Online Worship from Kintore for use at home. 28 June 2020
Welcome to our online Sunday worship service from Kintore. You are invited to participate in this service at home. There are written prayers for you to read, say out loud or share with your family, there are hymns and prayers you can listen to or sing along with, and there is a brief Sunday message from Neil that you can watch. These are all laid out below in an order of service for you to follow.
CALL – God calls us to worship
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning:
Great is thy faithfulness, O Lord!
AMEN.
APPROACH – We draw near to God
Opening Hymn: Out of the depths (Psalm 130)
Prayer of Lament and Praise
How shall we praise you, Lord, our God?
When we are locked down,
how shall we praise you?
When the doors to your house are barred,
and your people cannot assemble?
When those desperately in need of money and work
cannot even wait in the market-place?
When we have to circle round people in the street,
and to queue for shops maintaining safe distance?
When we can only communicate
by hearing on the phone,
or seeing on the screen;
or digitally messaging,
or even just waving through a window?
When we cannot meet our parents and children,
grandparents and grandchildren,
or other family members and friends?
When we cannot touch them in their flesh and blood,
to know they are really alive?
How shall we praise you?
How, like Thomas, shall we not see yet believe
that your son is raised among us?
How shall we praise you?
How can I praise you, Lord?
Are you plaguing us with this virus
to punish us because we have all done wrong,
or thought wrongly,
or felt wrongly,
or just been wrong?
If so, why do only some die,
and those, apparently, the ones who are the least worst or most caring amongst us?
Or are you trying to teach us a lesson?
If so, why is it so hard to learn?
And how are we to find the answer
when we do not even know the question?
Or are you still the same loving God,
coming to us in our sufferings
and opening up the way to new life in Jesus?
Lord, I will try to praise you.
Through gritted teeth,
I will try to praise you.
I will try to remember that you have created all things,
and this virus is part of your creation.
I will try not to hate it
but seek to mitigate its harm.
I will try to keep myself and others safe.
I will work to pray for them
and seek to help in whatever way I can.
Lord, when I cannot pray or worship
help me be aware of all your people
and your saints and angels
hovering around me,
lifting me up.
When I feel alone,
let me feel you near me,
even if only for a moment that enables me to go on.
Let me hear you say
“Peace be with you”.
Lord, I will praise you.
Let all the peoples praise you.
Amen.
Hymn: Be still my soul
THE WORD – God speaks to us
Litany of Lament
This video of lament was prepared by Rev Paul McKeown of Belhelvie.
From the Bible
Lamentations 3:16-42
He has made my teeth grind on gravel,
and made me cower in ashes;
17 my soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
18 so I say, “My endurance has perished;
so has my hope from the Lord.”
19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
20 My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.
21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man that he bear
the yoke in his youth.
28 Let him sit alone in silence
when it is laid on him;
29 let him put his mouth in the dust—
there may yet be hope;
30 let him give his cheek to the one who strikes,
and let him be filled with insults.
31 For the Lord will not
cast off forever,
32 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33 for he does not afflict from his heart
or grieve the children of men.
34 To crush underfoot
all the prisoners of the earth,
35 to deny a man justice
in the presence of the Most High,
36 to subvert a man in his lawsuit,
the Lord does not approve.
37 Who has spoken and it came to pass,
unless the Lord has commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that good and bad come?
39 Why should a living man complain,
a man, about the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us test and examine our ways,
and return to the Lord!
41 Let us lift up our hearts and hands
to God in heaven:
42 “We have transgressed and rebelled,
and you have not forgiven.
Message: The Lord is my portion
COMMUNION – We respond to God’s Word
Song: “40” – U2
Prayers of Intercession
O God our Healer, show your compassion for the whole human family that is in turmoil and burdened withillness and with fear.
Hear our cry, O God, Listen to our prayer.
Come to our aid as the coronavirus spreads globally, heal those who are sick, support and protect their families and friends from being infected. Hear our cry, O God, Listen to our prayer.
Grant us your spirit of love and self-discipline so that we may come together, working to control and eliminate the coronavirus.
Hear our cry, O God, Listen to our prayer.
Make us vigilant, attentive, and proactive in the eradication of all diseases, malaria, dengue, HIV & AIDS, and others that create suffering and often result in death for many people.
Hear our cry, O God, Listen to our prayer.
Heal our self-centeredness and indifference that makes us worry only when the virus threatens us, open ways beyond timidity and fear that too easily ignore our neighbor.
Hear our cry, O God, Listen to our prayer.
Strengthen and encourage those in public health services and in the medical profession: care-givers, nurses, attendants, doctors, all who commit themselves to caring for the sick and their families.
Hear our cry, O God, Listen to our prayer.
Inspire, give insight and hope to all researchers focused on developing a vaccine.
Hear our cry, O God, Listen to our prayer.
Sustain all workers and business owners who suffer loss of livelihood due to shut-downs, quarantines, closed borders, and other restrictions… protect and guard all those who must travel.
Hear our cry, O God, Listen to our prayer.
Guide the leaders of the nations that they speak the truth, halt the spread of misinformation and act with justice so that all your family may know healing.
Hear our cry, O God, Listen to our prayer.
Heal our world, heal our bodies, strengthen our hearts and our minds, and in the midst of turmoil, give us hope and peace.
Hear our cry, O God, Listen to our prayer.
Hold in your gentle embrace all who have died and who will die this day. Comfort their loved ones in their despair.
Hear our cry, O God, Listen to our prayer.
Remember all your family, the entire human race, and all your creation, in your love.
Our Father in heaven hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen.
COMMISSION – God sends us into the world
Closing Hymn: It is well with my soul
Benediction
May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
the Love of God the Father
and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with us and those whom we love
now and evermore.
Amen.
Very moving and thought-provoking, Neil
Good to see you in church Neil!