麻豆社

OPENING HYMN: BE THOU MY VISION (Tune:听 Slane)听 First Verse

VERY REV KELVIN HOLDSWORTH听

Good morning and welcome to St Mary鈥檚 Cathedral, Glasgow. My name is Kelvin Holdsworth and I鈥檓 the Provost here.

This Cathedral Church of the Scottish Episcopal Church can be found on one of Glasgow鈥檚 busiest streets. And the city is buzzing at the moment. For more than 30 years, Glasgow has played host to a midwinter festival, Celtic Connections, which brings people to hear folk, roots and world music. This January there will be over 300 concerts and all kinds of events celebrating music from all over the world.听

Although the starting point for the festival is music with Celtic origins, these roots become entwined with musical experiences from all over the world.听

Everything that will be sung in this service has some kind of Celtic connection 鈥� the music comes from composers and authors from the Celtic nations, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. However, as we鈥檒l discover in our bible readings, in God鈥檚 company the local and particular are merely jumping off points for experiences that are universal.

In this service we celebrate the way our local experience of God connects us to all those who are seeking to build a world of peace and wholeness for all who walk the earth to enjoy.

Joining me this morning to lead our worship is the Vice Provost, the Rev Canon Sarah Shaw.听

SARAH

What kind of vision do we share about what the world should be like?听

We now continue our hymn, Be Thou My Vision, which asks us to keep our focus on God as we take each step of our earthly pilgrimage.听 God is seen here as offering a vision for the way ahead, wisdom for the journey and armour to protect us when the world feels rough and we face days of struggle.

BE THOU MY VISION (From verse 2)

KELVIN - COLLECT

Eternal God,
from whom no purpose of love can be thwarted:
you call the nations to your holy mountain
to learn your ways and walk in your paths,
that swords may be beaten into ploughshares
and the earth be schooled in peace.

Strengthen us in the assurance that nothing
can听separate us from your love;
until all creation is gathered into your reign of justice and joy;
in the power of the Spirit and through Jesus Christ our Lord.

ALL: Amen听

SARAH听

The first reading that we have in this service comes from the early parts of the first of the prophecies that make up the book of Isaiah. In it there is a sudden glimpse of the mountain of the Lord鈥檚 house becoming a place not just for local worship but a place for people of all nations to come to.听

And in that place, God is portrayed sorting out all the disagreements of the earth, beating weapons of war into farming tools 鈥� turning things that could maim and harm into things that can be used to provide food and bring plenty.听

The result of God鈥檚 activity is a lasting peace on earth, though that is a peace that is learned by human beings directly from the example of God at work.

READER- 1ST READING: Isaiah 2.1-5
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

In days to come
听 听the mountain of the Lord鈥檚 house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
听 听 and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
听 听 听Many peoples shall come and say,
鈥楥ome, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
听 听 to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
听 听 and that we may walk in his paths.鈥�
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
听 听 and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
听 听 and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
听 听 and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
听 听 neither shall they learn war any more.
For the Word of God in Scripture, for the word of God among us.

ALL: Thanks be to God

KELVIN:

Those words from Isaiah speak of a world at peace with itself. This has more often seemed a far distant dream than it has been a reality. However, having a vision of where you want to end up is key to deciding where you want to go next.听

We are currently in the season of Epiphany where week by week the church celebrates all who discover God. The choir now sings about God having walked alongside human beings by becoming one of us. Turning towards God we find ourselves making our way to a place of peace and of rest where everyone can belong.

Local hymnwriter John Bell offers new words to an Irish tune, 鈥楾he Lark in the Clear Air鈥�.听

LET YOUR RESTLESS HEARTS BE STILL 鈥� John L Bell

SARAH听

In our second reading today we hear of the whole of creation groaning as though in labour pains as something new is being born. That new birth comes out of hope and longing for a different way of being.听

A whole new world comes into existence when people realise that nothing, nothing at all, can separate people from the love of God.听

READER 鈥� SECOND READING: Romans 8.18-25, 31 - 37

A reading from the Epistle to the Romans.听

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God鈥檚 elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,

鈥楩or your sake we are being killed all day long;
听 听 we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.鈥�

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For the Word of God among us, for the word of God within us.

ALL: Thanks be to God听

SARAH:

One of the suggestions that the bible makes is that instead of knowing God as an oppressive presence or as a distant unknowable being, we might know God as a friend.

听

Our next hymn speaks of God coming to us as though one amongst a group of friends. And the God who knows each of our names tends us and heals us and accepts us. After we鈥檝e sung it, Kelvin will reflect on our yearning for the God who delights in us and offers to become a trusted friend.听

HYMN:听 TAKE THIS MOMENT 鈥� John L Bell / Graham Maule

KELVIN - REFLECTION Part 1听

I got an invitation. A very brief email. All it said was the date and the time. And these words, 鈥淲ear tartan and I鈥檒l allocate poems to be read with translations into English, Ukrainian and Japanese鈥�.听

And I replied. 鈥淵es, OK. And I鈥檒l turn up with something to sing.鈥澨�

And I know that when I get there, I know what I'll have to eat: Haggis neeps and tatties. (That鈥檚 haggis, turnips and potatoes for those listening from furth of Scotland).听

Poetry. Singing. A dram of whisky. And a toast to Scotland鈥檚 national bard.

Today is his day and Burns Night dinners are being held at this time across Scotland and wherever Scots gather.

The one that I鈥檒l be going to will be relatively informal and I鈥檒l try to remember fragments of the poetry of Robert Burns that I learned at school. It will be distinctively Scottish, but at the dinner I鈥檓 going to, friends from Ukraine and Japan will be drawn into the evening and their cultures celebrated too.

Burns was a poet of love and nature who lived his short life not very far from here. He was a fierce and passionate lover who promised everything to the 鈥� many women he loved. And he knew exactly how to slap down hypocrites with scathing verse 鈥� some of it directed to those in power in the church as well as those in civil authority.

It is difficult to know what Celtic culture really means. But a passionate spirit, a way with words and a spirituality somehow in touch with nature would probably be things that people would name.

Though a poet of love, Burns was not a mere sentimentalist. He wrote of nature, red in tooth and claw. He knew that life can be hard and cruel and knew how much people just want to feel embraced in love.听

Many of the stories we have in Scotland of the Celtic saints who brought Christianity to this land also seem to be unsentimental in their attitude to the natural order.听

There鈥檚 many a story of them praying their prayers or reciting their psalms on rugged rocks by the sea or submerged in the cold water of a river or burn.听

The choir are about to sing a piece by the Welsh composer William Mathias. Its exciting chords and rhythms make me imagine the saints of old in a chilly winter jumping into ice cold water, surrounded by icicles on the trees in order to sing their alleluias.听

Alleluya psallat haec familia:听 Alleluia 鈥� let us all sing together. With tambourines and lyres, let us all sing God鈥檚 praises together.听

ANTHEM:听 ALLELUYA PSALLAT听 - William Mathias 鈥� 13th Century Latin, English version John Morehen

Alleluya psallat haec familia
Alleluya concinat haec familia.
Alleluya timpanizet, alleluya;
Alleluya citharizet, alleluya
Alleluya psallat laetus coetus cum armonia.
Alleluya psallat in armonia, alleluya.
Alleluya timpanizet,
alleluya citharizet laetus coetus cum armonia.
Alleluya psallat Deo laudem et praeconia, alleluya.
Alleluya!听

KELVIN - REFLECTION Part 2听

The first reading that we heard this morning speaks of a particular experience and a particular place becoming a place for all of humankind.

The poetry of Isaiah is all about worshiping in a particular place 鈥� Mount Zion in the holy land. But the vision presented is that this is to become a place for all of humankind, with people being drawn from all over the world to celebrate in a divine dwelling place.听

It is easy to feel that the world is becoming ever more fragmented. International affairs at the moment make me feel as though the whole human experience is shattering like ice cracking underfoot on a cold day.听

Sometimes it is important to remember poetry and songs and visions of human beings coming together and building up the common good.听

As the nations stream into the house of God in Isaiah鈥檚 vision they learn things. The house of God turns out to be something of a learning place. A school for the good life. A place to learn how to live at peace with one another.听

My hunch is that no human being has ever lived in a world that was entirely at ease with itself. It isn鈥檛 the human experience to live in a world of peace.

But that world of peace and plenty is the deep, deep desire of humanity. I long for a world where connections are made and lives lived that will build up that common good.听

The vision of a world where swords are beaten into ploughshares 鈥� weapons transformed into tools to feed people is thousands of years old and has never come to pass. But does that make it worthless?听

I think not.听

I think that a world where the hungry are fed and the tears are wiped away from every eye and people are known for singing together rather than fighting together is a dream worth hanging onto.听

Our second reading this morning was very real about what human life is like. It spoke of things present and things to come, rulers and authorities, and even death itself as being entirely unable to separate us from the love of God.听

For Christians, God鈥檚 love of humanity is intrinsically tied up with that dream of a better world. Part of our story in Scotland is that we have received that dream on the lips of the Celtic saints and others who have passed on the faith. And we are connected with all who share the hope of a world put right.

It is that better world for which Christians pray. Endlessly. Ceaselessly. And it is that better world for which we pray today.

SARAH & JONATHAN - INTERCESSIONS听

ORGAN with prayers:听 Cronan na Mara听(Opus 14, No. 1)
鈥楥ronan na Mara鈥�, or 鈥楾he Croon of the Sea鈥�, from Julian Nesbitt鈥檚 Celtic Suite, 鈥楬ebrid Seas鈥�.听

JONATHAN:听听Let us pray.

Ever-living God, we offer our thanks and praise for all that is good in the life of the
world. In particular today, we give thanks for the diversity of music and human
creativity which enriches and unites communities, and gives expression to our
common desire for justice and peace.

Lord, hear us.
ALL:听 Lord, graciously hear us.听

SARAH:听 God of peace, calling to mind the troubled places of our world, we pray for leaders
and peacemakers, and for all those intent on violence.
May the grace and truth of听the Epiphany season enlighten the minds of all with compassion, and the will to lay听down weapons for the sake of lasting peace.

Lord, hear us.
ALL:听 Lord, graciously hear us.听

JONATHAN:听 Merciful God, we pray for all who are oppressed, persecuted, or imprisoned;
especially where people do not enjoy freedom of expression, creativity or belief.
Give to those who suffer courage in adversity, and comfort them with your听presence.

Lord, hear us.
ALL:听 Lord, graciously hear us.听

SARAH:听 Creator God, your desire for your creation is not decay, but wholeness and life.
Inspire us to care better for the world, its plants, animals, insects and peoples.
Give听scientists and inventors wisdom and creativity, and enable them to help us
change听our ways in order to slow down global warming.

Lord, hear us.
ALL:听 Lord, graciously hear us.听

JONATHAN:听 Healer God, we pray for those we know who are suffering in mind, body or spirit this听day.
Draw close to them, that they may know your peace which passes all听understanding.

Lord, hear us.
ALL:听 Lord, graciously hear us.听

SARAH:听 God of eternal love, we pray for those who have died; giving thanks that nothing,
not even death, can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus.
We remember those听whom we love but see no more.
May they rest in peace听(All) and rise in glory.

Lord, hear us.
ALL:听 Lord, graciously hear us.听

LORD鈥橲 PRAYER - KELVIN & CONGREGATION听

KELVIN: So let us join all our prayers with those of our Lord. As our Saviour has taught us, so we pray.

ALL: Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins听as we forgive those
who sin听against us.
Do not bring us to the听time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
the power听and the glory are yours,
now and听for ever. Amen.听

SARAH - LINK to Final hymn

The vision of a world at peace runs through scripture and is embedded in the hearts of all who seek the common good.听

Our final hymn is one of the Scottish paraphrases of scripture, crying out for swords to be beaten into ploughshares and it goes to the boisterous hymn tune Glasgow.听

It is a demand and a cry for all we hope for 鈥� a world at peace with itself and the peoples of the world shining with 鈥渉oly beauty鈥�.

HYMN:听 BEHOLD THE MOUNTAIN听 (Tune 鈥� GLASGOW from Moore鈥檚 Psalm-Singer鈥檚 Pocket Companion, 1756)

1 Behold! The mountain of the Lord
in latter days shall rise
on mountain tops above the hills,
and draw the wondering eyes.听

2 To this the joyful nations round,

all tribes and tongues, shall flow;
up to the hill of God, they鈥檒l say,
and to his house we鈥檒l go.听

4 Among the nations he shall judge;
his judgements truth shall guide;
his sceptre shall protect the just,
and quell the sinner鈥檚 pride.听

5 No strife shall rage, nor hostile feuds
disturb those peaceful years;
to ploughshares men shall beat their swords,
to pruning-hooks their spears.听

6 No longer hosts, encountering hosts,
shall crowds of slain deplore:
they hang the trumpet in the hall,
and study war no more.听

7 Come then, O house of Jacob! Come
to worship at his shrine;
and, walking in the light of God,
with holy beauties shine.听

KELVIN and ALL听

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.听

KELVIN

And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the companionship of the Holy Spirit be with us all forever more.

ALL: Amen听

CHOIR: AN IRISH BLESSING听 (James E Moore)

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