Hello and welcome to worship. from Bradford North Methodist Church brought to you by Peter Jackson, Lay pastor at Baildon Methodist Church
Today we focus on One World Week and the theme this year is “Act now for our children’s World”. We are very close to the start of the COP26 conference of world leaders in Glasgow. COP 26 is the title of the 26th Conference of the Parties - parties being those with influence from countries large and small, rich and poor, from all across the world. They come together to try and thrash out a way forward that all can work to so that climate change can be controlled through the way countries work together. Some will be able to take a lead and offer help. Others will need help so that together the targets may be met.
Today in worship we keep in mind this massive task that all the world faces so that Gods creation can be saved if we “Act Now for our children’s World”.
Collect
Loving God, Who so loved the world you gave, sent and came. Help us to act together for our children’s world, so that none may perish but have fullness of life This week and every week. Here, now and everywhere AmenSong
Our first hymn that you might like to read, sing to yourself, or hum the tune, is 106 in StF or 29 in Hymns and PsalmsReadings
Poor Jeremiah, from his earliest days he was mystified that God should call him to prophecy yet through all his doubts God assures him that He will be with there to protect Jeremiah whatever happens. Jeremiah had an uphill task against false prophets who preached the popular line that God would never let Jerusalem be overrun - these are his chosen people! But they were wrong! The Babylonians twice overcame Judah - first they took away 10,000 able bodied people into slavery and later returned to totally destroy the city . but throughout all this Jeremiah remained true to his calling, sure in his mind that this was the job he had to do.
Today, as we face major problems across the world as temperatures rise, affecting sea levels and extreme weather, we need to hold fast to that which we know is the right action to take if we are to save Gods creation and bring it back from the brink of destruction. And in the words of chapter 31 verses 7-9 there is assurance for Jeremiah - as Israel is restored the path that is level and beside streams of water.
Psalm 126 is the lectionary psalm set for today, and is appropriate as a headline for our thinking. It is only 6 verses but shows firstly in verses 1-3 a note of joy to celebrate the return of the Israelites from captivity to Jerusalem. And it is a reflection, written in the past tense – “When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion (Jerusalem) we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter…… but then reality sets in. verses 4-6. It was 50years since they had been taken as captives, Jerusalem and the Temple lay in ruins, their farms and olive groves were overgrown and there was a huge amount of work that would take years to restore. but eventually this would happen and stability and therefore joy would return to the nation .
Can you see a similarity to our worldwide situation - all is not entirely lost but a huge amount of work and worldwide changes of attitude is needed if countries are to work together to stop the destruction that is taking place today.
Today, as we face major problems across the world as temperatures rise, affecting sea levels and extreme weather, we need to hold fast to that which we know is the right action to take if we are to save Gods creation and bring it back from the brink of destruction. And in the words of chapter 31 verses 7-9 there is assurance for Jeremiah - as Israel is restored the path that is level and beside streams of water.
Psalm 126 is the lectionary psalm set for today, and is appropriate as a headline for our thinking. It is only 6 verses but shows firstly in verses 1-3 a note of joy to celebrate the return of the Israelites from captivity to Jerusalem. And it is a reflection, written in the past tense – “When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion (Jerusalem) we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter…… but then reality sets in. verses 4-6. It was 50years since they had been taken as captives, Jerusalem and the Temple lay in ruins, their farms and olive groves were overgrown and there was a huge amount of work that would take years to restore. but eventually this would happen and stability and therefore joy would return to the nation .
Can you see a similarity to our worldwide situation - all is not entirely lost but a huge amount of work and worldwide changes of attitude is needed if countries are to work together to stop the destruction that is taking place today.
Song
Let's pause now and look at Hymn StF 729 Touch the earth lightlyReading
The cloak that Bartimaeus had with him was his warm garment, his cloak at night but his source of income by day. It would be spread on the ground where people might throw him a coin or two and he could scoop it up to collect the money. His great act of faith was to throw it to one side – he didn’t need anything because Jesus was there and his second act of faith that he was abso-lutely sure that Jesus was going to restore his sight!
Pause again and reflect – how does our faith match up to that of Bartimaeus ? – do we become distracted by our “cloak of those things that we think we need” - do we have sufficient faith and confidence to ASK God, for that which we believe is the right thing? As we approach November and COP26 what do we believe we can do?
Increase our personal knowledge – read, listen, use the media, share with likeminded people
Create awareness – talk to and with others from a point of knowledge based on our research
Examine ourselves and our style of living - what do we waste, - what can we do to become eco friendly
Influence decision makers - write to MP’s - work together with others as mutual support
A poem by Sylvia Stults
Broken bottles and charred pieces of glass,
Wadded up newspapers tossed on the grass,
Pouring of concrete and tearing out trees.
This is the environment that surrounds me?
Poisons and insecticides sprayed on our food,
Oceans filling with thick oil crude.
All sea life destined to a slow, awful doom.
These are the things we are to consume?
Mills pumping out iron, expelling yellow fumes,
Airlines emitting caustic gases from fuels,
Weapons of destruction tested at desolate sites
And this is the air that's to sustain life?
There has to be something that someone can do,
Like raise the awareness to those around you
That if we don't heed the problem at hand
It's your life that's at stake, the destruction of man.
This is a secular poem highlighting the typical issues that affect the climate and the need for
ACTION
But for us scripture strengthens our case –
The determination of Jeremiah the Prophet against a continuous series of problems confident that God will support him all the way.
The Psalmist recognises joy in restoration but also the slog of rebuilding and renewal and im-plores God fpr help
Bartimaeus - for all his problems knows that he needs nothing more than the presence of God though Jesus in his life.
Our prayers
We thank you, Creator God, for your perfect creation. Forgive us for not cherishing it when we should have.
We thank you for the waters, the land, the mountains, the trees and all the amazing and wonderful creatures with which we share the earth.
We thank you for giving us spaces where we can gather together and draw strength as a community.
Forgive us for the way we have treated the Earth who sustains our life.
We pray that you stay with and protect all the people and communities who have been most affected by the climate crisis.
Give us the strength to revert the situation facing us. Help us build a world that is inhabitable and fair for all. Amen.
Written by Martina Baridón, aged 19.
Dear God, our Mother and Father,
May your Spirit stay close and breathe on us.
We thank you every day for the earth we walk on and the water we drink.
We thank you for the land we toil, and its fruit that feeds our children.
We pray for those who do not know how to share your creation, who have used and misused the soil and the water, leaving our brothers and sisters with nothing.
And who, driven by their ambition, have destroyed the world that you created for us to live well.
(Writer unknown)
As we reflect, we know that we too, at times, do wrong; we also squander and waste.
Please help us to keep good company with the families and communities suffering in the front lines, who have to bear the consequences of this system that destroys and kills in its eager-ness to produce.
We know that although production steadily increases day by day, hunger continues to claim the lives of our sisters and brothers.
Please, God, stay close to us.
May your creative Spirit remind us, breathing softly on us, the beautiful gift of your Creation, of which we are sons and daughters by your grace.
Grant us strength to continue working for your project, so that we may all enjoy life in its fullest.
Lord God, we add to these prayers our joys and concerns for people we know and love
And we bring all to you in the words of the Lord’s Prayer
Amen
We thank you for the waters, the land, the mountains, the trees and all the amazing and wonderful creatures with which we share the earth.
We thank you for giving us spaces where we can gather together and draw strength as a community.
Forgive us for the way we have treated the Earth who sustains our life.
We pray that you stay with and protect all the people and communities who have been most affected by the climate crisis.
Give us the strength to revert the situation facing us. Help us build a world that is inhabitable and fair for all. Amen.
Written by Martina Baridón, aged 19.
Dear God, our Mother and Father,
May your Spirit stay close and breathe on us.
We thank you every day for the earth we walk on and the water we drink.
We thank you for the land we toil, and its fruit that feeds our children.
We pray for those who do not know how to share your creation, who have used and misused the soil and the water, leaving our brothers and sisters with nothing.
And who, driven by their ambition, have destroyed the world that you created for us to live well.
(Writer unknown)
As we reflect, we know that we too, at times, do wrong; we also squander and waste.
Please help us to keep good company with the families and communities suffering in the front lines, who have to bear the consequences of this system that destroys and kills in its eager-ness to produce.
We know that although production steadily increases day by day, hunger continues to claim the lives of our sisters and brothers.
Please, God, stay close to us.
May your creative Spirit remind us, breathing softly on us, the beautiful gift of your Creation, of which we are sons and daughters by your grace.
Grant us strength to continue working for your project, so that we may all enjoy life in its fullest.
Lord God, we add to these prayers our joys and concerns for people we know and love
And we bring all to you in the words of the Lord’s Prayer
Amen
Hymn
A closing Hymn -Stf 727 or 343 in Hymns and Psalms God in His love for us lent us this planet
Blessing
Go out into the coming week in confidence and hope knowing that the Lord is with youAnd the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy spirit be with us all, now and always.
Amen.
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