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.

Scripture

John 15: 1 – 10

Acts 8: 26 – 40

Praise – Come let us sing

Prayers

God of Love, may we gather together in Your name to spend time in Your presence.  May we abide with You in love that we may share and offer Your love to one another. 

The road we have travelled to get here today is different for each one of us, but we meet together in this place to praise You. May we be open to Your transforming love, may we be Your disciples and follow in the Way that is Christ.

Creator God, Giver of life and compassion, nurture our spirits and our faith.  

We have come to know You in Spirit and in truth, to experience you through our humanity, our physicality, our senses and in the stillness, the silence, the quietness of just being.  

We thank You, the God who has created us in different ways, with diverse abilities to experience and communicate.  In this moment we ponder who you are and the creation you have placed us within so we can be in awe of you and  experiencing together the God who creates, restores, and sustains all things.

God of Creation, God of all humanity we take this time to worship You.

Your love for us Father is beyond all understanding.  When we have tried to take control, acted like we are ’god’, taken control over things not within our power; times when we should have left the heavy burdens to You, the moments when we let our fear stand in the way of sharing Your love, Father God, we are sorry. Like the prodigal son we return to you to experience your warm and forgiving embrace. Most merciful God, you know our guilt but still you forgive us, help us forgive ourselves.

It is then in all humility, knowing our weakness and the strength of your love that we place an offering before you.  This is our way of saying we love you Lord, this is our way of saying ‘sorry’, this is our way of working for your kingdom and bringing glory to your name.  Accept all that we bring in worship, prayer, praise and gift.

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

In my student days the story of the Ethiopian eunuch was almost a standing joke.  Some people suffer for their faith and some for their career.  This poor Ethiopian official had suffered in both respects.  As a convert to the Jewish faith, he had been circumcised and as a eunuch serving the Queen of Ethiopia he had been castrated !! Just how much must a man suffer!!! 

[Anyway, we are so much more grown up now so we don’t laugh at these things anymore!]

If we are able to set aside, for the time being, the strange and miraculous ending to this story where Philip is transported by the Holy Spirit from this roadside conversation and baptism to Azotus – Azotus being one of the five major cities of the Philistines; then we can focus a little more on the way Philip opens up the scriptures to the Ethiopian official; in what is described as “the Good News about Jesus”.

Even though we are still in the early days of the spread of the Christian faith clearly, a short hand has developed.  Whatever it was that Philip told the Ethiopian, as he opened the scriptures to him, this had become known as “The Good News”.  We don’t have the full text of that here in Acts Chp8 but if we were to look back to the preaching of Peter on the day of Pentecost, and again when Peter and John heal the lame beggar, and to Stephen’s speech to the High Priests before he was stoned to death, we certainly do get the flavour of what the early church was referring to as ‘The Good News”.  Read any of those speeches by Peter or Stephen and they will come across to you as a rather rambling history of God’s relationship with the Jewish people.  It’s almost like a set piece.  No matter what the question is – this is the reply.

For some reason I don’t quite understand, it may be just the way my brain works, Jehovah Witnesses or maybe the Mormon church comes to mind.  If you’ve ever had a door step visit from some of their members and engaged with them, you never feel you have a proper discussion; it’s an exercise for them to communicate key points, ask certain questions so the conversation can be steered around to what they want to or have to tell you.  Like it’s a set piece that needs to be delivered.

So somewhere in those early days agreement was reached as to what the message was, what were the key points of that message and how it was parcelled up in the common ground of the history of God’s chosen people.  And they called all this ‘The Good News.”

And yet, it troubles me because it no longer resembles the way that Jesus preached.  Where have the parables gone?  What has happened to Jesus central theme, the Kingdom of God?  Why do they gloss over the fact that Jesus healed on the Sabbath day and picked corn on the Sabbath day and in other ways flouted Jewish law.  Jesus gave us wonderful fresh images of a loving Heavenly Father while Peter and Stephen and Philip have returned  to a message stifled by the dry dust of history.  Why? 

Perhaps the answer is simple.  They knew their audience.  The apostles, who took on the responsibility of preaching “The Good News” knew their audience was steeped in the history and culture of the Jewish faith, so they parcelled up the message of Jesus Christ in language their audience could listen to and understand.  The Apostle Paul did the same thing when he went to Athens and looking round the Areopagus saw an inscription to an “Unknown God”.  Paul used that as the way in, the means by which to parcel up the message of Jesus Christ in language his audience could to listen to and understand.

The “Good News” was never understood to be a static, unchanging, story.  It has its key elements; Jesus Christ his life and death and resurrection is at the very heart of it.  But how that dovetails into the life and culture and times of any audience is the never-ending task of the church.  We cannot do that well unless we know the language of our world. 

Praise – At the name of Jesus

Prayers for Others

Loving God, we thank You that You are a God of wonderful abundance and generous grace.  We are grateful that within Your loving embrace there is space enough for all of us.  We pray for a world that sadly does not always reflect love or grace or generosity that refuses to see that all of us are children of God, equally worthy of respect.

Scottish Politics – Scottish Parliament

We pray to you Lord, for places where political instability and changes of allegiance cause times of uncertainty.  We pray for the Scottish Parliament now that the power sharing deal between SNP and Green Party has ended.  Stability is slowly crumbling.  When no one party has the clear majority making progress of any kind is so much more difficult.  May the Scottish Parliament be able to offer the leadership the people of Scotland deserve.  Lord hear us in our prayers for the future of politics in Scotland…

The Post Office Enquiry

It’s old news and yet it’s not; as the truth trickles out to disbelieving ears from successive senior executives and bosses of the Post Office, it is still hard to comprehend the scale of the injustice, the unremitting cover up of the facts, the endless desire to protect the good name of the Post Office at such cost to so many innocent people.  Father God, so many organisations behave this way, even churches strive to protect their reputation regarding individuals as collateral damage.  We thank you then for your upside down Kingdom where the individual is valued, loved and offered justice.  Father God, as we remember the Post Office Enquiry and scandal, help us also to remember that we are called to bring in your Kingdom and to pray for those who seek justice for the individual because they are working for your Kingdom.  Lord hear our prayers…

To pray for those we love

We offer our prayers for those closest to our hearts. Quietly now we think on them, naming them before you Lord…

Lord of all compassion and love, surround each person we have named with Your grace and peace. Whatever they may be experiencing at this time, in anxiety or ill-health, facing pressures at work or the pressure of exams, relationships that are struggling, or finances they cannot manage, may You be a source of  healing and confidence in their lives; and most of all through the care and compassion we show to know how much they are loved by You.  AMEN.

Praise – Who is on the Lord’s side

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.

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.

Scripture

Mark 1: 14 – 20

Acts 6: 1 – 7

Praise – Lord you have come to the seashore

Prayers

Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you that you meet us day by day, just as you met your disciples in the days following your resurrection.

We thank you that your victory of good over evil, love over hate and life over death continues to make such a difference to our lives just as it did to theirs, bringing new beginnings when it seems like the end, new hope where there seems only despair.  

For turning weakness into strength, fear into confidence and doubt into faith, receive our praise and continue to work that miracle in our lives and in our world today, making all things new to the Glory of your name.

Lord Jesus, we thank you that you shared our humanity, experiencing not just the good but also the bad.  You understand what it means to be hurt, to endure suffering, to face even death itself.

As well as our joys you have shared our sorrows.  Living God, we thank you for the assurance this gives us: that whatever we face you will be with us in it.  Teach us to live each day in the light of that truth, and so to live always as your Easter people.

We understand, we acknowledge that you have offered us your everything.  We cannot ask more of you, there is no more you can give.  And as we make our offering to you, we may feel it is merely a token in comparison.  Lord Jesus, we rejoice in the knowledge that you see beyond the token, to see that which comes from the heart, offered in love and service, that which is worshipful and given in humility.  However simple the offering, you see the loving heart and rejoice for the giver not just the gift.

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

Acts chapter 6 opens to us with another vague timeline… ‘some time later, as the number of disciples kept growing’.

Luke as he writes the Book of Acts has already introduced us to life among the believers.  Luke speaks of the close fellowship, sharing their meals together, selling of property and possessions, distributing funds, meeting for prayer and of course the preaching of the Good News.  We are certainly given a picture of something attractive, wonderful, caring, an almost idyllic sense of community.  These lasting images remain with us and still inform and influence what we think Christian Community and Fellowship, Christian Church has the potential to be.

Of course, if it was ever truly like that in the early church then it didn’t stay that way for long.  Some time later a quarrel broke out between Greek-speaking Jews and native Jews when the Greek-speaking Jews felt their widows were being neglected in the distribution of funds.  It could be that they were simply overrun by demand as the numbers steadily increased, or maybe there was some inbuilt prejudice against Greek-speaking Jews who had come from the synagogues established after the exile.  In other words, there were Jews who had returned from exile to rebuild Jerusalem and re-establish a pure blood-line, and there were those who had not.  Sure, hundreds of years of history had gone by but people don’t forget, attitudes creep in to society.

The picture emerges of a growing fellowship of believers that was not quite as harmonious as we might imagine; cracks were appearing along old and familiar lines of heritage and blood-line and history.

In a move reminiscent of Moses in the desert, when Moses was worn out by the demands of the people, a group of elders or leaders is appointed to share the burden.  It’s funny isn’t it, even when something is new and original and creative, we will inevitably fall back on that which is established and familiar as a way to solve the problems.  So, appointing seven men full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom to share the burden was agreeable to everyone.  The seven men seem to be a fairly mixed bunch including Nicolaus the Gentile who had been converted to Judaism.  It looks like they tried to have all sections of the community represented.

The point I’m trying to get to is this… had it not been for the division that grew up, they might not have given Stephen such a prominent position; Stephen who is singled out for being full of faith and the Holy Spirit, like he stands head and shoulders above the other six helpers.  Stephen who ignores boundaries and protocol, who acts like he is one of the Apostles performing great miracles and wonders, Stephen who is himself a catalyst for division and tension within the group of believers.  Every solution creates a problem; I think that is exactly where thy find themselves.  Stephen becomes the focus for the ongoing tensions between Greek-speaking Jews and native Jews.  We are then, launched into a chain of events which are both painful and necessary.

Had it not been for Stephen’s boldness he would not have been tried before the High Priests.  Had Stephen’s trial and stoning not taken place, Saul would not have persecuted the early Christian Church.  Had Saul not persecuted the church he may not have been converted to the Christian faith and we would not have half of the writings that make up the New Testament.  Had Saul’s persecution of the early believer’s not taken place they would not have dispersed.  Persecution did not end the early church; persecution caused it to spread and grow.

It is impossible to know what God’s plan for the future might be.  Only with hindsight do we see where God has been at work linking events together in extraordinary ways.  Not all things are things that we would welcome or want, it’s not all harmonious, good and pleasant; but this we can say, “in all things God works for the good for those who love Him.”

Praise – All you come and follow

Prayers for Others

God of heaven, and God of all the earth, we marvel that You should lend your ear to the prayers we offer; and even more so that You respond to our prayers in your greater wisdom and purpose.

In all things, we pray: Your will be done; Your Kingdom come. Help us, Lord, to be faithful in prayer, day by day, that we might be ever mindful of the harsh realities being faced by so many.  And as we pray, soften our hearts that, filled with Your Spirit, we might exhibit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  

Lord and Head of the Church, today we pray for the Church and especially for our Presbytery which in the coming days will again discuss and seek to discern your will for the future.  We pray that You might allow your church to be equipped for whatever it faces, that the ministry of all believers will enhance the life of Your Church and share the Good News across our communities.

Hear us then, as we pray for those across our nation who, right now, are listening for Your call and entering into the Ministries of the Church as Worship Leaders, Readers, the Diaconate or Ordained Local Ministers or Ministers of Word and Sacrament…

Let us pray for the families of those who are called to ministry who will face significant changes in lifestyle and expectations, who will also face times of challenge, unhappiness and real joy.  We pray for those who have come from different countries and backgrounds and are in the process of familiarisation; and experienced ministers who will mentor candidates for ministry in their placements and through probation. We think on National staff and Presbytery representatives, who support and guide candidates through the journey to ministry…

We pray for those who have completed their preparation and are presently serving as Assistant Ministers, waiting for opportunities to open up, that they might receive their first call.  And we pray for those with many years of service and experience to fall back on and yet feel apprehensive and uncertain in the face of unprecedented change in the life of the Church….

And we pray for the ministry of all believers, the gifts of grace and faith which you our God has blessed each and every one of us with.  For the gift of speech that allows us to tell of the Good News, to speak words of hope and love and forgiveness to friend and stranger and enemy alike…

Might we all together serve You faithfully as You work through us to establish Your Kingdom. These and all our prayers, we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Praise – To God be the Glory

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.

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.

Scripture

Acts 3: 1 – 20

Praise – Peter and John

Prayers

Loving God, how thankful we are that You hear us when we call to You.

When troubles come, You give us strength.

When our distress seems never-ending, You are our quiet our frantic minds and bring stillness to our soul.

When injustice rages, You offer Your peace.

When nights seem endless, You still our frightened hearts.

When we feel weak and lame, You raise us up to new life in You.

You put gladness in our hearts, You give us a hope and a future.

Loving God, our sight is limited; we cannot always make sense of Your purposes.

But that doesn’t mean You aren’t at work.  The way may be hidden, the path may appear dark, but sometimes when You seem far off You are at Your most near.

Teach us, we pray, never to despair, however bleak it may seem.

When injustice seems all around and peace far off, help us to hear Your words of promise.

Forgive us when our journey is not humble, or faithful, or just.

Forgive us when we do not take heed of Your words.

Forgive us when we do not notice Your presence.

Forgive us when we don’t recognise You working in our midst,

Forgive us when we fail to give glory to Your name.

Come into our weakness and fill us with Your renewing power.

Even if we were like Peter and John, and had no silver or gold to offer, we can still bring our willing hearts, our voices lifted in praise, our willingness to speak of your love and bring Glory to your name.  Glad as we are to offer our gifts, You Lord can do so much more through us as we offer ourselves into your service.  Receive then all that we place before 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

One day…  Yes, the timeline in the book of Acts can be a little vague on occasion.  Maybe what day or month this happened on doesn’t matter a great deal.  The fact that it happened is what matters.

In the aftermath of Pentecost, the community of believers is growing rapidly.  Thousands in one day might be added to their number.  Just how they coped with the administration of that is beyond me.  Well, I suppose the reality is that they didn’t cope with it.  In that place where believers sold their land and possession so that everyone could be supported according to their need a point arrived where division grew up.  Those from a Gentile background felt their widows and orphans were being neglected in the daily distribution of funds.  Sudden and substantial growth in any community is hard to prepare for; it is in one way exciting and wonderful and in another way demanding and stressful.  It takes on a life and direction of its own, it can’t really be controlled.

None of this caused the Apostles to stop their preaching, teaching or performing miracles.  In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were emboldened by it.  The message they preached was sinking home with people.  People were changed; the Apostles were changed people.

We know from the Gospels that Peter was an impetus, unpredictable man.  I think he had a genuine desire to be like Jesus but was not blessed with the same calm confident character that Jesus comes across as being.  Famously, we know of Peter’s doubting and sinking below the waves when Jesus walked on water, we know of Peter’s denying Jesus three times when Jesus was arrested; Peter was a frightened nervous man.  We know how the disciples gathered behind locked doors fearful of the authorities, fearful for their lives.  But the Peter we see now in the Book of Acts is not just inspired by the Risen Christ, not just a bit more confident, he was totally transformed, almost unrecognisable.

The healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate is in itself a wonderful event.  It is the kind of miracle of healing that we could easily attribute to Jesus. A miracle that comes with the same authority, mystery, impressiveness of any of Jesus miracles.  Peter and John are keen and careful to deflect any adoration away from themselves and on to Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  I reckon for the lame man who was healed, his ability to walk and jump and run restored, this was pretty much the best day of his life.

For Peter and John however, the miracle was secondary to the preaching.  The lame man walking and jumping and praising God was the sermon illustration to end all sermon illustrations.  The beggar who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate, who was recognised by everyone there served to arouse curiosity, arouse interest in what Peter and John were about to say or do.  At three in the afternoon as people gathered for prayer Peter, John and one lame beggar absolutely stole the show.  We might think that Peter and John were simply being mindful of their religious duties to be at prayer, maybe in fact, their plan was to capitalise on a busy Temple courtyard, upset the apple cart so to speak.  They deliberately went to the Temple at three in the afternoon because there would be an audience to hear the preaching and witness the miracles that are part of the Kingdom of God.

Like I say, Peter is a transformed man.  He knows exactly what he wants to say, he has a message to communicate and he does so without fear or favour.  He doesn’t even try to win people over with kind words or flattery or cheap promises. ‘This miracle was done in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth the one whom you rejected and handed over to Pilate.  He was holy and good and you rejected him and this was due to your ignorance.’

Peter just told the truth, the plain, straightforward cold hard truth that is the foundation of the Christian faith.  You can accept it, you can reject it, but the message does not alter.  And even though Peter and John were arrested for preaching, their message clearly regarded as subversive; another two thousand were added to their number.

Praise – The Head that once was crowned

Prayers for Others

All-loving God, we bring our broken, unjust and warring world to You today.

Our hearts are heavy but our desire remains strong for the world we live in to be a better place.  We long to see people flourishing wherever they may be, free from harm, free from violence, free from fear.

We pray for all those who are in positions of power, our duly elected leaders, dictators and oppressors; we pray for the impossible that they find common ground, a united way forward, a desire to establish peace that does not rely on military threat, or greed, but on mutual respect and the acknowledgement that all people are equal.  May the wellbeing of all be their goal.

We pray for those who strive to have their voices heard; those who stand on picket lines, those who are silenced and diminished by the burden of debt they carry, those who are fragile and gentle spirits who seem not to matter yet they are your children too Father, they matter to you.  We pray for those who call out for justice too often silenced by corruption, lies and secrets.

We pray for all who endure physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Behind closed doors in the privacy of the home, in institutions and organisations where attitudes and behaviours go unchecked.  We pray for women who live in fear of violence in their own homes, for children who experience abuse instead of love,

for young people who live in fear of violence on the streets.

In the sometimes overwhelming darkness of this world, we thank You for all those who use their knowledge and power for good.  For those who stand up and speak truth to power. Those who live as light in the darkness, those who risk their own lives to help others in distress, those who gently, quietly lift the fallen, heal the broken hearted and mend the shattered spirit. 

For this is Your vision Lord, of what our world should be, strengthen that vision even within us that we may infect the world with your love and hope and grace.

Lord, in Your mercy hear our prayers…

Lord Jesus, may our prayers be your prayers and your prayers be ours; one in heart and mind and spirit as followers of the way that is Christ.  AMEN.

Praise – How Deep the Father’s love

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.

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.

Scripture

John 20: 19 – 31

Acts 4: 32 – 35

Praise – Now the green blade

Prayers

In your presence Lord Jesus, let us gather with hearts united, held together in the bonds of faith and by spirit of unity.  The early believers were of one heart and mind, sharing all they had, creating a community built on love.

As we enter this sacred space, let us embrace the spirit of generosity and love,  just as the early Christians did in Jerusalem. May our worship be a reflection of this fellowship and unity – where no one claimed private ownership, but all things were held in common.

In this sacred moment, let us open our hearts to the movement of the Holy Spirit,

who changes us, little by little, in the image of Christ, and holds us together in love.  We come, not as individuals alone, but as a community, where the needs of one are met by the abundance of another.

Gracious and merciful God, we come before You with humble  hearts, acknowledging the doubts that linger within us and the moments when our faith wavers. In the stillness of your house, we confess our shortcomings and seek Your forgiveness.

Like the disciples in the locked room, we sometimes find ourselves paralysed by fear – fear of the unknown, fear of inadequacy, and fear of the challenges that lie ahead.  We confess that there are times when we demand tangible evidence, seeking assurance in what we can see and touch rather than trusting in the unseen reality of Your love and grace.

Lord, forgive us for the times we have struggled to fully trust in Your resurrection power.  Forgive us for the moments when we’ve allowed doubt

to overshadow the profound truth of Your victory over death.

Let us worship in unity, offering our hearts, minds, bodies, souls, and possessions, knowing that in our shared devotion we encounter the presence of the risen Christ. May our offering be a testimony to the boundless hope, joy, grace and faith that unites us.  One body, one family, gathered in love.

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 Believers share their possessions.

Like every parent I taught my kids that they had to learn how to share; sharing is an important part of being in society, being human, living alongside our neighbours and, if the kids could learn how to share it might stop the awful bickering and squabbling that totally does your head in !!!

There is not one of us here who does not understand the importance of sharing, so when we read, in Acts Chp 4, of the believers sharing their possessions, we immediately and inevitably feel this is a good thing, a positive thing, the right thing for them to do.  What we read in Chp 4 is almost a repeat of what we read at the close of Chp 2 – the believers sharing their belongings, selling their property and possessions to distribute the funds according to the needs of each person.

This deepening sense of fellowship the believers are enjoying seems to have developed remarkably quickly.  This insight we have of being in Christian community comes in the aftermath of Pentecost – that’s just seven weeks on from Easter and the Resurrection events.  That said, some of the time line between Pentecost and the passage in Chp 4, which Mark read for us today can be a little vague.

The believers have been meeting in the Temple, they worship together in the Temple and eat together in each other’s homes.  They enjoyed the goodwill of all the people.  I’m assuming there was something very attractive about the nature of their fellowship and care for each other as each day the Lord added to their number.  Being part of this fellowship meant that you were going to be cared for and supported.  And I suppose that the other side of that coin is that the selling of property and possessions was a clear sign of commitment to a message and a cause.  So, Joseph, known as Barnabas, is highlighted for his generosity and commitment selling a field he owned, while Ananias and Sapphira are highlighted for their dishonesty and failing in their commitment.

We often, very often, emphasise that Jesus exercised his ministry to the poor and outcast of society – people who have nothing.  Yet, in these early days of the Christian faith it is not the poor who are the focus.  People who have property and land to sell are people who are relatively well off, the middle classes and upper classes of society.  It was no accident that Peter preached in the Temple because that was the place where they could focus on those who had the financial means to sustain the life of this new and growing Christian community.  I am in no way doubting that the Apostles absolutely believed the message of the Good News but they were also shrewd enough to have a plan, or the common sense to know, that they needed people with the means through which to continue Christ’s ministry. The community of faith that grew up after the resurrection, because of the resurrection, had to find a way of shaping itself and surviving and it did that in the best way it knew how.  Indeed, it was not unfamiliar to them.

Jesus was an itinerant preacher, he travelled from town to town, village to village with his group of disciples.  Judas Iscariot was in charge of the communal purse.  Jesus and his disciples fed and sustained themselves on the donations they received from those they had helped and from the women, some of whom were wealthy merchants in their own right, who believed in Jesus message.  Would Jesus have been able to carry out his ministry at all had it not been for those of means who supported him and his disciples?

In a time, as we are now in, where the Church of Scotland (and other churches) is aware that we need to find the means and model and pattern for sustaining its Christian ministry we naturally return to the roots of the Christian faith which we read of in the scriptures.  And I think when we do that something becomes apparent.

It is very clear in the New Testament, before and after the Resurrection, that those of means who sold their possessions, their homes or land did so, so that the Gospel of Good News could be preached and the presence of the living God experienced through miracles and wonders and healings. The Gospel was the only thing that mattered.

And this then is the tough question.  When we do our fundraising or put our offering in the plate or let the bank take care of our standing order, what is it that you think you are supporting? Is it the preaching of the Good News and an experience of the Living God, or are we just keeping our doors open? Is the focus on us or on the work of the Gospel?

Praise – Longing for light

Prayers for Others

Gaza Aid Convoy – World Central Kitchen

Just when we think things can’t get any worse – they do. Seven aid workers die in an Israeli attack on a World Central Kitchen convoy taking aid to starving Palestinians.  What Israel describes as a grave mistake is described by the WCK founder as a targeted attack.  And the outcome is that shipment of aid is suspended. Palestinians continue to starve; punished for simply being Palestinians.  Of course, we remember the millions in Gaza who are at the mercy of Israel forces and Israeli decisions but we also remember the families of grieving aid workers who have lost their lives – experienced aid workers, experienced in the military who know the protocols, who know the importance of communication, who didn’t get this wrong.  Aid workers who were doing the right thing in the right way at the right time in the right place and yet…

Lord hear us in our prayers for grieving families, for starving Palestinians, for Israeli Forces and leadership and the increasingly questionable decisions being made.  Hear our prayers…

Taiwan – earthquake

From man-made humanitarian disaster to natural disaster – we remember those who strive to make sense of their situation in the aftermath of a significant earthquake in Taiwan.  Hundreds have been trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings; some have lost their lives.  It is in these most challenging of times that community is so important, the desire to see another person’s need and offer what we have, to care and listen, to love and offer compassion and build a place from which life can start over again.  We pray Lord that communities local, national and international may find it within themselves to support and sustain those in greatest need.  Lord hear our prayers…

Scotland – Assisted Dying Bill

Father in Heaven, who gave us the gift of life, who has shown us that death is the gateway to a new life, we face once again the question that we never seem to be able to answer; the right to end one’s own life.  We can see that unnecessary suffering may be spared, we can see the dangers it opens up to those who are vulnerable, and we can see how challenging it is to get the balance right – and we won’t always get it right because life is complicated and the decisions are complex.  When we don’t know the right way to go, we look to you for guidance.  Where do love and compassion, pain and suffering meet and how do we resolve the dichotomy they create for us?  Lord hear us in our prayers…

Praise – How often we like Thomas

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.

Prayers and other materials published by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) have been prepared by contributors in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

If you wish to participate in this season of prayer you can view it below, download the pamphlet from the “download” button or view it in a new tab by clicking the link.

In the name of Christ, we welcome you to this time of prayer as we seek peace in the Holy Land.  Father Dougan, John Barrie and I met on Tuesday 17^th October and rapidly discerned that gathering in prayer was something we could call on our respective congregations to participate in and so also to invite others to join with us. 

Since then, Pope Francis has called upon all who follow Christ to join in prayer.  Yesterday Friday 27^th October designated as a special day of prayer for peace.  Although not directly in response to Pope Francis call to prayer our timing could not have been better!  

We welcome you all to the House of God, this place of prayer and of peace.

May the Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.       

Reading – Psalm 34: 8 – 14 

Song – Be still for the presence of the Lord

Earlier this month the Bishops Conference of Scotland released this statement:

“We have been shocked and horrified by the outbreak of senseless violence in the Holy Land. Our hearts go out to the innocent people of Israel who have been murdered and terrorised and to the innocent civilians of Gaza dying in a war zone. We join with Pope Francis in his call for peace and echo his condemnation of this widespread outbreak of violence. We pray for peace and call on the faithful, and all people of good will to do the same. We hope the violence will cease, that civilians and non-combatants will be respected and that all hostages will be released.”

Reading – 1 Timothy 2: 1 – 7

Prayers

We pray to you our Father in Heaven that all people may live a quiet and peaceful life with all reverence towards God.  We know Father, that you would grant our prayer for you love all people, you made us in your image and you desire only the best for us; to know your love, experience your forgiveness and live in peace with you and with our neighbour.

But humanity is flawed and those who rule over us as kings and leaders, politicians, governments and those in authority do not always lead us in ways of peace or love for our neighbour.  We pray for all who are in positions of authority, those who make decisions over war and peace for Israel and Hamas that they may not equate revenge with justice or see retaliation as a means to peace.  Where they seek to crush the enemy may they come to acknowledge that mortal death does not end an ideology, but hardens it, affirms it, strengthens it.

Where generation upon generation have known nothing but conflict, pain, suffering and hatred may those in authority offer a new word, a fresh hope, a new direction that offers tolerance, acceptance, respect and forgiveness.  For the road to peace is an arduous road to travel, it is a pathway of vulnerability, openness and fragility, it is never smooth but ultimately rewarding.  

Blessed are those who work for peace; God will call them His children!  AMEN

Reading – Matthew 5: 1 – 12 (The Beatitudes)

Address – Father Frank Dougan

Song – Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

Reading – Colossians 1: 15 – 20

Words from Rev Sally Foster-Fulton Moderator of the Church of Scotland.

“Friends,

“I reach out to you all, as we continue to grapple with the shattering violence unfolding in Israel and Gaza, and to ask for your prayers and your action.

“Across Scotland, our Jewish friends, neighbours and colleagues grieve the loss of loved ones following the devastating terrorist attacks we witnessed unfolding over the weekend, worry for friends and family who have been kidnapped and fear the possibility of increased antisemitism in their own neighbourhoods as tensions rise across the world.

“In Scotland, our friends with family in Gaza mourn the loss of loved ones, worry for those unable to find safety or a place of refuge and fear an even more uncertain future.

“Together we agonise, yet again, over peace gone to pieces. We desperately try to fathom how we can be any comfort to the members of our global family trapped in the middle of such a barrage of violence and fear. We are appalled by the horrifying levels of brutality and the inhumanity of mass murder scenes which were broadcast across our screens in horrifying, gut-wrenching detail.

“We call for calm and active consideration for the innocent civilians who are suffering in Israel and Gaza. Peace in our world can never come through violence. Peace in our spirits can never come through revenge.

“So, what can we do in the face of war?

“If you pray, pray from your guts, not your lips – offer a prayer that moves in you and through you – one that calls you to reach out to a fearful neighbour, to speak up for peace and calm and the unity of humanity.

“Pray for all those many people injured and those mourning the loss of loved ones and those living in abject fear who await news of family members missing.

“Wherever you are, check in on your Jewish neighbours, friends and colleagues.

“Wherever you are, check in on your neighbours, friends and colleagues who have family in Gaza.

“Wherever you are, be mindful of your words. Tarring with a broad brush adds more fuel to the fire, so be kind to one another wherever you find each other.

“The Zulu phrase, Ubuntu, is the theme for my year as Moderator and its challenging truth resonates powerfully today. ‘I am because you are.’ We are one global family. When we look into the face of another human being, God looks out from the windows of their souls. Today, love God by loving each other.”

Musical item for Reflection

A Prayer for Peace

‘In days to come … they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore.’

God, it is said that you are the peace that passes all understanding. We sit now, staggered at how quickly the fragile half-peace we had pieced together has unravelled.

The lessons we have so desperately needed to learn have been laid aside as the instruments of war begin their horrible, haunting reprise. 

Call us back to our senses.

For the angry, abused and frightened among us, who strike out in a distorted quest for victory, help us find ways to convince that there is no victory to be found in violence.

Peace-making is a daunting path to tread, especially when fear follows so closely behind, so breathe your loving spirit into our hearts and help us walk your way.

We pray ceaselessly for our family in Israel and Palestine, for we are all family and when one part suffers, we are all depleted. Peace in pieces is a collective, shared shame.

God, you are the peace that passes all understanding, so help us understand how to find you.

In these present days we pray for all whose lives are in danger, those on the frontline of conflict, those who are defenceless civilians, the old who cannot flee, the child who is traumatised, the infirm confined to hospital bed, the mother and the father who bear excruciating grief at the loss of their child.  We pray for those who have lost hope, confused and bewildered, angry and revengeful.  We pray to you our God because you too have borne the pain of sacrifice in order to make peace.  Bring all things we pray back into our loving embrace, restore us Lord.

We pray that the escalation of conflict may never come to pass as military allies make their presence known and the political divisions of East and West rears its ugly head once more.  It does not take much to tip the balance; Lord may there be wisdom, restraint, consideration of the consequences not only for the middle-east but for us all.

We pray that those in need of aid may be supported and those who wish no part in conflict may play their part in bringing comfort to the hurting, food for their bellies, food for their souls, water for their thirst and water for their spirits, healing for their wounds and healing through faith.

Lord Jesus Christ, when words no longer suffice and we know only the anguish of hearts may you accept the prayers we offer to you now from the stillness of our spirits, prayers offered in silence and echoed by Your Spirit…

May these prayers live in our hearts until that time comes that all humanity can break bread together, embrace, and grant each other the Peace of God.

Then hear us now as we say together the word 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.

Song – I the Lord of sea and sky

Benediction

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.

So, this is us…. Fiona, Lorna and Maureen have joined the Kirk Session. It’s been a long time since this fine bunch of boys and girls were photgraphed together!

The Church of Scotland is finding it hard to make ends meet. We also know that a good percentage of full time ministry (Parish Ministers) are rapidly heading toward retirement and there are very few coming into minisry to replace them. A large percentage of local parish churches do not produce the income to pay for the level of ministry they enjoy. We know something has to change. What we currently have is not a sustainable.

The Church of Scotland, (like the Church of England, and I’ll come back to that) has taken the decision to close church buildings or as I understand that to cease using them as a Church of Scotland place of worship. Again as I understand this it will also mean that the General Trustees will not need to commit any resourvces toward maintaining those redundant buildings. Please don’t think that this will all be old listed buildings that cost a fortune to maintain and repair; some newer buildings will also be removed for the General Trustees books.

What alarms us about this course of action is that the presence of the church in communities is going to diminish. Just like the body when exposed to low temperatures withdraws blood from the extremities of the body to keep the core warm; it is in survival mode. But survival comes at a cost. Those fingers and toes that are irreparably damaged and die through frost bite never recover; they are gone forever. Everywhere I go, the colleagues I meet all share the same feeling – we are doing this the wrong way, we are shooting ourselves in the foot. We are all saying it, thinking it, but not doing much about it.

So, I mentioned the Church of England; let me come back to it now. C of E Parishes have also gone through that alarm at the potential closure of church buildings. Not content to just let it happen they established their own movement (rebellion?) to Save the Parish. (that link will open in a new tab) The structure of the C of E is very different to that of the C of S but the point is this, they refuse to let the parish suffer because they know, as we know, the parish is the core of the body not the extremity.

Of course, we cannot have what we cannot pay for. Financing our activities is key. Minister’s need to be paid and buildings need to be maintained, heated and lit. So why not give us new models for creating that financial sustainability? Why not give us the next five years to develop new ways of generating the income we need to make it all happen? And if we can’t then OK, it’s time to call it a day. But at least give us an alternative, a second chance, a glimmer of hope.

Within the last few days, I took part in the Webinar for Accelerate, the Scottish Government funded support mechanism for charities seeking new ways of funding their work. It all hinges around Social Enterprise, a trading model that uses profit from commercial activity to fund charitable work. Why are we not promoting this more? Shouldn’t the plan for parishes be one of showing us how to generate sustainable income?

Granted, all the money in the world will not draw people into full-time Ministry; there still needs to be some sense of calling. Yet, I will say this, in my experience parishes which have been vacant over a number of years have not simply thrown in the towel and vanished from the face of the earth. These are the parishes which have pulled out the stops to keep it going, to serve their communities, develop new skills and deepen their commitment. Sometimes they serve communities which have real and growing needs with exceptional generosity and kindness. They don’t need full-time Ministry or even part-time Ministry, just access to Ministry for the celebration of the Sacraments. Re-shaping the patterns of Ministry is unavoidable but also do-able. While the C of S still has large numbers of experienced Parish Ministers why not set us free to redefine what Ministry is and how we offer that ministry across our churches, our cities and towns and villages.

We know not everyone who is part of Westwood Church is able to be in church on Sunday morning and at a time like the celebration of the 60th Anniversary we though it would be good to offer some excerpts from that service held on Sunday 15 May 2022. Where we can, we offer parts of the service in text and audio file, 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.

Scriptures

Ephesians 2: 19 – 23

1 Peter 2: 1 – 10

Prayers of Approach

God, the Almighty, mysterious and distant, hidden from our eyes, yet visible to us in Christ, revealed and in plain sight; we acknowledge you as Lord of all, the first and last, the Alpha and Omega, existing before time began eternal and everlasting.

We thank you this day for your loving relationship with your people throughout history and we thank you for your loving relationship with us, this gathering of your people here in Westwood through the last 60 years.  We are but a drop in the ocean of two millennia of Christian history but still you love us with your whole heart.  We are everything to you and you are everything to us.

You Lord, have sustained us; called us to be together, strengthened us to face the challenges of being a worshipping congregation, building faith, building, fellowship, building buildings, and experiencing the joy that comes through the common bond of faith.

We thank you Lord, that our journey together is far from over.  There are new experiences, new things to learn, new joys to discover, new songs of praise to sing.  This is a time of looking forward sure in the knowledge that nothing in the past, nor in the present can separate us from the love of God which is ours in Christ Jesus the Lord.

As you have offered yourself to us, fully, whole heartedly, sacrificially, so now Lord Jesus we offer ourselves afresh to you, to live our lives in response to your love.  Accept us with all our imperfections and use us to your Glory.  Accept our gifts of time and talents, of thought and will, of care and kindness so that through faith in you we might offer ourselves to each other and to our neighbour fully, whole heartedly, sacrificially.

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

Compared to let’s say Glasgow Cathedral with its 900 years of history our 60 years is but a drop in the ocean.  Nonetheless, our 60 years is as packed with stories, hopes and dreams, disappointments and upsets, success and failures as any other church – even Glasgow Cathedral.

I don’t know if we have anyone with us today who was at the very first service in Duncanrig School on 19 May 1962. Hands up if you were….  No need to be shy you are not exactly confessing to being old !  There are certainly some here today who I know have grown up in this church, baptised here as an infant, Sunday School and all the rest, and unless the course of life changes drastically this is the place where they will always come to offer their worship.  For some of us this is the place within which we have raised our children to know the Christian faith, and rejoiced when our grandchildren have come for baptism.  60 years may be a comparatively short time, yet it is enough to span the generations and offer something constant across the face of ever changing patterns.  And if you have been part of this church for 50 / 60 years might there be a sense within you that you have helped build something for your children and grandchildren and great grandchildren to inherit.  This place is not just for us, it’s for our children and our children’s children, it is for the stranger, the outcast, for all who wish to enter these doors.  We have built this, sustained this not for ourselves but for others.

I cannot claim to have shared anything like 60 years with you; 25 years is my greatest boast yet that has allowed me to share with you in the 40^th, 50^th and now 60^th anniversary of Westwood Church.  An anniversary which has never celebrated the existence of a building but always marked the date, place and time when people first came together to share a common faith in Jesus Christ and to offer their service to Him.

I can look back on the concert held in this sanctuary at our 40^th celebrations; the Skylarks sang, Hinge and Bracket made us laugh and everyone was encouraged to attend wearing something they might have worn in 1962.  I too brought my outfit from 1962 – a terry nappy !!!  For the avoidance of doubt, I was not wearing the nappy.

Come our 50^th anniversary we took time to look back with pictures from the past of people with whom we have shared our journey, people who have come and gone, who were with us for a time and moved on to other places, people who had since passed away, people who participated quietly  and in the background, those who served as elders, those who were upfront, high profile champions of change, the ones who motivated us with their energy, enthusiasm and faith.

Somewhere in the middle of that reflecting and looking back we created the stained glass window that graces the Hall of Fellowship.  To be honest I cannot now recall exactly when the window was created; it was a process that took the best part of three years.  We almost don’t notice it now; the eye grows accustomed.  I do recall that project growing arms and legs and becoming much more extensive and expensive than we originally planned.  Yet the feeling that it created for some of us was that we now had a proper church, we had removed some of the neutral colours and created a place of symbolism, perhaps even inspiration.

The scripture readings today are the ones used in the creation of that window.  1 Peter in particular speaks of us as “living stones used in building the spiritual temple”.  We gave the designer, Moira Parker of Rainbow Glass, a real challenge incorporating the concept of  “living stones” into the window design.  But that’s what we are.  We are a living, breathing, sensing, moving, creative, adaptive community of people.  We have been all of that for 60 years and we have no reason to stop being that.

We have in our 40^th and 50^th celebrations done our share of looking back.  At the time I hope it was the right thing to do but we can only do so much looking back, hankering for the good old bad old days, and “it’s not how it used to be” and end up feeling diminished in the here and now and pessimistic about the future.  Too much looking back does us a great dis-service, clinging to what once was, mourning what used to be, we blind ourselves to the opportunities of today and silence the hopes of tomorrow.

Curiously, emerging from the pandemic has also created a sense of loss and looking back, mourning for the things and patterns and people we lost along the way.  Curiously, the struggles the Church of Scotland faces as a denomination is causing us to look back on what we once were; we feel like the vultures are circling above us, clinging to the past we fail to appreciate the life we have; the opportunities today brings and the hopes of tomorrow.

Today celebrating 60 years since we first gathered in the worship of Jesus Christ I implore you not to look back but to rejoice in the here and now, rejoice that our journey continues, give thanks that we have found a way to be here this day and that we can still place our hope in Christ for the future.  We are a living, breathing, sensing, moving, creative, adaptive community of people.  We have been all of that for 60 years and by the grace of God we always shall be. AMEN.

Prayers for Others

You are the Lord of Life.  You are the Lord of all that brings life, all that sustains, all that quickens and invigorates.  Lord bring to us the gift of life.

We pray then for all who know loss, for whom the joy of life is diminished, grieving for someone they have loved.  In time may they know healing of the wounds that cut so deeply.  In time may they find again the joy of life and cherishing precious memories of love shared move forward into life sustained by your gracious hand.  Lord Jesus hear our prayers…

We pray for families anxious for the future unable to cope with rising costs, who face making hard choices on how family budgets are spent.  We pray for those in retirement with limited incomes not able to enjoy life because finances are so restricted.  We pray for all who feel the future is bleak and see no way out of their dilemmas.  Lord bring to them the hope that comes through faith that you will sustain them.  Lord we pray for those who are anxious for the future…

We pray for churches anxious for the future and those bravely embracing major changes to the life and pattern of their church.  Where buildings have expired and alternatives must be found, where numbers have declined and church life can no longer be sustained, Lord may there be grace to let go of the past and the hope of new life where faith is creative, hopeful and fresh.  Lord we pray for churches anxious for the future…

Lord Jesus we thank you for hearing the prayers we have offered.  May we through grace and faith be an answer to prayer as we offer ourselves to others in loving service learning to love the Lord our God and our neighbour as ourself.  AMEN.

A Time of Renewal and Promise

In this place we have raised our voices in song, we have danced, laughed with each other, cried with each other, hugged and embraced, made friends, fallen out with friends, found reconciliation, forgiveness and grace.  Everything that is human, we have brought before our Lord and God and offered it to him in this place.

Within this place, God’s House, we offer ourselves to the One who is eternal and holds the future in His hands.  We come to express our trust in Him for the future, whatever that future is, and wait with anticipation for our God to open that future to us.

I invite you now to renew that sense of God calling us onward into the future and ask you to stand together as we take these promises.

Will you please stand.

Giving thanks for the past, yet not bound to it nor grieving for it, do you promise to trust in Christ alone for the unfolding of our future? We do

Believing ourselves to be “living stones” creative and adaptable, do you promise to offer your creativity to the life of this church and insofar as your faith will allow you, adapt to new expressions of life and faith within this church?  We do

Believing that we have heard the call of Christ to be his people in this place and in this parish do you promise to summon your strength, your vigour, your spirit, to re-build, to reach out, to renew and replenish in response to that calling?  We do.

May our Lord Jesus bless us as we strive to keep the promises made this day.  May the gift of the Holy Spirit be upon us so that we might be one with each other and one with Christ, learning to love the Lord our God and our neighbour as ourselves.

Please be seated.

Prayer

Father God, we acknowledge gratefully all that lies in our past, the decisions made in faith that have brought us to this day.  Erring and wandering, uncertain and often confused you have carried us through it all and kept us safe, kept us secure within the faith.  Give us the strength now to look not back but to look ever forward knowing that in the uncertainty of our times, in our confusion and erring and wandering you will still lead us into the future you have planned for us.  So, help us to be bold knowing that with you we cannot fail to take hold of the future you have in store for us. AMEN.

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 forever more. AMEN.

As the name suggests it has always orientated itself toward activities and interests most associated with ladies (as opposed to men’s interests!) As yet, a sylllabus of events and speakers has not been arranged so maybe now is a good time to be part of it and help influence a programme that you would like to be part of.

The first meeting is an informal one on the evening of Monday 8th November 2021 at 7.30pm within the sanctuary of Westwood Parish Church. Tea, coffee cake and natter wil be the order of the evening.

As we want to keep everyone safe those attending Ladies’ Fellowship will be asked to enter the church by the  front doors at the Hall of Fellowship and go straight into the sanctuary. Other than that you likely know the routine – face coverings, hand sanitiser and Test and Protect details. Yip!!! It’s a sign of the times!