Today's PAYG was centred on Luke's account of the giving of the Lord's prayer.  Looking through the eyes of the person making the request 'teach us to pray' we noted that:

• prayer was seen as important
• prayer was something difficult
• prayer was something other people seemed to be able to do (reference to John the Baptist teaching his followers how to pray)

I think that this is one of those things that never changes... we all think prayer is important, we all find it difficult and we can all be convinced that some other person or group of people have it sussed.

Sometimes I suspect we over-think it all - we recognise that there is nothing we can tell God that is not already known, so we wonder what we can say; we have moved beyond formulaic prayer and fear really, just, yes 'n' Lord, using cliches and holyfied waffle.  We have been taught to offer praise, thanks, confession and intercession, but, if we are honest, it's not so easy.

The Roots material we are using over the next few weeks is looking at prayer through the lens of some of the Psalms (90, 91 and 126) as set by the lectionary.  It is good to force ourselves to dig a little deeper into these psalms, some of which are less comfortable than others!

Sermon is progressing slowly.  Hopefully by close of play today I'll have a first draft.

This (via BT new sweep) shows just how silly things get in the world of copyright and trademarking.  In short, Cadbury's objected to a small firm using purple choloclate wrappers for their advent chocolates, so the C of E has got a bit hoity toity about Cadbury's using ecclesiastical purple*.  Last time I looked the C of E didn't own purple either.

* I would have to say I have never seen the Cadbury shade of purple in any ecclesiasatical context.  Think I might look for a preaching outfit in that colour to offend Cadbury's and the C of E equally...

Today's PAYG was the familiar Luke story of Martha and Mary, complete with the response of Jesus to Martha's entreaty that she was 'worried, and distracted by many things'.  Those words seemed to resonate with me.  I have lots to do, and lots of things that distract me both from the immediate tasks and from kepeing my focus where it ought to be, on God revealed in Christ.

In this story Jesus says to Martha "one thing is needed".  In the story we heard on Sunday, Jesus said to a blind man "what do you want me to do for you?"  I think there is maybe a connection here: what one thing do we require from God; what one thing do we desire from God and how are they related?  Last night's Bible study looked at the John 15 vine imagarery, a favourite of mine, and we spent some time contemplating the part that says words to the effect of 'if you abide in me, ask whatever you will and it will be given you'.  We noted that asking for what we want does not always elicit the reponse we desire, and there are no quick easy answers to that.  Someone suggested that if we truly abide in God's love all else gains its true perpsective, and what we might desire will seem as nothing compared to what God gives us. 

So then, the one required/desired thing?  It is the constant searching, reaching for the heart of God, the cleaving/grafting to the rootstock of faith, the sense of being somehting bigger, more profound and more mysterious than I can comprehend.

I could (and sometimes do) blame the various concoctions of drugs and their side effects for my inability to concentrate as once I did but do so is slightly lazy... I do have some control in the matter.  I am easily dsitratced by many things, but what is needed, what is it I truly desire...  This Sunday we are exploring Psalm 90 and maybe that will the prompt for me - and others - to reviist our own rhythms and patterns of devotion, of work, of rest.  Somewhere in all this, despite my fuggy intellect and distractedness, God is speaking quietly yet firmly...

Now and then we have all age services that coincide with communion Sunday, and for the last couple I prepared my liturgies deliberately to be child-accessible.  In our church, children may receive communion at thier parents'/carers' discretion.  I am sharing them here because they might be useful as jumping off points for other people.  All I would ask if you do use them is that you don't pass them off as your own, and that you don't publish them without asking me first.

This second one was on the day of our harvest thanksgiving...

Invitation

When we read the Bible, we find stories of lots of meals Jesus shared with other people…

He shared picnics on the side of hills, and grand banquets in the homes of powerful people

He accepted hospitality from religious people and tax-gatherers, lepers and unmarried women

He even appreciated it when a woman whose reputation was a little suspect washed his feet with her tears

He cooked fish on a beach and broke bread with weary travellers at the end of a long day

Jesus shared in ordinary meals and special meals

Meals that were essential and meals that were parties

And today we pause to remember and to re-enact as best we can, the most special, simple, religiously significant, celebratory and sad meal of all.

The Story

It’s a story we know well, because we have heard it many, many times.

And because we know it so well, we no longer hear it properly.

So let’s try to imagine we are there, in the story, standing in the shadows watching and listening…

This is the time of the Passover festival, when Jew remember how Yahweh brought their ancestors out of slavery in the land of Egypt, led by Moses.  It is a family time, a time to share in food and singing, and to give thanks to God.

Jesus is coming up the stairs with his friends.  Judas is carrying the money bag, Peter is chatting to Andrew; James and John are squabbling, as usual; Thomas is asking Matthew about something or other…  Soon they settle down and take their places around the low table and the food is brought in.  It smells lovely and tastes even better.

Jesus reaches across and picks up some bread.  Everyone pauses, and looks towards him.  He holds it up and says a thank you prayer to God.  Then he speaks.  “Do you see this bread?  Look, I am breaking it.  Just like this bread, my body will be broken, so that everyone’s sins can be forgiven.  Each time you eat bread, I want you to remember this.”

The bread passes round, and everyone takes some and chews it, wondering what Jesus means by his words.

Jesus reaches out again and picks up a big goblet of wine.  Again every eye is upon him.  After he has said the thank you prayer he speaks.  “See this wine?  It has poured out for you.  Just like this wine, my blood will be poured out, so that everyone’s sins can be forgiven.  Each time you drink wine, I want you to remember this.”

And so the goblet is passed round, and everyone takes a drink from it, wondering what Jesus is talking about.

Thanksgiving

For hundreds and hundreds of years people have carried on remembering this story.  In big cathedrals and mission halls; in tents and on beaches; in hospital wards and in prison cells; with lots of ceremony and fancy words; in secret and in silence. 

And now we take out turn, so let’s say thank you to God.

For this bread and this wine, we thank you, generous God.

For this story and all it means, we give you praise.

As we eat and drink, and as we tell the story in our lives, help us to remember why we do so

Amen.

Distribution

Prayer Afterwards

Jesus lived among people like us, telling wonderful stories and sharing tasty food

Jesus died alone on a hillside; his friends ran away and hid in fear

Jesus rose again and made a barbecue breakfast for his followers

Jesus returned to God, but left his friends with a promise that he would come back one day

Until then, we will remember every time we eat and drink together.

Amen.

(c) Catriona Gorton 2012

Now and then we have all age services that coincide with communion Sunday, and for the last couple I prepared my liturgies deliberately to be child-accessible.  In our church, children may receive communion at thier parents'/carers' discretion.  I am sharing them here because they might be useful as jumping off points for other people.  All I would ask if you do use them is that you don't pass them off as your own, and that you don't publish them without asking me first.

A while back I posted one here and now here are two more.

This first one was on the day that the beheading of John the Baptist was the lectionary reading...

Invitation

Herod had a banquet

And he invited all the important people he could think of

And did everything he could think of to impress them

And in the end he did something very foolish

Because he didn’t want to look silly

Jesus spoke of a banquet

Where all the important people said ‘no thank you, I’ve got a better offer’

So the host invited everyone else who could be found

People of other races and languages

People who might drink too much or say the wrong thing

People who were too poor to invite him back

He did something that seemed very foolish

But God’s foolishness is beyond human wisdom

Jesus had a small dinner party

Just him and his closest friends

They wanted to celebrate how good God had been

A very, very long time ago

Jesus said things that seemed very strange, even a bit silly

But his friends remembered the words

And passed them on, for a very, very long time

So that even today we can share in a special memory meal

Institution

One of the first followers of Jesus, called Paul wrote down what he had learned: [read from 1 Cor 11 GNB or other 'easy' langauge version]

Prayer

Party-loving God, you gave us this special way of remembering all that Jesus has done for us,

So that as we take tiny bites of bread and sips of wine it is like being in a great banquet

To which everyone who ever lives is welcome

Help us to be thankful for all Jesus has done, even though it seems strange and we may not understand it

And help us to live like him, giving ourselves for other people

Amen.

Distribution

Acclamation

It seems crazy, God that you would allow Jesus to die

But in his death we find new life

It seems impossible, God, that Jesus would rise again,

But in his rising he shows us death is never the end

It blows our minds, God, to think that Jesus might come again

But this is the hope that we live towards

An upside down Kingdom of justice, peace and joy.

(c) Catriona Gorton 2012