Persistence in Prayer

A sermon preached in St. Columba's on Sunday 17th October 2010 at 1030 Morning prayer - Based on the text of Luke 18:1-8 The Persistent widow

I wonder if you have ever had to keep going at something ... thinking about it day in, day out, pehaps getting others around to help. Perhaps a project, perhaps an essay, perhaps a gardening idea, perhaps it was trying to get money back from a company ... whatever it may have been.

It takes a lot keep going when others may be asking ... are you wise?, or sure it would be much easier to give up.

This week on our news headlines we have seen what happens when people refuse to give up, when people people are persistent in their hopes and dreams, when others are persistent in their work.

The Chilean miners were this week brought out of the mine.

The word persist according to the oxford english dictionary is a verb with the meaning ... continue in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition:

Our gospel reading this morning speaks of the persistence needed in prayer, to keep at it in spite of difficulty or opposition

At our Family communion this morning I brought along a wind-up toy and said that there are times when we pray when things are difficult, when troubles come then people do pray but in the ordinary times of life do we come before God in prayer - we don’t seem to have the energy, the time or the inclination, or perhaps we just do not know what to pray for.

In the ordinary-ness of life how can we be persistent in prayer?

To answer that question we need return to ask two related questions

Firstly Why should we pray? and then How should we pray?

Why?

If we catch the importance of something then we are more likely to integrate it into our everyday life. For example if in consultation with the doctor we have a discussion about fatty foods we are more likely not to order the belly busting fry when we next go to our favorite restaurant, or if we are told that we need to reach a certain fitness level we are more likely to make our daily walk, gym session a priority.

Prayer is a conversation with God, it is setting time aside as a priority, saying your relationship with him is of importance to you.

That relationship is key to who we are as Christians as it cuts to the core of life and indeed eternity itself. Prayer brings us into the seat of the king of kings and the Lord of Lords.

How should we pray?

There are many, many ways people have found helpful. In today’s world we know that we are faced with many choices. Go into a coffee shop - size, blend, latte, cappuccino, syrups etc - all of us are getting used to having things our own way.

There are many, many different ways to pray - formally, informally, walking, over coffee, at the side of the bed, in bed, at the office, in the car all of us. wherever it may be. Writting your prayers in a journal wherever - with music on, in silence, in church, at home, up a mountain, by a river

All of us can pray

"One prayer routine that is balanced and easy to remember is found in the word ACTS, an acrostic whose 4 letters stand for adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication.

We can pray scripture - the psalms are a place where prayers have been written down.

When we look around a church, it may seem that every person here finds prayer easy or indeed second nature - but actually from chatting to people, if we are honest many of us, and I include myself in this - praying is a struggle.

We struggle with it for various reasons:

• It takes time
• We often don’t see the results of our prayers
• We often don’t know what to pray in a certain circumstance
• We wonder about the effects that our prayer has

These are indeed things we do struggle with but this is where the persistance needs to come in. We need to catch a vision of the richness of prayer, we need to then integrate prayer into our lives. Setting time aside each day to pray also can have other effects as well

"Prayerless people cut themselves off from God's peace and from his prevailing power, and a common result is that they feel overwhelmed, overrun, beaten down, pushed around, and defeated by a world operating with a take-no-prisoners approach."

Bill Hybels, Too Busy Not To Pray

Taking those few minutes out of our busy schedule helps remind ourselves who we are and also the importance of our faith in God.

There are many, many ways to structure our prayer to God each day. One ancient way which we can persevere in prayer - is with the daily office - Take a look at the front page of the prayer book ... a daily prayer structure ... richness in prayer.

It is available on the internet... check out the worship section of the church of ireland website!

We are called to make prayer a priority - In our parish there are loads of things you can pray for - take a look through the parish magazine - pray for the leaders of the organisations, pray for your neighbourhoods, pray for police

Many many things to pray for - lift one of the sheets at the back of church with ideas which were created orginally for children but which can be easily adapted for adults.

It then gets to a stage when we just need to sit down and pray - having that balance of ACTS helps greatly in our prayers.

In our parish Bible study on wednesday evening I recalled how recently I was at a funeral of a friends father who died in his 90’s - all his sons and daughters got up to pay tribute to him - one of the things they said that spoke volumes about what he believed was that every day he got down on his knees and prayed for each of them as they were growing up. They also knew that as they got older wherever in the world the kids went - that they had a father at home who was praying for them.

It got me thinking - is my habit of prayer so in-ground that I am persevering in prayer for people here in the parish, for my family, for my friends, for parishioners, for those who I promised to pray for.

Now there is a challenge in all of this - this week how are you & I going to pause and pray for ourselves and for others in the busy-ness of work and family life?

Praying & prayers

N:gage with Sunday Mornings

First steps to pray & keep going ...

An ideas sheet prepared for St. Columba’s parishioners by Rev’d Robert Ferris

Much of the prayer of St. Columba’s is corporate, that is to say we do it together and this is reflected in much of what you will say when you come along to church on a Sunday Morning - wether it be Holy Communion, All Age worship or Morning/evening prayer. Yet there is another side to our prayer life, our own individual prayers, as we try to share in Christ's prayer to his Father, that his will be done, his kingdom come.

The advice we provide here was originally written for a children's book. However, whether you are a child, young person or an adult, prayer is easier than you might imagine! Millions of people of every age pray every day.

You don't have to know any prayers if you want to pray - in fact, words can often get in the way. Picture Jesus, and then say what is in your heart, what you feel.

Remember!
God hears every prayer - but not all prayers are answered in the way we might expect or desire: we don't always pray for his will to be done!

'Arrow' Prayers
can be offered to God anywhere, at any time.

But thankfully we don't live all our lives in moments of extreme crisis. What about day-to-day praying? We need to come closer to God, to experience His love for us and to try to make sense of where we are in the world. Prayer is the way we do this.

How to start?

Use your hand.
Your fingers can be used to bring to mind different things to pray for.

thumb
this is the strongest digit on your hand. Give thanks for all the strong things in your life, like home and family, relationships that support and sustain you.

index finger
this is the pointing finger. Pray for all those people and things in your life who guide and help you. Friends, teachers, doctors, nurses, police, emergency services and so on.

middle finger
this is the tallest finger. Pray for all the important people who have power in the world, like world leaders and their governments, members of parliament and local councillors, MLA’s, the Royal Family, other world leaders and their governments.

ring finger
this is the weakest finger on your hand. It can not do much by itself. Remember the poor, the weak, the helpless, the hungry, the sick, the ill and the bereaved.

little finger
this is the smallest and the last finger on your hand. Pray for yourself.

When should I pray?

Traditionally, prayer times have been morning and evening, but you can choose a time which is best for you. It helps to be somewhere quiet, where you can have some time for yourself.

Do I have to kneel?

Kneeling is the traditional posture for penitence and standing for praise, but you can pray anywhere - walking, standing, sitting, whatever feels comfortable.

What else do I need to know?

Be creative - use music, a stone, a feather, a flower, or a candle to help you focus - if you are very young, or elderly, be careful with candles!

Prayer activity is a discipline - it can be difficult at times, just like keeping fit, being on a diet, or keeping weeds down in the garden! Little and often is best, but don't give up! No prayer, however inadequate you may feel it to be, is ever wasted or of no value.

What next?

Build up a collection of favourite prayers and sayings -anything that speaks to you. You can find them in greeting cards, cuttings in the press or bookmarks and prayer cards. You could make a scrapbook for them.

Visit your local church bookshop and have a browse.

Why not start with the prayers in the Green - Book of Common Prayer - Daily prayer pages ...

If you want to know more about prayer why not get involved in our parish Bible Study group or speak to a trusted christian friend or member of the clergy?

Many other ideas include

• Prayer Journals
• Giving thanks to God
• Prayer walking / driving
• Arrow prayers
• praying with others
• 24/7 Prayer stations
• posit notes
• lecto divina
• Pray, read, think, pray, do as a bible study method

Source: Adapted from Church of England Website: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/worship/learnpray/

The prayers this morning were structured around ... fingers topics

God our heavenly father, we give thanks to you for all those whom we care about because their lives are closest to us and their love is strongest. In a moment of silence we pray for our families, asking God to bless them at this time wherever they may and holding before him any issues which are on our hearts concerning them.

Silence

Living Lord,

We hold before your all those provide direction and leadership in our communities. We pray for teachers in our schools, clergy, vestry and all involved in leadership in this parish, we pray for bosses and all involved in trainning those in workplaces. Help us all in our learning to be dilligent in study and help us all to be the best we can be. We ask this in Jesus name Amen

God of all authority

We pray for those who hold authority in this community and in the nations of the world.

At home we pray for the PSNI as the seek to maintain justice and peace in the midst of threats of violence. We also pray for our politicians both MP’s and MLA’s as they seek to guide the population through difficult economic situation.

In the wider world we give you thanks for the good news stories from Chile this week, for the miners who have been rescued. We thank you for the evidence, that when people work together the common good can be achieved.

We pray all these things in Jesus Name Amen

God of the weak and the poor,

We hold before you those known to us and those in our community who are struggling -

• struggling to pay the bills at home
• struggling to see a future for themselves and their loved ones
• struggling to come to terms with news they have been given
• struggling to come to terms with physical / mental illness
• struggling to come to terms with addictions
• struggling with the pressure of work commitments

You are a God who has always been concerned with those on the edge of society, You are a God who is a help to the helpless, lover of the unloved, you turn noone away. Help us as individuals when we see those whom we know are in need to reach out to them, to be your hands, your feet, your voice in their circumstances.

We ask this in your name Amen

We pray for ourselves

In a moment of quiet reflection, we remember that we are called to be a people of persistent prayer, never giving up but a people who worship, confess, thank and ask our heavenly father for all his many blessings.

We take a moment in the stillness of this place to bring before God our own prayers for our concerns before God this morning

Silence

We conclude our prayers as we pray for each other in the words of the Grace ...

Despicable Me

Last Night - our Youth Group went to the cinema to watch Despicable Me.

It was a good, light hearted Family Movie - we watched it in 3d

Trailer below

Prayer - An Adeventure with God wk 2

In our Bible study in chruch we are looking at the adventure with God that prayer is

Last week we looked at Abraham’s Intercession with God Genesis 18:16-33

we looked at how in any relationship we need two way communication, how there are different types of prayer - intercession, thanksgiving, asking, praising - all of these are crucial to maintain our relationship with God.

We looked at how Abraham was desperately seeking God to save the city in which his nephew lives

Recently I was at a funeral of a father of a friend whose life was devoted to being an intercessor for his children. What an amazing tribute his Children paid to him when they said “wherever they were in the world they knew that their father was at home praying for them” how amazing that was to hear - can you imagine a better tribute?

Defined by prayer!

As we look at prayer this evening are there issues / questions we have as we study scriptures about prayer?

How does God speak to us in prayer / how is he changing you through prayer?

What changed as a result of Abrahams encounter with God- Why did these changes occur?

Prayer today

One of the great things about a Bible Study is that it allows us to share experiences of prayer ....

Formalised prayer: Daily Office - Book of Common Prayer, our liturgy

Less structured:

Prayer Journals

Giving thanks to God

Prayer walking / driving

Arrow prayers

praying with others

24/7 Prayer stations

posit notes

lecto divina

Pray, read, think, pray, do

Pause and reflect

A Short address at A Late evening office in St. Columba's Parish Church on Sunday 10th October based on John 15:12-27

During this past week, the rector’s car and my Green machine have been busily going around the parish - delivering fruit and vegetables, flowers and cans of food to our housebound parishioners all of whom were very appreciative of the gifts which many other parishioners provided as their harvest offering which decorated the church last sunday.

The green machine has also been picking up clothes from various shops for the fashion show which happened last week.

It has also been taking me to various nursing homes, meetings about the creche, services here in church, home visits, rehersals, shops.

Life in the parish is busy - it is a real blessing to be in a parish where there is lots going on as well as lots of parishioners actively involved.

During the course of this week I also had cause to pause and reflect as to life in ministry - life in the busy-ness of parish work.

So often we are caught up with the concerns of today, the worries

about tomorrow that we do not pause and reflect on where we are, on how God is working through us and

what he is teaching us.

So let us now pause ...

A couple of weeks ago I ventured in my car up through North belfast to Cave Hill Country Park. I got on my walking boots and set off one clear friday morning and walked up right above belfast zoo. It was beautiful. to see the dynamic nature of the city. Down below was the hussle and bussle of the city streets, the aeroplanes landing and taking off, the ships rolling in, the buses, cars all busy going about their business. Seeing the hospitals, and looking out towards the east of the city seeing the familiar streets from a different perspective.

Whatever we are doing, wether we have a clergy collar on or a barristers wig or sit at a teachers desk, or work with a shovel or whatever we find ourselves doing.

The gospel reading this evening should invite us to pause, to think about three things

• Firstly we are called friends of Jesus

• Then we are called to bear fruit

• Ultimately we are commanded to love

Directly before this passage, Jesus speaks of the importance of being connected to the vine - You cannot produce fruit without being connected to the branches, once away from the vine fruit die. Friends who never communicate, who never meet up for a coffee, the friendship is in danger of dying.

Jesus said in our reading today “but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.” We have that relationship - the first challenge is a very basic one - how are you and I sustaining the relationship with God?”

How is our prayer life?, Are we reading the Bible?.

As I pause here - I mention our Bible Study Group - there is an invitation on a wednesday night to come along and get involved in studying God’s word. down at the back are the books we are using this term. Myself and the rector are leading it. Why not give it a chance if you are not already involved?

Then We are called to bear fruit

I am amazed as to the diversity of the things a curate is called upon to do - so much diversity in life - I love wakening up and wondering what is going to happen today? we are all called to live life in all its fullness. In Galatians we find out what we should have as the fruit of our lives - the things we should be producing - Love, Joy, peace, patience ...

How is that in our lives, are there things we do need to cultivate?

Recently the Bishop of our diocese has been speaking to clergy about our own support mechanisms, about the people we are able to chat through things with, about our own spiritual formation.

Every single person needs those people who are able to tend to us, those whom we can confide in, those who we can talk to about prayer, about the Bible, about faith, those who will pray for us.

Ultimately we are commanded to but also encouraged to and indeed cannot do any thing else but love.

Christian Love is expressed in many ways

The “How are you” telephone call

The “lets meet up for a cuppa”

The “I just called to see how you are”

The meal brou

ght round to save you cooking

The prayer for those whom we dont know

The “can I do anything for you”

Every single one of us can show love by what we say, by what we do and even how we do it portrays love or lack of it.

Let’s recap

We are called friends of God - how is our relationship with him?, how are we sustaining that relationship? - what practical ways could we feed that?

We are called to bear fruit - how are we producing the fruit of the spirit?, what do we need to consentrate on?

We are called to love one another - how can we do that this week?

Church should be a community where we support one another as we make mistakes, as we grow together, as we live out these values. Not one of us has got it all sorted ... I am sure that many of us find it difficult to pray... that many of us find it difficult to read the Bible each day ... but as Brothers and Sisters we spur each other on, we encourage each other, we are there for one another.

The practical out working of this passage is how we are going to live this week, how we are going to interact with those whom we meet- are we going to get angry or are we going to show grace, are we going to ask a “how are you really?” question and be prepared to listen for the answer, are we going to show love to x or y ?

It is now important to get on with the work, Let's do it ... John 10:10 "Life in all its fullness"

Amen

Harvest Thanksgiving

A Sermon preached in Annahilt Parish Church on Sunday 26th September 2010 at Harvest Thanksgiving. Readings Joel 2: 21-27, Matthew 6: 25-33


May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be now and always acceptable in thy sight O Lord our strength and our redeemer. Amen.

It is a great privilege to be asked by your rector Cannon Howard to join you in your harvest celebrations this year. To see a church decked out with all the fruit, flowers and vegetables is great - I love this time of year. It brings me back to my youth when on a Saturday morning I would go down to the Big Church in Banbridge with mum in a car stuffed with greenery which dad had cut down from our garden, lift it out into the church building and start the decorating.

Harvest is a wonderful time of year, when we see the fruit of our labours, we thank God for the farmers, for the fishermen, for the whole supply chain that gets what we have on our tables from here in Northern Ireland and from exotic places across the globe. We thank God for creation, for sun, rain, nutrients in the soil. Harvest time is a time to pause and thank God for his blessings which he sends to us.

This evening I would like us to pause and think for a few moments on the idea of partnership. The idea of working together to achieve a common goal/ purpose.



When we think of of the term partnership we might think of a working relationship.
At lunchtime I am usually back at home between 1 & 2 for lunch and after the 1o’clock news on the BBC comes the soap-opera Doctors and if you are familiar with this there are two or three of them are partners in the surgery - they are the ones responsible for making sure the place runs smoothly, that all the patients are cared for. Other doctors may come and go but the partners stay throughout. They help each other out, they are responsible for the running of the surgery

Or perhaps partnership throws up thoughts of a deeper relationship - that of marriage. The ideal of which is Looking out for and caring for one another - on all sorts of levels, physically providing for one another, helping each other through difficulties, when things go wrong, rejoicing when things are going well, partners stand up for one another and share in the problems of life.

When one party of a partnership fails in their work, in their duties, in their responsibilities then there is indeed problems for the others.

Harvest is a time of year when the whole idea of partnership is highlighted again and again.

In our Old Testament reading we seek through the prophet Joel how God is promising to his people how he will fulfil his side of the partnership:



O children of Zion, be glad
 and rejoice in the Lord your God;
for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
 he has poured down for you abundant rain,
 the early and the later rain, as before. 
The threshing-floors shall be full of grain,
 the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

Partnership between God and humanity in terms of creation - way back in spring - seeds were planted, sun and rain together with the nutrients in the soil helped them grow and now we take a moment to pause and thank God for the season, for the exact balance of nature which allows the earth to produce all that is needed.

This idea of partnership is found right throughout the Bible, whether we think of Genesis God as creator, Whether we move though God as liberator of his people in the exodus and Exile or God as redeemer when he Humbled himself as a servant.

This provision is essential for us, whether or not society today recognizes it.

As was highlighted in the Popes visit, a wake up call to all Christians. We are living in a time when God’s name is being less and less confessed by what is termed as ‘militant atheism’. Harvest has to be a wake up call when we who call ourselves Christian stand up and thank God for his blessings to us.

The gospel from Matthew this evening speaks about God as provider, God comforting us when it looks bleak, God being the source of all things.

Do not worry, look at the birds - God provides.

It would be very easy to take this passage and sit back and do nothing - don’t worry but actually we need to take this passage and look at it in the context of the whole of scripture.

When God provided - he provides when his people turn to him, when they work in partnership with him and when they are prepared to play their part.

Partnership doesn’t work when one of the partner sits idly by while one or other does 100% of the work.

We are all called to be stewards of our world - In terms of physical resources and the resources of all kinds that is the mission to which God is involved and to which we are called.

Harvest is indeed a time when we are called to be thankful, but that thankfulness we need to turn into a partnership which will last and which will produce more of a harvest of all types.

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited along to the Ladies Guild in my Parish to look at various trips I had been on to Uganda and Zambia. During my talk I recalled how mission partners from Ireland were interacting with the locals. They didn’t come in and tell communities what they were going to do but rather they sat down with a group of people and asked what were their needs and discussed with them what the priorities were ... maybe healthcare, maybe employment, maybe clean water. Then the partners were able to help the community help themselves.

As we were chatting I wondered what in the community I am in at the moment, what are the issues. For St. Columba’s our issues which were highlighted by the community include:

Around the church Getting Teenagers involved, keeping them after confirmation, having youth organisations, families coming to church, the welcoming of visitors and new parishioners, those not able to get to church, communication within the parish and between churches.

Within society today - The suicide rate, Apathy to Christianity, crime, unemployment, isolation, loneliness, the effects of budget cuts.

I suspect this would be similar to other churches.
It is here I would like to draw the various threads of partnership together.

We are here this evening to thank God for his blessings to us this year, for the food we have on our table
for the people involved in getting it from field, sea, through the shops to the table

We are here this evening to hear God’s word to us in our own generation - a word which speaks of God’s concern and work for us and amongst us

We are here to be encouraged to Go from this place ready to live thankful lives for his countless blessings but also to work in partnership with him where we find ourselves every single day. That is the living out of the good news. In a world that is increasingly hostile to the gospel, to anything christian we as followers of Christ can do nothing else but witness to the provision which he gives us each and every single day.

Let us pray
Living God, help us in our every day life to live as Followers of Christ in a way that challenges those who are living their lives without him. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

New month on the way

With a new month on the way ... new parish magazine available

Round and round belfast town

Fridays at the curatage are usually a day of relaxing, on such a nice day it was time to get out and about. One journey I have been wanting to do for a long time was a dander up Cave Hill

It is absolutely spectacular views across the city, the lough south to the mournes and beyond. Unfortunately my mobile died so didn't get any of my own picts but below is a panoramic picture which does justice to the view ...courtesy of virtual-visitnorthernireland.com

This content requires Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled.

Music Help!

Hey ya,

This is sort of an appeal / discussion ... or something. After youth group on friday night I have discovered that my itunes is quite out of date ( ... there is some good tunes on it but I need to update it a bit ... )to bring it out of the 1990's!

Any ideas of stuff that could be downloaded would be appreciated! even lists of things on spotify

The requirements:

- stuff that doesn't have obscene lyrics as it needs to be able to be played at youth group in the church hall 10's+

- stuff that is current

- stuff that can be easily got

I look forward to ideas - either as comments here on blogger, facebook or email me!

Mission:Home and Away

A sermon preached on Sunday 19th September at 7:00 Holy Communion Service in St. Columba's

Heavenly father, take us, mould us and help us by the power of you Holy Spirit to be the people you would have us be. In Jesus name we pray - Amen

One of the many privileges of ministry is that myself and the Rector get to visit people in their homes, and also from time to time get to speak at various groups in the parish and beyond.

This past week I was asked to speak at our Ladies Guild about my experiences of the African Church - The theme I proposed was Mission: Home and Away - It was a topic I really could get into and one in which I enjoyed preparing for.

During that evening I was recounting how in Uganda, I witnessed the mission partners at the time working in partnership with local people. Instead of the partners telling the Africans what they could do for them. They brought groups together and asked them what their needs were, wrote them down and then give each individual a few stones and ask them to put them down as to what they perceived as the most crucial needs were.

Then when they had identified those needs - then the partners were able to ask those gathered as to how they could help to meet those prioritized needs.

It was a great way of working out of the gospel in practical ways. For the African church the needs were basic health, sanitation, mosquito nets, employment, water.

I then wondered, if we were to take a group of people in a different culture and ask them to list some of the needs, some of the worries what would they say...

So I did list those which the ladies gave me on Wednesday Night:

The List breaks down into Church and society

Within this parish - Getting Teenagers involved, keeping them after confirmation, having youth organisations, families coming to church, the welcoming of visitors and new parishioners, those not able to get to church, communication within the parish and between churches.

Within society today - The suicide rate, Apathy to Christianity, crime, unemployment, isolation, loneliness, the effects of budget cuts.

I wonder would you have anything to add to that list?

In a programme which was aired this week on UTV Archbishop Alan Harper was speaking about the future of the church - he illustrated what the church needs to do asking a group of people to form a circle - 2 ways to do this - the first being the obvious way all looking into the centre, the other being facing outwards. His point was that we are to be a people who look outwards, who look at the problems of society, speak into situations, show practical help.

We as Christians have an amazing message to share with the world - a message of a relationship with God which can impact with the world around us.

Our Christian faith fills the deepest longings of the heart, provides purpose and direction for those who are struggling with questions of meaning, self-worth. When the church steps up and presents the good news in loving and practical ways the world will take notice.

Our Christian faith compels us to visit the lonely, the sick, the vulnerable. Our Christian faith compels us to out of our love for God, out of our worship of him to go the extra mile, to walk in another’s shoes, to draw along side them and to support them.

This all draws upon what we do sunday by sunday here in church - and centres on our Holy Communion service,

As we gather together once again tonight we realise that although we use words which we say are the same, ancient words - we are not - we have grown, we have concerns which we didn’t have last week, last month, last year.

Our priorities are different, our thoughts for the things which we need to do when we get home from church are different. In the Holy communion we as the church gathered together are one body, different people yes but one unit. A body which is intended to work together for the good of all its members.

We read in this evenings scripture how God was able to use circumstances to restore the fortunes Israel from exile in Babylon from the book of Ezra, we also read from the Gospel of John how in the midst of Jesus’ conflict with his opponents he was able to keep focused on who he was and what he was about, speaking to them about his identity and his father’s priority of looking after the individual - healing on the sabbath?

As Christians our imperative has to be concerned about the things which God is concerned about, that is the building up of his kingdom. We are his ambassadors, representing him to those we meet on a daily basis - wherever we are.

So when we are faced with lonely people we’ve no option but to do what he would do
When faced with those who are struggling, we’ve no other option than to do what he would do
When faced with injustice we have to stand up for justice
When faced with apathy we have to challenge it
When faced with declining numbers of young people we have no option than to tackle the problem
When faced with whatever other problems or issues we need to take action

We do this because our God is a God of action, a God not just of theory but of practical solutions to practical problems. He is not a God who stands Idly but got involved in the messiness of the world.

Whatever we may be facing this week, whatever problems, worries, concerns - there is a way through, a way which will work out for Good.

Let us pray.

The parish magazine

It is great to have such a good resource as our parish magazine to communicate with the parish and the wider world. In a recent development our web designer has linked up with the website issuu.com

The result is the possibility to embed the pdf on a sharable format. In order to try this out here is our September edition:



to check out our parish website ... www.stcolumbas.down.anglican.org

The Lost Sheep

A sermon preached on Luke 15:1-10 on Sunday 12th September in St. Columba's Parish church, Belfast

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be now and always acceptable in thy sight O Lord our strength and our redeemer.

I wonder if you have ever misplaced something, lost something valuable? I remember some years ago when I was at uni up in Coleraine. Final Year, Computer Science project
Living Down in Banbridge I commuted down on train to belfast and then bus to banbridge
Traveling weighed down with bags galore ... up and down weekly on the train with laptop, clothes, books and all the rest. One week I get back home one bag is missing with the paper copy of the project and the memory sticks which had the whole project on it! Knowing that it hadn’t been properly backed up for a few weeks- Not Good. Even talking about it now sends shivers up my spine.


Why did paper sheets and a wee electronic chip matter so much? ...
... It was my work
... It belonged to me
... I placed enormous value in this as it was what it would lead to

Phone calls were made To Translink ... did I leave it on train or bus?
To the university to see if I had actually made a back up?
To the coffee shop I sat in while waiting for the train
To the police to see if anyone had handed it in?

All of those proved to be fruitless

Hopeless - the work would probably need to be replaced ... but it had taken weeks and weeks and it was only a week to go before the deadline.

Our gospel reading today speaks of two people who knew what I was going through
Firstly Jesus tells of the shepherd - He counted the flock and discovered one was missing
Then he spoke of the woman who had lost a coin

Both then went searching
Let us take the shepherd as an example:

Like my example
...The shepherds work depended upon him having a full flock
...The sheep was property of the shepherd
...The sheep was valuable to him

None of us like to be separated from the things which we value and mean so much to us.

So often today if we loose things and think ahh well sure I’ll just get another one - but if you have put work and effort into something then we will take the time to search it out and find it.

The two parables which Jesus told are probably two of the clearest he did communicate. The importance of searching, the value of time taken to find and the rejoicing after what is not really valued by others is found.


Who are the Lost in Luke’s Gospel?
Time and again, Jesus speaks about the Lost as those who are on the fringes of society, those who are looked down upon, those who struggle with life, those whom the religious leaders had rejected, those who are described in this passage as sinners

We see in these two parables that the owner, the one who is responsible for them going out of their way to search out and to eventally find and restore the sheep and coin to their rightful place.

We see Jesus going to great lengths to point out the meaning of this parable - that saying that heaven rejoices when an individual is found, when someone who was lost is brought back.

In our gospel we see two ways of lostness -

Firstly the sheep goes wandering - perhaps looking for greener pastures, perhaps simply to explore, perhaps they think that they can find a better shepherd, perhaps they just want to be on their own for a little while

Or in the case of the inanimate object - the coin, the owner simply left it somewhere and can’t remember anything about it. But when it is needed needs to go and discover it. Anyone who has lost car or house keys knows exactly what this is like!

As we apply this passage to our time, to our day

Could we ask ourselves who in our family, our friendship group needs to be found by the good shepherd? who needs to be carried home on his shoulders?, who needs to be welcomed again into the flock?, who needs know the unconditional love and acceptance of the good shepherd?

Who do we know needs to be sought out and given value again?

It is interesting that Jesus puts the hearers of the parable right into the middle of the story - Suppose one of you has 100 sheep

Do you and I as hearers of this parable 2,000 or so years on care for that individual enough to go and search them out when they go wandering?

That is a huge challenge - are we prepared to spend time developing, cultivating relationships in order that we may love those who are wandering, those who have been left aside and can’t be found are indeed found and brought again into a caring, loving community where they can find meaning & purpose, love and friendship in community?

Suppose you had a friend who didn’t go to any church, but you did and you enjoyed going would you not say to that friend why don’t you come along with me next sunday?

We are in the business of being God’s hands, feet and voice in this world - The kingdom of God will only be advanced here if we are prepared to do it, if we are prepared to issue invitations to get involved, if we are prepared to invite, if we are prepared to work for God.


In this parish we are taking the opportunity to reach out to those who are on the fringes of church. In order to do this we are taking part in Back to Church Sunday in a couple of weeks time - are there those we know used to belong to St. Columba’s but for whatever reason have waundered, or perhaps are just sitting back, or perhaps have just forgotten about us. Why not use the invitation to get them here on sunday 26th?

If anyone needs a lift to church on that sunday that can be arranged, if other reasons come up that we can help overcome with give the clergy a ring.

We are all called to search out for those who are on their own, perhaps scared, perhaps anxious, worried about something. But we have a God who is faithful and just who knows our need, who will cleanse us from all sin and re-create in us new life.

Let us do it! Let’s search out those who are wandering, lets come as we are before God.

And just in case you are worrying - on monday morning on the way back up after I lost university work I re-traced my steps, I called in with anyone who looked official in Belfast, on the train and eventually I discovered the parcel office in coleraine bus station and there lo and behold the bag was sitting there.

God does indeed answer prayer!

Lets pray.

Books online ... a random link

A few weeks back whilst in a Christian bookshop I came across a few kids books which I thought were very colourful and attractive so much so I got a couple for the toy box at the back of church.

On facebook today I was chatting to a couple of friends and telling them about one of the books - a quick google search for one of them - all I was looking for was the cover but came across the Zondervan scribd site which is great ... It has loads of resources.

The book I was speaking about has a link to tomorrow's sermon...

If you would like to read it Cecil the Lost Sheep, Full Book

But check out the other resources on http://www.scribd.com/Zondervan

After8-thoughts1 ... Sacrifice

One of the things I do appreciate about St. Columba's is the chance to be queried on Bible passages and things theological! ... Keeps me on my toes and causes me to go back to scripture and do a bit of thinking.

Tonight based upon our Isaiah passage I was asked the question ... why don't we sacrifice any longer animals? if God was looking for sacrificial offerings from his poeople who had been taken into exile ... Isaiah 42:22

"Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;
 but you have been weary of me, O Israel! 
23 You have not brought me your sheep for burnt-offerings,
 or honoured me with your sacrifices."


My initial thoughts & indeed discussion centred around - simply that Jesus was the once for all sufficient sacrifice for the sin of the world . Which yes sin was atoned for. Then we have the fact that our whole lives are to be living sacrifices and that what we do in church - our worship and our offering is our thanksgiving sacrifice

As we chatted around the subject very briefly, we soon began to discuss as to why Jews do no longer sacrifice to God post the fall of the temple when the priestly system was in ruin. Over the next wee while I hope to do a wee bit more reading up on this stuff. But I also know that I have many learned friends on Facebook & Blog .... this might be a good discussion why not comment.

I also am concious of the Hosea Passage which is often quoted

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings'' [Hosea 6:6]

There are lots of others ... but maybe this is an interesting discussion to be having.

Temple

Update: as Gary has points out - Hebrews - indeed!

By the rivers of Babylon ... what did God Say?

A Sermon based on Isaiah 43:14-44:4 preached on Sunday 5th September at St. Columba's Evening Prayer service

Let Us pray

Living God, we pray that these ancient words would be for us, words of truth, words of hope and words of sustenience for us this day. In Jesus name we pray Amen.

One of the challenges of preaching through the Lectionary, the set readings of the day is that sometimes we pick up the story in the Middle of what is happening - It would not make sense to pick up any novel, pick a page at random and start from there - we would not know the back story, the plot line and the characters.

This evening’s Old Testament reading is from the Middle of the Book of Isaiah - it comes at a time for the Israelite nation which was so unbelievably sad, when they were down cast- Psalm 137 (made famous of course by Boney M) describes this

“By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion” -

They had been in the promised land but that was all taken away from them

It is at a time of change, a time of uncertainty, a time when the nations Identity is lost because they have been taken into exile by Babylon.

During the last week of the Summer Holidays, Bishop Harold held a Bible week and invited Dr Christian Baxter over to speak about another prophet - Habakuk. She explained the political situation of the day very well.

Two big empires wanted to get the land which Israel inhabitted. Egypt from the south and Babylon from the north - causing a squeeze. Eventually babylon succeeded and they were very brutal - they captured all the leaders, officials and carted them off to what is now Iraq - this was the exile.

In this vision which is part of the over all vision of Isaiah -Babylon as an empire will be broken, and Israel will be restored. Take a look at what the passage says:

At the beginning we are reminded who God actually is:

I am the Lord, your Holy One,
 the Creator of Israel, your King.

This is written in the midst of hopeless despair - the fact that these people are in service to another king - the Babylonian empire but they are reminded that their citizenship is with teh Creator God, their King.

We see in this how full of Grace God is - he is not going to treat them according to their sins, nor according to the acceptability of their sacrafices but rather he is going to look upon them in his multitude of love and care.

The vision in this passage is one of this passage is one of reminding the israelites of who God is, giving Isaiah’s hearers a Glimpse of what God is doing in the background and giving them a future vision of what God will be doing.

The prophet’s role was one of speaking hope into despair, speaking God’s word, God’s perspective into situations where it was recieved.

Let us look at these verses under 3 headings

• Remembering who God is
• Catching a glimpse of what is happening at the present
• Looking forward to a hopeful future

Remembering who God is

Within this passage we see God doing what he has done time after time

Lord who made you,
 who formed you in the womb

I, I am He
 who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
 and I will not remember your sins.

Catching a glimpse of what he is doing

In this passage we hear Echoes of the exodus when God led moses out of captivity - Pharaoh’s army defeated - He did it once he can do it again.

Looking forward to a bright future

Something new is happening in line with the way God has acted in the past but new for this generation, they are new circumstances, new problems but similar to what has happened in the past.

19 I am about to do a new thing;
 now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness
 and rivers in the desert. 

for I give water in the wilderness,
 rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people, 
21 the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.

This captivity which they are in is going to be destroyed - it is promised, God will eventually work his plans out for the salvation of his people.

In history this will be in terms of Cyrus from Persia who will overthrow Babylon and who will bring the exile to and end and restore the fortunes of the people of Israel. However as we look at this passage we also know that this is pointing forward towards God releasing his people from captivity of sin into the freedom of Christ.

Application

As we attempt to apply this passage to our lives we need to remember who God is, catch a glimpse of what he is doing in this generation and looking forward to a future rooted with him.

Firstly Remembering who God is, and remembering we have a much clearer vision of God compared to Isaiah as we have the full revelation of God in Jesus and also we are living in the age of the Holy Spirit which has indeed been poured out.

What is God doing in this generation? - we are living at an amazing time, a generation which has seen unprecendented change, communication and technical development, development of new drugs which cure more diseases than we could have imagined, knowledge of the human dna makes all sorts of things possible, transport links right across the globe, reaching further and futher into space.Great things happening here. On the flip side we still have those living on the streets, we have famine, war, persecution like never before, families are being enslaved into debt, into working harder and harder in a 24 hour economy. Family break-up is at an all time high. Lots of people today are struggling to find out who they are, searching for their identity and purpose to life.

Perhaps this is where this prophecy comes into its own, perhaps we have a memory of what life should be like, perhaps we should be listening to the things which God is saying to us.

Very Very briefly, God is saying to us

Remember Me - I haven’t left you, I haven’t forsaken you

You are looking for purpose - well I have plans for you, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future

Jesus says to you ... you can have life in all its fullness.

There are a huge number of promises in the Bible which God has promised us. In our day, in our generation we may look round on dark days and think - God where are you, we may think in the circumstance I witness where are you ... I wish I was somewhere else.

It is in those dark days, in those difficult days when we need to grab hold, to cling to the promises in Scripture. Which is one of the benefits of the age old learning verses of the bible by rote - so that they are ingrained in the memory.

Let us take Scripture, the word of God and let us remember that the God of creation, the God who led the israelite people, who stepped down as a babe in the bethlehem stable is the same God who lived, who died and who will return again, who sustains us.

Remembering who God is

Catching a glimpse of what is happening at the present

Looking forward to a hopeful future

We have a God of Hope ... there is never any situation too hopeless

ahhh.... for those who remember this in college!...:-)

September here again ... commissioning the leaders

September, for me, is really a new year ... It has always been that way I suppose, right through Uni and before that School.

A new diary, a tidy up of the curatage office, the planning for the new term of parish activities.

Tomorrow, Sunday sees our youth leaders and sunday School teachers in the parish commissioned ready to begin a new session of exciting activities. It will be great to see everyone again.

We will commission the leaders and dedicate our young people - setting out what they will be doing over the year. It is sooooo important that we pray for all those in helping all our young people.

DEDICATION OF SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND YOUTH LEADERS

We have come together today to commission all those involved in the youth ministry of this parish - our leaders, helpers and Sunday School teachers and to dedicate the Children entrusted to their care for this coming year. As leaders in this parish, you have a great responsibility in the example you set both in your everyday life and in your spiritual life to live for God and in his service. The role of a Sunday School Teacher and of a Youth Leader is one, which is highly respected and appreciated within the service of the church and should be seen and undertaken in this way.

I invite our Sunday School Teachers and Youth Leaders to please stand.

Do you as Sunday School Teachers and as Youth Leaders here before God and this congregation dedicate both your time and talents to teach the children in your charge the truths of the Bible, to encourage them in their Christian Faith and to help them in whatever way you can.

I do God being my helper

I invite all young people in the congregation to please stand.

Do you as young members of this parish whether as members of the Crèche, Mums and Toddlers, Sunday School, Doves, Brownies, and the H2O Youth Group here before God and this congregation undertake to seek to learn and understand the ways of God under their guidance and instruction of your leaders

I do God being my helper.

As a congregation, we have a responsibility to God, those whom we commission this day and our Children, to see that they will be encouraged in their service to God and in teaching and learning of his word. Will you as a congregation therefore promise before God to pray for the teachers and children and help in any way to encourage them in the work

We do God being our helper.

Let us pray

Almighty God and Father

the only wise God, source of all truth and Grace enlighten the minds of those who have been charged with responsibility for the youth ministry in this parish. Give them understanding of their task, a true love for you and those they serve. Help them in both their lives and by their teaching to bring the message of the Bible alive for the young people in their care. Help the Children to listen and to take in the messages they are taught so that they may grow in the faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ in whose name we pray. AMEN