Order of Service for Recorded Service

Sunday 16th August 

Good morning and welcome to everyone who has joined us on-line at St. Ninian's this morning.  We hope you will enjoy our worship of God together today. As a congregation our mission is to, 'Worship God together, encourage personal faith and prayer, spread the Good News about Jesus Christ, and love and care for others in our community.'

Services are online from 10:15am on Sundays:

on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stninianschurch/

and on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW-OUJ0F3JLO9vUD7KYMffA?view_as=subscriber

Following the service there is an opportunity to join with members of the congregation for Zoom fellowship.  Please email the minister for access details.

St. Ninian’s uses the Revised Common Lectionary is an approved week-by-week three-year cycle of biblical readings.  The readings lead us from Advent through the Christian year, the Bible, and Jesus’ life through birth, baptism, his public ministry, his death, resurrection and ascension:

http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/weekly_worship/misc/revised_common_lectionary

WELCOME, INTIMATIONS AND SHARING OF THE PEACE

We welcome one another with Christ's words 'Peace be with you'.

APPROACH TO GOD

CALL TO WORSHIP

HYMN 713

Come, all who look to God today,
stretch out your hands, enlarge your mind,
together share his living way
where all who humbly seek will find.

Come, young and old of every faith,
bring all your treasuries of prayer,
and seek the living Spirit’s breath
to realise the truths we share.

Bring your traditions’ richest store,
your hymns and rites and cherished creeds;
explore your visions, pray for more,
since God delights to meet fresh needs.

Come, trust in God and live in peace,
anticipate that final light
when strife and bigotry shall cease,
and faith be lost in praise and sight.  Amen.

PRAYERS OF APPROACH, CONFESSION AND LORD'S PRAYER

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, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 15: 21 - 28 (New revised Standard Version)

²¹ Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²² Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” ²³ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” ²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵ But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” ²⁶ He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷ She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸ Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

CHILDREN’S ADDRESS

HYMN 212

Morning has broken
Like the first morning,
Black bird has spoken
Like the first bird.
Praise the singing!
Praise for the morning!
Praise for them springing
Fresh from the Word! 

Sweet the rain's new fall
Sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall
On the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
Of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness
Where His feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight!
Mine is the morning.
Born of the one light
Eden saw play!
Praise with elation,
Praise ev'ry morning,
God's recreation
Of the newday!

SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 56: 1, 6 - 8 (New Revised Standard Version)

¹  Thus says the Lord:  Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. ⁶ And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,  to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant .⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain,  and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer  for all peoples. ⁸ Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered. 

SERMON

OUR RESPONSE TO GOD 

HYMN 555

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I'm found;
Was blind, but now I see. 

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed. 

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
We have already come.
'Twas grace that brought us safe thus far,
And grace will lead us home. 

The Lord has promised good to me, 

his word my hope secures;

he will my shield and portion be as long as life endures

OFFERING AND PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Freely given, our offering supports the work of Christ's church and symbolises our spiritual dedication to the building-up of the Kingdom of God.

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING and INTERCESSION

We dedicate our gifts to God, give thanks for our blessings, and cry out for help for others and ourselves.  During the prayers this response is used periodically:

SENDING OUT

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 145: 8 – 9, 14 - 21

¹ May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, ² that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations. ³ Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. ⁴ Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,  for you judge the peoples with equity  and guide the nations upon earth. ⁵ Let the peoples praise you, O God;  let all the peoples praise you. ⁶ The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us. ⁷ May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him. “Let us go out with the praises of God in our mouths that all people may hear, and bless his holy name forever.”

HYMN 247

Moved by the Gospel, let us move 

with every gift and art. 

The image of creative love, 

indwells each human heart. 

The Maker calls creation good, 

so let us now express 

with sound and colour, stone and wood, 

the shape of holiness.

Let weavers form from broken strands

a tapestry of prayer. 

Let artists paint with skillful hands 

their joy in lament and care, 

Then mime the story: Christ has come. 

With reverence dance the word.. 

With flute and organ, chime and drum, 

God’s praise be ever heard.

O Spirit, breathe among us here, 

inspire the work we do. 

May hands and voices, eye and ear 

attest to life made new. 

In worship and in daily strife 

create among us still. 

Great Artist form our common life

according to Your will.

BENEDICTION

Go now in peace, never be afraid. 

God will go with you each hour of every day.

Go now in faith, steadfast strong and true.

Know He will guide you in all you do.

Go now in love, and show you believe.

Reach out to others, so all the world can see.

God will be there, watching from above. 

Go now in peace, in faith and in love.