Melbourne URC 26th April 2020 10.30am 3rd Sunday of Easter

Hymns Mission Praise.

Please read the service together out loud as appropriate, or read it slowly to yourselves savouring the words, as you prefer, except for the Consecration (The consecration is shown in red italics) and Revd Margaret will say the consecration so please just read those words quietly and hold them in your hearts knowing that they have been said.

You will need a Bible, A candle to light, and some bread. (and wine if you wish.)

To begin : Please open your Bible and place it where you can see it.

The call to Worship

Today in the midst of all that we are experiencing at the moment in a time of lock down we remember a walk. For some, although not everyone, today there is a possibility of just one walk out a day. But the walk we remember in scripture this morning was a long one and social distancing was not a problem.   We remember the walk the followers took on the road to Emmaus –

we remember the hospitality offered to the stranger who walked with them on the road –

and we remember how the stranger was eventually recognised as the risen Jesus in the breaking of bread and the excitement that created.

– as those disciples gathered round that table -we too are called to come into the presence of our Lord this morning in our homes – to worship him, and to come to his table.

(We say/read the words of a hymn which was written by the organist of Stonebroom St Peters. – It’s an invitation to come…)

Come as you are, that’s how I want you. Come as you are, feel quite at home.

Close to my heart, loved and forgiven, come as you are, why stand alone.

No need to fear, love sets no limits. No need to fear, love never fails.

Don’t run away ashamed and disheartened, rest in my love, trust me again.

Come as you are, that’s how I love you. Come as you are, don’t stay away.

Nothing can change the love that I bear you. All will be well, just come as you are.

 

Nothing can change the Love that I bear you – what wonderful words! – nothing – not even crucifixion, not death, not resurrection nor anything else can change that love that Jesus has for us as he calls us to come just as we are. To come to him in our homes, in lockdown, maybe frightened and anxious, maybe struggling with it all ……  So together and yet apart we come to give thanks for the risen Lord for walls are  no barriers to Jesus.

 

(We say/read or maybe even sing the first verse of the first hymn.)

 

Alleluia, alleluia give thanks to the risen Lord

Alleluia, alleluia give praise to his name.

 

Jesus is Lord of all the earth,

He is the king of creation.

 

Alleluia, Alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord,

Alleluia, alleluia, give praise to his name.

 

Please light your own peace candle and say/read the following prayer.

We light this candle in peace Lord. In times of uncertainty, fear and anxiety, we call to you to bring your peace into your world, into the hearts of your people, and into our homes, remembering always that even now in these difficult times there are people still being displaced by violence, war and famine in other places. Lord, bring your peace into your world.  Amen.

God of peace and freedom, we welcome you in our midst.

We praise you for your love which surpasses all understanding

We praise you for who you are – now and forever.

You are an amazing God!

Creator God, we praise you for the natural world we are called to care for – for vegetation, minerals, animals, waterfalls and forests.

You are a gracious God!

Jesus we praise you for the gift of respect, for the dignity of human life, for the love of one another, and for giving your life that we may have life eternal.

Holy Spirit we praise you for calling us enabling us to worship in our homes today – You are the Spirit of Truth – unify us in our prayers and actions.

As we pray so we confess our failings:

We are here God, in this moment and this place  -

In the silence of your love, we bring to you the things that we have done that we should not have done – and those things that we have not done that we should have done – things that make us feel ashamed. 

Have mercy upon us.

silence

Listen to the words of Jesus “your sins are forgiven”, I love you, follow  me.  Thanks be to God amen.

 

We say together the prayer our Lord Jesus Christ taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come; thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

We read or sing one verse of the 2nd Hymn :

Open our eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus

to reach out and touch him and say that we love him.

Open our ears Lord, and help us to listen,

open our eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus! 

 

Reading   Luke 24:13-35

The Walk to Emmaus

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 

While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, ‘Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?’ 

He asked them, ‘What things?’ They replied, ‘The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.’ 

Then he said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So he went in to stay with them. 

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

 

We read or sing the first verse of our 3rd hymn :

Be still for the presence of the Lord, the Holy one is here.

Come bow before Him now with reverence and fear:

in Him no sin is found – we stand on holy ground.

Be still, for the presence of the Lord,

The Holy One is here.

 

Reflection on Luke 24:13-35

Our Gospel reading today is one which I’m sure you are all very familiar with.  Jesus has been crucified and risen again – the cross and the tomb are empty and a group of followers are taking a walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus.  It’s getting towards evening when a stranger catches up with them.  They are lost in conversation and the stranger asks what they are talking about. They tell him what has been happening.

Parts of the story they tell they know is fact – they saw it happen but don’t understand why– other parts like the story the women told about the empty tomb they seem not to understand at all.  The words pour from them – and the stranger responds with more words trying to explain to them what was written in scripture – but the words seem to be meaningless. We can image the amount of words shared on that seven mile journey and yet the followers still don’t get who this stranger really was. 

There are times in our lives when words, however many and however carefully crafted, do not tell the whole story. And yet we love words. We hear the words of scripture, we even know the words of Scripture by heart, but still, somehow, we look anxiously for God’s physical intervention in our lives and we and miss it. There are times today as we battle with the pandemic when we might start to think that Jesus is not around and that somehow God is nodding off and we feel alone.  

For those first followers, words were not enough.  It was not until they saw actions when the stranger blessed the bread that they realised just who the stranger was – that he was the risen Christ. 

Today when our actions are restricted and words of anxiety fill our news reels we might begin to think that Christ is not around – and yet he is – the medics and nurses are risking their lives holding his people in their arms – others are risking contamination by shopping for the elderly and self isolating – Many have got out their sewing machines to help the NHS and those in our laboratories are beavering away. There are actions taking place all over everywhere in which we should recognise Christ at work in the world.  Perhaps this is one of those times when words are simply not enough – and we have to look for actions.  As Jesus walked alongside those followers so people today are walking alongside the suffering, the grieving, the housebound and isolated – They may not always recognise that in them Christ is at work – they may not even be his followers and yet he is there in their actions.  We should be reassured that Christ is still most certainly walking with his suffering people. Not just from Jerusalem to Emmaus but right across our country today and always – pandemic or otherwise. As on the road to Emmaus, today perhaps actions speak louder than words ever can.

Amen

 

We say or sing the 2 verses of our 4th Hymn :

Jesus stand amongst us at the meeting of our lives ,

Be our sweet agreement at the meeting of our eyes;

O Jesus, we love you, so we gather here,

Join our hearts in unity and take away our fear.

 

Jesus stand among us at the breaking of the bread;

Join us as one body as we worship you, our Head.

O Jesus, we love You, so we gather here;

Join our hearts in unity and take away our fear.

 

Intercessions:

Let us pray to the Father in the power of the Spirit, though Jesus the Son.

Walk with us Lord, on our journey of faith, both as individuals and as the church of God; open up to us the truths you long for us to understand,  equip us all to pass on the Good News of Easter.

Walk with us Lord on our life journey, guiding, teaching and correcting us as we learn the lessons of loving in our home, our work and our community. We pray especially for all those who put their lives at risk that we might be cared for and be safe in this pandemic : For all who work in the Health Service and Caring professions.  For those who grow and transport our food.  For the Police and Fire Services. For all volunteers who shop, make PPE and all the little things that mean so much in the lockdown.  We pray for them and give thanks for them. Thinking also of Captain Tom and those who have graciously given time and money to the NHS and the Governments of the world struggling with a pandemic that has no precedence.

Walk with us Lord through times of suffering and pain, alerting us to another’s needs and providing us with whatever is best for us.  Help us to trust you through the dark times and breathe new life and hope into those who despair.

Especially today we pray for all those who have Covid 19 in their homes, Care Homes, and in Hospitals.  We remember too those who are suffering because of other issues and may be too frightened to go out and get them dealt with, praying especially for Marlene who has had a nasty fall.  In a moment of silence we pray for all those personal issues and for people whose names are written on our hearts….

Walk with us Lord through the valley of death. May our love and prayer support those who walk that journey today.  Draw close to them, give them peace, and welcome them into the joy of heaven. Today we pray especially for those who have recently crossed over the threshold of death in these very different and traumatic times, and the families who grieve their passing.

Lord, we thank you for walking with us wherever we are. Whilst words may cause us confusion, give us discernment to see you in the actions of all those who are helping us to stay safe.

 Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour,  Jesus Christ  - Amen.

 

(The communion follows and we say the words of the invitation and the story of the Last Supper. Please ensure that you have your bread with you ready.)

 

Communion

We come to this sacred table, not because we must, but because we may.

We come, not to testify that we are righteous, but that we sincerely love our Lord Jesus Christ, and desire to be his true disciples.

We come, not because we are strong, but because we are weak;

We come, not because we have any claim on heaven’s regards but because in our frailty and sin we stand in constant need of heaven’s mercy and help

 

Jesus said : Listen, I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and open the door, I will come into the house and eat with them.

 

The apostle Paul tells us of the institution of the Lord’s Supper :

For the tradition that I handed on to you came to me from the Lord himself ; that on the night of his arrest the Lord Jesus Christ took bread, and after having given thanks to God, broke it and said “ This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.”  In the same way he took the cup after supper and said “ This cup is the new covenant sealed by my blood.  Whenever you drink it, do this in memory of me.  For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the death of the Lord until he come again.

 

Lord, when so many are lonely, we thank you for those gathered around these tables.

When so many are homeless, we thank you for the roof over our heads.

When so many are hungry, we thank you for this food of bread and wine.

Accept our prayers and thanksgivings in the name of Jesus Christ, light of the world and the life of your people.

 

(Revd. Margaret will consecrate and break the bread on your behalf saying the following words in her home – please read the following words silently to yourself)

Living God, fill us with your Spirit, that as we share this bread and this wine, we may feed on the body and blood of Christ and be empowered for service in your world. The table is laid -and Jesus Christ is here – all are welcome – Here is the Lord – coming to us in bread and wine – These are the gifts of God for the people of God.

Among friends - Jesus took a loaf of bread broke it and said “This is my body which is broken for you do this in memory of me – The body of Christ broken for us all”

 

Revd. Margaret will eat a piece of the broken bread.

Please eat your own bread in your homes if you wish.

 

(The cup is lifted and Revd Margaret will say : )

Among friends Jesus took the cup and said : This cup is the new covenant sealed by my blood, whenever you drink it, do this in memory of me. The blood of Christ shed for us all.

 

Revd Margaret will take a sip of wine on your behalf.

Silence.

 

Please say or read the Post Communion Prayers

Father of all, we give you thanks and praise, that when we were still far off you

met us in your Son and brought us home.  Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace and opened the gate of glory.  May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others;  we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world.  Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us, so we and all your children shall be free, and the whole earth live to praise your name, through Christ our Lord, amen.

The supper is ended but the journey continues -

Here we have offered the Church’s sacrifice of praise.

Help us, who have received the bread of life,

to be thankful for your gift.

Here we have rejoiced with the disciples

Help us, who have found the risen Lord,

to trust in your eternal promises.

Here we start to turn from Christ’s resurrection to his ascension.

Help us to enter more deeply into the Easter mystery.

 

We say to each other across the homes of Melbourne and beyond.

May the road rise up to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the sun shine warm upon your face

May the rain fall soft upon your fields,

And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.

 

AMEN