14th. November. 2021. Service at Inverkeithing.
Remembrance Sunday November 14th 2021
Twenty fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Let us worship God.
Hymn 798 “The peace of the earth be with you”
The Collect for today
Almighty God, keep us mindful of all your benefits and mindful of our high calling, that we may yield ourselvesin new obedience to your holy will, and live henceforth as those who are not their own, but are bought with a price, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, now and forever Amen
Hymn “I have a dream a man once said”
Call to Prayer
On this day of remembrance, we gather to sing and to pray,
we remember the past and look to the future.
At this time when the guns and cannons fell silent,
we come before you Lord, seeking your peace.
On this day of hope in the face of violence
we come before you God, believing in your promise.
Let us worship God together, in peace.
God our Father, you are the carer of our souls and the source of eternal life in Jesus Christ Today when we commemorate and commend to you those who lived and dies in the service of others we are happy to remember that your purpose for us is only good. You gave Jesus Christ for the life of the world, and that you lead us by his Holy Spirit into the way of righteousness and peace. Your desire is to fold both heaven and earth in a single peace. We want that peace but confess that it is often easier for us to keep alive the passions and pride that lead to hatred conflict and war and ask your forgiveness when we allow strong feelings to rob us of the peace that you offer in Jesus Christ. Forgive us and set us free from every sin and make us more determined to live in the way of eternal life, that is in the way of goodness and love in Jesus Christ. God of wisdom, we seek insight and understanding from your Word read and proclaimed today. Move in us by your Spirit to open our hearts and minds to receive your message in the scriptures and respond in faithfulness. Amen.
Jesus teaches us by his death and resurrection the meaning of reconciliation and forgiveness. Teach us to forgive one another. Heal every division and take away our fears, renew our faith in your unchanging purposes of love, of goodwill and peace on earth. Through Jesus Christ in whom we pray.
North Queensferry
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, for ever Amen.
Inverkeithing
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
Hymn “Eternal Father, strong to save”
The Intimations
The funeral of our Member Mr. Martin Stevens will take place in Dunfermline Crematorium at 1:15pm on Tuesday 16th November.
The Children’s Church will hold a Tombola on Saturday 20th November from in the Room Above in the Queen’s Hotel. All donations will be gratefully received.
Invitation to the Offering
On Remembrance Day, we mark the costly offering of lives given for the sake of others. What we offer today is small in comparison, but with God’s blessing, our gifts can also make a difference for the sake of others—in Christ’s name.
Prayer of Dedication
Generous and gracious God, we have received so much from you in Christ and in creation. Bless the gifts we offer this day so they will speak of your love for the world in all its detail, and for people in all our diversity. May our gifts touch the need around us in the name of Christ who makes us one. Amen.
All Age Talk
Once upon a time there was a rich man who lived in the deserts of the Middle East. You could tell how rich he was because of what he owned and especially how many camels belonged to him. In fact he was so rich that he owned not 2, not 4, not 8, not 16… but 17 camels.
He had led a peaceful and prosperous life and so when he was very old and near to death he wrote his will, explaining how he intended to leave his wealth to his only son, his grandson and to his one nephew. The terms of the will were these: one half of his riches should go to his own son; one third should go to his grandchild and one ninth of his wealth should go to his nephew.
This seemed fair. Soon after this the rich man died. Now when it came time to dividing up the camels according to the will, the three beneficiaries ran into a problem!
- If half the camels were given to the son, then he should get eight-and-a-half camels, which would mean killing a camel!
- If a third of the camels were given to the grandson, that would mean again killing a camel so he could get five and two thirds!
- And when it came to the nephew, there was no way he could get his share unless another camel was killed.
The three of them became frustrated and soon got very angry with each other. They shouted and quarrelled and argued and even threatened to go to war over the camels. Secretly they began stockpiling their weapons and plotting their battle campaigns.
Nearby there lived a very poor man. You could tell he was very poor because he only had one camel. Although he was so poor and seemed to have no influence, he still felt he should do something to help. He wanted to stop war breaking out. He wanted to be a peacemaker. But what could he do?
He decided to offer his one and only camel into the rich man’s inheritance to help sort out the problem. It was a huge sacrifice. The inheritance now consisted of 18 camels.
(demonstrate the following by adding a camel and then re-doing the maths as below!)
The three sat down and did the sums.
- Half of 18 would go to the son, so he took 9 camels.
- One third of 18 would go to the grandson so he took 6 camels.
- And one ninth of 18 would go to the nephew, so he took two camels. After each had taken his allotted number, to their great surprise there was one camel left over!
- The poor man received his camel back! He had made peace by his willingness to give up all he had, and it had made all the difference and he had not lost out in the end!
I wonder what do you think this story is saying to us about making peace? And about Jesus who is described as the Prince of Peace?
Hymn “Make me a channel of your peace”
The Readings
Isaiah 25:1-9
Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done wonderful things,
things planned long ago.
2 You have made the city a heap of rubble,
the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore strong peoples will honour you;
cities of ruthless nations will revere you.
4 You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless
is like a storm driving against a wall
5 and like the heat of the desert.
You silence the uproar of foreigners;
as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is stilled.
6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine –
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
8 he will swallow up death for ever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
9 In that day they will say,
‘Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.’ Amen.
Revelation 22:1-5
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. Amen. This is the Word of the Lord, to Him be all glory and praise. Amen. This is the Word of the Lord, to Him be all glory and praise.
Hymn 706 “For the healing of the nations”
Sermon
But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. Psalms 1:2,3.
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
— Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
Wilfred Owen.
The horror of war and the experience of millions since the beginning of the twentieth century is poignantly evoked by Owen’s poem. I recently learned that some friends whom I have known for a long time had lost a son in Afghanistan. For many of my generation the impact of such tragedy is hard to imagine. An uncle killed in the Second World War before my birth was second-hand. My father’s grief and anger glimpsed only briefly at Remembrance Day services.
We are going through challenging times at a time when there are dark currents of mistrust and fear running through our society, political division, the threat of war in Eastern Europe from Russia and anxiety about climate change. It is a time in which we need great reserves of faith and hope. Both our scripture passages speak of faith and hope but also of restoration. I recently restored my computer, clearing it up, refreshing the hard drives, and reinstalling the software. If only there were a reset button for the world and humanity!
In the ancient world water was often used to refresh a city. In Ephesus you can still see channels along the steep length of the main street which were flushed with water regularly
The hymn, shall we gather at the river has been in my mind for the past couple of weeks. It was written by Robert Lowry the pastor of Hanson Place Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York. The imagery is inspired by John’s vision of the river of life flowing from the throne of God in Revelation 22:1-5
This image has its roots in a passage in the book of Ezekiel (Chapter 47) in which a trickle of water rises under the altar of the restored Temple in Jerusalem, flows through the city and eastward into the desert becoming a vast life-giving river. Most ancient civilisations flourished along broad riverbanks, such as the Nile the Euphrates and Tigris as well as the Amazon! Jerusalem is unique in that it sits on a hill and is reliant on small deep springs for water. The principal river of Israel, the Jordan, is relatively small and many miles away. The idea of a great source of living i.e. running water was tied closely to faith in Judaism, its source could only be God.
John sees the heavenly template of this, the river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God, restoring life to the barren desert and nourishing the tree of life which appears to be a double tree on either side of the river, continually producing a different fruit for food each month and the leaves of the tree shall be for the healing of the nations.
It is interesting that the word for “nations” in verse in Strong’s Concordance is described as “household, clan or group” and the word for “healing” and refers to domestic healing or healing of a household. Nations are comprised cities which are made of generations of families. This can then refer not just to nations as we understand them, but to the groups, clans, families, political entities in all their diversity. This is an image of the restoration of humanity despite its diversity.
The life of Christ in us restores us and anoints us to bring the Bread and Water of Life to starving broken individuals, families, cities and nations of people bound and held captive in darkness. The vegetation or leaves that grow from our intimacy and abiding in Christ the Tree of Life grow powerful fruit and leaves that allow our lives to be conduits for reviving and healing to the individuals, families, cities and ultimately nations. In essence, it is only as we recover our humanity in God that such healing will take place.
In our day in which division and strife are surging and violence seems to be just under the surface in many places, and selfishness and ego are on the rise whether through extreme political beliefs, or people putting their own comfort or welfare before others during the pandemic, the world is becoming more dangerous daily and hurt and pain are increasing. Where will it lead? More actual wars of violence, which today we are deploring and remembering the cost to so many because of the arrogance or greed of the few. What can we do?
Yesterday I came across a meditation which might help us to answer that question.
Dwelling with Me, desiring only My Will and to do My work, My Spirit cannot fail to pass through the channel of your life into the lives of others.
Many think it is humility to say they do little and are of little value to My world. To think that is pride.
What if the pipe were to say, “I do so little, I wish I could be more use?” The reply would be “It is not you, but the water that passes through you, that saves and blesses. All you have to do is to see there is nothing to block the way so that the water cannot flow through.” The only block there can be in your channel is self. Keep that out and know that My Spirit is flowing through. Therefore, all must be the better for coming in contact with you because you are channels. See this, and you will think it natural to know they are being helped, not by you, but by My Spirit flowing through you as a channel.
The water of the River of Life needs a channel in this world. A life which is surrendered to God, seeing him on the throne, worshipping him, seeing him in the face of Jesus Christ, setting self aside and allowing the Spirit of God to do His work in the world can accomplish much. As families and groups are healed, so the nations will be healed. As Christ heals you and me, so also grace will flow to our families, our community our nation and the world. In the temple of God each stone must be pure and sound if the whole is to be strong. In the body of Christ, you and I have a place and a purpose and that is to lay aside self and be channels of the love and grace of God. Amen.
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
God of each life and all lives,
in every generation you have been present with your people:
in times of poverty and prosperity,
in times of sorrow and joy,
in times of health and pandemic,
in times of war and peace.
Today, we remember your gracious care in times of crisis,
and give thanks for the courage and sacrifice of the women, men and families
of the armed forces who have worked for peace, justice and protection in so many different times and places. Support those who have finished their time of service and still face challenges in civilian life.
God of mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of promise and peace, we thank you for the places where conflicts have ended, peace has been restored and where citizens can enjoy secure freedoms and human rights.
Where people are oppressed and dissent restricted, encourage those who witness and work for justice to be established.
God of mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of wholeness and hope, we thank you for those called to serve others in their home communities, wherever they call home. Especially we give thanks for those in our communities working hard in the face of COVID-19. May they know your protection and show your love in all they do.
God of mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of commitment and courage, we thank you for the many organizations in our nation working to bring hope to people facing social exclusion, discrimination, or exploitation. Inspire leaders in our communities to provide access to the support they need to thrive. May all your beloved children enjoy the life you desire for them.
God of mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of Christ in community, we thank you for the dedication of those who serve in the church. May your church always be a place of hope, healing and welcome. Guide our congregation and denomination through these challenging days so that those who turn to us will find us faithful.
God of mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Eternal God, your promises endure from generation to generation. Knowing your steadfast love, we trust you to answer our prayers according to your generous mercy and infinite wisdom, offering ourselves in service through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Let us remember the kindness of God, and his favour to us in our time of need.
The Tryst
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
The Last Post
Silence for two minutes.
Reveille
In memory of those who died may we be better men and women, and in gratitude to God may we live as those who are not their own, but who are bought with a price.
Hymn 715 Behold the Mountain of the Lord
The National Anthem
Benediction
God grant to the living, grace; to the departed, peace; to the Church, the Queen, the Commonwealth and all people, peace and concord; and to us and all his servants, life everlasting.
And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen
May God’s blessing surround you each day