees are said to make them no longer fit for Christian mission.

As we look out on the wider world, war and conflict are still ongoing, and with the recent and appalling tragedy in Manchester, there is an emerging culture of hate in this country, as much as there is in other parts of the world.  Little wonder many people have given up reading newspapers or turned off their television sets when the national news is broadcast.  They find what they read and hear too depressing, and wonder, often fearfully, what will happen next.  According to some, we are not living in an age of change.  We are living in an age of change.

In this rapidly-changing world, it is reassuring to know that God does not change. His love for each of us does not fade or falter with the changing seasons.  He is the same yesterday, today, and for ever, and his saving work in Jesus Christ has not changed with the chaos and confusion of this present age.  Whatever happens, and whatever circumstances may come our way, we still need the strength, the grace, the forgiveness and the love of God, made known to us in Jesus Christ, 'for the living of these days.'  As Psalm 121 puts it: the Lord 'neither slumbers nor sleeps.'  The Lord never rests.  He never leaves his post.  He never goes off duty. He remains our 'keeper' through every changing scene of life.  He is our 'shade' or 'protector' - the one who stands beside us looking after us.  Or, as one translator put it: 'whatever you're doing right now, God is close by.'

We are well into Autumn - a 'season of transition and change' between one part of the year and another.  In these Autumn days, let us continue with energy and enthusiasm the work that God has called us to do, putting our whole trust in him whom time cannot change, and whose watch over us is compassionate, constant and complete. In every respect, 'the Lord is your, or rather our keeper.'

O God, as we come to the autumn of the year, this time of transition and change, and as we see around us a changing and unpredictable world, make us mindful of your constant care for us.  Watch over us and preserve us from all evil, and be our guardian and our guide from this time forth and for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Mighty and merciful God,
may your kindness be known to all.

Hear the prayers of all who cry to you;
open the eyes of those
who never pray for themselves;
have mercy on those who are in misery';
deal gently with those who sit in darkness;
increase the number of those
who love and serve you daily.

Preserve our land from all things hurtful,
preserve our Church from all dangerous error,
preserve our people from forgetting
that you are their Lord and Saviour.

Be gracious to those countries 
that are made desolate
by war, famine, disease, or persecution,
and grant that the course of the world
may be so ordered in obedience to your will
that the people may live in security 
and freedom from want,
and their children grow up
to be makers of peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

From:   Common Order (Church of Scotland),
             Edinburgh 1994, 502-503

THE BLESSING

May the love of the Father enfold us,
the wisdom of the Son enlighten us,
the fire of the Spirit inflame us;
and may the blessing of God rest upon us
and abide with us, now and evermore.   Amen.

Sunday 5 October 2025

TRINITY 16
A THOUGHT FOR HARVESTIDE

"The land has yielded its harvest.
God, our God, has blessed us."

"The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy."

Of the Seven Deadly Sins, it has been said that "pride" is by far the worst.  By "pride" we are not thinking of a natural pride in our work, in our family and friends, or in something we have made or achieved.  By "pride" we mean an attitude of mind that compels us to see ourselves as the "master of all things," convincing us that we can achieve anything if we apply our minds to the task.  This way of thinking leads to the arrogant assumption that everything we have is the outcome of our own hard work, and entices us to look snobbishly on those who are not so successful.

In the Book of Deuteronomy (8: 7-18), Moses addresses the people of Israel, who are about to enter the "Promised Land."  This is a rich and prosperous land that God has given to them, and Moses reminds them, in no uncertain terms, that they have not achieved their worldly wealth entirely by their own efforts.  They must not become conceited, or puffed up with pride, in the mistaken conviction that their own efforts have gained them the prosperity which this land offers.

They must always remember the Lord their God.  Their affluence, their success in life must never cause them to neglect the worship of the God of Israel, and lead them to think that they can get on in life without him.  He is their "Good Provider," and it is ultimately to him that they owe a huge debt of gratitude for their success  in the land he has given to them.

At Harvestide, Moses is reminding us that we are all ultimately dependent on God for everything that we have, and that we cannot claim complete credit for our talents, not even for our ability to work hard to achieve our level of success.  Therefore, like the ancient Israelites, we must remember the Lord our God, and not, through the sin of misplaced pride, neglect or reject him.  Our Harvest produce reminds us that all things come from God, and that our frame of mind should not be one of hardened pride, but one of profound gratitude to the "Good Provider," whose generosity to us never fails.

"Remember the Lord your God," warned Moses.  This is not only an instruction for Harvestide, but one which we ought to obey every day of our life!

O Lord our God, as we celebrate Harvestide, help us to remember that we have not gained this produce entirely by our own efforts, but that all things come from you, and to you alone we owe thanksgiving and praise; through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Gracious God,
as we celebrate Harvestide,
we give thanks for keeping your promise
that as long as the earth remains
seedtime and harvest shall never cease.
We give thanks for the order of nature,
for the beauty of the earth, and sky, and sea,
and for all good things around us
that come from you, our good provider;
but most of all, for the riches of your grace,
beyond number and without price,
brought to us in Jesus Christ.
Make us truly thankful for these
and for all your gifts,
and may we show forth our gratitude,
not only in prayer, but by the way we live;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A HARVEST PRAYER

Gracious God,
as we celebrate Harvestide,
we pray for those less fortunate than ourselves:
for the poor, the hungry, the homeless,
the oppressed; for those overwhelmed by
hardship or other disaster; for those whose
crops have failed,; and for all those who lack
the necessities of life; that you may help us
to share from our abundance with those who
live in need, and cry for help;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the grace of Christ attend us,
the love of God surround us,
the Holy Spirit keep us,
at Harvestide and for ever.   Amen.

Sunday 28 September 2025

TRINITY 15
TAKING EXERCISE!
A HOLIDAY THOUGHT

Seated on a bench overlooking Carlingwark Loch, on the edge of Castle Douglas, people of all ages were out on a`beautiful afternoon, walking on the paths that weave their way through the lovely park at the lochside.  With the warm sunshine,the beginning of Autumn was scarcely  noticeable, and most of the walkers were clad in summer outfits.  All seemed to have a single objective: to get out into the fresh air, and take exercise while the beautiful weather lasted.

These days we are told about the importance of taking exercise, and that this is something we ought to take seriously.  We read and hear about people being overweight, and obesity seems common even among children.  As a consequence, the importance of taking exercise is regarded as essential to a healthy lifestyle, and walking is one of the many ways to achieve it.  Much of our work these days is sedentary: we spend hours sitting at desks or computers and even taking occasional exercise has become difficult in our daily routine.

Medical professionals warn us of the dangers to our health of not taking sufficient exercise, and of not looking carefully enough after our bodily health.  Yet we do tend to disregard this advice and only exercise infrequently, or not at all.  It is said that we have become a nation of 'couch potatoes,' whose preference is for the chair or the sofa, and not for the glories that the outdoor world has to offer us.  That said, there has been a marked increase in recent years in the number of 'keep fit' clubs or classes, some of which are run by churches, and others by local authorities, to try and keep exercise a priority in our lives. The truth is that the need for exercise is not something to be taken lightly, but must be seen as essential for a healthy lifestyle.

In the New Testament, Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God, and to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.  If we are to love our neighbour in that way, we must first of all have some love for ourselves.  Disciplined bodily care should be part of that love we have for ourselves.  There is a Christian duty to care for our physical wellbeing, as well as our spiritual welfare.  In the ancient world, the body (flesh) was something to be despised or regarded as irrelevant, while only the spirit or the soul mattered. In Christian thought, however, the body is a God-given gift, and, as such, we have a duty to care for it. Taking time for exercise is surely a means of attaining and maintaining this healthy physical state.

The so-called 'healing miracles' of Jesus are a sure and certain sign that Jesus cared for the physical welfare of people, and not only their spiritual condition.  Jesus is often referred to as a physician, or a healer, and this testifies to his concern for the health of human beings and to their bodily fitness.  

As we progress through Autumn, with its distinctive colours and its opportunities for walking and taking exercise among its beauty, we might reassess how significant or unimportant exercise is in our own lifestyle - and choose thereafter to make it essential for maintaining our own physical wellbeing.  As a spiritual writer of a previous age once noted: "Never neglect the body; it is the God-given home that you inhabit!"

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

O God, you have safely brought us
to this holy day, your precious gift to us:
as we seek our spiritual refreshment 
and growth in grace, teach us also
to care for our bodies, as well as our spirits,
that we may enjoy the blessings of health
and wholeness, and live a lifestyle pleasing to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all, evermore.   Amen

Sunday 21 September 2025

TRINITY 14
BE STRONG IN THE LORD!

On this Battle of Britain Sunday, we mark the 85th anniversary of the remarkable victory of Royal Air Force pilots and aircrew, which was not only a dramatic turning point in the Second World War, but the first decisive battle in history fought exclusively in the air.  It was Britain's darkest hour, as its very survival hung in the balance.  The elimination of the Royal Air Force in the air and on the ground would prepare the way for a massive seaborne and airborne invasion.  "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed to so many by so few."  This famous quote by Sir Winston Churchill was a light in darkness, and strengthened the resilience of the people at a time of national peril.

In Ephesians 6: 10-20, it is the words of St. Paul, and not Churchill, that become a light in darkness.  "Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power." At Ephesus, the Christians were passing through difficult times, just as this country did over eighty years ago. They faced the constant threat of persecution for their faith , and even the reality of a martyr's death.  It was a fragmented society: disunity and disharmony were rife, and people were divided from one another - class from class, creed from creed, Jew from Gentile and so on.  Men and women, meant to be in fellowship with one another and with God, were estranged from each other and from God.

People of that time also believed that evil spirits filled the air, and were determined to harm them.  When St. Paul uses words like 'powers,' 'authorities,' and 'rulers,' he is using names for the different types or classes of evil spirits that were thought to fill the air in the ancient world.  In his mind, and in the thinking of his contemporaries, the universe was a battle ground: one in which Christians had to put up with attacks, not only from their enemies, but from strong spiritual forces in the air itself.  In Churchillian language, the apostle, taking leave of his people, offers these words of encouragement: "Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power."

Has anything really changed?  It could be said of us today that we are passing through difficult times - times of massive uncertainty about the present, and of anxiety about the future.  From a military perspective, the Battle of Britain finished in 1940.  However, in another sense, it still goes on. Christian men, women and children are now "the few" - a minority, we are told -struggling hard against adverse forces to maintain a Christian witness in an increasingly religionless age.

Not only that, when we consider the state of the nation, we can easily succumb to despair.  Like those Christians at Ephesus, we live in a deeply and often bitterly divided society.  We may not believe that the air is contaminated by evil spirits, driving us round the proverbial bend.  But our society is a shambles, largely through social, economic, political, spiritual and other problems, eating away at the very fabric of our existence. A well-known Scottish churchman of a previous age once said of his own youthful lifestyle that "he found himself going to hell in a hurry."  That could be said of this country, if not of the world today: that we are heading for hell in a hurry.  

How do we respond to this?  Listen once more to these words of St. Paul, couched in ringing tones and almost Churchillian in their style: "Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power."

In a word: keep the faith. Stand firm.  Hold your ground.  Uphold all that is good.

Today, we remember and give thanks for those who took part in the Battle of Britain. And as we honour their memory, we pledge ourselves anew to the cause of justice, freedom and peace.  We also remember that today we are now "the few," struggling, in an age that is closing churches by the score and where indifference and unbelief are rampant, to keep our Christian conscience and convictions intact, and express them without fear of scorn and derision.

"Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power."

That was God's word to his people then.  That is God's word to his people now.

THE PRAYER OF COMMEMORATION

Almighty God, from whose love in Christ we cannot be parted,
either by death or by life: on this 85th anniversary of the Battle
of Britain, we remember, and give thanks for 'the few,' to whom 
we owe so much, for those who made the supreme sacrifice,
and for all who have lived and died in the service of mankind.

We also remember, and give thanks for all who have
gone before us in the Faith: who have entered into
that great community of love, where Christ has gone 
to prepare a place for us, so that where he is, we may
 also be.

Keep us in unbroken fellowship
with the whole Church in heaven and on earth,
and bring us at last with all your saints
to glory everlasting;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who, with you, Father, and the Holy Spirit,
ever one God, is worshipped and glorified,
world without end.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

God grant to the living, grace;
to the departed rest;
to the Church, the King, 
the Commonwealth, and all mankind
peace and concord;
and to us and all his servants,
life everlasting.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with us and abide with us always.   Amen.

Sunday 14 September 2025

TRINITY 13
EXPERIENCE AS TEACHER

"Put it down to experience!"  We often use this expression to comfort or encourage those who are facing, or have faced an issue in their lives which has not been particularly pleasant.  

In St. Mark's Gospel (8: 1-21), Jesus and his disciples are on a boat, crossing over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.  However, they have forgotten to bring bread with them.  Jesus is warning them about the Pharisees and King Herod, noting the evil influence that each might have on them.  They ought to have been listening, but all they can think and speak about, fearing that they might starve, is the fact they have no food with them.

Jesus saw their obsession with this, and reminded them that only a short time before, he had satisfied the hunger of a large crowd (4000) - with enough food to spare.  It was as if Jesus, reminding them of this scenario, was pointing out that "experience" hadn't taught them a lesson, and that in their present circumstances, they didn't trust Jesus enough to help them.

How do we understand "experience" in the world of today? As a stepping-stone or a stumbling block?

Do we see "experience" as an educator?  Or, like the disciples aboard that vessel, do we disregard it, and dismiss it as of no significance?  Sometimes the lessons of "experience" do slip through our minds, and we repeat the mistakes of the past.  But there are those "experiences" that have had a positive effect on us, and we have learned much from them.  This has helped us to face seemingly insoluble problems and get a satisfactory solution.

Through "experience," we find a way of coping with all kinds of circumstances, recognising it as an educator. In a wider context, "experience" teaches us much about ourselves and the world around us.  It may help us find a true purpose in life, make more accurate and meaningful decisions, or enrich our lives in a new and exciting ways.  It also assists us in learning new skills and techniques, and develops empathy and compassion for others.  The precious gift of "experience" is not to be squandered or taken lightly.  "Experience" is what leads to growth, knowledge and wisdom.  It may be a tutor that assists our progress in the so-called "university of life."

Sir Roger Bannister was an English neurologist.  He was also an athlete and the first person to run a mile in under four minutes.  This was accomplished in 1954 in Oxford, and achieved with the minimal training, while practising as a junior doctor.  His record lasted only forty-six days.  But Bannister had found his way into the history books - using the experience of others who had tried this before him.  "Experience" was Bannister's mentor.

We are sometimes like Jesus's disciples, and forget that God in Christ, having safely brought us thus far, will continue to sustain and support us.  We forget that God in Christ can bring us through whatever life may throw at us, because we ignore our past "experience" of him, and we fail to trust him enough for our present or future deliverance.

God has given to each of us what a poet called once "the everlasting freshness of experience."  This is a gift from which we may learn and grow.  And there are times when we should thank God for the lessons "experience" has taught us.  "Experience" should be our teacher, our God-given educator.  That is what the disciples forgot. That is what we should remember.

"Always let experience be your teacher, never your undertaker."  So said a brightly illuminated text on a noticeboard outside a church in the centre of Carlisle. A great truth for our living is contained in that brief text.  Another said: "Experience is a condiment that makes success better" - a pithy statement that also exalts its value.

How do we understand "experience?"  As a help?  Or a hindrance?  An Autumn question seeking an honest answer!

Gracious God, in whom we live and move and have our being: grant that through the gift of experience, we may learn the lessons of the past, and put our whole trust only in you, our rock and our redeemer; through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE COMING WEEK

Almighty God, Creator and Lord of all things,
as we continue on our earthly journey,
teach us to be creative in our lives,
and to bring about things worthwhile,
for our own good, and for the good of all;
and make us creators of goodness
every moment of our day, that in a troubled
world, we may be bearers of light and grace;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.   Amen.

A GENERAL PRAYER

Gracious God, source of all life and light,
as we pass through this autumn season,
we ask your blessing on the Church,
on our world, our nation, and our community,
and especially on those for whom the Israel-Gaza
conflict, and the ongoing fighting in Ukraine,
has caused so much destruction and distress.
Surround them with your presence; enfold them
in your love; sustain them by your strength;
and may your peace possess their hearts.
We ask this prayer through him
who lives to make intercession for us,
your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to himself,;
may the power of the Lord Jesus
strengthen us in his service;
may the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our souls;
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you and abide with you always.   Amen.

Sunday 7 September 2025

TRINITY 12
TRUSTEES OF CREATION
A THOUGHT FOR AUTUMN

As the year moves forward, the distinctive Autumn colours are making their appearance.  The leaves are slowly turning from green to a yellow or rusty brown, while the summer flowers are fading away.  It has been said by one spiritual writer that the season of Autumn is one in which "God's glory shines through Mother Nature," and reminds us of our duty to protect the planet and pass on such divinely-given beauty to those who come after us.

In a passage from Psalm 104 (1-6 and 10-23), we learn much about God's Creation, noting how it reveals God's greatness, his power and his majesty, while his outer garment is a robe of "light," illuminating the cosmos he has made.  Not only that, there is an "orderliness" to the earth, with the regularity of the seasons, providing food and drink for all God's little creatures, while God keeps all chaos in check.  The Psalmist recognises that trees, wild goats and young lions are beloved of God, and that all this creative work is for the benefit of mankind.  Human beings find their place within the setting of rain, wind, day and night, growth and decay - a world with a pattern and a purpose to it.

What we have here is a statement to the effect that the whole Creation is God's handiwork, and that he has complete mastery over it.  God rejoices in the beauty of his handiwork, while human beings are called to tend this "Garden of Nature," to work in harmony with all God's creatures.  Mankind is called to act as a steward, as a trustee of everything that God has made, and not turn the "Garden of the Lord" into a wilderness of waste, or treat it with disdain and disrespect.

We all depend on God.  We are all 'messengers' or 'ministers' of God's creative work.  We are all God's trustees.

The word 'trustee' has assumed a new significance in recent times.  All our charities are managed by trustees, and overseen in Scotland by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. (OSCR)  Ministers and church elders are trustees of the local congregation by virtue of their office, while we also have trustees to look after wealth, land, buildings, schools, farms, estates and a host of other commodities and institutions.

In 1810 the Reverend Henry Duncan, Minister at Ruthwell in Dumfries-shire, founded a savings bank in a cottage for his poorer parishioners. With a minimum deposit of sixpence, the bank was available to farm workers, domestic servants, craftsmen and others of limited means.

Henry Duncan's experiment developed into the savings bank movement, quickly spreading across some ninety-two countries.  These banks were not managed by salaried officials, but by local volunteers or directors who became 'trustees' - charged with the responsibility of looking after other people's money.  The importance of the trustee in this model of banking cannot be overstated.

Just as those trustees managed their banks, so we are called by God to manage his creative work, and to do so in such a way that always seeks its betterment and improvement.  We are trustees of Creation: each of us with a 'ministry' to preserve its beauty and protect its integrity.  

This Autumn season is an opportune moment to reflect on how carefully or carelessly we serve as trustees of God's Creation, and see if we are doing what we like, or what we ought with it.

In other words, what kind of trustees are we?  Are we thoughtless and indifferent? Or do we see our role as those who care for Creation in a way that will benefit those who will succeed us?  After all, William Morris, the British textile designer, poet, artist, activist and novelist, said: "We are only the trustees for those who come after us."

May God enable us to be responsible trustees of his creative work, who, when one day called to account, need never be ashamed.  By treating Creation with respect, we honour the One whose handiwork it is.

O Lord our God, as the Autumn season now reveals its natural colours, empower us to be good stewards of your creative work, and to pass on to those who succeed us a world of peace and joy and beauty, worthy to be called your garden; through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Almighty and ever-living God,
by whose grace we come to this day:
as we now behold the morning light,
fill our hearts with your Holy Spirit,
that we may praise you worthily
and love you perfectly;
and as we commend ourselves
into your tender, loving care, 
grant us your all-sufficient grace
and preserve us in peace and safety;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A  PRAYER FOR THE SANCTITY OF LIFE

Eternal Father, source of life and light,
whose love extends to all people,
   all creatures, all things:
grant us that reverence for life
   which becomes those who believe in you,
lest we despise it, degrade it,
   or come callously to destroy it.
Rather let us save it, secure it,
   and sanctify it,
after the example of your Son,
   Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Robert Runcie 1921-2000
Archbishop of Canterbury 1980-1991

THE BLESSING

May the love of God enfold us,
may the mercy of God absolve us,
may the strength of God support us,
may the peace of God console us;
and may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with us now and evermore.   Amen. 

Sunday 31 August 2025

TRINITY 11
THE MENACE OF INDIFFERENCE

As we reach the end of summer, and as autumn gently approaches, we may look back over recent months, thankful for the beautiful weather which we have blessed, only rudely interrupted by a severe storm at the beginning of August.  On the whole, however, the summer suns have been glowing brightly, but in spite of this, the season's viruses have been in circulation. It is often said that "everything is a virus these days," and this summer has had its share of them.

There are many people infected with another virus for which a lasting cure has yet to be found.  This is the virus called "indifference" or "apathy."  Denis Duncan has written that "indifference" is a dangerous and infectious disease which, left untreated, can quickly develop into something worse, and is now endemic in every area of life.  At the root of this virus is the "couldn't-care-less" attitude that causes people to shrug their shoulders when a stance or a decision is called for.

In the Book of Lamentations (1:1-12), we hear that Jerusalem is doomed, and the reader is invited into the world of this frightened city, speaking as a person about "my sorrow", "my suffering" and "my distress."  The story makes a plea for others to recognise its fate:  "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?" Behind this question lies a fear that there will be those who will be indifferent to the city's pending disaster - they will have an "air of apathy", with little or no interest in the city's tragic tale.

There are those who have "the menace of indifference" today, and display their apathy in many ways.  For example, apathy shows itself in the acceptance of, or in a casual attitude to wrong-doing.  The deterioration of standards in society, the insensitivity to grace and goodness, and the rejection of values once deemed necessary for our wellbeing, also testify to the apathy that has infected so much of our culture. With so many of our churches closing, and the spiritual state of the nation in dire straits, there are those who find this a painful experience. There are others for whom this is of little or no concern, and dismiss it with a "who cares?" attitude of mind.

In 1795 Edmund Burke (British statesman and writer) said that "There is nothing so fatal to religion as indifference."  Quoting John of Salisbury, Burke argued that "the torpor of indifference" is the real force Christians must contend with.  Indeed, in our secular times, it is maintained that Christianity has to wrestle more with indifference, than with open hostility. 

In the Book of Revelation (3:14-22), judgment is passed on the church at Laodicea, a city now located in modern Turkey.  A wealthy, industrial and prosperous city, the Christians there have wavered in their commitment, and are neither hot nor cold, but only "lukewarm" in their faith.   They have inhaled "the menace of indifference", and, deceived by material success, are blind to their spiritual poverty.  A thriving commercial and trading centre, this prosperous city had lost its enthusiasm for religion, its people being neither one thing nor the other.  As a result, it stood condemned by the risen Christ for being lukewarm in matters religious.

Indifference and apathy are not only a problem for modern Christianity.  They have eaten into the very fabric of our life, and this contagious virus undermines our industry, our politics, our institutions, our culture, our professions, and have helped to breed the cynicism and contempt with which we are so familiar.

God give us grace to cast aside "the menace of indifference", so that we stand for something - lest in our apathy we fall for anything!

"Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?"

As we come to the last of our "Summer Sundays," let that be a question never asked of us!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

We acknowledge, O God, in your presence,
that the menace of indifference
 so easily takes hold of us
and spoils our Christian discipleship:
 our indifference to your word,
 our indifference to your will,
 our indifference to your promises,
 our indifference to your presence....
We acknowledge, O God, the sin of apathy,
 making us lukewarm in our devotion,
 half-hearted in our service,
 uncertain in our commitment,
 insincere in our dealings with others
 and in our dealings with you....
Set us free from our past unconcern,
and help us by your renewing grace
to stand firm for what is right,
and know, and love and serve you better;
 to the glory of your name.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May God, who is the ground of hope,
fill us with all joy and peace
as we lead the life of faith,
until, by the power of the Holy Spirit,
we overflow with hope.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.
Amen.

Sunday 24 August 2025

​TRINITY 10
WITH ALL OUR MIND

During the week, the school summer holidays came to an end in South Ayrshire.  On Wednesday morning, schools reopened for pupils, following a summer of superb weather, with much more sunshine than showers.  With the holidays over, it is back to school for the staff and for our children, some of them attending for the first time. Indeed, many people, looking back, often regard their school days as the happiest of their life - perhaps a questionable statement!

Society rightly stresses education and learning, and regards them as a lifelong process, rather than something we focus on in our formative years.  We were always warned that when our university days were over, the learning process continued as a lifelong commitment.  In some ways, on reflection, our learning only really started after we had qualified.  It is also said that every day is a day in the classroom, and provides us with an opportunity to discover something we had never previously known.

In St. Luke's Gospel (10: 27), Jesus was approached by a lawyer, who wanted to know what he must do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus told him that he must love God, not only with all his heart, strength and soul, but also with all his mind.  What Jesus is saying to us today is that we are to love God with every faculty we possess.  This includes the mind.  We must think critically about our faith, and about how we apply it in a scientific age. To examine what we believe in this way is not an affront to God, but part of the way in which we express our love for him.

Historians tell us that the Christian faith spread rapidly through Asia and into Europe because, among other things, the first Christians could ably out-argue their opponents, and clothe their Christianity in a cloak of credibility.  Rigorous thinking confounded their critics.  Could this be said of us in modern times?

Nowadays, many people take their beliefs, their ethics, their moral choices, and their entire understanding of reality from the television, the newspaper, or some other source.  We live in a world in which information abounds, with recognised experts on almost every subject.  The internet has made it easier and quicker to gain access to information, but the daunting question arises:  what is true, and what is "fake news?"  The need for discernment has never been greater, and in some instances never more urgent.

In times like these, we need to apply our minds and think about matters that affect us at a critical level.  This applies as much to our Christian faith, as it does to everything else.  In a scientific-focused world, where faith in science and human progress have largely displaced faith in God as found in Jesus Christ, we must love God "with all our mind," and make a case for the convictions we hold so dear.

We are called to be Christian "case makers," and to make "case making" an integral part of our Christian identity.  After all, we are told (1 Peter 3: 15)  that we should always be ready to give a defence of our faith, and of the Christian worldview, albeit with gentleness and respect.

This requires serious brainwork on our part.  God has no interest in lazy thinking.  He has given us the faculties to think closely, carefully and critically.  Indeed, the renewed mind plays a vital role in expressing our devotion to him.  Let us learn to love God with all our mind, and by so doing, discover more of the hidden riches of his grace!

"It's time to know why you believe what you believe."
(J. Warner Wallace)

A PRAYER FOR EDUCATION AND LEARNING
(in light of our young people returning to school)

God of truth, the only wise God,
you have commanded us to love you
with all our mind.
So bless the work of schools
and colleges and universities,
that in them, the truth may be never be denied,
betrayed, concealed,
but be honoured, followed, and obeyed.
Guide teachers and students in their endeavours
to seek and serve the truth:
may their learning never cut them off from the community,
but lead them towards
enlarged and selfless service.
Grant that learning may flourish among us,
as a means both of enriching our lives
and of drawing us nearer to you
from whom all truth proceeds;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

From:   Common Order (Church of Scotland),
             Edinburgh, 483

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

O God, forasmuch as without you
we are not able to please you:
mercifully grant that in all things,
at all times, and in all places,
your Holy Spirit may direct 
and rule our hearts;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
rest upon us, and remain with us,
now and for evermore.   Amen.

Sunday 17 August 2025

TRINITY 9
VJ DAY COMMEMORATION
GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND OUR STRENGTH

"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble."

The 15th August (Friday) was Victory Over Japan Day, otherwise known as VJ Day, which, with some exceptions, basically brought to an end the Second World War eighty years ago.  This was an occasion of unrestrained rejoicing: a time when people poured out on to the streets in mass excitement, holding impromptu parties, dances and concerts, singing and cheering and waving flags in loud celebration; a time when Church bells rang out across the country and when air-raid sirens were finally silenced.

Those of us who lived through this will have their own memories of it.  Those of us, not of that generation, can only try and imagine what the euphoria must have been like, after six years of violent conflict had come to an end.  For many people, this will be a time of mixed emotions: a day of reflection and remembrance, a day of joy and thanksgiving, a day of sorrow, recalling the loss of loved ones; but also a day of looking forward, hoping for a much safer future for the generations yet to come.

From a military perspective, the Second World War came to an end eighty years ago.  But war and conflict among nations did not end in 1945, and to this very day, the human race has not yet found a peaceful means to end international and internal disputes.  Since 1945 there have been wars and rumours of wars, while bombs and bullets from terrorists have shattered peace in many countries, bringing cruel and needless deaths as a consequence.  Even at this very moment, Gaza and Ukraine are war-torn territories, with no signs yet of a lasting peace.  Eighty years on from 1945, we are far removed from the prophet Micah's vision (Micah 4: 1-4) of universal harmony and peace.  Our world, like the ancient world, is still one of many malign influences and powers, where people perish by the sword, and where tyranny, torture, genocide, persecution and oppression are an everyday fact of life.

Psalm 46 was written against the background of conflict and strife.  The congregation for whom it was written knew God to be a well-proven help in trouble and time of need.  God had always been the people's strength ever since Moses had led them out of the clutches of Pharaoh in Egypt, and could now continue to be trusted to be like that.  The Psalm is replete with wonderful symbols of God's permanence - he is their refuge and their strength in time of need.  No matter what befalls them, God is there as their refuge.

God is also here as our refuge.  He is the one in whom we can place our trust in every circumstance in life.  Life can do its worst to us, but throughout it all, God remains our protector - our refuge and strength in time of need or trouble today.  The Psalm does not only depict what God was to his people in the past, but what he is to his people now.

As we celebrate the end of the Second World War, whether by taking part in some of the national commemorations, or by sitting at home in quiet contemplation, let us look back with thanksgiving to the liberation of Europe and other parts of the world eighty years ago - but let us also look forward in hope, knowing that at all times, God remains "our refuge and our strength," and that no matter what the future may bring, or what life may throw at us, we are forever under the loving care of the One from whose love in Christ we cannot be parted.  If we celebrate anything today, let it be the promise that God will never fail us or forsake us!


A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Gracious God, Father of all mercies:
we give you our heartfelt thanks and praise
for all your goodness and loving kindness
to us and to all people;
and especially at this anniversary
for your grace and favour in time of need.
We thank you for the liberty won for us,
and in you alone we trust for years to come.
For past mercies, present graces and future blessings,
we give you our thanks and praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER OF REMEMBRANCE

Gracious God, God of the living and departed:
as we give thanks for the liberties we enjoy,
we remember, and give thanks for all those,
military and civilian, who made this possible,
and those who made the supreme sacrifice,
whose memory we treasure today and all days.

At the going down of the sun,
and in the morning:
We will remember them.

Take this world into your keeping,
and make us instruments of your peace,
until we come at last to that kingdom,
with those who have gone before us,
where suffering and sorrow are ended,
and where death itself is no more;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Almighty God, by whose everlasting mercy
we come to this time of reflection and remembrance:
as we look back to dark and difficult days,
help us to look forward, and to work and pray
for a brighter, and much better world
for us and for all your people,
where none shall hurt or destroy,
when nation shall speak peace to nation,
and when earth shall know the peace of heaven;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE OF PEACE

Lord God, our refuge and our dwelling-place
throughout all generations:
we pledge ourselves once more to serve you
and all mankind
in the cause of peace.
Guide us by your Spirit;
give us wisdom;
give us courage;
give us hope;
and keep us faithful now and always;
through him in whom we are reconciled
and made one: Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

God grant to the living, grace;
to the departed, rest;
to the Church, the King, the Commonwealth,
to this nation and to all nations,
unity, harmony and peace.
and to us and all his servants life everlasting.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.   Amen.

THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF VJ DAY

Today (15 August) is being observed as the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day), which effectively marked the end of the Second World War.  This will be commemorated throughout the UK with various ceremonies and activities to honour those who served in the Far East. The Royal British Legion, in partnership with the Government, will hold at midday a National Commemorative Event to mark this most significant anniversary.  Even though the Cold War soon began among the victorious powers, no conflict on the scale of the Second World War has taken place since 1945.  A fuller commemoration will be put on the website on Sunday morning, but today, as we pass this landmark with our own thoughts, feelings and emotions, we offer the following prayer and blessing.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

"The eternal God is our refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms."

(A short silence may be observed)

Almighty and ever-living God,
in whose service is our perfect freedom
and in whose will is our peace:
on this day of eightieth anniversary,
we give thanks for the end of the Second
World War, for those who made this possible,
and for blessings gained at such personal cost.
We honour with special thanksgiving
all who made the supreme sacrifice,
especially any whom we knew
and whose memory we treasure.
As we look to the future, unknown and uncertain,
hold us firm in the grasp of your everlasting arms;
help us to learn aright the lessons of the past,
and to work and pray for that perfect day
when earth shall know the peace of heaven;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Points to ponder:  "The world must know what happened, and never forget." -  Dwight D. Eisenhower

"Whatever the future brings, whether war or peace, it is shaped by us and no-one else." -  Anonymous

"All wars eventually end in conversation." - Sir Max Hastings

THE BLESSING

God grant to the living, grace;
to the departed, rest;
to the Church, the King, the Commonwealth
and all mankind, peace and concord,
and to us and all his servants
life everlasting.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.
   Amen.

Sunday 10 August 2025

​TRINITY 8
THE QUESTION OF IDENTITY

In modern times, the whole question of identity is one of supreme importance.  Time after time we are asked to confirm our identity by producing a raft of documents, such as our passport, driving-licence, a recent bank statement or utility bill.  Identity theft and scams are so rife that the need to prove our identity is more a compulsion than an option.

In the New Testament, we often find the apostle Paul stating his identity, when writing to the various churches of his day.  Thus, in Ephesians (1: 1), he says that this letter is "From Paul, by the will of God apostle of Christ Jesus," while he introduces himself to the Galatians (1: 1) in a more affirmative way: "From Paul, an apostle commissioned not by any human authority or human act, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead."

Jesus was often asked about his identity, and about whether or not he was God's Messiah.  There are times when he was rather coy about the matter, but the whole question of Jesus's identity took on a new form on his way to Caesarea Philippi.  In St. Mark's Gospel, (8: 27-30), we read that Jesus asked his disciples: "Who do people say I am?"  Having received some answers, Jesus then put the question directly to them: "And you, who do you say I am?" Peter came out with the bold answer: "You are the Messiah," after which Jesus charged them not to tell anyone about him.

In our own society, which is increasingly secular and takes much less notice of Christian or religious faith and practice, we may think about how to maintain our identity as followers of Jesus Christ. One response is to maintain our Christian integrity as much as possible, and live our lives by faith and example.  In other words, in spite of the pressure to let our identity as Christians falter or fade, we have an opportunity to hold on to what we believe, and put into practice the faith we profess.

In so many areas of everyday life, the whole question of identity is supremely important.  It is also supremely important that we retain our identity as Christ's disciples, in a world that knows him not, or loves him little.

Someone once asked that if you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?  Or would the charge against you be dropped?  This is worth pondering in an age where the need to prove our identity is paramount, and where the risk of losing our Christian identity is forever real.

As Timothy Keller (1950-2023), the American Presbyterian pastor, preacher and theologian said, regarding our identity as Christians: "Christianity is not just a label we wear; it is the very essence of who we are and how we live."

Is our identity as a disciple of Jesus Christ immediately obvious?  Or is it something we hide and prefer to keep private?

"Stand firm in the faith; be valiant, be strong.
Take strength from the grace of God
which is ours in Christ Jesus."

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

God most holy,
we give you thanks
for bringing us out of the shadow of night
into the light of morning.
We ask you
for the joy of spending this day in your service,
so that when evening comes,
we may once more give you thanks,
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.   Amen.

From:   Common Order (Church of Scotland),
             Edinburgh 1994, 517

A CONCLUDING PRAYER

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward
save that of knowing that we do your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the love of the Father enfold us,
the wisdom of the sun enlighten us,
the fire of the Spirit inflame us;
and may the blessing of God rest upon us
and abide with us, now and evermore.   Amen.

Sunday 3 August 2025

TRINITY 7
A TRICK QUESTION

This week many of our young people are anxiously awaiting their examination results.  Not only are the youngsters showing signs of concern, but parents are also wondering how well, or otherwise, their children have fared in the recent examinations.  In our day, we were always reassured that there was never a trick question on the examination paper, and that all we had to do was study the question first - then answer it.  We never quite believed that to be the case, and always suspected that a trick question was subtly included in the list.

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (St. Luke 10: 25-37), Jesus is asked by a lawyer what he must do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus reminds this enquirer of what is written in the Law, and the lawyer correctly answers Jesus: that he must love God and love his neighbour.  But the lawyer is not content with this, and proceeds to ask Jesus another question: "And who is my neighbour?" The lawyer, being an expert in Jewish regulation, ought to have known the answer - or did know the answer, but was a trick question to trap Jesus into saying something different, or one by which the lawyer could evade his duty to love God, and everyone else with true compassion, irrespective of colour, class or creed.

The question he ought to have asked Jesus was, "To whom can I be a neighbour?" This lawyer was wanting a precise definition of who his neighbour was, and not be placed in the position of having to be a neighbour to anyone needing his help, and of showing unconditional love and compassion for everyone, irrespective of their social and ethnic boundaries.  The story Jesus told makes it clear to the lawyer with the trick question, as he makes it clear to us, is that, the question we ought to ask is not, "And who is my neighbour?", but, "To whom can I be a neighbour?"

As we journey through life, we meet many souls who seek our help, our compassion, our time, our patience, our understanding, and whatever else we have to offer them. In truth, we can often find a reason or excuse from withholding the assistance they are seeking.  Like the lawyer in the story of the Good Samaritan, we prefer the trick question: "And who is my neighbour?"  Whereas, instead, we ought to be thinking and asking: "To whom can I be a neighbour?"

It is said that no examination paper includes a trick question, but only ones that are concise and demand a straight answer.  That may, or may not, always be true. In the Christian life, however, there is no place for the trick question, as this lawyer was destined to discover. When we ask, "And to whom can I be a neighbour?", we are fulfilling the test set by Jesus, and engaged as his followers to help all the unfortunates we meet on the path of life.

"And who is my neighbour?"  To that question, our Lord Jesus Christ still answers, "Wrong question!  The right question is, "To whom can I be a neighbour?"  When we do that, we are asking the right question;  and so it is incumbent on us to go into all the highways and byways, taking every opportunity to answer it - correctly!

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Almighty and ever-living God,
whose precious gift is this new day:
we give thanks for the morning light
which wakens us from sleep, and 
is a sign of your unfailing love around us.
Though we rejoice in your blessings to us,
we confess with shame that all too often
we disregard you, and pass our neighbour
by on the other side, not answering their cries
for help, and not giving them time and space.
Have mercy upon us, we pray, and forgive us
these and all our sins; and as we accept your
pardon and peace in our hearts, make us much
better neighbours to one another, and much more
faithful to you, our sovereign God; now and always.
   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May God the Father make us holy in his love;
God the Son enrich us with his grace;
God the Holy Spirit strengthen us with his joy;
may the Lord bless us, make us neighbour to all,
and keep us in eternal life.   Amen.

Sunday 27 July 2025

TRINITY 6
A CULTURE OF BLAME

It is often said today that we live in "a culture of blame." In other words, when something goes wrong, and when circumstances conspire against us, it must be someone's fault, and they must be held accountable.  It is also claimed that this "culture of blame" has created a climate of fear, in which people are afraid to express an opinion or take some action for fear of the abuse they might face.  There are times when it is right to apportion blame to someone.  There are also times when this only makes a situation worse.

When Jesus and his disciples met a man blind from birth (St. John 9: 1-18), the disciples' first response was to apportion blame for his lack of sight.  "Rabbi, why was this man born blind?" they asked Jesus. "Who sinned, this man or his parents?"  At this time, it was thought that a natural disability was the outcome of God's punishment on a sin or sins committed by the person themselves, or by their parents, or by an ancestor in a previous generation.  Their question was consistent with the thinking of that time.  In brief, their first response was to try and blame someone for the man's plight.

Jesus dismissed their curiosity, and said that the man was born blind so that God's healing power could be displayed in him.  The situation gave Jesus an opportunity to reveal God's power at work, and so he started at once the process of giving the man his sight. While the man celebrated this experience, and his friends and neighbours looked on in amazement, the Pharisees were much less complimentary, as Jesus had performed this act of healing on the Sabbath.

What Jesus did was to stifle an academic debate as to why the man was born blind, and get to the root of the problem by displaying the compassion at the very heart of God.  Jesus avoided the question of blame, and did something practical - namely, giving the blind man the precious gift of sight.

In modern times, we are always anxious to discover who or what is to blame for a particular circumstance or circumstances.  To try and achieve this, we set up enquiries, committees, and other agencies, usually chaired by a highly-respected judge or public figure, who makes a judgement on the evidence in due course.  If we disagree with the findings of the enquiry, there is normally an appeal to conduct another one.  

It is true that we are living in "a culture of blame," and that someone must be held responsible for something that should not have happened.  This "culture of blame" is reinforced by the well-established practice of taking people to court for the slightest error on their part, seeking compensation for what they are believed to have done wrong.

Seeing the man blind from birth, the first response of the disciples was to raise the question of blame.  "Rabbi, why was this man born blind?  Who sinned, this man or his parents?"  Jesus brushed this aside and declined to speculate on who was responsible.  Instead, he saw the blind man's plight as an opportunity to display the healing power of a loving God.  This story is a lesson to all of us, in that while there are times when it is a sacred duty to apportion blame, there are also occasions when the first and the best course of action is to do as Jesus did: to forget about blame, and reveal the true compassion that lies in the very heart of God.

"We have set our hope on the living God,
who is the Saviour of all."

A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK

God of all goodness and grace,
giver of every good and perfect gift:
we give thanks for all your goodness
and loving kindness to us and to all people,
and for your constant care over all creation.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the richest blessings of this life;
but most of all for your precious gift of love,
freely given and without restriction or restraint.
In these times of continuing uncertainty,
help us to put our whole trust in you,
to faithfully follow wherever you lead,
and to rejoice in that love divine
which knows no borders or boundaries,
brought to us in Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be all honour and glory,
for ever and ever.   Amen.

A CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known, and from whom no secrets
are hidden: hear the prayers of your people,
and answer them as may be best for us, and
for those for whom we have prayed, in the
name of your beloved Son, our Saviour Jesus 
Christ.   Amen. 

THE BLESSING

May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to himself;
may the power of the Lord Jesus
strengthen us in his service;
may the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our souls;
and may the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with us and abide with us always.   Amen.

Sunday 20 July 2025

TRINITY 5
CREATIVE SILENCE

"Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways."

The hymn, Dear Lord and Father of mankind, was once voted the most popular in this country.  Written by the American Quaker-poet, John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892), Whittier describes what is for him the authentic spirit of Christian worship: the Quaker ideals of simplicity, stillness and silence.  Real worship, he insists, is something inward, not outward,  and is more concerned with the heart and life, than it is with purely "churchly" activities.  Whittier illustrates this theme from Scripture, and refers to the "still small voice" with which God spoke to Elijah on Mount Carmel.

In reality, however, the worship of the early Christian Church was not silent.  It was vocal and musical, with "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," and it did not lack outward forms or rites.  The Lord's Supper, for example, was faithfully observed in obedience to Christ's command. Nevertheless, with beautiful poetic artistry, Whittier teaches us a salutary lesson about the place of silence in worship, and about the need to cultivate a calm and restful spirit in our lives.

Silence has always been highly valued.  Thomas Carlyle, that well-known man of letters from Ecclefechan in Dumfriesshire, said that "Silence is as deep as Eternity, speech is as shallow as Time."  Christina Rossetti, herself a gifted hymn writer, remarked that silence is "more musical than any song", while Thomas Hardy, the English novelist and poet, is on record as saying that "That man's silence is wonderful to listen to."  Silence has always been highly valued, and God has often communicated through it with his people.

In 1 Kings 19 we find the prophet Elijah in a depressed state.  Hounded by the prophets of Baal, and facing the faithlessness and the hostility of the Israelites, he informs God that he is a complete failure and asks God to take away his life. His morale is temporarily boosted by an angel and he sets off again, travelling for forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb, where he enters a cave for the night.  His depressed state returns, but God chooses to speak to him, and in a most unusual way.  The voice of the Lord comes to Elijah, not in a strong wind, or in an earthquake, or in a fire, but in "a faint murmuring sound" - in the stillness and the calm of evening.  In the quietness, the prophet receives renewed hope for the future.

We live in a world of words.  Each day we are bombarded with words, spoken or written, and often transmitted to us in a noisy way.  It is little wonder that Rudyard Kipling said that "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." This applies to the Church and to worship, as much as it does to anything else, especially in light of a comment once made that of all world religions, Christianity is by far the noisiest!

There is arguably nowadays a ripe opportunity to rediscover the value of "creative silence" in Christian devotion.  Though much of our worship consists of word and action, and with what St. Paul calls "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," there is surely a place for "creative silence," where the voice of God may come to us, as it came to Elijah, in "a faint murmuring sound" - in stillness, and in quietness.  In 2017 Julia Monnin, a spiritual writer, penned a book with the title The World is Noisy - God Whispers, a series of short reflections from her own spiritual journal. Her title is an apt one for our day.  The world is noisy, and we forget that God can speak to us in a whisper, as well as in a more dramatic way.

There is an urgent need today to cultivate a much more restful spirit in our lives; and a healthy measure of "creative silence" in worship may well be an authentic way of helping to bring this about.

Finding God in the silence was the blessing that came to Elijah.  So can it be for all of us.  The world is noisy - God whispers.  That is a lesson to remember!

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

"Be still, and know that I am God."

Lord of our living conscience,
you speak to us in the call of duty,
and in the still, small voice of calm.
In this noisy, tumultuous world,
we confess that we have failed
to listen to that voice,
calling us to love and obedience....
We confess that, distracted by 
so much sound, all around us,
we have been deaf to your word
and deaf to the cries of those in need....
In your mercy, forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
and grant that through creative silence,
we may discern your purpose for us
and find the courage to fulfil it;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR INNER PEACE

Set free, O Lord, the souls of your servants
from all restlessness and anxiety.
Give us your peace and power,
and so keep us that,
in all perplexity and distress,
we may abide in you,
upheld by your strength,
and stayed on the rock of your faithfulness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

From:   Common Order (Church of Scotland),
             Edinburgh 1994, 466

THE BLESSING

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all,
now and evermore.   Amen.

Sunday 13 July 2025

TRINITY 4
CHRIST IN THE STORM
A THOUGHT FOR SEA SUNDAY

The second Sunday of July is designated Sea Sunday, when we honour those who go out to sea in ships, and for whose devotion to duty we express our admiration and appreciation.  That said, there is no reason why Sea Sunday cannot be marked on any of the Sundays in July, and so we commemorate Sea Sunday today.

It is well-known that there are presently issues with Scottish ferries, Many in the fleet are ageing and in need of replacement, while others are breaking down or beset with technical problems.  The worst scenario for any seafarer or passenger must be the unexpected storm - something to which the Sea of Galilee was, and still is prone, and which caught Jesus and his disciples by surprise.

How would we respond in the situation they found themselves in?

A fact of life today is that we tend to put faith in self, rather than faith in Jesus Christ.  When 'adverse winds' arise, or when we face 'stormy waters', we are only too ready to trust our own judgment to navigate our way through them.  No call for divine action is thought to be necessary, as we are quite capable of handling the situation ourselves.   It has been said, however, that "self-confidence is a seductive route to self-deception."

That was the mistake the disciples' made.  They put too much faith in self, and far too little in Jesus Christ. When the storm arose on the Sea of Galilee, they started to panic, fearing they would lose their lives in one of the fierce and sudden squalls for which this stretch of water was notorious. The situation was worsened by Jesus sleeping in the boat, when, in their minds, he ought to have been doing something about it.

Jesus rebuked their lack of faith.  "Why are you such cowards?", he asked. "What little faith you have!"  The point of the story is perfectly clear.  In their hour of greatest need, when the disciples feared their very lives were in peril, Jesus came to them.  When the wind was contrary, and all seemed lost, Jesus was there to help, even if those around him had shown such lack of trust.

In recent times, we have faced 'adverse winds' of enormous proportions.  Never in our lifetime have we experienced such upheaval, that will leave a long-lasting medical, psychological, social and economic legacy. Throughout it all, we have not struggled alone.  In the tempest, the same Jesus Christ has come, with his hand outstretched to save.  Not only that, Jesus comes again and again, his clear voice bidding us to take heart and to trust in him alone.

In an age that puts so much faith in self, we must remember that, in the 'storms' and 'adverse winds' that life brings us, "we have an anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast and sure while the billows roll."  

That anchor is Jesus Christ. 

"Those who go down to the sea in ships,
who do business on great waters,
they see the works of the Lord,
and his wonders in the deep."

A PRAYER FOR THE VOYAGE OF LIFE

Almighty and everlasting God,
our refuge and strength in every time of 
need or trouble, and our companion on
the voyage of life, ever faithful, ever sure:
grant that in every circumstance we face,
whether calm and peaceful, or whether rough,
we may put our faith, our trust in you alone;
for you are the protector of all who trust in you,
both in this life, and in the world to come;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

Go in peace.
God the Father,
God the Son, 
God the Holy Spirit,
bless, preserve, and keep us,
this day and for ever.   Amen.

Sunday 6 July 2025

TRINITY 3
INTERRUPTIONS

For tennis fans, the annual tennis tournament is well underway at Wimbledon.  The first week is often one of interruptions, with sudden downpours stopping play for a short time, or for a longer interval.  This year has been an exception, with the first day of play reckoned to be the hottest opening day on record.  But the sheer unpredictability of our climate means that interruptions caused by prevailing weather conditions may still be forthcoming.

Life is full of interruptions.  We may be working on some project, or tidying up the garden, or engaged in other work that demands concentration, when the 'phone rings, or someone unexpectedly calls to see us.  If we are doing written work, the least interruption can affect our train of thought and make it difficult, if not impossible, to focus our attention fully again on what we were doing. Whatever the interruption, these can be exceedingly frustrating, and have an adverse impact on our stress level.

In the Old Testament, we find Moses in Exodus 3: 1-6 tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law.  On reaching Mount Horeb, an angel of the Lord comes to Moses, seemingly speaking through a burning bush, but one which the fire does not consume.  Through this burning bush, Moses is given instructions by God to carry out - his whole life interrupted in a way that proved to be life-changing.

Throughout his public ministry, Jesus was prone to interruptions. A classic example is found in St. Mark 10: 46-52, where a blind beggar, a man called Bartimaeus, interrupted Jesus while he was passing through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem.  This was a week or so before the crucifixion and Jesus and the large crowd with him were probably making their way to the Passover festival.  We maybe certain that by this time Jesus's mind was fully occupied with the drama that lay ahead of him.

Bartimaeus wanted Jesus to give him his sight, but when the crowd tried to silence him, Bartimaeus shouted all the louder.  Nothing was going to stop him from meeting Jesus, and of having the opportunity of getting what he wanted most.  On hearing his insistence, Jesus called him over, asked him what he wanted, and granted his request. 
Now the blind beggar gained his sight.

Interruptions may try our patience to the limit. Nevertheless, the next time we are exasperated by interruptions, let us remember that their frequency may be a compliment, and indicate a measure of how much trust people have in us, and of how much we contribute to their common life.  The American humorist, writer and illustrator, Don Herold, once said that "Interruptions are the spice of life," while Henri Nouwen, the Dutch priest and spiritual writer, claimed that he spent his whole life complaining about interruptions - until he discovered that interruptions were his work.

One of the worst things that could happen to us would be to become so disengaged from other people that no one would ever bother to trouble us, preferring to leave us alone.  A 'phone call or a doorbell may be a nuisance, but if this stopped altogether, our lives would be much poorer.

After all, in the redemption of the world, God made the biggest interruption, sending Jesus Christ to come among us to do God's saving work.  The whole Christ-event is a divine interruption, an intervention on God's part into human history and into the human scene.  As St. John's Gospel  (1:14) puts it: "The Word became flesh; he made his home among us." (1:14)  Here was a divine interruption that shook human history to its foundations and from which the world has never been the same.  The Christian faith was born out of an unexpected interruption on God's part.

How do we regard interruptions?  Are they a bane or are they a blessing? Are they a compliment or are they a cause for criticism or complaint?

It is salutary to remember that: "What we call an interruption may be a divine appointment."

Gracious God, grant that the interruptions that come our way may never be seen as an interference, but as an opportunity to listen, and to share the joys, the cares and the sorrows of others; through Jesus Christ our Lord.                      Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Most gracious God, ground of our hope,
on this, your holy day, your gift to us,
take the world and all its people
into your tender loving care.
Prosper its life, protect its environment,
heal its divisions, supply its needs;
and when the day is over and our work done,
may your peace gently rest upon our hearts,
for the glory of your name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Gracious God,
in a world of interruptions,
often unexpected, and often unwanted,
help us to regard them
not as a cause for complaint,
but as a compliment to the trust
that others have in us,
and even as a divine appointment
with you, and with Jesus Christ,
in whom you interrupted human history
to redeem the world: in whose name we pray.
   AMEN.

THE BLESSING

May the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
rest upon us, and remain with us,
now and for evermore.   Amen.

Sunday 29 June 2025

TRINITY 2

THE PURSUIT OF A GOAL

It is said that the happiest days of our life are those we spend at school, and as the summer holidays begin, some of those at our primary schools will move on to secondary education. Others will be finishing school and facing a challenging future. Those completing their education will have their goals in mind. The pursuit of a goal applies to each of us.  Indeed, it has been said that "if you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time."


In Philippians 3: 10-21, St. Paul speaks of his goal, his own lifelong ambition.  There, he says that "forgetting what is behind, and reaching out to what lies ahead, I press towards the finishing line, to win the heavenly prize to which God has called me in Christ Jesus."  To grasp the goal for which God in Christ has grasped him, the apostle must "press on" regardless until he has attained it.  

To have a goal, an ambition, a sense of purpose in life is nothing less than responsible Christian living.  If we fail to have our goals, "we crawl on the floor while we have wings to fly."  In a word: we waste both our time and our talents.  In the Christian life, we are not meant to rest on our laurels, but to "press on" with what God has called us to do in Christ Jesus.

The hard part may not be identifying the goal or ambition, or even "pressing on" towards its attainment. It may be getting started.  In the 1700s a French socialite, Madame du Deffand, said: "The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult." Many worthy goals have never been achieved because those who thought about them, and hoped to pursue them, never got past the starting-point.

Making a start.  Is that a problem for us?  Or, like St. Paul, do we "press on" relentlessly, until we reach the goal laid down for us, and come to live eternally with God?

"Those who are without a goal in life shall never prosper."
(Anonymous)

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Holy God, faithful and unchanging,
as we celebrate your mystery and majesty,

we confess that in the journey of life
we have followed the wrong goals,
and have been careless or complacent
in pursuing the goals laid down for us
in your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ....
In your infinite mercy, forgive what we 
have been and done: forgive what we
have not done: forgive what we meant to 
do but never finished; and as we pursue
the goals laid down for us in Christ Jesus,
make us committed to the task, that we may
attain to them with conscientious endeavour,
to the glory of your name.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

God the Holy Trinity
make us strong in faith and love,
defend us on every side,
and guide us in truth and peace;
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.  
Amen.

Sunday 22 June 2025

TRINITY 1
GOD'S TENANTS

Among our most popular hymns is For the Beauty of the Earth, written by Folliott Sandford Pierpoint (1835-1917), which is sung on many occasions, and especially at this time of the year.  This hymn was originally written for Holy Communion, and the question remains as to whether it still ought to be treated as such, or as a general hymn of praise and thanksgiving.  In the form that we know it, the hymn is a 'general thanksgiving' for all our material blessings, and for the loveliness of God's creation.

One obvious sign of God's activity in creation today is the beauty of our gardens.  At this time of year, our gardens are in bloom, with flowers, plants, shrubs and other foliage, providing a rich variety of colour, as well as giving a place for rest and relaxation. Now and again we hear a lawnmower manicuring the grass, or see someone weeding or watering plants, keeping their garden in presentable condition.

According to the Book of Genesis (2: 4-15), when God created Adam, the first man, he was placed in a garden - the Garden of Eden.  He was not to sit there and soak in the scenery, but was instructed by God to "till the garden" - to nurture it, to work in it, to maintain it and take care of it.  For us today, a garden may be a welcome oasis of peace in a busy, noisy, restless world, but for Adam, it was something to take charge of, and maintain to the highest standards.  (Genesis 2: 15)

Adam stands for Everyman or Everyperson, and one lesson from this ancient story is that the Garden of Earth is a place we are charged by God to care for and protect.  It is certainly a place of work, but we are not to carelessly abuse it or needlessly destroy it.  As Psalm 24: 1 reminds us: "The earth belongs to the Lord, and all that it contains."  This means that we are only God's tenants in this earthly garden - not its owners, who may treat it as they wish.  We are stewards who will one day be called to account, as to whether we have cared for God's earthly garden, or turned it into a wilderness of want and waste.

The modern hymn writer, Frederick Pratt Green (1903-2000), tells us that "God in such love for us lent us this planet."

The Garden of Earth has only been lent to us, and we have a God-given duty as tenants to protect it, and use it in the most careful manner.  This responsibility is recognised today by Christians and countless others  across the world, and whether or not we agree with all that is said and done in the name of environmental protection, there is a sacred duty laid on Christians to protect their "earthly home" as responsible stewards of God's creation.  Only by so doing can it be passed on for the full benefit of those who come after us.

We may sum up our message today in the last verse of one of Frederick Pratt Green's hymns:

"Earth is the Lord's: it is ours to enjoy it,
 ours, as God's stewards, to farm and defend.
 From its pollution, misuse, and destruction,
 good Lord, deliver us, world without end!"

Do we suppose that our tenancy meets with God's approval?  Or does it fall short of the expected standards and thus in need of improvement?

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Lord, set your blessing on us
as we begin this day together.
Confirm us in the truth
by which we rightly live;
confront us with the truth
from which we wrongly turn.
We ask not for what we want
but for what you know we need,
as we offer this day and ourselves
for you and to you;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.   Amen.

From:   Common Order (Church of Scotland),
             Edinburgh 1994, 519

THE BLESSING

May the love of the Father enfold us,
the wisdom of the Son enlighten us,
the fire of the Spirit inflame us;
and may the blessing of God rest upon us
and abide with us, now and evermore.   Amen.

Sunday 15 June 2025

TRINITY SUNDAY

On Trinity Sunday, the Christian Church marks, not an event or an individual, but a doctrine or teaching, acknowledging the God we worship as Father, as Son, and as Holy Spirit.  We are not thinking here of three  separate 'gods', but of the one God, who makes himself known to us in this threefold way.

This word 'Trinity' is not found in Scripture.  It is said, however, that the threefold nature of God is implicit in some Old Testament texts, and explicit in New Testament passages, as in St. Paul's blessing:

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13: 14)

The Trinity is the foundation of much of our worship. Many well-known hymns refer to God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, while blessings and benedictions follow a Trinitarian pattern.  Christian baptism is administered "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit", and when couples are joined together in Christian marriage, the same formula is used. Indeed, the Church of Scotland's constitution clearly states that the Kirk is Trinitarian in its creed, and much of what is familiar in our worship reflects this.

One observer has noted that the Trinity suggests a "committee of three out to save the world."  This witty way of expressing it may a helpful summary of a difficult idea!  At a more profound level, the Trinity preserves the 'mystery' of God.  It reminds us that we can never understand the nature or the character of God in a complete and thorough way.

What we have here is a 'model' of God, but not the complete picture.  His ways are not our ways, nor are his thoughts our thoughts.  If we could fully understand God, as many would wish, then God would cease to be God and become a mere creature, shorn of his divine majesty and glory.

John Reith, later Lord Reith of Stonehaven, founded the BBC, and for its first sixteen years directed it.  A son of the Manse, John Reith's father was a distinguished minister of the Free Church of Scotland, and it has been said that John Reith ran the BBC like a Sunday School in Stornoway!  He was strict, authoritarian and staunchly 
Presbyterian.  One biographer of John Reith says that it is not possible to write a complete account of his life. He is such a complex figure, with varying moods and temperaments, that a detailed story of his life, with its many self-contradictions, is not a feasible project.  We can only know John Reith in part.

This is also true of God.  On this side of eternity, we can only understand God in part, until at last our knowledge is perfect and complete.  Meantime, we can think of the Trinity as the 'mystery' that preserves God's holiness, while allowing us to experience him in a threefold way: as Father, as Son, and as Holy Spirit.

That said, however, Colin Morris's notion of the Holy Trinity as a "committee of three to save the world", is most certainly appealing, and a much easier way of understanding a difficult doctrine!

"Holy, holy, holy is God, our sovereign Lord,
who was, and is, and is to come."

Blessing and honour, thanksgiving and praise,
  more than we can utter,
  more than we can conceive,
be to your glorious name, O God,
  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
by all angels, all people, all creation,
  for ever and ever.   Amen.


A PRAYER FOR TRINITY SUNDAY

Lord God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
we confess the self-centeredness that marks too
much of our living; the partial obedience, the qualified
love, the failure to reach full Christian maturity.  We
acknowledge these failings, and much else; and seek
the grace to be moulded, according to pattern of life 
laid down for us in Jesus Christ our Saviour....
God the Father, pity us; God the Son, forgive us; God
the Spirit, renew us; and lead us now and always in
your way; through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.


THE BLESSING 

God the Holy Trinity make us strong
in faith, and hope, and love.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.   Amen.