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Virtual Worship -13 September 2020

A family service led by Amanda McCarthy, Nicki Arkell, Naomi Haworth, Rachel James and their children.

Marginalised People

A call to worship led by Nicki.

The Message - Matthew 11 28-29.

28 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. 29 Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill- fitting on you.

Today we are thinking about people who feel marginalised, the struggles people face and our role as Jesus shaped people.

Prayer

Lord God, your love for humankind, present in the beginning of all things, extends throughout history and touches even my life. Your love sees failings and forgives. Your love feels pain and wipes away our tears. Your love knows grief and comforts the sorrowful. Your love sees sin and still loves the sinner. Forgive us when we fail to live lives that reflect your love. 
Forgive us the many times when we take for granted all that you have done for us. Transform us, through your Spirit, and empower us to serve you, this day and all days.
Amen 

Song

We will now join in worship with Stuart Townsend’s song ‘Vagabonds’. The traditional alternative is ‘When I Needed a Neighbour’. After which the James family will tell us a children’s story called, ‘Edgar and the Sausage Inspector.’ 


Drama

Rachel and her family lead a drama based on the children’s book, ‘Edgar and the Sausage Inspector.’

Two cats, Edgar and his sister Edith, are hungry. Edith is busy with DIY so it’s up to Edgar to bring home something tasty. Edgar buys some delicious sausages but they are taken by The Inspector, a very important-looking rat with a big hat. Poor Edgar and Edith are left with nothing but dry crackers and pickles for dinner. 

The following day Edgar wants to make up for losing the sausages. He visits the patisserie and buys some cakes. On his way home he hears a familiar voice, “Hold it right there!” says the rat. He looks very important with a hat AND a badge. The inspector has heard reports about bad cakes and insists that he has to remove them. He carries the cakes away and squeezes through a hole in the wall. That night Edgar has a limp stick of celery and Edith eats a jar of pickles. Edgar's tummy rumbles like a monster all night long. 

The next day Edith and Edgar are ravenous! Edgar buys all sorts of nice things – he is determined to take home a feast! But... “Hold it right there!” Edgar meets the inspector. He has a hat, a badge AND a notebook resting against his huge belly. He looks extremely important and very pleased with himself. “I was right about the sausages. I was right about the cakes. they were-mmm-mmm-BAD! He looks in Edgars basket and says, “Just as I suspected. All this food is very bad indeed. It is my official duty to take it ALL.” He seized the basket and started to pull it down the alley. 

Edgar had had enough! “Hold it right there!” shouted Edgar. Edgar snatched the basket back sending everything tumbling to the ground. The Inspector filled his paws with whatever he could and made for a hole in the fence. But that rat was now so full he could hardly run! The Inspector tried to squeeze through a hole in the fence but he was far too fat. Edgar was right behind him.

That evening, Edith dined like a queen. “Oh, Edgar, you have spoiled me. What a delicious feast!” But Edgar wasn’t hungry. “Whatever is the matter? asked Edith. “Where is your appetite? Have you being eating between meals?” Edgar smiled a secret smile. He straightened his hat and polished his hat. The he put a big tick in his notebook. “Yes, I did have cheeky little something earlier,” he smiled. “It was very fat and juicy, and just as I suspected, it was...mmm-bad.

Reading

Our young people will now read from Luke. For each reading the children will wear a hat and a badge to represent the rat in the story. After the reading they will say, “Remove the hat and the badge,” to demonstrate the need to put aside our privilege in order to support others.

10-13 He was teaching in one of the meeting places on the Sabbath. There was a woman present, so twisted and bent over with arthritis that she couldn’t even look up. She had been afflicted with this for eighteen years. When Jesus saw her, he called her over. “Woman, you’re free!” He laid hands on her and suddenly she was standing straight and tall, giving glory to God. 
14 The meeting-place president, furious because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the congregation, “Six days have been defined as work days. Come on one of the six if you want to be healed, but not on the seventh, the Sabbath.” 
15-16 But Jesus shot back, “You frauds! Each Sabbath every one of you regularly unties your cow or donkey from its stall, leads it out for water, and thinks nothing of it. So why isn’t it all right for me to untie this daughter of Abraham and lead her from the stall where Satan has had her tied these eighteen years?” 
17 When he put it that way, his critics were left looking quite silly and red-faced. The congregation was delighted and cheered him on. “Take off your hat and your badge.” 

35-37 He came to the outskirts of Jericho. A blind man was sitting beside the road asking for handouts. When he heard the rustle of the crowd, he asked what was going on. They told him, “Jesus the Nazarene is going by.”38 He yelled, “Jesus! Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!”
39 Those ahead of Jesus told the man to shut up, but he only yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and ordered him to be brought over. When he had come near, Jesus asked, “What do you want from me?”
41 He said, “Master, I want to see again.” 
42-43 Jesus said, “Go ahead—see again! Your faith has saved and healed you!” The healing was instant: He looked up, seeing—and then followed Jesus, glorifying God. Everyone in the street joined in, shouting praise to God. “Take off your hat and your badge.” 

1-4 Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn’t see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. 
5-7 When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home.” Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, “What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?” 
8 Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, “Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I’m caught cheating, I pay four times the damages.”
9-10 Jesus said, “Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost. “Take off your hat and your badge.” 

15-17 People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in. 
Take off your hat and your badge.” 

Song

We will now join in worship with Graham Kendrick’s song ‘God of the Poor’. The traditional alternative is ‘Love Divine’. 


Drama

Rachel is pretending to be organising the government briefing taking instructions via a headset.

We now have a public service announcement led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Sorry, what was that... you say he’s not available for today’s briefing. That leaves us in a difficult situation... what the chief medical officer has also been delayed?

The children can do it.

That would be highly unusual, no, children can’t lead the briefing.

But Jesus said, ‘

Well put like that... Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me.’ Greta Thumburg is a child and people listened to her.

Stay Alert. Within Bradford and all over the UK people are marginalised. Have you checked in on a lonely neighbour? Do you support the food bank? What about the less obvious things? In your thoughts do you marginalise people due to their ethnicity, social status, mental health problems, addictions, relationships or disabilities? Do you value the Eastern European migrants who pick fruit as much as your local doctor? Do you resent inner city areas when Bradford is placed in local lockdown? Have you ever said that you live near Leeds to distance your association with Bradford? Stay Alert.

Do Not Keep Your Distance. Many of the world’s problems are happening in distant places. It can be easy to ignore them because they are a long way from where we live. Take time to think about others and be Jesus shaped in your responses. Can you donate time or money to a charity that supports people living in poverty? Remember the small things, saving your crisp packets can save a child’s sight. Do Not Keep Your Distance.

Control Your Actions. Your actions can indirectly marginalise other people. Are you wearing clothes made by a child in a dangerous factory? Are you drinking tea picked by a modern day slave? Check the source of the things you buy and look for Fair-trade
goods. Control Your Actions.

Do Not Wash Your Hands. Do not wash your hands of people difficult situations finding compromises and solutions. Ignoring problems marginalises others. This can be close to home – an argument which has caused a family rift. Or it can be an attitude to problems in the wider world. Yes, problems can feel insurmountable but if we all make small changes, collectively we can have an impact. Each year the Action for Children Christmas Fair changes lives. It doesn’t meet the needs of every child but it certainly makes a huge difference to the children who do receive help. We’re all responsible for change. Do not wash your hands.

Protect The environment. Climate change increases extreme weather often in the poorest areas of the world. Are your excesses marginalising others? Do you re-use and mend? Do actively seek out environmentally friendly solutions? Do you recycle everything possible? Truly EVERYTHING? What about the energy you use? Go green! Protect the environment.

Save Lives. Doctors, nurses and the wider NHS have saved lives during the Covid-19 crisis. BUT saving lives has been everyone’s responsibility. Wash your hands – save a life. Deliver a food parcel – save a life. Follow lockdown rules – save a life. This collective responsibly needs to continue to tackle prejudice and poverty. What will you do to save a life? How will you show others the love of Jesus so that they can be saved?

Song

We will now listen to a song by Mike Rayson called, ‘Just Grace’. Please reflect on the contrasting images and what being Jesus shaped means in a world of inequalities. Images alternate between Baildon and suffering in other parts of the world. The video clip (in the worship video at the top of the page) ends with the John Wesley’s quote, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”


Prayers for others

We will now use Baildon village to inspire our prayers for others.

We pray for the marginalised; for those who don’t have enough food, both here in our own country and abroad. Help us remember them when we shop for our food. (Coop or other supermarket)

We pray for the marginalised; for those who are ill and suffering. Help us remember them when we go about our lives full of health and happiness. (Doctors surgery)

We pray for the marginalised; for those who are lonely and isolated. Help us remember them and provide a welcoming community. (Wesleys)

We pray for those who are marginalised; for those who can’t have an education due to poverty, distance and additional needs. Help us remember them as we enjoy the benefits of our education. (a school)

We pray for the marginalised; for those who rely on charity. Help us remember charities in this time of uncertainty. (Charity shop)

We pray for the marginalised; for those who are dis-placed and unwanted.Help us remember them and actively seek solutions, rather than turn a blind eye. (refugee picture)

We pray for the marginalised everywhere. May we be Jesus shaped and find ways to support them no matter who and where they are. 

Now please join in with the prayer Jesus taught us – the Lord’s prayer.

Reflection

So what have we learnt from the children today?

In the story of ‘Edgar and the Sausage Inspector’ power was used to take advantage of Edith and Edgar. 

In the bible stories from Luke, Jesus built bridges and rejected barriers. He prioritised the needs of the weak and challenged the perceptions of onlookers.

Those who have power and influence in this world’s structures must give way to the seemingly powerless and insignificant of the Kingdom of God. The first become last; the last become first. Being Jesus shaped requires us to commit to a ‘values revolution’. It challenges our most basic assumptions about how society should operate. Jesus welcomed the marginalised. He saw the intrinsic value of the individual. He always saw a person as one created in the image of God. How will you build bridges? What will you change to prevent barriers?

I’d like you to consider your response to Proverbs 31:8-9 Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the down- and-outers. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!

We will end the service by sharing a blessing:

Come with us, Lord Jesus, Fill us with your Spirit, Shape us to your likeness, Use us to enfold with love our needy world.



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