Sunday 17 November 2024
Twenty Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Welcome!
We know not everyone who is part of Westwood Church is able to be in church on Sunday morning however, we thought it would be good to offer some excerpts from the Sunday morning service. Where we can, we offer parts of the service in text and audio, whichever works best for you. If you want to plug in headphones to your computer, tablet or mobile phone now is a good time to do it ! If you want to offer some comment or feedback just use the comment box at the end of this post.
Your Weekly Church Notices
Scripture
Psalm 16
Mark 13: 1 – 8
Praise – Be still
Prayers
We gather in anticipation with the words of the Psalmist on our lips and in our hearts – “Show us the path of life”.
When our heart is glad and when it is not, Show us the path of life
When our soul rejoices or when it does not, Show us the path of life
When our body rests secure or when it is restless with insecurity, Show us the path of life.
Gather us all into Your presence fill us with Your joy and Show us the path of life.
Merciful God forgive us for the moments that we missed or the opportunities we squandered that denied fullness of life to all Your children.
Forgive us for anything we have done that has in any way stifled or blocked Your will at work in Your world.
Redeem our regrets, release us from remorse, refresh us anew with Your unending mercy, for we place our hope in You.
Heavenly Father, when we walk with You, in the light of Your love, it is Your glory seen, not ours. When we talk of You to those whom we meet, It is Your words that speak, not ours. When we minister to people in need, it is Your hands that heal, not ours. When we worship You and offer our lives, Your name is glorified always!
Accept then the offering of these words in prayer. Accept the offering of the gifts we lay upon the table. Accept our humble yet willing hearts as we offer our worship and our service. Accept our love even though it may be just a pale reflection of the love you have for us. What we are and what we have we bring to you.
Hear us as we join in the words of the Lord’s Prayer saying…
Our Father who art in Heaven Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory forever. Amen.
Address
The passage read for us today from Mark’s Gospel continues directly from where we were last Sunday. Jesus is leaving the Temple and his disciples cannot help but comment on the magnificence of the Temple itself. There is something eternal and everlasting about the sheer scale of the Temple and the enduring nature of the stones that form the walls.
Jesus is less impressed. All to readily he bursts his disciples bubble of enthusiasm – “Not a single one of these stones will be left in its place. All will be torn down.” For the disciples that must have been an horrific thing to hear. So much so that they have to come back to Jesus and question him. When will all this happen? What will be the signs? How will we know?
I cannot help but wonder what their motive was for asking? Do the disciples intend to run away and save themselves at the first sign of trouble? Do they think they will be able to prevent the destruction of the Temple? Who can say?
What we can say for certain is that the destruction of the Temple will be just one small part of a changing world order. Nations will fight, kingdoms attack each other, there will be earthquakes and famines. The things we think will last forever just don’t.
I cannot help but think that part of this is Jesus own attitude toward organised religion. He was never that taken with the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the Teachers of the Law, the practice of the rich in making a show of their generous gifts at the Temple Treasury, or the Money Changers at their tables and those who sold animals for various offerings and sacrifices; you don’t get the impression Jesus will be sad to see any of that go. What will remain is the Word of God, the Good News. Through all the upheaval, destruction, change and challenge of those times he calls on his disciples to continue to preach what we know to be true.
Now I cannot say for certain what sort of times we are in. Research shows that 51% of the population have no religious beliefs or affiliations. We are challenged by Climate Change bring floods and droughts and chaos to all parts of the worlds. We are in the midst of political upheaval at home and across the Atlantic. We see wars and destruction, pain and grief and suffering and constantly wonder how close we are to World War 3.
The Church globally has been diminished because of the way it has covered up abuse. The Church’s guilt has been found out. Organised religion is groaning under the strain. Justin Welby’s resignation is likely only the first of many resignations within the Church of England over a lack of response to allegations of abuse.
And of course, the Church of Scotland is going through cut backs on a significant scale; none of which we think will actually, in the long run, help the Church of Scotland survive. Today, there are those within the Church of England, and those within the Church of Scotland who likely are as shocked as those first disciples who heard Jesus say, “ every one of these stones will be torn down.” The things we think will last forever, the Temples we build and the organisations we create, will all inevitably come to an end.
The only thing that lasts forever is the Word of God, His eternal Love, His boundless Mercy; the foundation upon which we stand and from which we build again. What the future looks like will not depend on who you vote for or which church you go to. It will depend on what is in your heart. Will you trust in God and persevere to the end?
Praise – How can I keep from singing
Prayers for Others
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigns
Father God, we know that the church is not, and never will be a perfect organisation without fault or blame in anything. And we understand also that when the church has shortcomings it discredits the Kingdom of God. Father in Heaven, you call us to live by such very high standards, to protect the vulnerable, speak up for the poor; you call us to love as you love and that is the highest calling of all. When those in authority and position don’t respond as they should and let abuse continue there are certainly questions to ask and it seems only right that Justin Welby should resign his position.
We pray then for the Church of England as it goes through a crisis of leadership, a crisis of identity and integrity, a crisis of abuse allegations. And we pray for Justin Welby and for the guilt and shame he carries within himself, that in faith and through faith he may find forgiveness, strength and hope. May he never come to know or experience a sense of being ostracised or outcast by those whom he has served in your name. Lord hear us in our prayers for the Church as a body and the individual at its mercy…
Spain – Malaga flooding and more on the way
Lord Jesus, we come to you again to remember the people of Valencia and Malaga as they face yet more torrential rain, flooding and the devastation of their homes, livelihoods and infrastructure. Their pain has turned to anger feeling so badly let down by the authorities who have not sent help, or enough help, or not helped them prepare for weather extremes. They continue to live without clean water or electricity. And yet, we give thanks for the depth of community being created, the desire and need to look out for each other and help a neighbour. We pray for them in their time of need, we pray for them because it could so easily be us facing those challenges. Lord hear us in our prayers…
Remembering those in Hospital
Lord Jesus Christ, we take a few moments in prayer to remember those facing anxious times because of ill health. We take our well-being so much for granted until something goes wrong and then we face the anxiety of medical procedures and time in hospital. Give peace and reassurance to all those who are facing such anxious times and be with their friends and family too so they can offer support and understanding. Lord hear us in our prayers as we remember those going through ill-health and time in hospital…
Praise – Love Divine
The Grace
And now… May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and all whom you love, now and for evermore. AMEN.
Very moving service especially the prayer for others in hospital I still remember my Dad when he was in hospital before he passed away and I prayed. Even when he passed away I still pray for him please reply. Thanks Rev Kevin.