Welcome to our first online service. I am the Revd Stuart Rogerson a Minister of the Church of Scotland. Here in Strathaven the time is 4pm on Sunday 21st December. I bid you welcome in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Good Morning, Good Afternoon or Good Evening as the case may be!
Until the service ends, no one except those assisting in the service will be able to participate, when the Benediction has been pronounced at the end, there will an opportunity for Chat for about ten minutes. During the service a number of links will be posted, to fully participate you will need to click on the posted links. This will enable you to experience the fullness of our worship.
The music for all the Hymns has been provided courtesy of Jeff Elkins of the MSN Music Forum
So as we gather from across the world, to share in worship, let us begin with a Scottish Metrical Psalm.
Psalm 100
Psalm 100 - Scottish Metrical Psalms
ALL people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
Him serve with mirth, his praise forth tell,
Come ye before him and rejoice.
Know that the Lord is God indeed;
Without our aid he did us make;
We are his folk, he doth us feed,
And for his sheep he doth us take.
O enter then his gates with praise,
Approach with joy his courts unto:
Praise, laud and bless his Name always,
For it is seemly so to do
For why? the Lord our God is good,
His mercy is for ever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure.
We pray:
Almighty God our Father, to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that
we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Jesus Christ Our Lord
Amen
If we claim to be sinless, we are self deceived and strangers to the truth. If we confess our sins, he is just and may be trusted to forgive our sins and cleanse us from every kind of wrong.
Let us together confess our sins:
Almighty God , Our Father, we have sinned against you and one another, in thought word and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to correct what we are, and direct what we shall be; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy
May God forgive you your sins, strengthen you by his Spirit and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
AMEN
Lord, you have assured us of your continuing love and grace. Help us now in faith, hope and love to share in this worship to your honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
AMEN
Let us hear the word of God
We now praise God in song:
"And Can it be" - Charles Wesley
And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the saviour’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
that Thou, my God,
shouldst die for me!
He left His Father’s throne above –
so free, so infinite His grace –
emptied Himself of all but love,
and bled for Adam’s helpless race.
"‘Tis mercy all, immense and free;
for, O my God, it found out me!
For the sermon please click:
Let us pray ...
We believe it to be your will, Our God and Father, to bless in answer to prayer.
Hear us as we pray:
for the whole world, for all nations and their governments, that there may be freedom, peace, and plenty in all parts of the earth;
for the Church in all its branches, that its zeal may be rekindled, its faith renewed, and its unity restored;
for the sick and the suffering, the careworn and the sad, remembering in silence any whose need lies heavily upon our hearts......
and for the dying that they may depart unafraid and in peace;
for.. (here offer your own private prayers)
Let us give thanks:
It is indeed our duty and delight always and everywhere to give you thanks and praise, Almighty God, eternal and Holy Father.
In the beginning you brought the universe into being from nothing.
You created life by your Spirit.
When we and all mankind had fallen, you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to raise us again; in him, you make us into one body, the Church, which belongs to you and serves you.
Through the Spirit, who fills the hearts of the faithful, you give us light, strength, and love.
For this and all your goodness to us, known and unknown, we give you thanks with the Church universal….
We offer these prayers in the name and for the sake of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who taught us when we pray to say:
(Scottish Form)
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in 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 and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. AMEN.
Our service is drawing to a close.
Give thanks with a grateful heart,
give thanks to the Holy One;
give thanks because He’s given
Jesus Christ, His Son.
Give thanks…
And now let the weak say, " I am strong ",
let the poor say, "I am rich",
because of what the Lord has done for us;
and now let the weak say, "I am strong",
let the poor say, "I am rich"
because of what the Lord has done for us.
Give thanks…
Thank you for being here.