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

Humility & Generous invites!

Food, glorious food

It is amazing how much of our lives are taken up with eating, and how important meals are ... not simply to fulfill the physical need of getting energy into our bodies but the social aspect of meeting people over meals, of celebrating holidays and other special occasions with food.

Over the last month I have been to - Birthday lunches, a wedding Banquet, preparing meals for friends from the USA, breakfast with Christians in Malta, food with friends.

In our culture food is an important part of social life. Wether it be celebrating 50 years of Mens Club, Ladies Guild, the end of the academic year for the vestry, golf club, bridge club ... or whatever the occasion food plays an important part in our social life here in Belfast.

The same was very true in Jesus’ day - When someone prepared a feast - the invites went out. There were those who were invited and those who were not. In today’s reading we see Jesus using this meal which he was a guest at to teach some very important lessons, not simply about protocol at meals but actually digging down to underlying attitudes towards all whom we meet.

Meals in Jesus’ time were important social affairs - those who were important were sitting next to the host. Those who were least were sitting further away. Imagine the problems trying to sort out who would sit where.

I know that this is going to be an issue when it comes to wedding plans in the Ferris household when it comes to table positions for my Sisters wedding next May. Who sits where? Just at the end of July I was invited to a wedding Banquet - there was as there is at all big dinners a seating chart, telling all who is sitting where!

In the first half of the reading - Jesus uses that very scenario - who sits where - as a lesson to those around the the table

The attitude which Jesus is trying to teach is that of humility - of saying look you are just as important as I am, of equality in the sight of God.

This is an attitude which is indeed lacking so often today - where people are trying to go for Gold, trying to climb the social ladder, to portray themselves as better than someone else.

In the second half of the reading - Jesus uses the fact of the invitations being sent out to all - particularly to those who wouldn’t normally get anything - perhaps maybe only the scraps left over. This is radical teaching - the Kingdom of God is indeed being opened to all... to every single person.

What a challenge that is - from a society which is made up of a segragated people - people who were in the loop, people who knew they were right and that everyone else was wrong. To become a society or kingdom where every single person is invited equally.

A world in which those who are at the bottom of the heap are actually invited to the top table

A world where those who are outsiders are actually key to the whole enterprise

A world where all are treated with amazing grace and love regardless of who they are, what they have done.

A world where outward appearances dont matter, but rather the heart is what defines you

That really is silly - it is inside out and back to front - but actually that is what Jesus was doing- it is crazy but that is the gospel.

In this back to front, inside out kingdom - there are a few things we need to know

Firstly the invitation has gone out to us all - are we ready to respond?

Are we ready to say I would love to come along, to get involved, to invite others, to encourage others to play their part

We are all called to serve humbly

None of us as christians can say I don’t need to do anything - we have all been given talents, all been given resources, passions in which we can channel into things which help to build up the kingdom of God.

------

How are you and I this year going to serve God, where we are and with what we have this year?

In this church we are are all called to serve - regardless of our age, our background

In the September edition of the magazine, which you will see - centre page is one of the bits of the vision which I along with the rector and group made up of the current youth groups is a vision statement and way forward to re-invigorate the youth ministry of the parish.

You will also get with your magazine a yellow sheet - entitled ... how can you support st columbas - we are trying to see if there are people who could get involved in various aspects of Church life who we could draw upon their talents - not just for youth but for MU, Ladies Guild, mens club etc.

Or if you would like more information.

We want to make sure that there is no one in this parish who is able to say that they have not been invited, nor that they do not belong to the organisations. If you have an inkling that you would like more information about something that is happening, that you might like to get involved please do fill in the yellow sheet.

Myself and the Rector would love to meet people over a coffee to chat about people getting involved in organisations,

we would love to chat with people about faith,

about bible reading,

about prayer,

about getting deeper in their relationship with God,

about using your gifts - whatever they may be

about service with the youth organisations,

Jesus has given us a wonderful example of service, of being a radical invitation giver. As his followers we need to fling wide the doors of our church to an amazing welcoming church. Where those who have not set foot inside this building on a sunday morning before or recently receive a warm welcome, where those who come to our organisations this coming year are welcomed as if they were the VIP’s in the room.

Are we prepared to invite and welcome people who are different - who would we question about inviting along to our groups and why?

Our parish is doing its utmost at the moment to invite young people along to our sunday school, doves and youth group. But it is each one of our responsibilities to invite, to talk to our friends about St. Columba’s, to get involved in what is happening.

It is my prayer that we would each do this - so that the Body of Christ, that is the church here in this parish may be built up and that we would grow in faith, hope and love.

As we conclude - Jesus invites us to humility of spirit and to reaching out - let us do what we can to include others.

Amen

Summer Niiiiiiggggggghhhhtts

Nope it's not Grease! .... but Malta!

I was reminded this evening that I haven't blogged in a while so a new academic year resolution is to blog a little bit more which is linked to a couple of other resolutions which I hope to stick to after this summer's Holiday.

Firstly, to do a bit more reading and try to write something on the blog about the books on the desk/bedside at the curatage.

Then there is flickr ... I haven't uploaded photos for quite a while so that would be a good thing to do.

So Summer...

We, Fellow curate S and I discovered a while ago that the dates of our annual summer Hols coincided so a quick search on Ryanair to anywhere with guaranteed sunshine was quickly arranged. I booked them, but someone else ... ahem! ... was meant to sort out accommodation

Time ticked along ... did we have a room, a stable, somewhere to lay our heads? ... NOPE! Drastic action (in the form of a "pastoral visit") was called for. A quick search on the webs favorite accommodation website - tripadvisor showed us lots of interesting but expensive places.

Where should we go? Lets do an alternative search and up popped a possible place... A B&B owned by a Christian Couple in a fishing village called Marascala in the south of the Island. Its Name is Belvanjos. They had a vacancy... yeah! sorted! .... what would it be like, what would they be like... well all we can say is that we definitely made the right choice for us! More on the accommodation in a future blog!

A great time was had ... various books were read which included ... those on the bookshelf ... Reviews later!

Ulster Project

Way way back in the distant past - now 13 years ago (can it really be that long) 18 teens headed off from Banbridge to a strange land known as the US of A to a city named Wilmington in Delaware. A mixed bunch we were (are) but it is amazing how ties still hold us together.

A facebook group has been created where various participants update their statuses for all to see. Today, I am looking forward to welcoming "my american family" Tom and Bobbie Fort to the curatage for lunch. It is amazing to think how relationships intertwine around the globe.

Above is a photo of the whole gang.

Just this week I was speaking to others who had been away on UPD '10 how amazing it is to keep these links going!

RF

Mary & martha - standing and sitting?

Why do we do what we do 2 .... stand up and sit down - Mary & Martha

Help us O Lord to always listen to your voice. In Jesus name we pray amen

The story of Mary and Martha.

This is a short but powerful incident which many if not all of us have heard before.

All of us I am sure can relate to the images used in the story. I don’t know what your house is like when someone is popping round for dinner, but with lots to be done, rooms cleaned, all the tasks to be done. I know that the ferris household grows quite frustrated. My sister is sitting in her bedroom ... my comment ... mum its not fair I have to do all the work. I am sure we are not unique.

There are a couple of things which need to be highlighted in the passage

Firstly we must remember that we could not function without Martha’s. Churches, families, organisations ... we really really couldn’t. People who clean, who cut hedges, who make tea, strawberry jam, scones. Who organise flower festivals, catering, flowers for church, sing in choirs, play instruments.

Taking it outside the church setting, our families couldn’t function without people doing the ironing, taking the rubbish out, providing lifts. For many people here we fulfill all of those role on our own, or share them with someone else.

Paying the Bills, juggling who we are perhaps as mum or dad, perhaps as grandparent, if we are a young person, keeping our friendships, juggling our school work, our extra curricular activities, keeping the house, maintaining the car. we are continually juggling lots of different jobs.

In Society today there are huge pressures on each of us which we need to hold all our tasks together. Martha’s are people who are on their feet and get jobs done. We need them!

Mary on the other hand had a different focus, her focus was Jesus.

In this passage Jesus comes in and mary sits at Jesus feet.

This position was in Jewish tradition was one of listening and learning. Paul the great rabbi sat at the feet of Gamaliel - to become a rabbi. To sit at the feet of a teacher was to give him priority, to give him complete attention and to say I want to be like you, i want to listen to you.

In that Culture, in that day it was not somewhere where you would expect to find a woman. In this section of Luke’s Gospel Jesus is opening up the kingdom of God to all. All are welcome to sit at Jesus’ feet

So often today we get distracted by many things - take for example listening, if we are listening intently we will hear things and remember them, but if our mind is distracted we may well be focusing on lots things we will not hear what is actually going on, what is important.

I wonder if you have been in a situation sitting round the table at the end of the day and your mind is somewhere else and those who are talking to you are , “blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,” and you nodding affirmatively at their words and thoughts, but you haven’t heard a word that they said.

Or have you ever been introduced to someone and your mind is racing so fast about everything else around you that you actually don’t hear their name at all, and so you ask their name again, and you hear their name like you had never heard it before. You actually totally did not hear their name the first time. Have you ever had that experience? I think so. Many of us, in our intense busyness of life, have lost the art of listening.

Just as listening is key to building relationships with those we encounter. How much more important is listening and indeed focusing on God in Life.

This incident in the life of Jesus - with the sisters - challenges us to pause, to think of which of the sisters we are more like. Are we prepared to take the time listen to God?,are we prepared to listen and read his word, are we prepared to pray and ask for his guidance for things we are doing?

We are challenged by this story to strike the balance between doing work, and pausing for teaching and reflection.

....

One of the things which struck me over the past week as I have been reflecting on these readings ... is our positions in church- we are either on our feet or sitting down.

Sometimes in church people get confused wether they should be standing or sitting.

As we sit or kneel (like Mary) in church -we do so to hear the Bible read, to listen to sermons, to reflect on prayers, in the communion service we kneel as we receive, at the blessing we receive the blessing. We are doing what Mary did Taking time out with God, to receive from him, and to listen to his teaching.

And as we get to our feet to come in to church, to work through the service (the word liturgy means work of the people), so we stand when we are active ... we stand as we praise God in hymns and psalms, when we are affirming our faith in him, and when we go out we get to our feet and go and get on with the work.

Jesus in his ministry - did do lots of things, he was on his feet day in day out but he also withdrew to listen to his heavenly father, to read scripture, to pray

Perhaps this week, in the busy-ness of our world - we need to do a bit more sitting at the feet of Jesus, reading from the Bible, Praying, asking him questions, meditating on his word.

And then as we take to our feet we will be doing thing out of the place of relationship with God and also knowing what attitude we do our work in.

Let us pray

Amen

Why do we do what we do 1?

Why do we do what we do 1 ? ... Peace & Dismissal

Text :- Good Samaritan (Luke)

Let us pray,
Heavenly Father, speak to us, challenge us, mould us and shape us into the people you would have us be. In Jesus name we pray amen.

Why do we do what we do?

Sometimes it is said by critics of the church, dare I say especially of the anglican church that our traditions are outdated, that we are irrelevant to the world around us and we are just doing what we have always done.

This harsh critique may be true ... if ... we never asked the question - why do we do what we do
But actually when we delve into what we do, when we ask the questions of the traditions, of the actions we perform, of the words we say - we come up with perhaps surprising answers which are able to connect with our critics as well as todays culture and show them that we are indeed answering some of the fundamental questions and issues of life.

This year after Easter the Bible Study group looked at this service of Holy Communion, we took it section by section, prayer book in one hand and Bible in the other, and discovered that what we do here in HC is indeed what Christians have done over the centuries. That there are layers of meaning, that each of the actions of this service can help us encounter God and indeed help us on our life’s journey.

In the Bible Study we discussed that some days we come to worship and seriously engaged with the service, sometimes we come simply out of routine, sometimes we come with lots on our minds, sometimes we are happy, sometimes we are stressed, sometimes we are mourning, sometimes we come because we just want to get out of the house.

However you came to be here this morning, however you are feeling today, our church services have been structured in such a way as to hopefully allow every single person to engage, to participate with our worship and to receive from God.

The Christian community, the church, is called to be different from the world, we are called to show love not hate, we are called to build relationships, to support each other, to be there for one another, to cry with each other, to laugh with each other. Basically we are called to be holy, set apart from the world, different to others.

Let us take two why do we do what we do questions from our service this morning

Question 1 - Why do we do what we do ... when it comes to the offering of the peace?

Why do we bother offering one another a sign of peace?

The church is a community, made up of individual members, visitors, leaders ... beyond our own small groups of friends, looking around St Columba’s this morning, we do have babies, children, young people, young adults, parents, pensioners ... when we come together in church we are saying something powerful to the world. In a world which the individual is enhanced. Whilst of course we all have Personal preferences ... we are people who hold things in common, who are meant to look out for one another, we are all different yes, but we also are prepared to show love and concern for each other.

Our calling from God is to be at peace with one another, to like one another, to love one another.
In St. Columba’s we share the peace By reaching out the hand of friendship we are saying at the least - I have nothing against you, to visitors here this morning it is a sign we are saying hello and welcome. We are saying that as I come up for Holy Communion I have nothing against any of my neighbours.

When we share the peace with one another, we are saying - I am right with my neighbour, I have asked for forgiveness from those I have done wrong to and also I have forgiven those who have wronged me - it is not an easy peace but it is a quality peace, it is a peace which clears conscience and which allows us to be at peace with God and others.

Our second Question ....Why do we do what we do when it comes to the dismissal
The test: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord ... in the name of christ Amen

We are called to Go - We are called to go wherever God will place us in the coming week, wether that be at home, in the Golf Club, in the work place, the shops in Ballyhackamore, weeding the garden, in the gym, wherever that may be.
We are not just called to be there but we are called to be there in peace (right relationship with others around you and with God).

And we are not just called to be where we are this week, in peace but we are also called to love and serve the Lord. And that is the doing - the task to which we are called. We are called to love God and serve others.

Just over the last 10 days I have encountered in my ministry young people and adults who have problems being accepted by their peers, who turn to addictions, who are struggling with many and varied issues debt, despair, self harm. If the church is not engaging with these sort of issues, if we are not reaching out in peace to those who are struggling with life then what are we about.

Remember that when the Bible speaks of peace, it is the shalom, the peace that is deep, that is wholesome, it is where all is right in the world, a place of balance.

Who are you going to walk past this week?, Who are you going to be the Good Samaritan to this week? ... it is a huge question? the world is crying out for people to help, people to pause with them, to get a glimpse of God’s love.

I mentioned the people I have encountered in the last 10 days, people who have seen lots of people walk past them, people who are not like the man on the Jericho road - I am sure that not one of us, if we saw someone lying beat up, on the Kings Road out side church this morning would not dial 999 on our phone and get the ambulance out. But the people I have encountered have deep wounds, who don’t need plasters but do need genuine friends, people they trust.

We don’t need to look too far, I am sure there are people each one of us knows who would love a chat, a cup of coffee and someone to look them straight in the eye and say ... how are you ... really? There is a challenge! the bigger challenge then is to be prepared to say I will walk with you, I will find you somewhere that can help you. That in essence is the parable played out.

When it comes to our dismissal today, we should be excited - we have heard the Good news about how much God Loves the world, how much he has done for us. We should know that we are all in this together as a church and now we just need to get out there and show those around us Gods love for them.

This is how Bishop Tom Wright puts it:
“No church, no Christian can remain content with easy definitions which allow us to watch most of the world lying half-dead in the road. We need to find fresh ways of telling the story of God’s love; fresh ways of living this in our attitudes and behaviour – which will do for our day what this brilliant parable did for Jesus’ first hearers."

As we come to the communion rail today - are there people we need to forgive, to make peace with? People we need to seek forgiveness from.

As we go from this Service to day - are there people we need to serve, are there people whom we are tempted to pass by? who are they? how can I serve them?

God can use even the dysfunctional!

A Sermon preached on Sunday 27th June, Evening Prayer in St. Columba's Knock, Text Genesis 27:1-40

Let us Pray

Heavenly father, Take us as we are and by your word and Holy Spirit mould us to what you would have us be. This we ask in and through the name of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord
Amen

Our readings this evening give us an insight into relationships - Husband & Wife, brother and brother & Jesus and the community he grew up in.

If sociologists were to look into these scenarios they might indeed describe them as dysfunctional

Dictionary Definition - dys·func·tion also dis·func·tion
n.
Abnormal or impaired functioning, especially of a bodily system or social group.


When we look at the Old Testament Family in todays story we see that they are not the average family.

Jacob & Esau - were twins but were competing against each other for recognition and blessing.

Their mother and father had their favorites - Rebecca favored Jacob & Isaac favored Esau.

Their father Isaac was the son of Abraham - who while he was young nearly got sacrificed on an altar, his father also lied to the king about his wife

Their mother as we read this evening was instrumental in decieving her husband

Esau was content in selling his birthright to his brother for a bowl of soup. If there was a dysfunctional family this probably was it!

If you were to create a story about the working out of God’s purposes upon earth, of how God was planning to inaugurate his kingdom would you include such people?

It is incredible how God is able to use seemingly useless people to see his overall plan come to fruition. We know that throughout the Old and New Testaments there are situations where God’s plan could indeed fall down but with a response from an individual it resumes in power.

The names Abraham, Isaac & Jacob have gone down as heroes of the faith because of how they responded to God and how their off-spring have become a numerous as the stars in the universe. God fulfilled his promise despite how they acted, despite their negative personality traits.

As we progress through to the gospel, we see that this dysfunctional streak has not gone away from people. People who are meant to have learnt how to behave. They are in the synagogue, and before them is Jesus, incarnate son of God. And what to they do? are they impressed by what he is saying? ... they do seem to be!

However, instead of responding positively to the message which Jesus is proclaiming they simply decide to do what a lot of us might (if we are honest) be inclined to do... to do a wee bit of gossipping, to ask if he is not getting beyond his station - who does he think he is to lecture us.

Our weaknesses, our failings are so evident sometimes - sometimes we do the wrong thing, think things which we know are wrong, say things we wish we had never said.

We could have one of three responses to our failures

Firstly, we could simply let it go ... learn nothing and get over it
Or we could dwell on the failing and let it impact the rest of our lives
or the most effective way to progress is to acknolwedge those failures, learn from them and resolve to do better in future.

All this talk about failure is natural, each and everyone knows what it is like to be wrong from time to time.

However there is great news in these passages.

The fact that God is someone who know that we do fail, he has taken it into consideration that we are human, that we have weaknesses, that we in our sinfulness will get it wrong sometimes, that we sometimes do not make the right decisions.

Right from early times we know that mistakes are made, however, God in his infinite wisdom, mercy and love is able to redeem those mistakes and turn them into something amazing and give us an inheritance like he did for Abraham, Isaac & Jacob

We do make mistakes, everyone does. I am sure many of us were told by our parents ... Yes you did make a mistake, learn from it and go on!

That is what we are called to as Christians, we are called to a life of joy, love and peace

we are called to a life of learning, of striving to be holy as Jesus was indeed holy.

Sometimes I am sure we are like those in our readings this evening

sometimes in our love we show favoritism
sometimes the circumstances we find ourselves in cause us to lie or maybe tell half truths
sometimes we find ourselves decieving others around us for personal gain
sometimes we find ourselves chatting about things we shouldn’t be

Those things are not of God, we are called to be a holy people - a people different from the world around us. What is God trying to say to you this evening?

As I was preparing for this evenings service I came across a story about a Curate lived very close to a golf course, who one sunny, sunday morning he woke up and thought, I couldn’t be bothered going to church today, so he rang his rector and told him he wasn’t feeling too well, his rector gave him the day off. he then proceeded to head out the back door, over the fence with his golf bag onto the third tee.

as the story progress, in job like fashion satan is standing in front of God and saying to him ...

... Well God how are you going to punish that minister, he lied, he is not even in church this morning.

... Ahh said God Just you wait and see what happens at the fifth green!

So he comes to the fifth tee, (he is not a great golfer - for those who know about these things he has a handicap of around 34) the fifth is one of those hole which is very difficult, and causes many games to suffer. Imagine his great delight as he hits the ball, it flies in a straight line and lo and behold the ball not only lands on the green but runs the extra few feet right into the hole. The curate was very very pleased with himself!

Satan turns to God and says, well WHY did you do that, I thought you were going to punish him.

God says wait a while ... who could he possibly tell!


Some of our actions, some of the things which we do, we know are wrong, sometimes it looks as though we get away with them, perhaps even we think have no consequences for us or for others.

But actually, like the curate in the story, God might be subtely reminding us where we should be and what we should be doing.

God, we know can use the right decisions we make, the good things we do for his purposes. He can also use those things we get wrong, the dysfunctional things in our lives for his purposes as well as we strive to do what we can to following him ... that is great news.

Let us Pray



Review of year 1

Below is a copy of the article which appeared in our parish Magazine ... the Columban

For the Summer Edition of the Magazine, the Editor has asked me to reflect upon my first 12 months in the Parish.
To describe my first year in ordained ministry - I could use many words, but all in all it has been a privilege, a joy, a massive learning experience, a challenge and simply great!

The rich diversity of ministry here in St Columba's is humbling, busy, serious and joyful ... to be honest there is absolutely nowhere better to be. This time last year I was coming straight from college, knowing lots of theory and lots of facts. This year has indeed been a steep learning curve - from things like keeping a diary
organised to sorting out youth ministry strategy, from leading Bible
Study to preparing couples for weddings,.

It has been a pleasure this year to get to know and work alongside the Rector, who has everything a first time curate needs when they arrive in their first parish. Our Rector John is someone who is organised, dependable, approachable and who has such a pastoral heart for those whom he serve and is able to share his experiences.

For me this year has been about laying foundations - of building relationships, getting to know parishioners, of journeying with them through some dark days (in cases of funerals & illness), some fantastically life changing days (in cases of weddings), some quiet days (as I have visited many houses), some crazy friday nights (funky seaweed dance :-)).

Parish life here is busy yes,(bowling, badminton, bible study, sermons, prayers, vestry, flower festival, mag articles, marathon, staff meetings, house calls, deanery, diocese, hospitals, funerals, sunday services ...) but I cannot think of anywhere else I would rather be than here in the place where I believe God has called me to,
right at this moment in time. I would just like to take this opportunity to thank all who have welcomed me, supported & encouraged me in the parish and look forward to seeing God continue in the years ahead to do His thing in this parish.

As this is the magazine after the flower festival, it would be amiss not to include it in this review … the smiles on faces, the working together as a parish team made it the success it was, from weeders to arrangers, from those who baked the scones and made the delicious strawberry jam to those who counted the money it would not have been possible without every single person. If we can pull this off and work together “to get the job done” what else is possible?

On a personal note I would also like to thank each person supported me on the day of my ordination, by their thoughts and prayers, by being there and by helping to serve most magnificent refreshments afterwards. Thank You!

Regards
Robert

Sermon preached on Trinity Sunday

May I speak in the name of the Triune God ... Father Son and Spirit. Amen.

We have now reached about the mid-point of the Christian Year, which began way back in November with Advent, we have progressed through the major festivals Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Last Sunday we had Pentecost. Today gives us a chance to pause and reflect on God being God.

Today as we have heard is Trinity Sunday - is a time when we reflect upon the mystery and the uniqueness of the God we worship.

God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit -

St Patrick’s Breastplate describes trinity as

Three in one and one in three.

Yes it is a Christian Doctrine, A key piece of our theology

it shapes our worship, it is fundamental to our creeds and prayers, it impinges on how we know anything about God. It separates Christianity from any other religion, and it is a complicated theory but actually it lies at the heart of our faith.

Trinity ensures us that we cannot put God in a Box, we cannot describe him adequately, nor can we comprehend all that God is. We need the trinity to sum up all who God is and all that he does.

Christianity is full of paradoxes due to how God acted in the past and continues to act today as trinity. Christians proclaim God as Holy (set apart) yet through the incarnation his is accessible, God the father is creator yet through the son became created, God is all powerful yet is able to dwell in our hearts and lives.

Many Illustrations have been used over the years to describe the relations of the trinity one in three and three in one

St Patrick as we know used a shamrock, others I have heard include water, ice & steam, triangle. Artists over the years have tried to depict the trinity in various ways.

We must remember that the term “trinity” does not appear in the Bible but it comes out of studying scripture, from what Jesus said, from passages throughout the Old and New Testament. The Trinity is foundational to our understanding of who we worship.

We do not worship 3 gods - “Hear O israel the Lord your God is one”. Our creed says “We believe in ONE God” ,three persons.

To make sense of this it might be useful, instead of thinking about you as a person and me as a person of thinking of relationships. For example to my mum I am Son, to my sister I am Brother and to my gran I am Grandson. One person 3 relationships. This is of limited use.

However it does show us that there is one individual but various roles. At the end of the day the Holy Trinity is the deepest mutual relationship possible -

Great Christian Thinkers like Augustine have concluded is a mystery and the more I think about it I am quite content in allowing the relationship of Father, Son & Spirit to stay mystery as long as we know that the wholeness of God is more than the sum of its parts

Individually we know about God the Father what he did in creation, in loving us, of being the source of everything and still working in the world today

Individually we know about God the Son Incarnation, ministry, death resurrection & ascension

Individually we know about God the Holy Spirit, Gifts, empowerment

We know that they are all completely working together for the building up of the church and the fulfilment of all things. and also to say that it is essential that we do believe in the equality of the trinity - anything less and we are in danger of falling into false teaching and our faith will be skewed.

But let us turn to the Gospel passage this morning and see this relationship worked out - as examples are always good for demonstrating theories.

Our Gospel passage is one of the many, many examples of the Godhead working together in Scripture

Jesus is talking to his disciples and he is showing them the working out of the plans of the father

we see that Jesus is unconcerned that is earthly ministry is limited...

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth;

he knows that once he has died, raised and ascended the Holy Spirit will come and will continue to guide.

God is a God who doesn’t teach us everything immediately, he is a God who is with us for the long haul. The life of the disciple is one of learning on the job, of trying things out, of allowing God to teach us as we go on living. None of us (i am pretty sure) know everything, none of us can say I don’t need to learn anymore.

In our lives we need to know the fathers love and care, we experience that love through the Holy Spirit, we learn through the Holy Spirit and see Jesus’ Life as an example of the three persons of the trinity together.

Impact of the trinity today

As we look around our parish everyday we see people who are hurting, people who have been bereaved, people who have questions, people who are facing uncertanties of life. I am sure that each person here can identify those known to them who are those everyday people.

The Triune God is the only God who can adequately speak into all of our lives. Into places of hurt, grief, despair as well as happiness and joy.

When the major themes and questions of life are thought about only God who is creator, redeemer, sanctifier come together does life have creativity and meaning. There is absolutely nothing more creative, nor is there any other philosophy which makes any sense compared to what trinity does in relationship.

Yes, at the end of the day it is a mystery as to how it all happens but actually when we see the creativity and the meaning produced when father son and spirit get together then we realise why we are worshipping father son and Holy Spirit.

Let us pray

Amen

Marathon

Well! the Marathon seems to be happening tomorrow :-/ periodical updates available via the st columbas youth website - twittering and google

http://www.stcolumbasyouth.org/marathon

below are may hopeful times ... wether I stick to it or not is another thing but we will see :-)

Roberts Marathon Times ! Theory!

Stage 1
Donegal Sq East - Holywood Arches Library (30mins) 2 MILES
Holywood Arches library – Sydemham Bypass corner (30 mins) 2 MILES
Sydemham Bypass Corner – Victoria Park 20 mins 1.5 Miles
Victoria Park – Bridge end 10 mins .5 mile [RC 1]
6 mile
1.30 Hrs [10.30]

Stage 2
Bridge End → Crawfords Shop 15 Minutes 1 Mile
Crawfords → Clondard Street 20 mins 1.5 Miles
Clonard street → Tennent Street 20 mins 1.5 Miles
Tennent St → Hillview Road 10 mins .5 Mile

9.5 miles 1hr 10 mins [11.40]

Stage 3
Hillview road – Westland Rd 15 Mins 1 Mile
Westland road – St Peters Antrim rd 25 Mins 1.5 miles
St Peters – Floral Road 40 mins 2 miles (xt)
Floral Rd – Gideons green 30 mins 2 miles

1hr 50 mins [1.30pm]

Stage 4
Gideons Green - CMSI 40 mins 2.5 Miles (short)
CMSI – CorporationSt 20 mins 2 miles (short)
21.9 miles 1 hr [2:30]

Stage 5
Corporation St – central Station 20 mins 1.2 miles
central station – ravehill road 30 mins 2 miles
Ravenhill road – Ormeau pk 15 mins 1 mile
1 hr 10 mins [3:40]


Aim to be finished by 3:40pm

The cost of prayer

A sermon preached in St. Columba's at Choral Evensong 2nd May 2010 - Text Daniel in the Lions Den - Daniel 6

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

I wonder if you have ever thought of what we do sunday by sunday as having a cost?
Of our christian faith having a price?
I wonder How much would you be willing to sacrifice to keep praying to God?
Could it be accounted in monetary terms? Or in terms of time, in term of what we would risk loosing?

In the well known story from the Old Testament we have heard how Daniel was willing to risk paying the ultimate price for simply praying to God …

Daniel was appointed by the new king darius to be one of three administrators who would look after the sattraps (the area rulers) everything would be run past him to ensure that the King would not lose anything as far as taxes were concerned. Daniel was indeed a man of great integrity and authority and no one could find fault with him.

He was also a man of faith – praying at his window 3 times a day. Those plotting his downfall knew that that was the only way they could legitimately get rid of him. By Outlawing prayer.

In verse 10 it states
Although Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open towards Jerusalem, and to get down on his knees three times a day to pray to his God and praise him, just as he had done previously.

Nothing would stop Daniel from prayer & praying publicly.

We know today how the story ends, we know that it does have a happy ending for Daniel

The cost of prayer for Daniel, meant that his life was put at risk, his job was certainly at an end. But he was prepared to take that risk, to remain faithful to God.

We also must remember that Daniel was in forced exile in Babylon so his praying at the window would have been a witness to other Jews around about that someone in the upper echleons of government was praying to the God of their ancestors.

Last Night in St. Annes Cathedral various groups which support the percecuted church held an information evening after a day of prayer for the persececuted church.

This day highlighted that throughout the centuries there has always been some friction between God's followers and the rulers of the day. And even today the threats continue, the risks are real.
Some of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ tonight are facing torture and even death for believing in God, reading the Bible & doing what Daniel did – praying .

We just have to look at the israelites under pharaoh in egypt, daniel, the first christians and their percecution in the Roman coliseum right down through the centuries to today. The cost of faith, the cost of prayer is as real today as it has been for those in centuries past.

Thankfully in St. Columbas, for an evening prayer service we are not having to worry about police coming in and arresting us, or a mob ransacking our houses looking for Bibles. The fact that we live in a country where there is peace, where freedom of speech and religion is enshired in law we should be so thankful for.

Imagine for a moment things were different and the decision you took to come to church tonight, which you knew is where you should be risked you being sent to jail and perhaps even loosing everything.

Belief in God is risky, faith in God and living out his gospel has never been without Cost. During the week I was listening to a speaker talk about the first disciples as they were sent out to preach and this speaker asked the question:

Do you think those first century preachers mentioned in their sermons that the life of a disciple was a risky one? That it might mean ultimately death? He was sure that they would have done.

For people today in many nations that is the case – to become a christian may cost the convert everything. Loosing their family, perhaps imprisonment & in extreme cases death. That is the reality for some.

In our OT testament reading

What did Daniel risk by praying?
Daniel risked his career & ultimately his life

What did he gain?
Knowing that God was with him
Example for the other exiles
Ultimately changed the religious environment as the king turned to Daniels God

How about us – you and me – what do we risk by praying?
Day by day, if we are honest here in Belfast – not too much!
Perhaps we might loose 15/20 minutes of TV or extra time in bed
Perhaps we might risk loosing a bit of street credibility if we offer to share our faith or to pray with someone


What do we gain by praying ?
Knowing that God knows our problems
Knowing that we are setting an example for our children / family
Knowing that it will Change things

One of the great things about our Book of common prayer is that within its covers are things for use every single day and as such it can help us to live out the teachings of God … turn with me to page 139 you will see outlines of things to pray for each and every day under various headings

We are all called to be like Daniel, we are called to be people of prayer – men and women who do pray for the needs of the world, people who pray risky things and then also people who work with integrity and truth, putting God's law into practice.

Today 200-250 million Brothers and Sisters in Christ are facing persecution simply for praying to God and sharing their faith in him with others. There are a couple of challenges

• Firstly like Daniel are we prepared to pray daily to God, to build our relationship with him
• Then, are we prepared, whatever the cost to stand up for God -unafraid of the consequences
• and are we prepared to find out about and speak out for our Brothers and Sisters who are locked in prison and facing hardship simply for declaring the name of Jesus?

Pray to end