Wednesday break reflection 6 May 2020
A thought to start with
The psalmist says:
Let all who are faithful offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress, the rush
of mighty waters will not reach them.
Let us worship God
Let all who are faithful offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress, the rush
of mighty waters will not reach them.
Let us worship God
Let us pray
We listen for your word speaking,
gracious God.
We listen for it
falling on us like rain or snow,
watering the soil of our souls.
And, when we hear it,
we pray that we may respond.
In Christ's name.
Amen.
gracious God.
We listen for it
falling on us like rain or snow,
watering the soil of our souls.
And, when we hear it,
we pray that we may respond.
In Christ's name.
Amen.
A poem to continue
The Prodigal Pelican
As over the south seas he wandered,
The ponderous pelican pondered
Upon all the krill
He’d held in his bill
And all of the fish he had squandered.
Dennis N. O'Brien
As over the south seas he wandered,
The ponderous pelican pondered
Upon all the krill
He’d held in his bill
And all of the fish he had squandered.
Dennis N. O'Brien
A verse or two from Luke 15
Then the Father said to us.
'You are always with me and all that is mine is yours... and we had to celebrate.
'You are always with me and all that is mine is yours... and we had to celebrate.
This is the picture Alan refers to on his talk
We bow our heads for a moment in prayer
Our confidence is in you, loving God;
you are the foundation of the universe
We your children have rested our hope on you and sought to follow Jesus.
Yet even with such confidence, there are times
when faith bends under pressure,
bends and almost breaks.
For we know pain and sadness, frustration , fear and loss,
even when we have sought to follow Jesus.
Our pain, and the pain we feel for others, is like a heavy burden to us:
cruelty and anger, war and persecution,
bereavement and the loss of a loved one,
can bring us to such moments,
even when we are followers of Jesus.
But then we pause before the sight of the cross,
and stay our eyes on a young man's agony in death,
your own purpose in him seemingly thwarted.
and learn afresh that you are in our sadness as in our happiness;
in our uncertainty as well as in our confidence,
for you are walking with us through our days.
So we do accept afresh today the risk and joy of trusting you,
offering all that we are;
past, present and future,
and with renewed delight
rejoice to follow Jesus.
Amen
you are the foundation of the universe
We your children have rested our hope on you and sought to follow Jesus.
Yet even with such confidence, there are times
when faith bends under pressure,
bends and almost breaks.
For we know pain and sadness, frustration , fear and loss,
even when we have sought to follow Jesus.
Our pain, and the pain we feel for others, is like a heavy burden to us:
cruelty and anger, war and persecution,
bereavement and the loss of a loved one,
can bring us to such moments,
even when we are followers of Jesus.
But then we pause before the sight of the cross,
and stay our eyes on a young man's agony in death,
your own purpose in him seemingly thwarted.
and learn afresh that you are in our sadness as in our happiness;
in our uncertainty as well as in our confidence,
for you are walking with us through our days.
So we do accept afresh today the risk and joy of trusting you,
offering all that we are;
past, present and future,
and with renewed delight
rejoice to follow Jesus.
Amen
And after we pray, we go and prepare.
Loving God
we began this day with you
we end this day with you
Tomorrow, and tomorrow
we will know your presence
is with us in all we do.
So, we go out into the world
with you our God.
we began this day with you
we end this day with you
Tomorrow, and tomorrow
we will know your presence
is with us in all we do.
So, we go out into the world
with you our God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you,
Amen
Amen
Our church building in Spring
At the end of last year, Leonard said to me one Sunday that I should look forward to a surprise outside the church in late spring. Is this the surprise? Since we can't go into the building I thought you might like to see some pictures. Thank you Leonard and helpers
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Bible reading plan
oHere's a simple bible reading plan for the next few weeks taken from Janie Stuart's favourite Bible commentator-Dale Bruner. He calls it making a home with Jesus. (John 15). His suggestion is that we read a a book a month, reading a chapter a day and think about what we have read and what is happening in our lives. Since some books are have fewer chapters than days in the month, then you either get to have a few days holiday or spend time chewing over passages that caught your attention in that particular book.
His scheme for the next few months would be:
March: Luke 1-24
April: John 1-21
May: Acts 1-28
June: Romans: 1-16
We are part way through the gospel of Luke in the church so I would suggest the following:
March 22 to April 12 Luke 10 -24
April 13 to May 3: John 1-21
May: Acts 1-28 which would gets us back onto Dale's plan but let us read and reflect on the Easter story at Easter.
His scheme for the next few months would be:
March: Luke 1-24
April: John 1-21
May: Acts 1-28
June: Romans: 1-16
We are part way through the gospel of Luke in the church so I would suggest the following:
March 22 to April 12 Luke 10 -24
April 13 to May 3: John 1-21
May: Acts 1-28 which would gets us back onto Dale's plan but let us read and reflect on the Easter story at Easter.
Boxes of discovery-Bible study
Mark's gospel
Prayers
Previous
22 March 2020- a prayer to start; a prayer for ourselves and others; a prayer for all ages
Biblical reflections bible stories
Previous services at the East
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Download text versions of readings aND Prayers
Contact details:
Alan - ajsmurray@churchofscotland.org.uk
or phone the manse number
Sarah - Sarah@banchoryeastchurch.com
