Cruden Parish Church of Scotland
10.00am, Sunday 26 September 2021
‘Jonah 2: Still Running away from God!’
Click here to print out the Order of Service
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Welcome & Introduction.
Welcome to Cruden Parish Church! Wherever you are and whatever your circumstances, we pray that you may know God’s blessing and presence during this time of worship.
Our service this morning is a celebration of Holy Communion. For those following the service online you are invited to have some bread and wine prepared and to join in at the appropriate part of the service as we celebrate God’s love - which will not let us go!
Call to Worship
Have you not known?
Our God is the everlasting God, Creator of the ends of the earth.
Have you not heard?
God does not faint or grow weary.
Have you not known?
God’s understanding is unsearchable.
Have you not heard?
God gives power to the faint and strengthens the powerless.
Have you not known?
Those who wait for God will renew their strength
they shall mount up with wings like eagles.
(Isaiah 40:28-31)
Let us worship God
Hymn 522 The Church is wherever God’s people are praising
- The Church is wherever God's people are praising,
knowing they're wanted and loved by their Lord.
The Church is wherever Christ's followers are trying
to live and to share out the good news of God.
- The Church is wherever God's people are loving,
where all are forgiven and start once again,
where all are accepted, whatever their background,
whatever their past and whatever their pain.
- The Church is wherever God's people are seeking
to reach out and touch folk wherever they are --
conveying the Gospel, its joy and its comfort,
to challenge, refresh, and excite and inspire.
- The Church is wherever God's people are praising,
knowing we're wanted and loved by our Lord.
The Church is where we as Christ's followers are trying
to live and to share out the good news of God.
Prayers of Approach
Before we speak, God knows our needs,
yet our words open our hearts to God's grace.
Let us prepare ourselves for God's healing
as, in words and silence, we tell of all that separates us from God and one another.
Please join me as we pray…
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours
now and forever.
Amen
Bible Reading Jonah 1: 1-17
Jonah Flees From the Lord
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”
Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”
He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”
“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”
Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.
Jonah’s Prayer
Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Sermon Jonah 2: Still running away from God!’
Hymn 577 Christ be beside me
- Christ beside me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
King of my heart;
Christ within me,
Christ below me,
Christ above me
never to part.
- Christ on my right hand,
Christ on my left hand,
Christ all around me
shield in the strife;
Christ in my sleeping,
Christ in my sitting,
Christ in my rising
light of my life.
- Christ be in all hearts,
Thinking about me.
Christ be in all tongues,
Telling of me.
Christ be the vision,
In eyes that see me
In ears that hear me,
Christ ever be.
Celebration of Holy Communion
Opening responses
Come, all you who are loved by God,
Come to the table of the Lord,
Come and eat food with no cost,
Come and drink with no money to pay.
We come to eat, to drink, and our hearts are glad.
Yes, Dear Lord our God, Our hearts truly are glad,
and we are filled with thankfulness,
Because in Your great love You did not abandon us
in the dark and fearful places of this world,
But in Jesus, You came to us, to rescue us, to
restore us, and to give us new life.
And all who are tired and burdened,
all who are frightened and unsafe,
all who are sick and broken,
can come and find new life.
The words of Institution, Fraction and Sharing of Bread and Wine
Prayer after communion
Now come, all you who are loved by God,
Hear His call to serve others as He has served you;
Hear His invitation to be part of His plan to rescue the world; Join the community of those who walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
Lord God of World-Changing Love,
We thank You for this meal,
and for welcoming us to Your table.
We remember that we are Your children,
and that You have called us to share
Your love with everyone we meet.
Help us to receive Your life, walk in Your strength,
and follow Your ways every moment of our lives.
And now, may God's caring arms embrace us,
Jesus' comforting words fill us,
and the Holy Spirit's renewing presence
surround us today and always.
Amen.
Hymn 702 Lord in love and perfect wisdom
- Lord, in love and perfect wisdom
times and seasons you arrange,
working out your changeless purpose
in a world of ceaseless change;
you have formed our ancient nation,
guiding it through all the days,
to unfold in it your purpose
to your glory and your praise.
- To our shores remote, benighted,
barrier of the western waves,
tidings in your love you sent us,
tidings of the cross that saves.
Saints and heroes strove and suffered
here your gospel to proclaim;
we the heirs of their endeavour,
tell the honour of their name.
- You maintain your ageless purpose
every change and chance above;
still your holy Church is bearing
witness to your changeless love.
Grant us vision, Lord, and courage
to fulfil your work begun;
in the Church and in the nation,
King of kings, your will be done.
Dismissal and Blessing
So now we leave this space of worship
And while so much of the road ahead is uncertain,
the path constantly changing,
we know some things that are as solid and sure
as the ground beneath our feet,
and the sky above our heads.
We know God is love.
We know Christ’s light endures.
We know the Holy Spirit this there,
found in the space between all things,
closer to us than our next breath,
binding us to each other,
until we meet we again,
Go in peace.
May the blessing of God,
the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit
Be with you all forever more.
Amen
CRUDEN PARISH CHURCH NEWS
Although many of the Covid restrictions have been eased, we continue to appreciate your support in using the hand sanitiser on entering and leaving the building, the wearing of facemasks etc. Also, a special thanks to our volunteers on door duty and providing an enhanced cleaning regime.
The service will also be broadcast live via the Facebook Page and be available for later viewing. A copy of the Order of Service, which includes the words of the responses, readings, hymns, intimations etc., are available via the church website, Facebook page or on request via email.
Walking for health and well-being
We meet this Tuesday at 10.00 am outside the St Olaf Hotel for our usual social walk! Everyone welcome.
London Marathon
Next Sunday, Sean will be running the London Marathon in support of Christian Aid. Due to generosity and support for friends and members of the congregation more than £4000.00 has been raised to help support the work of Christian Aid in some of the most fragile parts of the world. Thank you. What we have achieved at Cruden Parish Church, despite the restrictions placed upon us by the two lockdowns will make a real difference.
As a Christian Aid supporter, Sean has been invited to take part in the official London Marathon Thanksgiving Service at All Hallows by the Tower – the oldest church in the City of London. The service is a celebration of the marathon and the gift of sport which crosses the barriers of nations, cultures, colours and faiths. The service begins at 6.00 pm, Saturday 2 October and is streamed live. Here is the link: All Hallows by the Tower | Live Stream (ahbtt.org.uk)
The Service next Sunday
Our service next Sunday, 10.00 am, 3rd October, will be conducted by the Rev Fred Coutts.
Looking ahead to the Autumn/Winter
- Evening Study Group – a new online study & discussion group beginning at 7.00 pm, Sunday 17th October will explore the mission and future shape of the church. More details soon.
- Kirk Session – 7.00 PM Thursday 7th October
- Harvest Festival/Eco Sunday – 10.00 am Sunday 31th October
- Remembrance Sunday - Sunday 14th November
- 10.30 am Cruden Parish Church
- 12.00 noon Hatton War Memorial