Sunday Bulletin for 1 November 2009

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Friday at 1.05pm: Prayers for Peace and Justice at the Old High Church

Next Sunday: Remembrance Sunday

10am Morning Worship at St Stephen's

11.15am Morning Worship at the Old High

CARETAKER WANTED We are seeking to appoint a caretaker for the Church and Halls at St Stephen's. Duties would not normally include cleaning, but would include looking after and securing Church and Hall, assisting at Funerals and Weddings and other activities in the Church or Hall, providing access eg to funeral directors, setting the heating of the Church and Hall, and clearing snow and ice. You may also be asked to assist occasionally at the Old High Church and halls. This is a paid post. For further details contact the Rev Peter W Nimmo

CHRISTIAN BASICS is a course for anyone who would like to 'join' the Church or revisit the basics of Christianity. The Minister plans to run the course again soon. If you would like to take part, or just know more, please contact Peter

LIVING THE QUESTIONS The next meeting of 'Living the Questions' will be on Wednesday 4th November at 7.30pm in the Olive Grove Cafe, at Kingsmills. The topic is “Creation Stories”. We still have room for a few more. If you are interested please contact Ailsa.

WORLD AIDS DAY CEILIDH As in previous years the Youth Group will be holding a ceilidh in the Old High Church Hall on Saturday the 28th of November. More details to follow.

SIGNING FOR THE DEAF We will continue to offer sign language interpretation for the deaf at our services on the first Sunday of the Month at St Stephen's at 10am. The next date this year will be 6 December. If you know anyone who would benefit from this please invite them along, or contact Alison Pyott for more information.

CHURCH WALK 1st November, meet at Tesco Inshes at 13.45pm. We are planning to go to the old railway line at Avoch. Any questions or more info please call David/Susan Anderson.

KIRK SESSION - The next meeting of the Kirk Session will be held in

the Old High Hall on Tuesday 10 November at 7.30pm.

CARE GROUP The Care Group will meet in the vestry at St Stephen’s on Tuesday 3rd November at 7.30pm.

MONDAY CLUB The Monday Club meets every Monday at 2.00pm. in St Stephen’s Church Hall. This is an opportunity for fellowship, conversation and the occasional illustrated talk. A warm welcome is extended to all. For further information contact Isobel Allan.

LUNCH CLUB will meet on Thursday 5 November at 12.30pm at the Craigmonie Hotel, Annfield Road.We always welcome new diners. For any further information please contact Val Cantlay.

ALPHA MARRIAGE COURSE There is a DVD which you are welcome to view at home. We hope to run a small house group during the winter. For further information contact Deborah and Malcolm Macrae.

HEALING SERVICE There will be a Healing Service in St Stephen’s next Sunday 8th November at 4pm to which all are invited. (Contact Ruth Martin)

iMPACT On 14th November 2009 in Perth there will be a celebration of all that has been achieved in the last 75 years through Church of Scotland Summer/Seaside Missions, including iMPACT. The celebrations begin in three venues from 12.00noon with an opportunity for food, renewing friendships and sharing stories All will then come together in worship in Perth North Church, Mill Street, Perth for 2.00pm when the moderator, Rt. Rev Bill Hewitt will be the preacher in a service led by Very Rev Sandy Macdonald. For further information contact the minister.

FAIRTRADE BAZAAR will take place on Saturday 28th November at the Town House from 11.00am to 3.00pm –Christmas gifts,cards and wrapping aplenty, also groceries and refreshments

LECTURES ON CHRISTIANITY Professor Bill McBryde FRSE of the Crown Church will be giving four public lectures. A distinguished Professor of Law who has held chairs at Dundee and Edinburgh Universities, and as a visiting professor, in the Netherlands and France,he will present a layperson's and a lawyer's comment on varied aspects of the Bible. The lectures will be ecumenical in approach and are intended to be understood by lay people of any religion and none. Dates as follows:

The Lord's Prayer – Brothers and Sisters in Heaven- Friday 6th November.

The Lord's Prayer – Bread and Sin – Friday 13th November.

Which Bible to Use? - The Story and the Text – Friday 20th November.

The Joy of Being a Christian –Love,Trust and Banquets –27th November.

All Lectures will take place in St Stephen's Church Hall, Southside Road at 7.30pm. For further information contact Pat Douglas, Crown Church Publicity Officer or Crown Church Office, Tue-Fri 9.30-12.00.

OLD HIGH ORGAN FUND Members of the congregation will be pleased to hear that the Common Good Fund has agreed to provide a grant of up to £50,000 towards the refurbishment of the Old High Organ, subject to terms and conditions. You can find out more about the organ restoration at our new website http://www.ohss-churchorgan.co.uk/ .

ORGAN FUND COFFEE MORNING The Coffee Morning held on the 17 October in aid of the Organ Fund raised £415.00. Thanks to all who donated or helped in any way in making it a success.

HEARING MARK'S GOSPEL All are invited to a reading of the complete Gospel of Mark over three Sunday evenings: 1st, 15th and 29th of November at 7pm in St Stephen's Church. There are readers identified for the principal figures in the story, with opportunities for others to join those readers, or be involved as listeners. Each evening will include time afterwards for reflection over a cup of tea/coffee for those able to stay for discussion. For more details please contact Linda Philip or Andrew Stevenson.

CROSSREACH (Formerly Church of Scotland Board of Social Responsibility) The Congregation needs a representative of the above very good cause. Please let Peter know if you feel you can help and to get further information. Cross-Reach is involved throughout Scotland in the running of many care homes; hostels; and social causes, and provides in our own area a basic Christian ethic at Cameron House, Cale House and Beechwood.

CROSSREACH GIFT CATALOGUE Christmas gift catalogue is now available at the church doors. The catalogue is full of lovely gift ideas, including calendars, cards and jewellery. It is also available online at http://www.crossreach.org.uk/ . More details from the Minister.

HOMELESS SHELTER At their September Meeting the Kirk Session agreed to support the shelter for the homeless one night per week for the duration of the project by providing the use of the Old High Church hall. Currently Bethany hope to run the shelter from Monday 7th December to Sunday 28 February. Accommodation and food will be provided on Saturday nights (excluding 19th December). We do not have to provide food on the 11 nights as there are other catering teams willing to come to the Old High Hall to assist. We will need help from the congregation for the following:

Donations towards the cost of providing food (we are being asked to cater for 20 persons per night)

Providing catering teams for as many nights as possible. This will involve a team of four (one of which should have a food hygiene certificate although there will be some training available through the Salvation Army). We are also asked to provide two men who will help with taking the homeless to the shelter and being there to support the catering team in any way possible. The catering team needs to be available from 8 pm to 11 pm each night. The catering teams will provide a simple two course hot meal (normally soup and a main course with a vegetarian option as well). Guidance is given so that there is some variety of food. They will also have to provide tea/coffee with some biscuits/cakes, fruit. The Bethany Trust will give them a continental breakfast in the morning.

If you can help with the catering please contact Deborah MacRae or Christine MacKenzie Thank you for your support.

WORD FOR TODAY Copies of this quarter’s ‘Word For Today’ are available, at no charge, at Church doors.

SUNDAY BULLETIN EDITOR All announcements should be sent, to Mrs Joy Cossar. The deadline for all items is Wednesday at noon.

Sermon for Sunday 1 November 2009 : Year B, All Saints and Reformation Sunday

Old High St Stephen's, Inverness

Sunday 1 November 2009 : Year B, All Saints and Reformation Sunday

SERMON

Texts: Jeremiah 31:31-34

John 8:31-36

Truth, freedom and faith

In the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

It might seem strange that, on this All Saints Sunday, I should have chosen to speak to the children about Martin Luther. Luther is not an obvious candidate to be called a 'saint'. He hardly has the immediate appeal of Columba, Francis of Assisi, Mother Theresa, David Livingstone stone or Mary Slessor.

Harry Reid, in his new book Reformation: The Dangerous Birth of the Modern World, (pxxviii f) says of Luther:

A stubborn man of peasant stock, and also a spiritual genius, Luther was very clever but had little subtlety and less sophistication... [H]e could not always control his pen. Some of what he wrote was vicious and vile. He was guilty of anti-Semitism, and at times he wrote savagely and violently in defence of the status quo... He could be boorish and foul-mouthed. He was excessively contentious and constantly divisive.

Yet he was also

...both the most influential evangelical and most effective revolutionary in European history... A writer of superhuman and communicator of genius... [He made] a colossal contribution to... the development of individual liberty.... [He] inspired momentous, continuing revolution... Supremely, he persuaded people to think for themselves. He ended the dark ages of the mind. He unleashed an enormous surge of popular education. He was arguably not just the greatest German, but also the greatest European.

Luther, then, was a complicated character. He was no stained glass saint. He could be rude and crude, and he enjoyed the joys of friends and family. This ex-monk married an ex-nun who brewed the best beer in Wittenberg. 

When he nailed that notice to the Church door in the small town of Wittenberg in 1517 he started a process which changed the world. All Europeans, and Christians both Protestant and Catholic, are in some sense children of Martin Luther, for we are all heirs of his ideas. Thanks to Luther we no longer live in those 'dark ages of the mind', for now we value education and we like to think for ourselves. Tragically, however, the Reformation split the Christian Church. Echoes of those troubles times have made the news recently, as we have heard about the troubled relations between the Vatican and the Anglican Communion. For part of the legacy of the Luther was something he could not foresee- years of war, violence and suspicion among Europe's divided Christians, and divisions which are perhaps less potent than they once were, but which still prove difficult to heal.

Both the Reformer, Martin Luther, and his movement, the Reformation, are complicated to understand. And so today Christians have mixed feelings about the Reformation. I first came across the idea of 'Reformation Day' in America, where Lutherans and sometimes other Protestant Churches mark the anniversary of the day Luther nailed his theses to the church door. It is, of course, marked in Germany with public holidays in many traditionally Protestant states. But in Scotland, today, we have become equivocal about the effect of Christianity on our culture. I think you could argue that the Reformation in Scotland was the most important even to shape our nation, and that John Knox has a good claim to being the greatest Scotsman who ever lived. But in our popular culture we have almost forgotten Knox, except as a killjoy caricature. Did you know, for example, that next year will be the 450th anniversary of the Scottish reformation? If you didn't that's not surprising, for neither the government nor the Church of Scotland appears to be making any plans to mark the event. Even the Roman Catholic Church seems unhappy about the omission- as Harry Reid indicated in his talk to us at the Old High recently, he knows of Catholic bishops who are surprised at the lack of recognition of the Reformation, and would be happy to take part in any events marking the anniversary. (see also http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/harry-reid/are-we-feart-to-celebrate-the-reformation-1.822766 ). So it should be possible, strangely enough, to have an ecumenical event to mark the Scottish Reformation anniversary!

Yet if Christians are ambivalent about our history sometimes, it is not without reason. There are saints and sinners in the history of the Church- and indeed, many who were both! And even saints can cause division, because being Christlike is not always popular. As we said the children, reformation is not an event in the past. The Church should always be reforming. For we believe that the world- and the Church- should be better places. We believe that God's kingdom is still on its way. For even in the beginning, the Christian movement began as a reformation, and Jesus himself was a reformer.

Jesus, after all, was not a Protestant or a Catholic, or even Eastern Orthodox. He wasn't even a Christian. Jesus was a Jew, and his preaching and teaching was first of all an attempt to reform the Jewish faith. And Jesus, like, all reformers, was divisive. He was regularly in conflict with the religious leaders of the day.

In John's Gospel, Jesus is seen to identify himself very closely with God. He claims that his teaching is directly inspired by God. Earlier in the chapter we heard today, Jesus, speaking to the Pharisees, says 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness'- quite a claim, which the Pharisees quickly dismissed. But John's gospel tells us that, nevertheless, 'Many who heard Jesus say these things believed in him' (John 8.30). For Jesus' teaching appealed to ordinary people. Perhaps this was because he was also known for spending time with those on the edge of society, for being generous with those who were treated as sinners, and for bringing hope and healing to the sick and disabled. In both his preaching and his actions, Jesus taught that God's grace and love was freely available to all people. However, the religious establishment, the scribes and the Pharisees, held fast to ancient rules and rituals which, they claimed, were necessary if people were to come close to God. Jesus teaching threatened all that. For his teaching was far simpler.

So, in today's reading, Jesus can say, 'If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free'. He's saying- follow my way, live by my, simple truths, and you will know the truth about God, and you will be set free. This was rightly seen as a challenge to the existing religious authorities, for Jesus seemed to be undercutting centuries of tradition. After all, were not the Jewish people already God's chosen, special people? '"We are the descendants of Abraham," they answered, "and we have never been anybody's slaves. What do you mean, then, by saying, 'You will be free'?"' It was enough for them that the belonged to the race of people descended from Abraham- that was freedom enough, surely. But Jesus replies that it is not enough, for your race or nationality is never going to bring truth and freedom to your heart. And if today, some people say 'But we are children of the Church of Rome- our father is the Pope himself'- that's not enough either. And if some people say. 'But we are children of Luther, Calvin and Knox. We have never been anyone's slaves'- that is not enough either. The faith of your ancestors is not enough. Christ says that each of us, individually, has to choose to be his disciples.

Yet this was not entirely new teaching. Centuries before Christ another controversial and divisive prophet had spoken of a time when the Jewish faith would really be 'taken to heart' by God's people, enabling the faith to survive seemingly final disaster. The prophet Jeremiah lived in a time of great crisis for the Jewish people. He saw his nation invaded and defeated by foreign armies. They laid waste to the country, and made slaves of the people. Many of the inhabitants of Israel were taken off live to in exile in Babylon. Their holy city of Jerusalem was reduced to ruin, and the great temple destroyed. The law of Moses had prescribed how the priests were to carry out the worship of God in the Temple which would atone for the people's sins. But with the Temple in ruins, and the priests killed or enslaved, it was no longer possible to carry out the rituals of the faith. And so, to his people going off into their long exile, Jeremiah makes a promise on behalf of God. God will make a new covenant with his people: 'The new covenant that I will make with the people of Israel will be this: I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. None of them will have to teach a neighbour to know the Lord, because all will know me, from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and I will no longer remember their wrongs. I, the Lord, have spoken' (Jeremiah 31.33-34).

Jeremiah was offering hope to a people whose religion seemed to be in ruins. He is saying: 'You have been used to your religion being sustained by rituals and written laws. But all of that has been taken from you. So now God offers you a new way of faith: God's law will be written in your heart, and you will not need the external rituals you had before. Your temple has been destroyed- but the meaning of it all you can carry within you, even in exile in Babylon'. And indeed, when they sat down by the waters of Babylon, the people of Israel did not feel totally bereft. They found new ways to sing the Lord's song in that strange land. The Jewish people learned that their faith was something they could carry in their hearts- an insight which, ever since, has sustained them through centuries of exile and persecution. The old gods of Babylon and other nations around Israel in Jeremiah's times have long since been forgotten, for their temples and holy cities no longer exist. But Israel's God is still worshipped, for the Jews learned to take carry their faith in their hearts.

I once heard Terry Waite speak about what sustained him during his long years as a hostage in Beirut. A very religious man, he couldn't go to Church, he had no Bible, no one would say a prayer with him. But he had memorised many of the Psalms, and he would repeat them over and over in his mind. Church, Bible, public worship- all these are very important. But eventually we have to allow the meaning of all these things to enter inside us, so that they are part and parcel of who we are, so that even if the rest was to be stripped away, our faith in God would still remain.

For Christians, Christ stands as the last in the long line of Old Testament prophets. For like Jeremiah and other prophets he offers the hope that God is nearer to us than we think, that God is more gracious to us that we can imagine, and that God loves us more than we deserve. And so he says, learn to be my disciples and you follow me and you will know the truth. And that truth will set you free.

On this All Saints Sunday, we should remember that, as Christ taught us, the faith of our ancestors alone is not enough. Yet it does us good to take time to remember our mothers and fathers in the faith. Some- Columba, Luther, Livingstone- we will know only from the history books. Others we were fortunate enough to know personally- mothers, fathers, grandparents, friends, teachers, church leaders and all who taught us by their words and deeds what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. They were not perfect. But they all took their faith to heart.

Ascription of Praise

Now to God

who is able through the power

which is at work among us

to do immeasurably more

than all we can ask or conceive,

to God be the glory

in the church and in Christ Jesus

from generation to generation for evermore, Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (REB)

Biblical references from the Good News Bible

© 2008 Peter W Nimmo

Sunday Bulletin for 25 October 2009

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Friday at 1.05pm: Prayers for Peace and Justice at the Old High Church

Next Sunday

10am Morning Worship at St Stephen's

11.15am Morning Worship at the Old High

PASTORAL COVER The Minister will be on holiday from Monday 19 to Tuesday 27 October. If you urgently require a Minister, please contact the Rev Archie Chisholm

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES Sunday school is having a break for the school holidays and will return on Sunday 1 November. Meantime there will be activities for children of all ages on offer at St Stephen's following the Children's Moment- so do come along! More information from Katharina Nimmo,.

OLD HIGH ORGAN FUND Members of the congregation will be pleased to hear that the Common Good Fund has agreed to provide a grant of up to £50,000 towards the refurbishment of the Old High Organ, subject to terms and conditions. You can find out more about the organ restoration at our new website http://www.ohss-churchorgan.co.uk/ .

CARETAKER WANTED We are seeking to appoint a caretaker for the Church and Halls at St Stephen's. Duties would not normally include cleaning, but would include looking after and securing Church and Hall, assisting at Funerals and Weddings and other activities in the Church or Hall, providing access eg to funeral directors, setting the heating of the Church and Hall, and clearing snow and ice. You may also be asked to assist occasionally at the Old High Church and halls. This is a paid post. For further details contact the Rev Peter W Nimmo

CHRISTIAN BASICS is a course for anyone who would like to 'join' the Church or revisit the basics of Christianity. The Minister plans to run the course again soon. If you would like to take part, or just know more, please contact Peter Nimmo.

HANDBELLS We are starting a Handbell Group for children between 8 - 10 yrs, please contact Isobel Allan or Rena Beaton.

ALPHA MARRIAGE COURSE There is a DVD which you are welcome to view at home. It is hoped to run a small house group over the winter months. For further information contact Deborah and Malcolm Macrae.

MONDAY CLUB The Monday Club meets every Monday at 2.00pm. in St Stephen’s Church Hall. This is an opportunity for fellowship, conversation and the occasional illustrated talk. A warm welcome is extended to all. For further information contact Isobel Allan.

iMPACT On 14th November 2009 in Perth there will be a celebration of all that has been achieved in the last 75 years through Church of Scotland Summer/Seaside Missions, including iMPACT. The celebrations begin in three venues from 12.00noon with an opportunity for food, renewing friendships and sharing stories All will then come together in worship in Perth North Church, Mill Street, Perth for 2.00pm when the moderator, Rt. Rev Bill Hewitt will be the preacher in a service led by Very Rev Sandy Macdonald. For further information contact the minister.

WORLD AIDS DAY CEILIDH As in previous years the Youth Group will be holding a ceilidh in the Old High Church Hall on Saturday the 28th of November. More details to follow.

SIGNING FOR THE DEAF We will continue to offer sign language interpretation for the deaf at our services on the first Sunday of the Month at St Stephen's at 10am. The dates for this year are: 1 November and 6 December. If you know anyone who would benefit from this please invite them along, or contact Alison Pyott for more information.

LECTURES ON CHRISTIANITY Professor Bill McBryde FRSE of the Crown Church will be giving four public lectures. A distinguished Professor of Law who has held chairs at Dundee and Edinburgh Universities, and as a visiting professor, in the Netherlands and France,he will present a layperson's and a lawyer's comment on varied aspects of the Bible. The lectures will be ecumenical in approach and are intended to be understood by lay people of any religion and none. Dates as follows:

The Lord's Prayer – Brothers and Sisters in Heaven- Friday 6th November.

The Lord's Prayer – Bread and Sin – Friday 13th November.

Which Bible to Use? - The Story and the Text – Friday 20th November.

The Joy of Being a Christian – Love,Trust and Banquets – Friday 27th November.

All Lectures will take place in St Stephen's Church Hall, Southside Road at 7.30pm. For further information contact Pat Douglas, Crown Church Publicity Officer or Crown Church Office, Tue-Fri 9.30-12.00.

CROSSREACH (Formerly Church of Scotland Board of Social Responsibility) The Congregation needs a representative of the above very good cause. Please let Peter know if you feel you can help and to get further information. Cross-Reach is involved throughout Scotland in the running of many care homes; hostels; and social causes, and provides in our own area a basic Christian ethic at Cameron House, Cale House and Beechwood.

CROSSREACH GIFT CATALOGUE Christmas gift catalogue is now available at the church doors. The catalogue is full of lovely gift ideas, including calendars, cards and jewellery. It is also available online at http://www.crossreach.org.uk/ . More details from the Minister.

PRESBYTERY WORLD MISSION SERVICE The Presbytery World Mission will take place at Hilton Church on Sunday 1st November at 6.30pm. This will be a church café style event, with food, fellowship and multimedia presentations on an international theme.

LIVING THE QUESTIONS. The next meeting of 'Living the Questions' will be on Wednesday 4th November at 7.30 in the Olive Grove Cafe, at Kingsmills. The topic is 'Creation Stories'. We still have room for a few more. If you are interested please contact Ailsa

WORD FOR TODAY Copies of this quarter’s ‘Word For Today’ are available, at no charge, at Church doors.

SUNDAY BULLETIN EDITOR For some time Florence Munro had been compiling these Sunday notices, and we thank her warmly for her all work. Our new editor, to whom all announcements should be now sent, is Mrs Joy Cossar The deadline for all items is Wednesday at noon.

Sunday Bulletin for 18 October 2009

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Friday at 1.05pm: Prayers for Peace and Justice at the Old High Church

Next Sunday

10am Morning Worship at St Stephen's

11.15am Morning Worship at the Old High

PASTORAL COVER The Minister will be on holiday from Monday 19 to Tuesday 27 October. If you urgently require a Minister, please contact the Rev Archie Chisholm

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES Sunday school is having a break for the school holidays and will return on Sunday 1 November. Meantime there will be activities for children of all ages on offer at St Stephen's following the Children's Moment- so do come along! More information from Katharina Nimmo,.

OLD HIGH ORGAN FUND Members of the congregation will be pleased to hear that the Common Good Fund has agreed to provide a grant of up to £50,000 towards the refurbishment of the Old High Organ, subject to terms and conditions. You can find out more about the organ restoration at our new website http://www.ohss-churchorgan.co.uk/ .

CARETAKER WANTED We are seeking to appoint a caretaker for the Church and Halls at St Stephen's. Duties would not normally include cleaning, but would include looking after and securing Church and Hall, assisting at Funerals and Weddings and other activities in the Church or Hall, providing access eg to funeral directors, setting the heating of the Church and Hall, and clearing snow and ice. You may also be asked to assist occasionally at the Old High Church and halls. This is a paid post. For further details contact the Rev Peter W Nimmo

CHRISTIAN BASICS is a course for anyone who would like to 'join' the Church or revisit the basics of Christianity. The Minister plans to run the course again soon. If you would like to take part, or just know more, please contact Peter Nimmo.

HANDBELLS We are starting a Handbell Group for children between 8 - 10 yrs, please contact Isobel Allan or Rena Beaton.

ALPHA MARRIAGE COURSE There is a DVD which you are welcome to view at home. It is hoped to run a small house group over the winter months. For further information contact Deborah and Malcolm Macrae.

MONDAY CLUB The Monday Club meets every Monday at 2.00pm. in St Stephen’s Church Hall. This is an opportunity for fellowship, conversation and the occasional illustrated talk. A warm welcome is extended to all. For further information contact Isobel Allan.

iMPACT On 14th November 2009 in Perth there will be a celebration of all that has been achieved in the last 75 years through Church of Scotland Summer/Seaside Missions, including iMPACT. The celebrations begin in three venues from 12.00noon with an opportunity for food, renewing friendships and sharing stories All will then come together in worship in Perth North Church, Mill Street, Perth for 2.00pm when the moderator, Rt. Rev Bill Hewitt will be the preacher in a service led by Very Rev Sandy Macdonald. For further information contact the minister.

WORLD AIDS DAY CEILIDH As in previous years the Youth Group will be holding a ceilidh in the Old High Church Hall on Saturday the 28th of November. More details to follow.

SIGNING FOR THE DEAF We will continue to offer sign language interpretation for the deaf at our services on the first Sunday of the Month at St Stephen's at 10am. The dates for this year are: 1 November and 6 December. If you know anyone who would benefit from this please invite them along, or contact Alison Pyott for more information.

LECTURES ON CHRISTIANITY Professor Bill McBryde FRSE of the Crown Church will be giving four public lectures. A distinguished Professor of Law who has held chairs at Dundee and Edinburgh Universities, and as a visiting professor, in the Netherlands and France,he will present a layperson's and a lawyer's comment on varied aspects of the Bible. The lectures will be ecumenical in approach and are intended to be understood by lay people of any religion and none. Dates as follows:

The Lord's Prayer – Brothers and Sisters in Heaven- Friday 6th November.

The Lord's Prayer – Bread and Sin – Friday 13th November.

Which Bible to Use? - The Story and the Text – Friday 20th November.

The Joy of Being a Christian – Love,Trust and Banquets – Friday 27th November.

All Lectures will take place in St Stephen's Church Hall, Southside Road at 7.30pm. For further information contact Pat Douglas, Crown Church Publicity Officer or Crown Church Office, Tue-Fri 9.30-12.00.

CROSSREACH (Formerly Church of Scotland Board of Social Responsibility) The Congregation needs a representative of the above very good cause. Please let Peter know if you feel you can help and to get further information. Cross-Reach is involved throughout Scotland in the running of many care homes; hostels; and social causes, and provides in our own area a basic Christian ethic at Cameron House, Cale House and Beechwood.

CROSSREACH GIFT CATALOGUE Christmas gift catalogue is now available at the church doors. The catalogue is full of lovely gift ideas, including calendars, cards and jewellery. It is also available online at http://www.crossreach.org.uk/ . More details from the Minister.

PRESBYTERY WORLD MISSION SERVICE The Presbytery World Mission will take place at Hilton Church on Sunday 1st November at 6.30pm. This will be a church café style event, with food, fellowship and multimedia presentations on an international theme.

LIVING THE QUESTIONS. The next meeting of 'Living the Questions' will be on Wednesday 4th November at 7.30 in the Olive Grove Cafe, at Kingsmills. The topic is 'Creation Stories'. We still have room for a few more. If you are interested please contact Ailsa

WORD FOR TODAY Copies of this quarter’s ‘Word For Today’ are available, at no charge, at Church doors.

SUNDAY BULLETIN EDITOR For some time Florence Munro had been compiling these Sunday notices, and we thank her warmly for her all work. Our new editor, to whom all announcements should be now sent, is Mrs Joy Cossar The deadline for all items is Wednesday at noon.

Sermon for Sunday 18 October 2009

Old High St Stephen's, Inverness

Sunday 18 October 2009 : Year B, Proper 24

SERMON

Texts: Job 38.1-15

Mark 10:35-45

Gratitude and humility

In the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

A politician was once heard to remark, 'One must not be a name-dropper, as Her Majesty remarked to me yesterday' (Penguin Dictionary of Jokes, 198.1). I suspect that he was someone who felt rather proud of himself. There's nothing wrong with a degree of pride, so long as it does not go too far. When someone has a new baby, we often speak fondly of 'the proud parents'- and why not? And yet, we Christians are suspicious of pride. One theologian of the twentieth century wrote that 'According to the Bible (and to the classical Christian moral teaching), pride is the very root and essence of sin' (Richardson, Theological Word Book of the Bible, p176). Maybe that's why in our own culture, coloured as it is by centuries of Christian influence, we believe the saying, 'pride comes before a fall'. For the Biblical teaching is that when we get too proud, it is as if we set ourselves up as gods- and the one true God makes sure that our pride will be punctured.

Yet even Christian people are not immune to that sort of overblown, inappropriate pride. Imagine you lived 2,000 years ago in Palestine, and that you were fortune enough to get to know Jesus of Nazareth. How do you think you would feel about him? You might have had a certain pride in knowing this man. But would you feel that you could ask to be treated nearly as his equal? Surely not- and yet that is precisely what we find two of his disciples asking today in our Gospel story.

It's always intriguing to me that many Bible stories show those whom the Church later as treated as saints and heroes as being very ordinary. Biblical saints often do indeed have feet of clay- they come across as very human. James and John were saints and heroes- the sons of Zebedee, fishermen who were among the first to follow Jesus. They were great leaders in the Church after Jesus' resurrection. But how they must have cringed when people retold the incident of the time when they had gone to Jesus and said, 'Teacher, we want you to do something for us. When you sit in your throne in your glorious Kingdom, let us sit with you, at your right hand, and your left hand'. That was their way of saying, 'We want to be your number two and number three men'. Clearly they had not yet understood what discipleship is about- and so Jesus tells them about it. Suffering, not prestige or status, is what discipleship is about, he tells them. And then the story widens, and we hear of the whole band of disciples caught up in gossip and argument: Mark writes: 'When the other ten disciples heard about it, they became angry with James and John'- and so Jesus had to get them all together. You are not to have rulers among yourselves, like the heathen kings, he tells them. The greatest of you will be the one who serves the other. If you want to be first, you must be like a slave to the rest. After all, I didn't come among you so that you would serve me- I came to serve you, even to die for you.

I wonder how James and John and the others felt when they heard those words. I wonder how the other disciples felt when they heard those words. And I wonder how James and John felt years later, when they heard the story told over and over again. I wonder if Mark the Gospel writer went to them and say, 'Listen guys, this is a bit embarrassing for you- shall I leave it out?'

Legend is that John the apostle lived to be a very old man, and that they used to have to carry him into Church. Often he was too weak to teach more than a few words, and he would just utter a few words: 'Little children, love one another'. After a while they got a bit fed up hearing the same thing over and over again, and they wearily asked him, 'Why do you always say this?' to which he replied, 'It is the Lord's command, and if this alone be done, it is enough' (Barclay, The Master's Men, p36). And as for his brother James, he appears by himself once in the rest of the New Testament, in the book of Acts, where we read, 'About this time King Herod began to persecute some members of the church. He had James, the brother of John, put to death by the sword' (Acts 12.1-2). And so James became the first of the original disciples to be martyred. A long time ago, when they had asked to be the leaders in the Kingdom, Jesus had said to them, '"You don't know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup of suffering that I must drink? Can you be baptized in the way I must be baptized?" "We can," they answered. [And] Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup I must drink and be baptized in the way I must be baptized"' And eventually those brothers did indeed learn about service and suffering.

Jesus told James and John- and tells us- that they were to be like him: he was a servant, so we are to be also. The servant attitude is, of course, a humble attitude. In the face to God's great love and mercy we have nothing much to be proud of, except perhaps that we have been made children of God. Saint Paul wrote: 'I will boast only about the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ' (Galatians 6.14). Knowing what Jesus did on the cross for us should be enough to save us from inappropriate pride. In fact, rather than being puffed up about our achievements, Christians are people who should be, above all, people who constantly show gratitude- to other people, and to God.

The philosopher Julian Baggini is an atheist, but he recognises that religious people often make a positive contribution to the life of the world because they have what he calls 'religious attitudes'. He gives the example of thankfulness, saying:

I think it is very good to have a sense of gratitude- for being alive, for being well. I think that the lack of it lies at the root of a lot of modern dissatisfaction. People no longer feel a sense of gratitude, they feel a sense of entitlement, and so they are always unhappier about what they don't have than what they are thankful for they do. And so you have the absurd situation that a generation of people who are the most privileged in history actually feel hard-done-by because they can't afford to travel the world and get a new car... I think [gratitude] comes more naturally in a religious mindset. For a start, you have an object of gratitude [he means God]. There's nothing for me [as an atheist] to feel thankful to.

('Third Way', November 2006, p17)

This atheist philosopher is reminding we Christians that thankfulness, gratitude, is at the heart of a religious mindset. God reminds us that there is something to be grateful for. That's why we celebrated Harvest Thanksgiving the other week, why we have grace at mealtimes, why we always have prayers of thanks in our Sunday services. But even we sometimes feel we are entitled to things, even religious things. I sometimes have met people who seemed to think that being a Church member was a bit like an insurance policy- keep up your payments and God won't allow anything bad to happen to you (now that I come to think of it, that sounds more like a Mafia protection racket than an insurance policy!). That was the mistake of James and John. They may have been among the first disciples, but followers of Jesus are guaranteed nothing except service and suffering.

Perhaps Job, who was a good and pious man, thought that his religion was a bit of an insurance policy. But then he suffered disaster, so much that he wished he were dead. Not surprisingly, he cried out to God in anger- a fully human reaction. But when God finally spoke to Job, out of a storm, God gave no justification of himself. He didn't say, 'This is why I allowed these bad things to happen to you, Job. Instead, God shifted the focus away from Job and his sufferings to the cosmic perspective: 'Were you there when I made the world? If you know so much, tell me about it. Who decided how large it would be? Who stretched the measuring line over it? Do you know all the answers? What holds up the pillars that support the earth? Who laid the cornerstone of the world? In the dawn of that day the stars sang together, and the heavenly beings shouted for joy. Who closed the gates to hold back the sea when it burst from the womb of the earth? It was I who covered the sea with clouds and wrapped it in darkness. I marked a boundary for the sea and kept it behind bolted gates. 11 I told it, "So far and no farther! Here your powerful waves must stop'. The speech goes on beyond our reading: have you ever commanded a day to dawn? Have you walked on the ocean floor? Do you know the sources of light and darkness, or where I keep the snow? Do you guide the stars? Do you make it rain? Do you feed the lions?

On and one goes God in this speech, until Job is rendered speechless, and repents in dust and ashes. It was entirely human for Job to cry out to God, even to question God and be angry with him. But in the end, God will not answer those questions for us. God is simply God. We have no rights, no entitlements when we meet God. All we can do is be thankful for God grace. As the old Sunday school song says, we're simply to 'count our blessings'. Job eventually said to God: 'I know, Lord, that you are all-powerful; that you can do everything you want' (Job 42.2). That echoes words from the book of Isaiah: "'My thoughts," says the Lord, "are not like yours, and my ways are different from yours. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways and thoughts above yours"' (Isaiah 55.8-9). We can only stand in awe of such a God: before such a God there is no room for human pride.

But as the old children's song says, God's love is wide as the ocean and high as the heavens above. For this God has come to us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, who says of himself, '...the Son of Man did not come to be served; he came to serve and to give his life to redeem many people'. He came to be our servant, for  us- amazing! So how can we then fail to give our lives to his service, in gratitude for all he has done for us?

Ascription of Praise

Blessing and honour, thanksgiving and praise,

more than we can express,

be accorded to you, most glorious Trinity,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

by all angels, all people, all creatures,

for ever and ever. Amen.

BCO 1994, p587

Biblical references from the Good News Bible

© 2008 Peter W Nimmo

Sunday Bulletin for 11 October 2009

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Friday at 1.05pm: Prayers for Peace and Justice at the Old High Church

Next Sunday

10am Morning Worship at St Stephen's

11.15am Morning Worship at the Old High

GUEST PREACHER Our own minister is conducting worship at Kirkhill and Kiltarlity this Sunday, as part of a Presbytery Quinquennial visit. Please give a warm Old High St Stephen's welcome to Len Cazaly, reader from the Barn Church, Culloden, who is conducting our worship today.

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES Sunday school is having a break for the school holidays and will return on Sunday 1 November. Meantime there will be activities for children of all ages on offer at St Stephen's following the Children's Moment- so do come along! More information from Katharina Nimmo,

COMMUNION The Sacrament of Holy Communion will be celebrated on the Sunday 25 October at the Old High Church at 11.15am- all are welcome. There will be a retiring offering for the Scottish Bible Society's Centenary Project to provide spiritual and medical care for poor people in a remote area of Brazil http://www.scottishbiblesociety.org/projects/project/

CARETAKER WANTED We are seeking to appoint a caretaker for the Church and Halls at St Stephen's. Duties would not normally include cleaning, but would include looking after and securing Church and Hall, assisting at Funerals and Weddings and other activities in the Church or Hall, providing access eg to funeral directors, setting the heating of the Church and Hall, and clearing snow and ice. You may also be asked to assist occasionally at the Old High Church and halls. This is a paid post. For further details contact the Rev Peter W Nimmo

CHRISTIAN BASICS is a course for anyone who would like to 'join' the Church or revisit the basics of Christianity. The Minister plans to run the course again soon. If you would like to take part, or just know more, please contact Peter.

HANDBELLS We are starting a Handbell Group for children between 8 - 10 yrs, please contact Isobel Allan or Rena Beaton

CHRISTIAN AID Volunteers needed to (wo)man a collection table at the Inshes Tesco for an hour or two (or more) between 9.30am and 6pm on Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th October. Volunteers will be in pairs -See Darrell Walker or contact David Crippin

ORGAN FUND COFFEE MORNING This will take place in the Old High Hall on Saturday 17th October from 10am. Donations for the Cake and Candy stall will be greatly appreciated, also offers of help on the day- please contact Christine Cameron

LIVING THE QUESTIONS The next meeting of 'Living the Questions' will be on Wednesday 14th October at 7.30pm in the Olive Grove Cafe, at Kingsmills. Please note this is a change of date. We still have room for a few more. If you are interested please contact Ailsa.

ALPHA MARRIAGE COURSE There is a DVD which you are welcome to view at home. It is hoped to run a small house group over the winter months. For further information contact Deborah and Malcolm Macrae

MONDAY CLUB The Monday Club meets every Monday at 2.00pm. in St Stephen’s Church Hall. This is an opportunity for fellowship, conversation and the occasional illustrated talk. A warm welcome is extended to all. For further information contact Isobel Allan.

iMPACT On 14th November 2009 in Perth there will be a celebration of all that has been achieved in the last 75 years through Church of Scotland Summer/Seaside Missions, including iMPACT. The celebrations begin in three venues from 12.00noon with an opportunity for food, renewing friendships and sharing stories All will then come together in worship in Perth North Church, Mill Street, Perth for 2.00pm when the moderator, Rt. Rev Bill Hewitt will be the preacher in a service led by Very Rev Sandy Macdonald. For further information contact the minister..

BIBLE SOCIETY BI-CENTENARY DINNER The Bible Society celebrates its 200 years of service with a dinner and auction at the Drumossie Hotel on Tuesday 20th October – Tickets £20 from Ruth Martin.

LECTURES ON CHRISTIANITY Professor Bill McBryde FRSE of the Crown Church will be giving four public lectures. A distinguished Professor of Law who has held chairs at Dundee and Edinburgh Universities, and as a visiting professor, in the Netherlands and France,he will present a layperson's and a lawyer's comment on varied aspects of the Bible. The lectures will be ecumenical in approach and are intended to be understood by lay people of any religion and none. Dates as follows:

The Lord's Prayer – Brothers and Sisters in Heaven- Friday 6th November.

The Lord's Prayer – Bread and Sin – Friday 13th November.

Which Bible to Use? - The Story and the Text – Friday 20th November.

The Joy of Being a Christian – Love,Trust and Banquets – Friday 27th November.

All Lectures will take place in St Stephen's Church Hall, Southside Road at 7.30pm. For further information contact Pat Douglas, Crown Church Publicity Officer or Crown Church Office, Tue-Fri 9.30-12.00

SIGNING FOR THE DEAF We will continue to offer sign language interpretation for the deaf at our services on the first Sunday of the Month at St Stephen's at 10am. The dates for this year are: 1 November and 6 December. If you know anyone who would benefit from this please invite them along, or contact Alison Pyott for more information

THANKS Florence and Jimmy Munro would like to say a very big 'thank you' for the beautiful bouquet they received on the occasion of their wedding anniversary' many, many thanks to you all for your good wishes.

CROSSREACH (Formerly Church of Scotland Board of Social Responsibility) The Congregation needs a representative of the above very good cause. Please let Peter Nimmo know if you feel you can help and to get further information. Cross-Reach is involved throughout Scotland in the running of many care homes; hostels; and social causes, and provides in our own area a basic Christian ethic at Cameron House, Cale House and Beechwood.

CROSSREACH Christmas gift catalogue is now available at the church doors.. The catalogue is full of lovely gift ideas, including calendars, cards and jewellery. It is also available online at http://www.crossreach.org.uk/ . More details from the Minister.

SUNDAY BULLETIN EDITOR For some time Florence Munro has been compiling these Sunday notices, and we thank her warmly for her all work. Our new editor, to whom all announcements should be now sent, is Mrs Joy Cossar. The deadline for all items is Wednesday at noon.

Special Commission on Same-sex Relationships and the Ministry

A note from the minister

The following has recently been distributed to Presbytery Clerks who were asked to distribute it widely. It is the first communication we have had from the Special Commission set up at the General Assembly in May. Here are details of the remit and membership of the Committee, together with information about how they intend to go about their work, which will include consulting with Kirk Sessions. If you would like to know more please email me.

Peter

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND

EAGLAIS NA H-ALBA

Special Commission on Same-sex Relationships and the Ministry

The Remit

The General Assembly of 2009 has given the Special Commission this remit:

“A Special Commission composed of nine persons, representative of the breadth and unity of the Church, to consult with all Presbyteries and Kirk Sessions and to prepare a study on Ordination and Induction to the Ministry of the Church of Scotland in the light of the issues (a) addressed in a Report welcomed by the General Assembly of 2007: “A challenge to unity: same-sex relationships as an issue in theology and human sexuality”, and (b) raised by the case of Aitken et al v the Presbytery of Aberdeen, and to report to the General Assembly of 2011.”


The membership

Rev John Chalmers, Pastoral Adviser and Associate Secretary (Ministries Support and Development), Ministries Council

Mrs Ruth Innes, advocate, member of Palmerston Place Church

Very Rev Dr Sheilagh Kesting, former Moderator of General Assembly; Secretary & Ecumenical Officer, Ecumenical Relations Committee

Rev Dr Donald MacEwan, Minister of Largoward linked with St Monans, secretary of the working group which produced "A Challenge to Unity"

Rev Dr Angus Morrison, Minister of Stornoway St Columba, immediate past Convener of Mission & Discipleship Council, also a member of the working group

Rev James Stewart, Minister of Perth: Letham St Mark’s, with experience of a previous commission

Rev Professor Allan J Torrance, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of St Andrews

Miss Kim Wood, Student at St Andrews; a youth representative commended by the Moderator of the Youth Assembly

The Hon. Lord Hodge (Patrick Hodge), Convener, Court of Session Judge; former Procurator of the Church

Rev W Peter Graham, Clerk, former Clerk to the Presbytery of Edinburgh


Our proposed method of working

We will prepare a short consultation paper which will invite Presbyteries and Kirk Sessions to express their views on the questions which we consider arise from our remit and the divisions in our Church which have led to our appointment. We are considering using the Church’s website to make available documents to supplement the consultation paper.

In order to inform the consultation document, and in particular to enable us to express accurately the competing views within the Church and the views of other Churches, we are engaged in a pre-consultation exercise of obtaining current statements of such views. The aim is to enable us to summarise those views accurately in the consultation paper.

We hope to send out the consultation paper by the end of February 2010 and to have a consultation period until the end of May 2010, during which we will expect every Presbytery and Kirk Session to hold a special meeting in order to prepare a response. We will spend the latter part of the year in analysing the responses and preparing our report for the General Assembly of 2011.

Sunday Bulletin for 3 October 2009

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Friday at 1.05pm: Prayers for Peace and Justice at the Old High Church

Next Sunday

10am Morning Worship at St Stephen's

11.15am Morning Worship at the Old High

HARVEST THANKSGIVING Today, as last year, we bring gifts for the Highland Food Bank and distribute flowers to the housebound and elderly. Assistance to distribute the flowers after the services today would be much appreciated.

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES During the October holidays, on Sundays 11th to 25th October, there will be no Sunday School but there will be activities for children of all ages on offer at St Stephen's. So do come along. More information from Katharina Nimmo.

CHOIR AT DAVIOT St. Stephen’s Church Choir are singing at a Praise Service at Daviot Church this Sunday, 4 October at 6.30pm. We extend a warm invitation to anyone from Old High St Stephens who would like to join us for this special service. Details from Kevin Gruer at Daviot.

CARETAKER WANTED We are seeking to appoint a caretaker for the Church and Halls at St Stephen's. Duties would not normally include cleaning, but would include looking after and securing Church and Hall, assisting at Funerals and Weddings and other activities in the Church or Hall, providing access eg to funeral directors, setting the heating of the Church and Hall, and clearing snow and ice. You may also be asked to assist ocassionally at the Old High Church and halls. This is a paid post. For further details contact the Rev Peter W Nimmo.

HANDBELLS We are starting a Handbell Group for children between 8 - 10 yrs, anyone interested contact Isobel Allan or Rena Beaton.

CHRISTIAN AID Volunteers needed to (wo)man a collection table at the Inshes Tesco for an hour or two (or more) between 9.30am and 6pm on Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th October. Volunteers will be in pairs. It's fun-you never know who you'll meet! See Darrell Walker or contact David Crippin

ORGAN FUND COFFEE MORNING This will take place in the Old High Hall on Saturday 17th October from 10am. Donations for the Cake and Candy stall will be greatly appreciated, also offers of help on the day- please contact Christine Cameron.

WALKING GROUP The next walk will take place today. Meet as usual at Inshes Retail car park, near the recycling centre at 1.45pm to share cars. If you need a lift to Inshes contact Ron Stevenson.

LUNCH CLUB The Lunch Club will meet this Thursday, 8th October at 12.30pm at the Craigmonie Hotel. You are very welcome to join us for lunch. For further information please contact Rae Swan.

LIVING THE QUESTIONS The next meeting of 'Living the Questions' will be on Wednesday 14th October at 7.30pm in the Olive Grove Cafe, at Kingsmills. Please note this is a change of date. We still have room for a few more. If you are interested please contact Ailsa Macinnes.

ALPHA MARRIAGE COURSE For further information contact Deborah and Malcolm Macrae.

MONDAY CLUB The Monday Club meets every Monday at 2.00pm. in St Stephen’s Church Hall. This is an opportunity for fellowship, conversation and the occasional illustrated talk. A warm welcome is extended to all. For further information contact Isobel Allan..

SIGNING FOR THE DEAF We will continue to offer sign language interpretation for the deaf at our services on the first Sunday of the Month at St Stephen's at 10am. The dates for this year are: Today 4 October, 1 November and 6 December. If you know anyone who would benefit from this please invite them along, or contact Alison Pyott for more information.

BIBLE SOCIETY BI-CENTENARY DINNER The Bible Society is celebrating its 200 years of service with a dinner and auction at the Drumossie Hotel on Tuesday 20th October – Tickets £20 from Ruth Martin (237949).

LECTURES ON CHRISTIANITY During November Professor Bill McBryde FRSE of the Crown Church will be giving four public lectures. Professor McBryde is a distinguished Professor of Law who has held chairs at Dundee and Edinburgh Universities, and as a visiting professor, in the Netherlands and France. He now lives in Inverness. He will present a layperson's and a lawyer's comment on varied aspects of the Bible.The approach of the lectures will be ecumenical and they are intended to be understood by lay people of any religion and none. Dates as follows:

1. The Lord's Prayer – Brothers and Sisters in Heaven-Friday 6th November.

2. The Lord's Prayer – Bread and Sin – Friday 13th November.

3. Which Bible to Use? - The Story and the Text – Friday 20th November.

4. The Joy of Being a Christian – Love, Trust and Banquets – Friday 27th November.

All Lectures will take place in St Stephen's Church Hall, Southside Road at 7.30pm. For further information contact Pat Douglas, Crown Church Publicity Officer Crown Church Office.

SUNDAY BULLETIN EDITOR For some time Florence Munro has been compiling the Sunday notices, and we thank her warmly for her all work. Our new editor, to whom all announcements should be now sent, is Mrs Joy Cossar. Her details are in the printed Bulletin, or you can email her via this blog's email function.

New Sunday Bulletin Editor

SUNDAY BULLETIN EDITOR For some time Florence Munro has been compiling the Sunday notices, and we thank her warmly for her all work. Our new editor, to whom all announcements should be now sent, is Mrs Joy Cossar. Her details are in the printed Bulletin, or you can email her via this blog's email function.

Good News from the Church of Scotland

The October edition of Good News is now available online in Microsoft Word and PDF format.

You will be able to access it by clicking here: http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/news/newsgoodnews.htm

This month we find out which congregation has won a national award for its website, and hear about the Church and Society Council’s concerns over updated regulations on assisted suicide in England and Wales.