Minister: Katherine Taylor
Organist: Iain Mackinnon
Welcome and Intimations
Call to Worship – (Based on Psalm 19)
God of sun, moon and stars
Your glory speaks in the heavens.
God of sea, rivers and lochs
Your glory speaks in the earth.
God of time, maker of day and night
Your glory will speak to the world forever.
We worship and praise You, Lord of Creation.
Hymn 214 New every morning
Prayer of Approach ending with the Lord’s Prayer
First Thought
Scriptures: Mark 8: 27-38 – Reader, Annie Addison
Sermon – Who do you say I am?
Hymn 378 Praise to the Holiest in the height
Doxology – spoken together
Prayer of Dedication for the Offering
Prayers for the World
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer
Hymn 555 Amazing Grace
Benediction
Threefold Amen
Closing Voluntary – Gloria. JA André (1775-1842)
Creation Panel – Beryl Curlett
Picture – Unidentified Artist. Gold Cross, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.
INTIMATIONS
Sunday Services – Services continue at 11 am. Please remember that some Covid-19 requirements are still in place; please arrive by 10:55 at the latest.
Opening the Church – The church building and garden are open to all on Tuesday and Friday mornings between 10 am and 12 noon. Please add your name to the rota in the church vestibule if you are available to help.
National Giving Day -Please see the separate handout and join us on Saturday 25 September at 12 noon in the Hall for a snack lunch and a time of thanksgiving and fellowship.
Pastoral Care – Would you like to be involved in the pastoral care work of the congregation? This would mean keeping in touch with a few people either by visiting or by telephone. We are arranging a meeting of those interested to take place this month and if you would like to come along to find out more, please let Katherine or Anne know.
Newspaper collection appeal – Inverkeithing High School is collecting newspapers to make geodesic domes – they need a lot of them! If you would like to help, please recycle papers to Jenny Martin.
Foodbank Fundraising – Alison Roxburgh, General Manager of the Foodbank, is doing the Kiltwalk on Sunday 26th September to raise funds. Her target is £2,000 and she would appreciate any support from us.
http://www.justgiving.com/Scotlandskiltwalk2021-AlisonRoxburgh
or speak to Stewart Lowe.
Prayer for this Sunday evening – Visit the Church of Scotland website to hear the prayer
Christians join in prayer in response to the Covid-19 pandemic | The Church of Scotland
“Questions about identity are very much to the fore in our day and age. The asking of a question is, of course, very much easier than providing an answer and the result is that we have many more questions than agreed answers.
“At a pivotal moment in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus asks a question which might be said to be about identity: ‘Who do people say I am?’
“In response, the disciples harvest the many opinions that are in circulation: ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ There are many opinions, but no agreed answer.
“Jesus then asks the question directly to the disciples: ‘But what about you?…Who do you say I am?’ In response, Peter replies: ‘You are the Christ.’ Amidst all the opinions of the day, Peter provides an answer to the question of the identity of Jesus and he affirms that he is the Christ.
“In the midst of the many questions of our day, we affirm this answer for ourselves and resolve to follow in the way of the Cross. (Mark 8: 27-38)”
We pray:
God our Father,
You anoint Your Son
And send Him forth into the world.
We receive the gift of Your Son
As Your gift to Creation and to all peoples
And respond with gratitude and thanksgiving.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
You anoint Your Son
And send Him forth into the world.
As we receive Your Son,
May we hear the questions He asks of us
And be willing to respond in faith and trust.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
You anoint Your Son
And send Him forth into the world.
As we share the gift of Your Son,
May we listen to the voices of those beside us
That we might understand more fully the breadth of Your Creation.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
You anoint Your Son
And send Him forth into the world.
As we listen to the many questions that are asked in our world
May we respond with grace and in truth,
And with shared silence to the questions that are hard to bear.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
You anoint Your Son
And send Him forth into the world.
As we hear Your Son speak to us
May we humbly confess
That He is the Christ, the anointed One of God.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.