St James' Church of Scotland, Lossiemouth
For Christ, For You
It’s Halloween!
Today is also the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost.
Tomorrow is All Saints’ Day.
In today’s sermon, Rev. Geoff McKee discusses some of the shackles the Church has traditonally placed on Halloween celebrations. He explains Halloween’s historical context in the Celtic tradition. Drawing on today’s main Sermon text (Revelation 21:1-8), why dwell on the effects of pain, suffering, death and decay, Geoff asks, when you have something wonderful to celebrate?
We have set Sunday 24 October 2021 aside as a special ‘Creation Sunday’ service in the lead up to the COP26 Conference in Glasgow.
We focus our attention on God’s Creation and our role as its guardians.
Below, you will find the main Bible text for today – Psalm 24 – together with the Order of Service, the Video of the Service, led by Rev. Geoff McKee. and a musical selection by Katherine Robertson, our Musical Director.
Sunday 17 October 2021 is the 21st Sunday after Pentecost. Mark 10:35-45 is the main Lectionary reading.
Jesus’ disciples, James and John, make a request of him which we could criticise. But, in reality, as a request born out of fear and a desire for self-preservation, it’s perhaps a request we could also see ourselves making if we were in the same position. Why is that the case?
Below, you will find the main reading in full, together with the Video Service, led by Rev. Geoff McKee.
A previous version of today’s sermon can be found here.
Our Good News Club text for this week was Luke 15:1-7. The Story of the Lost Sheep.
Here’s some of the craftwork we made, based on a Lesson from the book Sunday School in a Tin! by Eleanor King.
Luke 15:1-10 (from The Message Translation)
The Story of the Lost Sheep
15 1-3 By this time a lot of men and women of questionable reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story.
4-7 “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
Sunday 10 October 2021 is Harvest Thanksgiving Sunday, as well as the 20th Sunday after Pentecost.
The main reading is from the New Testament Gospel of St. Luke, Chapter 5 and Verses 17-25 in which Jesus heals a paraplegic on a stretcher – a man whose friends have fought through the crowds surrounding Jesus, climbed up onto the roof, removed some tiles, and lowered the man down, right in front of Jesus – to be healed.
Rev. Geoff McKee follows a wonderful thread in the poetic works of Seamus Heaney, revealing how this Biblical event clearly left a huge impression on one of Ireland’s most famous writers.
Below, you will find The Message translation of the Luke passage, the Order of Service, the video of the service from St James and a concluding ‘Musical Selection’ chosen by Katherine Robertson, our organist and director of music.
Luke 5:17-26 (The Message)
17 One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and religion teachers were sitting around. They had come from nearly every village in Galilee and Judea, even as far away as Jerusalem, to be there. The healing power of God was on him.
18-20 Some men arrived carrying a paraplegic on a stretcher. They were looking for a way to get into the house and set him before Jesus. When they couldn’t find a way in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof, removed some tiles, and let him down in the middle of everyone, right in front of Jesus. Impressed by their bold belief, he said, “Friend, I forgive your sins.”
21 That set the religion scholars and Pharisees buzzing. “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemous talk! God and only God can forgive sins.”
22-26 Jesus knew exactly what they were thinking and said, “Why all this gossipy whispering? Which is simpler: to say ‘I forgive your sins,’ or to say ‘Get up and start walking’? Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man and authorised to do either, or both. . . .” He now spoke directly to the paraplegic: “Get up. Take your bedroll and go home.” Without a moment’s hesitation, he did it—got up, took his blanket, and left for home, giving glory to God all the way. The people rubbed their eyes, stunned—and then also gave glory to God. Awestruck, they said, “We’ve never seen anything like that!”
Welcome and Intimations
Call to Worship
Praise: Now we sing a harvest song
Prayers of Adoration and Confession
Children’s Address
Praise: Lord of the Harvest & Harvest Time
Readings: Joel 2:21-27 & Psalm 126
Praise: MP185 God is good & MP353 Jehovah Jireh
Readings: 1 Timothy 2:1-7 & Luke 5:17-25
Sermon
Praise: MP153 For the fruits of His creation
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Praise: Praise the Lord for His creation
Benediction & Threefold Amen
The Gospel story is notable for the way in which the helpers, those who have known him all along, are to the fore, and the paralysed man, is in the background.
Rev. Geoff McKee
