The Guild WORSHIP 2006 JANUARY 2006 Projects and Topics Committee Helen-May Bayne, convener, opened the meeting by welcoming everyone, and wished everyone a Happy New Year, knowing of God's presence. Reading Psalm 1 Reflection Based of the verse of the psalm which mentions trees, Helen-May asked everyone to imagine themselves as a tree. Think of yourself as a type of tree, and then consider: Where are you situated? A barren desert struggling to grow, or perhaps not growing at all or shriveling up? Or are you beside a stream, always drawing water through your roots? What are your roots like? Are they puny roots which won't hold you if the wind blows or are they strong holding you firm? What are you leaves like? Are they shriveled from lack of moisture and neglect or are they shiny and fresh? And what about fruit? Is there fruit in season? Now consider the effect of weather? What kind of weather are you experiencing in your life at the moment? Are you experiencing the warm sunshine on your life, or is the weather stormy, with the wind tearing at your branches and even going for your roots? We all go through periods of different weather conditions in our lives ranging from the sunshine to the storms, which we sometimes wonder if, will ever end. The key to the health and vitality of the tree referred to in this Psalm, is its location – by a stream where it’s roots have penetrated deep into the ground supplying the tree with all it requires to keep it strong, healthy and fruitful. Whatever the weather conditions you are experiencing may your roots be strong in the Lord and may you continue to feed on his Holy Word. Prayer O Lord, the source of our strength and vitality, we thank you that we can draw all we need from you if we only sink ourselves deep into your word. Forgive us for not always spending the time meditating on your word. Forgive us for our rush to be getting on with all that we see as needing to be done. Help us to realise our need, to depend on you, for all things, so that our lives may be ordered, and we do the things you would have us do. We thank you that we can all gather here today. We thank you that we have travelled safely. We pray for Lesley who is at work today. Guide her as she juggles the many demands on her time. We thank you that many Guilds are looking at the HIV/AIDS topic. We thank you for the raised awareness of the subject and we pray that many are now better informed. We pray for the current projects and the work being achieved by them. May the assistance of the Guild members encourage these organisations as they plan to move forward without our financial support. We thank you for all that Guild members have learnt from these projects and for the money raised. We pray for Fiona as she continues working with our current project partners while building new relationships with our new partners. Guide her as she assists them in providing suitable material for Guilds and prepare for the project launch in April. We bring our meeting today before you now asking that you will direct and guide in all that we say and do. These prayers we bring before you now, in Jesus name, Amen. FEBRUARY 2006 Finance and General Purposes Committee Ella Burns, convener, opened the meeting with worship based on compliments. Reflection When did you last get a compliment and, more to the point, when did you last give a compliment? The best ones are the ones that are true and not just flattery. A minister told the story of a short funeral service in a house. The family were gathered; widow, daughter and friends. The minister was very complimentary about the dear departed husband who was laid out in the next room. In the midst of the speech, the widow interrupted and said to the daughter: "run away through and see if it really is your father!" Reading John 1:43 to 50 Reflection Surely this is the best compliment that Jesus gave Nathaniel, he could see a man who had a true and honest heart. No deceit, no pretending to be other than he was. We all face situations when its difficult to be true and honest. This is where we can help each other to be honest in our love for Christ and encourage each other in the bringing of the commitment of that love to all we meet in this world of mixed up people. Last Thursday, I attended the project partners meeting in Ayr. Martin Johnstone was speaking on Together for a Change. He is such a sincere speaker on making poverty history. He told us that as the people of the twinned communities worked together, things changed. His song told the whole story and he was so complimentary about the part Guild members had played. Ella Burns then distributed flowers, and invited everyone to insert their flower in a pre-prepared basket. Prayer Heavenly Father, we know whose we are and we know whom we serve. You have brought us out of our small corners to be yours and to serve you, working together for the changes you require. You place us in many different situations and different places. You give us opportunities to express the compliment of having no deceit, being honest and true. And when we fail, you lift us up to start again, to change hearts to follow your son which is so much needed in the world. Help us to burst through the barriers that stop people hearing the good news and living the good news. Strengthen us with your spirit. We commit to you our hands, our minds and hearts. This gathering today is to steward the resources of money. We ask that you direct us to the true way of best use of all that is available. We ask you to give your love to those who are special to us and we name them now direct to you. Sweep your hand through us today and move us onto great things. We ask this all in Jesus name. Amen. Closing worship Reading Psalm 37:4 Blessing Be, Lord, a bright flame before us, Be, Lord, a guiding star above us, Be Lord, a smooth path below us, Be, Lord, a kindly shepherd behind us, Today, tomorrow and forever. APRIL 2006 Finance and General Purposes Committee Ella Burns, convener, opened the meeting with worship based on Solomon Reading I Kings 3: 4 to 15 Reflection Solomon went to Gideon, the most prestigious of the local shrines to worship. He sacrificed a thousand whole-burnt offerings on that altar. That night, there is Gideon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream: ‘what can I give you – ask’. God was pleased that Solomon didn’t ask for riches and long life. What gifts have we been given? God watched and waited to see what Solomon would do with his gifts – would he use the gift and if so would it be for good. We have to make sure we use the gifts and that they are used for good. We must check ourselves out continuously that we are using them for good. We have been given the precious gift , the promise of eternal life. The stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty. (Ella then distributed small, ornamental Easter eggs to everyone present) The Easter egg reminds us of the promise that our gifts should be used for good. Jesus for our time, Jesus for all time, Jesus eternal, Jesus Immortal. Prayer Father God, we gather this morning to continue the work you have laid out for us. We bring you our commitment to this task. YThe gifts you have given, we are using and we aim to do good. Help us go in the right direction and not to place barriers that others annot use their talents given by you. Each at this table have matters and people dear to them. We know you listen and help each heart in the way that is best. Speak to each of us and keep us safe in your care. In Jesus name, Amen. Closing worship Lord, I will honour and praise your name, for you are my God, you do such wonderful things. Loving God, bless us as together we go out, empowered by our longing , strengthened by our solidarity, humbled by our need, to love and serve the world. Amen. JUNE 2006 Finance and General Purposes Committee Janet Whyte, convener, opened the meeting with the following reflection based on Pentecost. Readings John 14 v 26 – 29, Acts 2 v 1 - 4 Reflection It’s the season of Pentecost and over the last couple of weeks this has been the theme in our Church. It has got me thinking. In the reading from John – Jesus talks of leaving us peace through the Holy Spirit. It’s a great reading – which one of us does not want peace? It’s what we all long for and the Holy Spirit is often portrayed as a dove, the symbol of peace. But when it comes to the reading from Acts, the Holy Spirit comes in wind and in fire – with power and with passion - wow, how many of us want to filled with power and passion – sounds challenging doesn’t it. Personally speaking I am happy to have the peace – but a little afraid of the wind and fire – how will I need to change? It’s quite daunting. However, I can see that this is the only way forward – we need to be filled with the power and passion of the Spirit – to have the courage and the power to take the Church out to others. It was the only way for the disciples. Prayer: Lord, we all want to be comfortable in our faith – with the peace that you left us - but help us to accept the challenges of the wind and fire of the Spirit – to give us the courage and the power and the passion to take the Church out to others. We ask you to be with those who cannot be with us at our meeting today. Give us wisdom and understanding in all our decisions. And be with us in our fellowship with each other. For your sake we ask it. Amen OCTOBER 2006 Finance and General Purposes Committee Janet Whyte opened the meeting with a reflection based on harvest-time Reading: Leviticus 19 vs 9 and 10 Reflection: It’s Harvest time again – and I’m always drawn back to these verses, where God tells us to leave a share of the Harvest to the poor and the alien. I expect most of us now give our Harvest gifts either in money or in goods to Christian Aid or Blythswood Care or Tearfund or whichever organisation you support, and is so doing fulfil God’s command to share our Harvest with the poor and the alien. When it comes to the foreigner in our own land, I wonder how easy it is for us to offer people our support – many of the “foreigners” in our country are of a different faith and culture – and if they are living next door it might be quite hard to accept them as neighbours, but to be the Body of Christ in our community I think we have to do our best to show respect and love to people who are different from ourselves. Not always an easy task. Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come before you today thanking you for all the many blessings you give to us. We thank you for the blessing of the sunshine that we have enjoyed this summer and for the rich harvest that has followed. We remember those who have no harvest and who depend on the aid organisations for food. Remind us when we give – to give generously so that others might share in our benefits, and help us to show our respect and love to all our neighbours – both at home and overseas. We bring before you all the business we sill discuss today and ask that you would give us wisdom in our decisions and that you would be in all we think and say and do. For Jesus sake, Amen. DECEMBER 2006 Projects and Topics Committee Kathleen MacPherson opened the meeting with prayer from resources previously published by Christian Aid Prayer: Lord Jesus, born in Bethlehem, In a world that has forgotten how to rejoice, give us joy In a world that is looking for explanations, give us a sign In a world of fear and failure, give us peace. For we and all the world need a saviour. Lord Jesus, born in Bethlehem, Open the eyes of our minds to the mystery of our lives; And with open eyes may we behold you And beholding you may we believe in you, And in believing in you may we become like you, And becoming like you may we join you in glory And so may we rejoice in you, not just this Christmas time, But for ever Amen