Fourth Sunday in Lent
Minister: Rev. John Tait
Organist: Iain Mackinnon
Welcome and Intimations
Call to Worship
Hymn 110 Glory be to God the Father
1 Glory be to God the Father,
glory be to God the Son,
glory be to God the Spirit, –
great Jehovah, Three in One!
Glory, glory, glory, glory
while eternal ages run!
2 Glory be to him who loved us,
washed us from each spot and stain!
Glory be to him who bought us,
made us kings with him to reign!
Glory, glory, glory, glory
to the Lamb that once was slain!
3 Glory to the King of angels,
glory to the Church’s King,
glory to the King of nations!
Heaven and earth, your praises bring;
glory, glory, glory, glory
to the King of Glory bring!
4 ‘Glory, blessing, praise eternal!’
Thus the choir of angels sings;
‘Honour, riches, power, dominion!’
Thus its praise creation brings;
glory, glory, glory, glory,
glory to the King of kings!
Prayer of Approach, ending with Lord’s PrayerFirst Thought
Hymn 182 Now thank we all our God
1 Now thank we all our God,
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers’ arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
2 Oh, may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever-joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
and keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
in this world and the next.
3 All praise and thanks to God
who reigns in highest heaven –
the Father and the Son
and Spirit – now be given:
the one, eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore
Readings: Joshua 5: 9-12 and 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21 – Beryl Curlett
Sermon
Hymn 489 Come down O Love Divine
1 Come down, O Love Divine
seek out this soul of mine,
and visit it with your own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, your holy flame bestowing.
2 O let it freely burn,
till earthly passions turn
to dust and ashes, in its heat consuming;
and let your glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.
3 Let holy charity
my outward vesture be,
and lowliness become my inner clothing;
true lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
and o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.
4 And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
shall far outpass the power of human telling;
we cannot guess its grace,
till we become the place
wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.
Doxology – spoken together
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Prayer of Dedication for the Offering
Prayers for the World
Hymn 551 In heavenly love abiding
1 In heavenly love abiding,
no change my heart shall fear:
and safe is such confiding,
for nothing changes here:
the storm may roar without me,
my heart may low be laid;
but God is round about me,
and can I be dismayed?
2 Wherever he may guide me,
no want shall turn me back;
my Shepherd is beside me,
and nothing can I lack.
His wisdom ever waketh,
his sight is never dim:
he knows the way he taketh,
and I will walk with him.
3 Green pastures are before me,
which yet I have not seen;
bright skies will soon be o’er me,
where darkening clouds have been.
My hope I cannot measure:
my path to life is free:
my Saviour has my treasure,
and he will walk with me.
Benediction
Closing Voluntary – Prelude in C major. JS Bach (1685-1750)
INTIMATIONS
Sunday Services – We welcome the Rev. John Tait who is leading our service today.
Next Sunday, 3 April, our worship will be led by Rev Jennifer Booth and Tim Linford from South Leith.
Annual Congregational Meeting – This will take place next Sunday in the church after the morning service; copies of the Annual Report & Accounts and the minutes of last year’s Annual Meeting are available today.
Sharing with other churches
Thursday afternoon meeting at South Leith Halls – the next meeting will be on Thursday, 7 April, at 2:00pm.
Daily Prayer group: If you would like to join a local churches WhatsApp mobile phone group, organised by Rev John Tait, to receive a short daily prayer, please speak to Annie or Anne.
Monthly Prayer Diary: If you would like to receive a monthly prayer list, compiled by Newhaven Church, please speak to Annie or Anne.
Weekly Bible Study: If you are interested in joining a Bible Study meeting organised by Newhaven and held on Wednesday evenings by Zoom please speak to Anne or Jimmy.
On the second anniversary of the announcement of the first lockdown, Lord Wallace, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland released this prayer.
Through your Son who, even now, prays for us.
Hear us, as we cast our memory back
And remember the first announcement of Lockdown.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God, we call to you
Through your Son who, even now, prays for us.
Hear us, as we recall all we have endured as a Nation
In the years that have passed since then.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God, we call to you
Through your Son who, even now, prays for us.
Hear us, as we stand in the dark shadows
With all who have suffered the deepest loss.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God, we call to you
Through your Son who, even now, prays for us.
Hear us, as we give thanks for all who have sustained us by their service:
Nurses and carers; doctors and researchers; delivery drivers and vaccinators.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God, we call to you
Through your Son who, even now, prays for us.
Hear us and grant to us light, that we may journey into the days that lie ahead
In the sure knowledge that, come what may, you are always with us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
