Events

Gardner Memorial Church of Scotland

2 weeks ago

Sunday 5th July 2020

The Church Religious or the Church Spiritual

Thoughts from a member … and more next week

The Church exists:-
* to help people turn to God with open hearts.
* to help people enjoy a deepening relationship with God.
* to help people discover wholeness with and in God even in the midst of pain and suffering.

To begin the Church of the New Normal:-
* the Church people meet together to share their own experiences/stories of God.
* the Church people meet together to pray and share to deepen their relationship with God.
* the Church people meet together to discover what God is asking of them in their community.
* the Church people meet together to discover with God the best use of their building, their money and their resources.
* the Church people move out and reach out to the people in the community with God.

Meet together in various ways, i.e. small groups : a menu of ‘worship’ experiences.

Have an openness and honesty in moving forward; prepared to hold on to what is essential, let go of what is not essential.

I am not editing or commenting on the thought of members about the new normal. I simply invite you to think, have a view and share it.

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Reflection

Retreat Leader and Spiritual writer Joyce Rupp sends out a monthly newsletter. [find it at www.joycerupp.com/] This is an extract from a recent one. The extract ends with a prayer which is not typically Church of Scotland, but which hits the mark far more effectively than many of the Kirk’s efforts …

Not long ago I received a tender letter from someone whose heartbreak eventually led to becoming a source of compassion for others. When I looked at the return address on the envelope, I did not recognize the name. Upon reading the letter, I found a profoundly compassionate message. A young man who had been in spiritual guidance with a dear friend of mine sent a birthday card to me. He knew this would be the first year I’d not receive one from her because she had recently died from brain cancer.

His sending the card was remarkable, but the story of what preceded this action makes it even more touching. As a teenager, this young man was the first to find the body of his father when he took his life. This traumatic loss led the teenager to a retreat given by my friend. So began a developing relationship to help him heal from his grim experience. Along with this gift came an ability to enter into the suffering of others.

When painful experiences happen, there’s always a choice in how to respond. Some people choose to slam their heart’s door shut, tightly containing bitterness, self-orientation, blame, and caustic anger. Others let their hearts break open, becoming a fountain of empathy and compassion with ever-growing love spilling out.

Our hurting world presents us with similar options, whether the distressing events we experience are related to Covid-19, racism, food insecurity, political strife, or the great divide between the haves and have nots. How we respond will decide whether our hearts build a brick wall around them or if they widen to give actual credence to the maxim that “we are all in this together.” May we choose each day to have expansive hearts.

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Prayer

Great Ocean of Love, help us turn the tide toward global compassion.

Move through minds and hearts caught in the choking seaweeds of indifference and selfishness.

Wash out to sea discrimination and systemic racism, ignorance, hatred and bigotry.
Let all of this dissolve in your vast waters of transforming love.

Your indwelling presence is much stronger than the moon’s energy urging the sea back and forth.

Inspire us to use our energy to overcome what causes division and inequality among
humankind.

Let us not lose heart.

AMEN

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Verses from 1 Corinthians 13

I may be able to speak the languages of men and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell.

I may have the gift of inspired preaching:
I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets;
I may have all the faith needed to move mountains - but if I have no love, I am nothing.

I may give away everything I have - but if I have no love, this does me no good.

Love is patient and kind;
it is not jealous or conceited or proud;
love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable;
love does not keep a record of wrongs;
love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth.

Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.

Love is eternal.

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A Service to watch

www.brightonschurch.org.uk/ Go to the Web Site at 11.00am on Sunday and join the Church’s You Tube Channel. The ethos of this Congregation sits in the Evangelical wing of the Church and I think it is important to hear their belief and ask the question – would I like to be a member of this Congregation? Their Church Web Site has a wealth of on-line material. And another question – would you like your next minister to be in the style of the Rev Scott Burton?
And so to the members of Gardner and Farnell, may the touch of God on your hearts bring you a sense of peace, belonging and love.

Malcolm
E: malc.rooney@gmail.com
M: 07909993233 ...