Quite Excited

Over the past year I have had the opportunity to be part of the Pray Now Writing Group. For those of you not in the know, "Pray Now" is a daily prayer resource published by St Andrew's Press, and those who form the writing group are ministers in and members of the Church of Scotland.


When I was first approached I wasn't sure if this was for me, but up for a challenge I thought I would give it a go.

A year on, and beginning to write for "Pray Now 2013", I still find the process a challenge.   Writing for worship is entirely different from writing material that other people may use for prayer.   When you write for worship, it is likely that it will only be you who will use it, and so right up until the moment when the words are spoken there is an opportunity for inspiration to whisk you in another direction.

However I've found learning this new process energising of the kind of worship I would hope to create.   Writing Group meetings, where we have looked over each others' work, have been encouraging experiences.   Criticism has been blended with what it is we like of another's writing, and often I have found myself inspired to look at a Biblical passage in a new way because of something someone else has written.   The Group have been very kind to my strange habit of ending up with more writing than I need, and have suggested we should create an "out-take" book just for all the pieces that didn't make it out of the folder and onto a page to be shared.

Never having had my work published before, I'm quite excited.   I see from Facebook today that "Pray Now 2012" can now be purchased on-line.   Should you buy a copy, I hope you find something that offers you an encounter with the Spirit wrestling inside you.


http://www.standrewpress.com/Products/290-pray-now-2012.aspx

Planning Good Friday

I'm sure others are well ahead in their planning, however I plan to sit down sometime this week and give serious consideration to Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Easter.   I share the other Holy Week Services with others, and so this year am relieved of the reponsibility of preparation for those.

That was not the case last year, where the Good Friday Service was hosted by my congregation.  

I thought I would post what happened last year just in case it is off use to others.   I would love to say that what you will see is all my own work.   However I am grateful for the creativity of others, and so much of the framework and words are borrowed from something in Seasons of the Spirit from a while ago, along with readings from from other writers.   In the text there is credit given.   Every so often there is an original thought from me.


Before the service begins an empty cross is carried to and displayed at the front of the church


Greeting 

We gather again on this Good Friday

at the foot of the cross

which call us on, not in shame or fear,
but ever more deeply
into the costly journey towards life.
There is wounding and there is weeping.
In Jesus Christ, God is not separated from that.

Opening Sentence
One: In the shadow of our suffering
ALL: IS THE SUFFERING OF JESUS.
One: In the shadow of our weakness
ALL: IS THE VULNERABILITY OF THE CHRIST.
One: In the shadow of our pain
ALL: IS THE GOD WHO CRIED OUT.
One: We are never rejected,
ALL: WE ARE NEVER LEFT ALONE.


Hymn 380 “There is a green hill far away”


Prayer

Holy God,
On this dark day
we walk with you into the darkest places of our world,
and our lives.
Bearing your cross
you lead us to discover that even in the darkest places
your love is ever present
that the place of pain
might be transformed to a place of sharing that pain
and in leading us to carry pain and sorrow in life
we discover the healing found within pain and sorrow.

So on this day,
we see the betrayal of friendship and its consequences.
On this day we remember that your enemies appear to have the upper hand.
On this day we remember that all your prophecies about the end were justified.
On this day we see how unreliable your followers proved to be in a real crisis.
On this day we appeared to see the death of God.

As we gather at the foot of the cross,
may we know your presence,
as we reflect upon this day
and the effect it has on our lives.
Enable us to remember
that the passage of events is not some distant history,
but an experience of the religious bigotry, cruelty and unreliability
that continue in our world today.
Grasping at your suffering
may we meet your willingness to walk on the boundaries of what is comfortable
that we might learn the lengths and depths of God’s love.
AMEN.


THE BETRAYALS

Scripture Reading:  John 18: 1- 11


Four people gather at the foot of the cross carrying stones.

Reader :
Betrayals lie like stone of death within us,
weighing down our lives with guilt or pain.
We place these stones of betrayal
and lay them at the foot of the cross.

Two stones are placed at the foot of the cross

Scripture Reading : John 18: 15 – 18, 25 – 27

Reader :

Humankind has not changed.
We still give power to those who use it to oppress and destroy.
We still fail to challenge those who allow the good to die.

Pause with silence

We place these fatal stumbling blocks to love,
those which lie in our own lives
and in the life of the world,
at the foot of the cross.

Two more stones are placed at the foot of the cross.

Prayer

God in Christ,
you travel with us towards the most wounded places in our souls.
You know the agony of pain, guilt, and hurt deep within us
as we face the fact that we have betrayed others
or been betrayed ourselves.
AMEN.

Hymn 395 “What wondrous love is this”

THE QUESTIONING

Scripture Reading: John 18: 28 – 40
While reading is being read, there is the sound of paper being ripped.

Reader: “What is truth?”
Now, there’s a question! What is truth? And truth was standing right there in front of him! Had he not said, “I am the way, the truth and the life!” Yet what was a king doing “bearing witness to the truth?” What sort of kingdom could he have?

Hymn 537 “We do not hope to ease our minds”

THE CRUCIFIXION

Scripture Reading: John 19: 17 – 30
While reading is being read, somewhere nails are being hammered into a piece of wood

Prayer :

Lord Jesus Christ,
wounded and crushed;
You gave your life that we might live.

Condemned Christ,
hanging in agony,
sharing the death of criminals,
we pray for those who wait:
those who wait in pain,
those who wait in anger,
those who wait in sorrow,
those who wait without hope.
We pray for ourselves,
wanting an end to pain, anger and sorrow;
aching for a new hope.

May your lingering Spirit
be the source of our life
as we witness to you
sharing pain, anger, sorrow and hope
however we can.
AMEN

(Janet Lees taken from “let justice roll down”)


Hymn 385 “Here hangs a man discarded”

During this hymn a white cloth is laid on the floor to the front of the Apse.

THE CHERISHING

Scripture Reading: John 19: 38

The cross is laid on the cloth.

Scripture Reading: John 19: 39 – 42

Reading : “Myrrh – A Reflection” from “Let justice roll”

Three Kings came
Cradled the Babe in bejewelled arms,
Gave of their gifts and left a different path,
I wonder at their gifts as I
Cradle the Babe in homespun arms.

Gold is a useful gift.
The Babe likes the glitter and clink of it
And we are glad of the security it offers;
As we walk a different path to a new land.
I cradle the Babe in my lap
And wonder at God’s mercy on it.

Frankincense – what to make of that then
Sweet smell and curled smoke rising.
A fitting sacrifice for God’s Son in Jerusalem’s Temple.
‘A sword shall pierce my heart!’
I wonder at those two old dears and their words surprising.

Myrrh – myrrh causes my heart to tremble
As I cradle the Babe against my breast.
Myrrh betokens all the world’s pain and all the world’s loss
Anointing the dead – ah let me hold Him yet awhile –
Sweet, sweet child, grow not away too fast.
Abba, heavenly Father, let me know what is best.

Myrrh anoints all the world’s pain and all the world’s loss.
‘Blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted!’
‘Talithi cumi – give her something to eat.’
‘If you want you can cure me.’ ‘Of course I want to be cured.’
‘Do not cry. Young man, I say to you get up.’
As salve takes the sting from the pain
Abba’s son and mine restore them to life again?

I wonder at this gift of myrrh
As I watch his body on the gibbet racked (wracked?)
My heart pierced by the pain he bears,
His head upon my breast and he, inert upon my lap.
Once more I embrace my son and wonder what we lacked
That Abba allowed it thus.

I wonder at this gift of myrrh
As I walk with the women to the tomb
How his body we need to anoint – the last comfort give.
And as I grasp the myrrh’s portent; believe: in entering the pain
Break the barriers to find him living again.
Oh Abba, loving Father, Amen, Amen.

Anne Hine

Fragrant anointing

Reader :

We remember the death of our innocent selves.
We remember the death of innocent fragile things in the person of Jesus Christ
for all eternity, no matter what that may cost.
Let us cherish this Body, as did the first disciples.
Let us reverently touch the place in which our pain now lies
and cover it with fragrant flowers and herbs.

People place petals and herbs from some bowls over and around the cross, and return to their seats

Cloth is folded over the cross to cover like a shroud.

(Before worship on Easter morning the shroud is pulled back and the cross removed leaving the cross mark in the petals.)

Reader:

It is time to leave this place.
Jesus said “Father into your hands I commend my spirit.”
In faith, we also commend ourselves into the hands of a loving God.
After we receive a blessing,
let us sing and then quietly leave this place together.


Sending forth
Go in peace, embraced in the love of Christ.
Walk deeply into your own lives, with all their frailties.
Discover, as you do that in spirit and in truth,
that you are walking towards the joy of Easter Day.


Hymn 378 “Praise to the Holiest in the height”

"Old"

For a while, although I would be hard pressed to tell you how long, when I've been referring to readings from what is considered the "Old Testament" as "A reading from the Older Testament".   It started at some point last year when the RCL focus was on Mark, as the more we worked away through the Gospel, the more connected to the Hebraic texts that lay behind the story I felt.   The more we lived in the Gospel of Mark, the more I found some of the literature from the older part of the Bible come alive.  (One of the beauties of the Revised Common Lectionary is that you do return to texts, and I'm now on my fifth time round on them and still finding things I hadn't noticed before.)

In the process of that happening I wanted to remind the congregation that our faith had it's roots in something ancient, and yet something that still had value for the world today.   I know this is semantics and for most people in the congregation it probably didn't desperately matter whether they were "Scripture Readings" or "Old Testament Readings" or from the Gospels or from the letters.   However underlying my chain of thought was that we tend to disregard what is "old" as being something to be cast aside or worthless - unless of course it is antique.   We even do it with people which is one of the reasons I very rarely refer to "old" people, but prefer "older", reminding myself at the very least that all opinions matter.

I was conscious that some of the American churches used the word "original", but I suspected that wouldn't work so well.   And I thought that people might struggle to make a leap to "Hebrew" Bible.   So I settled with "Older".

There's not been a furore.   In fact I wonder if most people have even noticed.   However last week our new organist asked, and so I explained the above.   Tonight at our worship team meeting one of the congregation representatives raised it saying that one person near her had turned to someone who was about to read and said "if you read "older", then I will get up and walk out of the church."   So we chatted through why, and an article will make its way into the magazine sometime.   But in the meantime we need to get across to readers that they say what they are comfortable with.

Only one negative comment.   But if it is making people uncomfortable do I need to review it - or is this one of those occasions where the discomfort is probably worth the while?   Something to ponder over before we make it to the Management Committee meeting or eventually the Kirk Session meeting.   Of course the naughty thing to do would be to try "Hebrew Scriptures" or "Original Testament" and see what is said then.

But I'm not naughty!

Company

For the last few months I've been sharing my ministry with someone from overseas. While they are already ordained, they are required by the church to undergo a familiarisation process. I've been quite enjoying it, although it is harder work than I expected.

The benefits have definitely been in the challenge it has offered to reflect upon by own ministry, style of worship, and practice of care. The last few months have seen my shake of lethargic tendencies, and have meant that I've upped a gear on the preparation for worship.

In some ways that sounds awful, as it suggests I wasn't working before. However that was not the case. Just sometimes when everything else caves in a week, preparation for worship can become the last minute things and on occasion remembering the words of a one-time supervisor - "what's the point of preparing drivel when someone has taken time and imagination" - has been important.

However having a companion has inspired me to be creative. I've rediscovered a thirst for reading, and have found some fascinating things, some of which have translated nicely into recent preaching. It has also made me question again some of our more peculiar practices. Do they speak of God, or are they just a comfort?

I've also rediscovered the congregation. It's good to see them through other peoples' eyes, and to then ask the questions that you ask at the beginning of a relationship again. Who are they? Why are they here? What is important to them?

The disadvantages are also prevalent. Extra work, and spending late evenings catching up on the small things that enable you to get by. Keeping the jealousy in check - might they like the other person more than me? And unfulfilled expectations in the other person.

At this late stage in a very short period of time, the advantages have far outweighed the disadvantages. In the run up to Christmas it is good to have someone to share the load with and hopefully the opportunity to still have a voice in January.

Have a Word

For the first time in a long time I have some help with the work I do. Compared to my first charge I often think I have less to do, but in reality it is just that many of the things I now do are very different from the past. In a past life, much of what I did happened in daylight hours. In this life, there are very few free evenings, as there are more younger people who work and meetings take place when they are available.

It's only been a few weeks of this new situation, however today I have had to take myself aside and and have words about letting go of some of the things I am used to just getting on with. The other person is more than capable of many of the things I do.

This morning my thoughts were to share one of the things I have been doing alone for much of the summer, but on reflection there will be a phone call tomorrow morning to readjust what was said, and an opportunity for the other to have the opportunity to lead the more informal service.

I'm not sure why I wanted to hang on to the experience and share (other than that underlying they are my people and I need to do this) as in the holidays I happily walk away and leave another completely in charge.

But I've had a word with myself. It probably won't be the last time this year.

Breaking Windows

I'm not preaching this week, although I'm still doing the prayers at the second service. This means that I will get out of looking at bread again - hooray! The person who is preaching appears to be looking at wisdom, so I look forward to hearing someone new.

Our first service is a church family service, and it tends not to follow the patterns of traditional worship. This summer we have played ball games during the service; we've investigated bags and guessed what was inside them and we've done the hokey cokey (I'm now considering writing a hymn to the tune because the congregation sang it better than they sing any hymn.)

This week my theme is broken windows, and I'm trying to work through that image as a play out for worship. I'm thinking about having windows with images of things that are "broken" in our world and community, and then having stained glass colours with pictures of ways we can help on them to be stuck around the windows as symbols of how we might help as a church.

However my worry is I do not want the "how faith might play a part in the various situations" to be viewed as a sticking plaster solution.

I'm also wondering if I'm heading in the wrong direction with the broken window image. Perhaps instead I should be suggesting that we need to break a few windows that we might get out in the community and play our part.

Fortunately it is only Tuesday, so I can have a few more thoughts yet before the practical work of putting it together happens. Although hymns to pick...

Thinking ahead

Although I'm not officially back from holiday until tomorrow, I've taken the opportunity to get started on preparations for the weekend and beyond.

Spotting that the Funeral Director had attempted to phone yesterday afternoon and knowing that the person who is covering for me heads off on holiday tomorrow, I rang first thing to see if there had been a decision about when a funeral might take place and who was doing it. It turns out to be a slightly more distressing parish funeral, with the deceased having died on holiday abroad, so much of the planning is still in the early stages and won't be confirmed until the beginning of next week. However the day and time are provisionally set, and in the middle of B&Q this afternoon I set things in motion for something over a week away. In the meantime though I suspect that an early visit to the family over the weekend may be in order.

Having phoned the Funeral Director and set about my troublesome computer (it's only a year old), I looked at files of past baby blessings and finished putting together the order for this Saturday's. It's not something I do particularly often and have only ever been asked to do since coming to this charge. My first was for the family I revisit this weekend. They played a big part in the original wording and thoughts, and that order has changed as I've reflected upon the practice and purpose of such a ceremony. Fortunately my Kirk Session are supportive of this development, seeing it as an opportunity to touch lives of those more reluctant to commit fully to Christian faith. One or two of them usually accompany me to offer a church presence, and always find they are well received and invited to visit again. I await the parents' comments on the order as it has changed from their last child, and am hoping for a positive response as our two understandings of faith collide.

The hymns for both the services on Sunday are picked, and I'm relatively happy with how the orders of service have shaped up. Our early all-age service has a game and some making activity that I'm hoping that even if my children are the only children present others might feel they would like to participate in. The second service is the more comfortable traditional format. In between the two I'm hoping to encourage people through to a hall for some tea or coffee and maybe a freshly made scone. We'll see how I feel at 8am on Sunday morning.

So the thoughts for the second service. Lectionary based, I've discovered I've got the fabulous choice of David and Bathsheba or the feeding of the 5000, or the power of prayer. I've picked my theme - "Something out of nothing" - and suspect I'm going with the two New Testament readings. For a number of reasons I'll give adultery a bye on this occasion. I would kind of like to do that with the feeding of 5000 as well. Comes up every summer - not surprising when it is in every Gospel - and there are only so many times you can steal the congregations sweeties. Instead I'm thinking about looking at the family motifs that are undercurrents within the Gospel and the Epistle.

Perhaps more tomorrow when I take a closer look at the texts.

York Minister

Although I'm officially still on holiday, we are back from York, the Highlands and the East Lothian Riviera. It has been a good relaxing time, enjoying each other's company, even if one of us can't get to sleep because there are three other people in the room - not me I hasten to add.


York was the perfect place to take a holiday. Once we were there, there was no need to use the car. Instead we spent three days walking round the city, perhaps on occasion a little too far and too often for the smallest member of our family. We've taken a bus tour, a boat trip and a ghost tour. Two of us climbed to the top of the Minster, while two of us headed to the crypt. We travelled back in time to Norman York at the Jorvik centre. We weren't particularly thrilled by the Railway Museum, but wouldn't rule it out if it were raining or you really liked looking at trains. There was lots of food eaten and drinks consumed. The hotel pool was well used, and some of us found the staff at the bar very helpful while others enjoyed being in the lounge playing on the Wii in the evening.

On Sunday morning I headed to the Minster for worship, having noted from our visit earlier in the weekend that John Sentamu was preaching. While my other half would have liked to have come along as well, we weren't sure about children in a different Sunday school or potentially managing a full Church of England Service. They instead worshipped the god of swimming and agreed to meet me outside the Minster at lunchtime.

Heading into the Minster by the main door, you were watched as you wandered through the door by students. I found no word of greeting. The place was absolutely packed, and it was very difficult to find a seat where you were not surrounded by groups of people wearing clerical collars. Picking up the order of service I realised that the reason the Archbishop was preaching was because the local synod were meeting. That also explained the large number of people wearing clerical collars.

The service was a strange combination of formal hymns, music and wording interspersed with a couple of lighter, more informal musical items. It was fabulous to note the tangible joy in the music leading into communion as we sang "Alle, alle, alleluia" (John Sentamu's arrangement of the Jamaican hymn we in Scotland know through John Bell's arrangement.) After the formal, uptight responses it felt that a spring had been let go and people around about swayed with the music - some near the front I think were even daring enough to clap.

What of John Sentamu's preaching? I went because I had heard good things, and what I heard confirmed that. I left feeling uplifted and included in what had been said. But I am aware that I also left a little disappointed as I didn't feel he said anything I wouldn't have dared to say myself. My favourite preacher is Gilleasbuig Macmillan. From teenage years, I have journeyed through his ups and downs of faith and wandered mystical paths. In my role in my own charge I have been criticised for not being academic enough in preaching (by one or two), and I have found myself wondering what they would have said about the Archbishop's preaching, as there was nothing in particular of academic weight just Christian truth. Perhaps what he said would have been considered academic by them, as it came from a middle-aged senior cleric.

As someone who was confirmed within the Anglican tradition, I quite like to return to the formal liturgy of communion and the wandering to receive the elements. It's so easy to slip back into old patterns and to be reassured by the comfort of them.

I will however continue to mull over my Minster experience as I think there are a few things that impact into what we do as a parish church: how important a welcome is; offering release points for emotion in worship; ensuring that all understand what is happening during the service; and ensuring that visitors don't get lost in the big events of congregational life.