麻豆社

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This script cannot exactly reflect the transmission, as it was prepared before the service was broadcast. It may include editorial notes prepared by the producer, and minor spelling and other errors that were corrected before the radio broadcast.

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It may contain gaps to be filled in at the time so that prayers may reflect the needs of the world, and changes may also be made at the last minute for timing reasons, or to reflect current events.

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ITEM 1听听听 Hymn 1听听听 Chorus unaccompanied

Hush, Hush, Somebody鈥檚 Calling My Name听听

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ITEM听 2听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 INTRO听听听听听 BEVERLEY

The sound of someone鈥檚 voice can have a profound effect, especially when they speak your name.听 That was brought home to me one day as 听I was walking through Pontypridd and I saw a young man I鈥檇 met when he was sleeping in our Night Shelter.听 I stopped to say 鈥淗ello, Andrew鈥� and he burst into tears. I asked him what was wrong and he said, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe you remembered my name -you said my name鈥�.听 It was a moving moment 鈥� for both of us.

As a singer in opera houses and concert halls, I鈥檝e had to learn how to make my own voice heard and - as with all musicians - also to listen and respond to those making music around me. The focus of our worship together this morning is the importance of every voice 鈥� how we use it; how we listen to other voices and how we discern God鈥檚 voice through the living example of Jesus.

Leading the service with me is the Reverend Ray Vincent , a retired Baptist Minister and member of our fellowship here at St David鈥檚 Uniting Church . He鈥檚 also an Associate Chaplain to the University of South Wales, and he leads us now in prayer. 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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ITEM 3听 听PRAYER 1听 RAY

When we listen to the words of Jesus, we can learn a great deal about God鈥檚 relationship with us. In Matthew鈥檚 Gospel we read that Jesus spoke to each one of us and said 鈥淐ome to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest鈥�. Remembering those words we pray---------

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Loving God,

We thank you for the words of Jesus, full of tenderness and compassion.

Today we bring our voices to you in prayer and praise

And our sighs, too deep for words.

We bring you our sorrow when our faith falters and we lose our way and we ask for your forgiveness.

Through all the ups and downs of life,

we pray that we may know that you are with us,

trusting in this promise spoken by Jesus,

鈥業 am with you always, to the end of time.鈥櫶�听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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(ALL) :- Amen听听

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HYMN 2 听听听CHORUS / ORGAN听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听DUR.

Lord You sometimes speak in wonders

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听听听听听听听听 Tune: brother sister.

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ITEM 5听听听听听听听 REFLECTION 1听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 BEVERLEY

听听听听听听听听听听听 In that hymn, Christopher Idle reminds us that there are many ways in which God speaks to us - in wonders, in whispers, in silence, in scripture and always in Jesus. But being sure of what God is saying isn鈥檛 always straightforward and can be fraught with sensitivities. Christianity is sometimes dismissed because people imagine that it 鈥渁sks us to believe eleven impossible things before breakfast鈥�. 听听听Those who claim to have heard God speaking to them are often treated with scepticism, and sometimes with good reason!听 But even for those who have faith, certainty doesn鈥檛 come easily or automatically.

听听听听听听听听听听听 St. Paul鈥檚 friends in Thessalonica 听had this dilemma too and his advice to them was 鈥�Don鈥檛 quench God鈥檚 spirit - don鈥檛 ignore inspired messages - but test everything - hold fast to what is good.鈥澨� 听So when we believe that God is speaking to us - one test would be this - is what we hear or feel consistent with what we know of Jesus?

听听听听听听听听听听听 One of the last things Jesus said to his disciples was-鈥�Love one another as I have loved you and by this love everyone will know that you are mine鈥�. All his life, it was that love that shone through - in what he said and by the way he lived. His whole being radiated love and compassion and forgiveness. People followed him, crowded around him at the lakeside and on mountain tops - they wanted to hear his voice - to find out more about his new message - it was radical - counter intuitive even. Love your enemies? - be kind to those who hate you? 听听

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Jesus also said that status and celebrity were shallow - that it didn鈥檛 matter how much you earned or owned but that true success lay in the loving relationships you made and that those in power weren鈥檛 the final arbiters of how the world should be run. This thinking seemed completely upside down. No wonder some people thought he was dangerous and should be silenced - he was threatening the status quo! And that love he talked about - well he said it would sometimes mean we had to make difficult choices in our lives - that it would lead us to care about the poor and the vulnerable - and then of course you couldn鈥檛 be silent about exploitation and injustice and you鈥檇 see that everyone needed a second chance.

听听听听听听听听听听听 So when we put that potential 鈥渧oice of God鈥� to the test - the inclination to injure or hurt surely couldn鈥檛 come from the heart of Jesus the peacemaker and healer. The urge to hate and take revenge couldn鈥檛 come from Christ the compassionate friend and reconciler. 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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ITEM 6听听听听听听 PRAYER 2听听听听听听听听听听听听听 RAY

As we ask for guidance, we recognise that Christ鈥檚 message about the meaning and consequence of love, that we find so clearly in the Bible, is reiterated by many other voices:

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VOICE 1 (HELEN)

From the pages of novels, lines of poetry,

Cinema screens and song lyrics -

God of love -听 help us to discern your truth.

A flash of insight, a surge of hope,

A jab of conscience or a quiet reflection -

God of wisdom - help us to understand your truth

VOICE 2 (MICHAEL)

From the insightful advice of a friend

Or the wise words of a stranger -

God of grace - help us to hear your truth

When we find you in unexpected places

When your voice disturbs our complacency

God of compassion - help us to recognise your truth

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RAY

In a world of spin and sound-bites, tweets and texts -

In the noise and clamour of everyday life

Help us to pause and listen for your truth.

Forgive us when we misinterpret and mistake our own wishful thinking for your true guidance.

Whether you speak to us in a mighty symphony or in a still, small voice - open our hearts to receive your message of love, reassurance and forgiveness - In the name of Jesus Christ.

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HYMN 3 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听CHORUS/ORGAN听听听听听 听DUR:

Lord, speak to me, that I may speak

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ITEM 8听听听听听听听 LINK听听听听听听听听听听听听 RAY

鈥淭each me Lord that I may teach鈥� says Frances Havergall in that hymn. As a teacher, Jesus often spoke in parables - stories to illustrate his message. In this story in John鈥檚 Gospel Chapter 10, the example he used would have been familiar to the people listening to him then.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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ITEM 9听听听听听听听听听听 READING听 听听听听听听VOICE 1 (HELEN)

"I鈥檓 telling you the truth: anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.鈥澨� 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

John 10 v.1-5

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ITEM 10听听听听听听 REFLECTION 2听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 BEVERLEY

鈥淭hey know his voice鈥� - yes every voice is distinctive - with its own vocal 鈥渇ingerprint鈥� as it were.

听 Early on the Sunday morning after Jesus was crucified, Mary Magdalene was crying outside his tomb - the stone had been rolled away and Jesus was gone. The man she thought was the gardener asked her why she was crying - who was she looking for? Then he spoke her name 鈥撯�淢ary鈥� - only then did she know that he was Jesus.

听 As a singer and broadcaster I鈥檝e come to realise how important the sound of a voice can be.听 How often do we say - 鈥淥h, it鈥檚 so lovely to hear your voice鈥�.听 When my young son went backpacking - on his own - around New Zealand,听 sometimes a week or two would go by without any news from him - all the terrible possibilities would go through my mind听 - and then that call would come- and oh the relief of hearing his voice.

听 At times when we鈥檙e feeling low or lonely, hearing a familiar voice on the telephone - or even on the radio - can bring comfort and consolation.听 Many older people feel the acute isolation of loneliness - sometimes going for days without speaking to anyone. A recently founded telephone helpline has uncovered a desperate need.听 Over the last six months they鈥檝e received thousands of telephone calls from those longing for some human contact - yearning to hear a friendly voice asking 鈥淎re you all right ?鈥� and then spending time to stay on the line and talk. After a late night call, one man said 鈥淚 felt I belonged to the human race again鈥�.听听

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听听听听听听听听听听听 Of course it isn鈥檛 only the elderly who feel like that. For the past fourteen years, here in St David鈥檚 Uniting Church we鈥檝e been involved with caring for people who are homeless - that鈥檚 how I met Andrew whom I mentioned earlier on -and those years of experience have taught me the importance of listening and sharing.

听 听听听听听听听听听 A voice can transform a moment and the tone can matter almost as much as what we say.听 Proverbs 15 tells us that 鈥淕entle words bring life, but cruel words crush the spirit.鈥澨� Often today we hear people speaking to one another with anger and hatred - even in television programmes or films that are meant to be entertainment - ugly, cruel tones that ridicule and belittle - and lies and half-truths seem often to be accepted as the norm.

听 The words of Jesus set us a challenge, reminding us that before we open our lips, we do have a choice - instead of criticism and hostility, we can choose to speak with love and respect and honesty.听 Of course words can and should be strong and challenging too - Jesus spoke plainly about wrongs that need to be righted - but his message was centred on forgiveness, compassion and love.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Our previous hymn ended with the lines -

鈥淎nd wing my words, that they may reach the hidden depths of many a heart鈥�.听听听 Let鈥檚 pray for God鈥檚 help so that our words may do just that.听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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ITEM 11听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 PRAYER 3听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 RAY

Loving God,

In prayer we put our concerns into words and align ourselves with your love for the world.

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VOICE 2 听(MICHAEL)听

听We think of voices raised in hymns of praise and thank you for their harmony

We think of hands, moving expressively to speak in sign language

We remember other voices, weakened through age or hunger, silenced by disease or breaking with despair,

And we give thanks for those whose voices bring encouragement and understanding.

We think of children鈥檚 voices, crying in fear and pain and we give thanks for those whose gentle tones stem the tears and soothe the hurt.

We think of the whistle-blower, risking her job to highlight the truth

And the victim of bullying, stripped of his self-worth by the sound of abuse

And we give thanks for those who speak out for fairness and honesty.

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听听听听听听听听听 VOICE听 1听 (HELEN)

We think of voices rippling with laughter or shouting with delight,听

And we thank you for the joy of family and friendship and sharing.

We think of the voice of the risen Jesus, reassuring Mary in the garden, inspiring faith and hope.

Help us to use our voices so that others may know your love and receive your blessing.

In the name of Jesus who knows each of us by name.

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ITEM 12听听听听听 LINK听听听听 听听听听听 RAY

As we thank God for voices raised in prayer and praise, the 麻豆社 National Chorus of Wales, celebrating its 30th birthday this month, sings the Lord鈥檚 Prayer in a setting by the Welsh composer William Matthias.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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ITEM 13听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CHORUS/ORGAN 听听听听听听听 DUR:

Lord鈥檚 Prayer听 - Matthias听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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ITEM 14听听 LINK & READING听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 MICHAEL

On one occasion Jesus said to his followers 鈥淭he words I have spoken to you are spirit and life鈥�. In Romans 10, Paul offered encouraging 听advice听 on how to share and give voice to that Good News. 听鈥︹�μ� 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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READING听 听听听听MICHAEL 听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 DUR:

The scripture says 鈥淲hoever believes in him will not be disappointed鈥�. This includes everyone, because there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles; God is the same Lord of all and richly blesses all who call to him. As the scripture says 鈥淓veryone who calls out to the Lord for help will be saved. But how can they call for help if they have not believed? And how can they believe if they have not heard the message? And how can they hear if the message is not proclaimed? And how can the message be proclaimed if the messengers are not sent out? 听As the scripture says 鈥淗ow wonderful is the coming of messengers who bring good news!鈥澨�听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

Romans 10: 8-15

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ITEM 15听听听听听 HYMN 5听听听听听 听CHORUS/ORGAN听听听 DUR:

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There's a spirit in the air,
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ITEM 16听听听听听 REFLECTION 3听听听听听听听听 BEVERLEY听听听 DUR:

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听听听听听听听听听听听 Brian Wren鈥檚 hymn encourages us to 鈥�Lose your shyness, find your tongue, tell the world what God has done鈥�. 听听When we do, there鈥檚 the potential for changing attitudes, for turning everything upside down, as Jesus did. And we may see the results听 鈥�living, working in our world鈥�. But alongside, there comes the need to listen to other voices.

听听听听听听听听听听听 I read a beguiling interpretation of 听Psalm116 recently - it began 鈥淚 love the Lord; for not only does He hear my voice, but He leaned down when I was in trouble and brought His ear close to me鈥�.听 听What a beautiful image that is- God leaning close, to catch our softest whisper. 听Maybe that鈥檚 an example for us. When we say 鈥淗ow are you?鈥� - do we really listen to the answer and show genuine interest when someone tells their story, shares their experience, pours out their troubles.

听听听听听听听听听听听 And there鈥檚 a bigger challenge too - in Proverbs we鈥檙e urged to "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute" and in Isaiah we鈥檙e asked to 鈥渟eek justice. Defend the oppressed鈥�.

听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Oscar Romero is remembered as being 鈥淭he Voice of the Voiceless鈥�. In 1977 he was made Archbishop of San Salvador 鈥� a quiet man of prayer who at first kept himself separate from the radicals in his flock 鈥� but gradually, the poor around him showed him that they needed much more from the Church than catechism and sacrament 鈥� they needed him to speak out against injustice, to be the voice of a people who had no voice 鈥� and for this, Oscar Romero听 won the Nobel Prize for Peace and was murdered in front of the altar .

听听听听听听听听听听听 A friend of mine has just come back from El Salvador and says that even now, 34 years after his assassination, Oscar Romero鈥檚 voice is still being heard in South America. His tender love for the vulnerable and destitute, his unfailing resolution is still alive - giving strength to some of the poorest people of El Salvador, as they battle against powerful business interests to stop the deforestation that鈥檚 polluting and flooding and destroying their communities.

听听听听听听听听听听听 It takes courage to speak out - to swim against the tide -and when we hear examples of those who do just that, it can take our breath away. 听听Think of the young schoolgirl, . 听听She campaigned in Pakistan for the rights of girls to be educated - Desmond Tutu nominated her for the International Children鈥檚 Peace Prize - but those who opposed her message thought her voice should be silenced. In October 2012, fourteen year old Malala was shot as she boarded her school bus. Miraculously she survived and her courage has inspired others all over the world to support her cause.

听Malala says 听听鈥�鈥�

So we have empirical evidence that a voice is a powerful tool. How will we use ours? Is our voice in harmony with God鈥檚? 听Through His grace we are not only his children but also partners and fellow -workers with Christ - and if we don鈥檛 speak from love - who will?听听听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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HYMN 6听听听听听听听听听 CHORUS / ORGAN听听听听听 DUR:听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

Make me a channel of your peace.听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

Paul Mealor.

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ITEM 18听听听听听听听 PRAYER 听听听听听听听听听听听听RAY听听听听听听听 DUR:

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Paul Mealor鈥檚 setting of the prayer of St Francis - a prayer for peace听 - and so we pray --

Loving God

We give thanks for all those who speak out for peace and justice,

We think of those imprisoned through lies and corruption -

Of families, torn from their homes because of war.

We remember those in the Middle East or parts of Africa or the Ukraine - paralysed by the fear of what might come next from the mouths of leaders or the barrel of a gun.

We think of teachers, preachers, broadcasters and politicians听

And pray that they may be given the wisdom to recognise your truth and the courage and integrity to speak it.

In the name of Jesus Christ.听 听AMEN听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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ITEM 19听听听听听听 CONCLUSION听听 BEVERLEY听听听听听听听 DUR:

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We may long to be that 鈥漜hannel听 of peace鈥澨� but 听the overwhelming suffering in the world, the atrocities of war, poverty, injustice, inhumanity - 听can all seem so huge, so insurmountable that we feel helpless and unable to do anything to make a difference. Yet Desmond Tutu says 鈥�Do your little bit of good wherever you are: it鈥檚 those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world鈥�. 听And centuries before, St. David the patron saint of Wales, said 'Remember the little things.'

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A simple conversation, what we say and how we say it, has the power to wound or heal - the way we listen and respond can add to someone鈥檚 feelings of inadequacy or brighten their day. A voice has the potential to make an instant connection and if we are truly in harmony with that upside down, counter-cultural way of living that Jesus talked about, words that may seem unimportant take on a huge significance and can change the world.

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ITEM 20听听听听听听 HYMN 听7 听CHORUS/ORGAN听听听听听听听 DUR:

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Christ has called us to each other

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听听听听听听 Words Beverley Humphreys

听听听听听听听听听听听 (tune Blaenwern)

听

ITEM 21听听听听听听 BLESSING听 -听 BEVERLEY听听听

听

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ

the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

Be with us all, now and for evermore听听听 Amen听听听听听听听听听

听

听

ITEM 22听听听听听听 ORGAN PLAYOUT 听听 听听SIMON BELL

听

听