(All our songs this morning are from Singing the Faith (StF) & Hymns & Psalms (H&P) numbers will be given where available)
Welcome to our Sunday Service, today shared on paper across our circuit and with the congregation at Thornton Methodist Church led by Brian Gamble one of our Circuit Local Preachers.
Click on the blue links to follow them for bible readings and associated links
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life for evermore.
Song – StF 15 – The splendour of a King
Let’s pray
Lord God as we sing your praises we declare that you are almighty, all knowing, ever present and all loving. You are the creator who made this amazing world for us to call home.
We thank you that you are always present in our lives and that, as we look around, we can see the work of your hands.
Everything you made is beautiful or useful or both.
We are sorry that we don’t always appreciate the things you have made and don’t care for them as we should.
But Jesus tells us that you are always willing to forgive our mistakes and so we rely on your grace and mercy to help us begin again.
Song – StF 436 – What shall I do my God to love
Readings
Mathew 5: 1-12
John 15: 9-17
Song – StF 481 – The King of love my Shepherd is
In 1899 Czar Nicholas of Russia organised an international peace conference which was attended by representatives from twenty-six countries. this led to the establishment of the Permanent Court of Arbitration to which all nations could take their disputes.
It was decided that this eminent court that worked for world peace deserved an impressive and awe-inspiring residence and so an international architecture competition was launched for the design of the Peace Palace. From the 216 drawings submitted the first prize was awarded to the French architect Louis Cordonnier.
Then the Scottish/American philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie was persuaded to sponsor the project and provided 1.5 million dollars for the purpose.
A second peace conference took place in 1907 during which the first stone of the palace was laid. The building served as a residence to a judicial institution, but at the same time it was intended to embody the dream for world peace that had been cherished for centuries.
All countries that had been at the original conference were called upon to donate precious building materials and artworks for the decoration of the building. In this way, they could express their support and belief in a new way of attaining peace. Vases came from China, Hungary and Poland. The United States sent statues, Turkey and Persia contributed carpets. Wood and stone were offered by Scandinavia and Brazil, marble by Italy. The result was a building of unprecedented international style with a surprising variety of colours and shapes. The Peace Palace is in the Hague and now houses the International Court of Justice as well as the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
At a glittering ceremony, in the presence of VIP’s from around the world, the key of the Peace Palace was presented to the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the 28th of August 1913.
Just eleven months later the world became locked in the conflict which we know as the Great War. We cannot fail to be aware of the awful events which followed over four horrendous years.
One hundred and ten years ago the terrible guns fell silent. The roar of battle ceased, and hostilities came to an end. Hundreds of thousands of men realised that they would be able to return home to their families as the war they had fought to end all wars had reached its conclusion.
For those who came home there was no memory loss: instead there was too much memory. Many of them carried not only visible but invisible scars and simply wanted to forget and so did not talk about their experiences. We who come later need to retell their memories because we know we must not forget.
We now know that their hopes of a lasting peace were not to be. In the years that have passed there has not been a time when somewhere on this planet there has been a war, many of which have involved the armed forces of our own country.
Today is not the time to reflect on the rights or wrongs of war. Today we remember with thanks all those who gave their lives in the hope that a better world would result.
The purpose of our remembrance is to honour all those who paid the ultimate price in the fight to preserve justice in the world.
As we remember we should consider the price that is paid in terms of human suffering and death in pursuing justice in our world today. These things are clearly more apparent today that they ever were as they are brought right into our homes on our tv screens. We should ask ourselves why is all this suffering necessary? The prophet Hosea said, ‘What does the Lord require of you but to act justly, and love mercy and walk humbly with your God’. Loss on such a huge scale does not seem to have had much of an element of mercy or humility in it.
We remember today to consider just what makes for peace and what makes it so elusive?
As we remember we should also take on the responsibility in our own lives to bring peace to this hurting and strife torn world.
As we reflect over the years of all the international peace-keeping efforts, especially at the present time in Ukraine and around Israel, but also in many countries around the world, we may well ask ourselves will we ever see that day when, “nations shall beat their swords into ploughshares”, and when, “nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore”.
But how can that be achieved? War does not end war. There is always the victor and the vanquished and this brings about resentment and the urge for revenge. History tells us that even the best international efforts at peace-making and peace-keeping fail to bring lasting peace.
The reality is that peace isn’t something that can just materialise all at once out of nothing, just because people get tired of strife and violence. Peace is a process which takes place over time. It is a process that takes place as we learn to lay aside our self-centredness and focus on God as our hope.
As Christians we are taught by Jesus to pray ‘Thy Kingdom come.’ So do we simply have to wait for Jesus to return or do we have a part to play in bringing God’s kingdom on earth? I believe we do.
We tend to think of peace as an ‘absence of war’, that there will be world peace when all wars cease. But peace is something much deeper, something personal, something which happens inside each one of us and results in harmonious relationships?
Conflict seems to be in our very nature – the way we are as human beings. The problem seems to be that we have a natural instinct for self-preservation. The old days of Empires were about making sure member nations were secure in having enough food and resources – usually at the expense of other nations who also wanted that security. The cause of war is fear. Fear that our security is at risk. If only all people could trust God for their provision and security instead of being fearful.
Look at this on a personal level. Consider how you feel when someone is rude to you or hurts you. What do you want to do? Hurt them back – that’s vengeance; Or perhaps we may want to do something to make ourselves feel safer. To put up walls or defences. The real battle for peace is an internal one. If only we could all follow the teaching of Jesus. Control our emotions. Channel negative aspects into constructive rather than destructive action, then peace could be attained.
For this we need God’s Spirit in our hearts. This internal conflict is what we have to resolve if we are to know peace.
It’s the battle to love our neighbour even when we experience them as our enemy. It’s the struggle to be merciful and forgiving when all our emotions are shouting for revenge and conflict.
It’s the effort to trust God rather than to give in to fear.
It’s the way of Christ that all Christians are called to practice.
Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.
I saw a lovely quote from the Dalai Llama, he said “Peace starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us. When our community is in a state of peace, it can share peace with neighbouring communities, and so on.”
Peace can spread like the ripples on a pond.
So, today as we remember those who have given their life in war in the hope of peace, let us honour them by building a more peaceful, loving world for their children and ours, knowing that our certain hope for peace is in our commitment to the God of love.
Hymn Let there be peace on earth
Let’s share our concerns for the world
We pray first for people we know who have grown discouraged, dispirited and gloomy as they labour in prayer. Strengthen them on the inside with your Holy Spirit. Increase their faith and give them eyes to see where you are at work in the world. And Lord, fill them with joy.
We pray for Israel. In their determination to eliminate their enemies, make them remember that they are your chosen people and should act with justice, mercy and love.
We pray for the people of Palestine. Let them receive all the help they need as their homes and homeland are devastated.
We pray for the Ukraine and Russia, for places of conflict everywhere. We see anger, hatred and mistrust between peoples and countries throughout the world.
Send your Holy Spirit into these places Lord to bring an end to selfishness and greed and replace it with love and hope.
We pray for our own country and remember the divisions of class and culture, of race and gender, of the have’ and have not’s.
We remember the selfishness and self interest in many areas of the nation’s life and in our own.
We remember managers and trade unions and government who seem to care so little about the effect their actions have on ordinary people.
We pray for our government, may their decisions and actions be in accord with your will for our country.
Lord, send your Holy Spirit into all people to bring an end to greed and indifference and replace it with generosity, justice and equality.
We pray for your church and remember the past divisions between denominations.
We remember our failure to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the body of Christ, a friend to all.
Lord, fill us with your Holy Spirit to end our disobedience and replace it with complete trust in you.
We pray for all people especially those who are ill, distressed, broken or under stress.
We think of those who are unemployed or in jobs which don’t suit them.
We think of those who are anxious, afraid or have lost their way.
We think of those we know, about whom we are concerned and in a moment of quiet we name them before you.
Lord, send your Holy Spirit to bring an end to all that spoils their lives and give them hope.
Lord we pray for ourselves, our uncertainties and confusion, our weak faith and lack of hope.
Lord send your Holy Spirit to reassure us, to strengthen us and to prepare us for the role you want us to fulfil.
We ask all these prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end
And we draw them together in the words that he taught us
Our father, who art in heaven………………………………
Song – StF 470 – Lord for the years your love has kept and guided.
May god’s word feed us and his Spirit lead us into the week and the life to come.
Amen.
