Lossiemouth Church of Scotland

Today, our main Scripture is Psalm 15 – from the Old Testament. Sunday 29 January 2023 is the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany.

This psalm asks searching questions (‘A’) and provides immediate answers (‘B’) but we cannot immediately or easily see how to get from ‘A’ to ‘B’.

Who is blameless? Who speaks the truth from their heart all the time? Whose tongue is pure all the time? Who speaks out against evil all the time? And on it goes… How do we supply the working out from the questions to answers like those provided in the
psalm?

There is a straightforward solution. Find out more below.

The main Scripture for this week (two versions)

Psalm 15 (from The Message Bible Translation)
15 God, who gets invited
to dinner at your place?
How do we get on your guest list?

2 “Walk straight,
act right,
tell the truth.

3-4 “Don’t hurt your friend,
don’t blame your neighbour;
despise the despicable.

5 “Keep your word even when it costs you,
make an honest living,
never take a bribe.

“You’ll never get
blacklisted
if you live like this.”

[Read more…]

Here is the Sunday morning service at St. James’ Church, Lossiemouth on 22 January 2023, for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany.

All-age talk by Rev. Christine McWhirter, preaching on Luke 2: 41 – 52. This is the story of Jesus, aged 12, getting “lost” in Jerusalem, separated from his family – and of how he came to found and where he was found. Found after his family searched for him for 3 days.

“What is our dedication to ourselves? What is our dedication to each other? What is our dedication to our faith and our God?”

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Sunday 15 January 2023 is the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. The main Bible reading for this week is Psalm 40.

U2 (the rock band, formed in the late 1970s) quickly established a reputation for excellent live performances.

On 26 February 1983 they performed in Dundee and, for the first time, chose as the final song of the show, ’40’, which was a quickly composed song; only really intended as an album filler.

However, it became very popular as a concert closer, and between its debut and January 1990, there were only a handful of U2 concerts
that did not feature “40” as the closing song. During live performances, two members of the band would swap instruments and then the band members would progressively leave the stage, until the crowd were left all alone chanting the song’s refrain, “How long…to sing
this song?” – long after the band had left.

It had a very powerful effect and, especially so, considering that thousands of people were left singing together the words of an ancient
Hebrew psalm that was speaking meaningfully into their lives today.

Below, you will find the full text of Psalm 40 from The Message version of the Bible – and today’s video recording of the service, including Geoff’s sermon about “40”.

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We were delighted to welcome Bill to preach at St. James’ on Sunday 08 January 2023.

Here is the video of the service (featuring also Elfriede with the Children’s Address, about things which do – and do not – go out of date):

The service for 01 January 2023 is led by Elders from the two Churches in our linkage: St. Gerardine’s High Church and St. James’ Church.

Below, you will find the main Scripture reading for today, the order of service, the video of the service and the text of the Talk (with some hyperlinks to other material).

We hope this year brings you peace, joy, and love. Happy New Year!

Main Scripture for this week

Hebrews 2:10-18 (New International Version)
10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. 12 He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.”

13 And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again he says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

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