The Love and Peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

And also with you.

As we come to worship and praise

Father God, we welcome you!

As we come together in friendship

Father God, we welcome you!

As we come to listen and learn

Father God, we welcome you!

As we bring our worries and problems

Father God, we welcome you!

Lord, we invite you into our minds,

We invite you into our hearts.

Hymn 384 Tune Ravenshaw

1 Lord, thy word abideth,
and our footsteps guideth;
who its truth believeth
light and joy receiveth.

2 When our foes are near us,
then thy word doth cheer us,
word of consolation,
message of salvation.

3 When the storms are o’er us,
and dark clouds before us,
then its light directeth,
and our way protecteth.

4 Who can tell the pleasure,
who recount the treasure
by thy word imparted
to the simple-hearted?

5 Word of mercy, giving
succour to the living;
word of life, supplying
comfort to the dying.

6 O that we discerning
its most holy learning,
Lord, may love and fear thee,
evermore be near thee!

We say sorry for the things we have done wrong

Almighty God, my Father and friend, I am so sorry for the things I have done wrong this week which have pained your heart of love. And for the unkind things I may have done or said that have hurt my family and friends, and even those I find hard to be friendly with. Forgive me Lord for the times I’ve let you down, or myself, or other people, and help me to be my best self. Amen.

We are forgiven

May the God of love forgive us, lift our burdens from us, heal and strengthen us by his spirit; that we may journey in love to live our lives freely and lightly, Amen.

A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah

An Invitation to Abundant Life

Ho, everyone who thirsts,

   come to the waters;

and you that have no money,

   come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

   without money and without price.

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

   and your labour for that which does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,

   and delight yourselves in rich food.

Incline your ear, and come to me;

   listen, so that you may live.

I will make with you an everlasting covenant,

   my steadfast, sure love for David.

See, I made him a witness to the peoples,

   a leader and commander for the peoples.

See, you shall call nations that you do not know,

   and nations that do not know you shall run to you,

because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,

   for he has glorified you.

Seek the Lord while he may be found,

   call upon him while he is near;

let the wicked forsake their way,

   and the unrighteous their thoughts;

let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,

   and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

   nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

   so are my ways higher than your ways

   and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

   and do not return there until they have watered the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

   giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

   it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

   and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

This is the word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Isaiah 55.1-11

Hymn 378 Tune St Stephen

Almighty God, your word is cast

Like seed into the ground;

O may it grow in humble hearts

And righteous fruits abound.

Let not the universal foe

This holy seed remove,

But give it root in every heart,

To bring forth fruits of love.

Let not the world’s deceitful cares

The rising plant destroy,

But let it yield a hundredfold

The fruits of peace and joy.

Great God, come down and on your word

Your mighty power bestow,

That all who hear the joyful sound

Your saving grace may know.

A reading from the Gospel according to St John

The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent.

‘You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life. I do not accept glory from human beings. But I know that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?’

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God                                  John 5.36-47

What do we believe?

We believe in God the Father, the source of all life, by whom every family in heaven and earth has been created.

We believe in God the Son, our friend and brother Jesus, who lives in our hearts through faith and fills us with his love.

We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with his power, and makes Jesus known in the world.

We believe and trust in one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Hymn 386 Tune Skye Boat Song

Spirit of God, unseen as the wind,

gentle as is the dove:

teach us the truth and help us believe,

show us the Saviour’s love!

You spoke to us – long, long ago –

gave us the written word;

we read it still, needing its truth,

through it God’s voice is heard. Refrain

Without your help we fail our Lord,

we cannot live his way;

we need your power, we need your strength,

following Christ each day.  Refrain

We say our prayers

Intercessions for use during the pandemic published by the Scottish Episcopal Church

We pray for our communities:

for the elderly, confined to their homes and separated from family and support; for children, removed from school; for those who have lost their source of income; for those who fear for their home; for those who have no home; for those offering extraordinary, everyday kindness

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

We pray for the young and those in education:

for those anxious about examinations, a place at university, or employment; for those worried about loved ones and friends; for those concerned about their own health

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

We pray for key workers:

for all medical staff and hospital workers, who go to work knowing the risks they face; for medical researchers, seeking ways to prevent and to cure; for care workers, providing contact and support to those who have no other help; for teachers, worrying about their charges; for farmers, delivery and shop workers, keeping the nation provisioned; for cleaners, fighting the spread of infection

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

We pray for the Church:

for our fellow members in the body of Christ throughout the world; for N., our bishop, the clergy, lay ministers, and all the people in their care; for our hospital and hospice chaplains; for all who minister to the sick and the dying

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer

We pray for those who have died:

for those taken suddenly; for those taken unexpectedly; for the families they leave behind; for their friends; for those who have died alone; and for those who have no one to remember them.

Merciful Father, accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The prayer that Jesus taught us

Our Father, who art in heaven:

hallowed be thy Name,

thy kingdom come,

      thy will be done,

            on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

      And forgive us our trespasses

      as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory

for ever and ever. Amen.

Hymn 324 Tune Moscow

1. God, whose almighty word

chaos and darkness heard

and took their flight,

hear us, we humbly pray,

and where the gospel day

sheds not its glorious ray

Let There Be Light!

2. Saviour who came to bring

on your redeeming wing

healing and sight,

health to the sick in mind,

sight to the inly blind,

now to all humankind

Let There Be Light!

3. Spirit of truth and love,

lifegiving, holy Dove,

speed on your flight;

move on the waters’ face,

bearing the lamp of grace,

and in earth’s darkest place

Let There Be Light!

4. Holy and blessed Three,

glorious Trinity,

Wisdom, Love, Might,

boundless as ocean’s tide

rolling in fullest pride,

through the world, far and wide, Let There Be Light!

Prayers

Be with us Lord,

as we go out into the world.

May the lips that have sung your praises

always speak the truth;

may the ears that have heard your Word

listen only to what is good;

and may our lives as well as our worship

be always pleasing in your sight,

for the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Blessing

May the Father from whom every family

in earth and heaven receives its name

strengthen you with his Spirit

in your inner being,

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith

and that, knowing his love,

broad and long, deep and high

beyond all knowledge,

you may be filled

with all the fullness of God:

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,

be with you and remain with you always. Amen.