ST MICHAEL S PARISH CHURCH, LINLITHGOW Sunday 12 August Today s Service am

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1 ST MICHAEL S PARISH CHURCH, LINLITHGOW Sunday 12 August 2018 Today s Service 10.00am Morning Service Summer Theme: Year of Young People This week: Servant Girl (Naaman s story) Rev Dr Stewart Gillan Welcome to St Michael s Parish Church, Linlithgow. Thank you for joining us today. We hope that you feel at home here with us. We would love to meet you so please join us for teas and coffees after the service. Children of primary school age may go to the vestry for a children s programme. A crèche is available in St Katherine s aisle for younger children. Please ask one of our team at the door for help if needed. If we can assist you in any other way following the service, please complete one of our pew cards. Thank you. Knowing Christ better - Serving Him together - Making Him known to others Prayer Focus " Why the clock? To remind us all to pray regularly" We give thanks for answered prayer. Some of our members have received positive health news recently having had difficult, but successful treatment for serious illnesses. We remember with gratitude the medical and surgical help they have received, and the support, friendship and prayers of friends and families. We pray too, for those still awaiting diagnosis or receiving treatment. You are welcome to join us for Weekly Prayers in the Queen s Aisle on Wednesdays at There is a box in the Queen s Aisle in which to put requests for prayer. Alternatively, phone or

2 Ministry Team: Rev Dr Stewart Gillan Rev Thom Riddell Trish Archibald, Youth & Family Outreach Worker Organist & Music Co-ordinator: Matt Edwards Address: Church Office, Cross House, Linlithgow EH49 7AL Telephone: Web: Open: Mon, Wed, Thu, 9am 1pm. Tue by appointment Fri 11am-1pm Vestry hour: 7pm Thu by appointment. This week in Cross House Mon 13 Aug Tue 14 Aug Wed 15 Aug Thu 16 Aug Fri 17 Aug Sat 18 Aug Sun 19 Aug St Michael's Parish Church of Scotland, Linlithgow is a Scottish Charity Reg No SC Christian Copyright Licence International No am 10.00am Elders Holiday Club 7.30pm Guild Leadership Team am WL Foodbank 7.30pm Elders Team am Seedlings 7.30pm Friends of St Michael s am WL Foodbank Forthcoming Events 13 Aug 10am Holiday Club (Monday mornings in Cross House) 8 Sept All Day Linlithgow Folk Festival (Youth Festival Musical) Cross House 15 Sept 7.30pm Antonine Ensemble Concert Kirk 22 Sept 7.30pm Linlithgow RFC Choir Concert Kirk NB: Great care should be taken by those using the small car park at the Kirk Hall as children are often in the vicinity. Fellowship: We are very keen for people to share fellowship after the service. If you are able and would like to join us for tea or coffee, please leave your car in the Vennel car park.

3 Stewardship of Time We thank you, Lord, that when our lives and the life of the world seems dark, in you there is a light that never goes out, a life that never perishes and a hope and purpose that renews us even when everything else disappears. Amen Knowing Christ better House Groups For more information about fellowship groups meeting within St Michael s, please call Alison Miller , Margaret Henderson or Barbara Thomson The Help Centre offers information covering many concerns. Wondering where to access support for yourself or another? Tel , or look at Bereavement Support: The Bereavement Support Team offers confidential one-to-one support with the aim of helping you make sense of the painful and bewildering array of responses to bereavement, and to help you adapt to the loss. Positive Pathways informal support group meets fortnightly in the Canal Tearoom. Contact Sheila Rae or sheila.ruth.rae@gmail.com. Friday Housegroup in Cross House is finished for the summer. Any enquiries please contact Barbara Thomson Serving Him together Our monthly Communion is at 9.30am on Sunday 26 August Words of Life Presentation: At 11.15am, following the service on Sunday 19 August, Rev Dr Stewart Gillan will give a presentation entitled Words of Life in the Wake of Terror. The presentation will highlight the main findings of his research with faith leaders in Britain, Pakistan and the Middle East during his study leave in the spring. Stewart s Farewell Service: on Sunday 26 August at 10am we bid farewell to Stewart, Sarah and the children at St Michael s. It will be a joint service, conducted by Thom. Sunday Club will meet in the Kirk Hall, Sundae Sunday for them, and the children will come to the church at 10.45am. After the service, there will be refreshments for everyone in the Kirk Hall, and time with Stewart and family. Stewart s induction, St John s-renfield, Glasgow Thursday 30 August: A coach is available for anyone wishing to travel to Stewart s induction in Glasgow. The price is 5 per person and it will leave from The Cross at 5.30pm, and Glasgow at around 9.30pm. Please give your name and payment to June Adam. The coach is a 69 seater and is on a first come first served basis. Guild Leadership Team will meet on Monday 13 August 7.30pm in Room 5, Cross House. Time of Stillness: On Thursdays at 2pm, we meet in St Katherine's Aisle. Come and discover what 15 minutes of stillness can do for you. Tea and cake afterwards. All welcome. Making Him known to others Knitting Club: The Kirk Knitting Club meets once a month in Cross House at am on Mondays in Room 1. An hour of knitting, chatting and eating cake. Next meeting Monday 3 September. Chapters resumes on Thursday 6 September pm. Anyone wishing to join our group will be most welcome and to kick start our new session we would ask that you bring along a book that you have read during the summer and share your thoughts on why you liked or did not like the book. For more information, contact Sally Chambers CDs-Church Service: If you would like to borrow a recording of the service, you will find two CDs at the Church shop. A recording of the sermon is available weekly on podcast on the Church website.

4 Prayer News Bulletin Copies of Lorna Ferguson s Prayer News Bulletin are now available at the back of the church. General Notices Linlithgow Museum Tales to tell: The new museum is due to open in spring Linlithgow Heritage Trust is running a history project and are keen to find people willing to tell their stories through oral recordings. If you are interested in participating, please contact Stuart Kennedy, or Stuart@LinlithgowHT.onmicrosoft.com. Posters are on display in Cross House. Our Sunshine Sing-along for Memory takes place in the Kirk Hall on the second Thursday of each month pm. All those living with memory loss and their carers are welcome. No church connection necessary. Light lunch and singing. Further info from Norma Costley Next Sing-along 13 September. Thursday for Coffee in Cross House is finished for the summer and will restart on Thursday 6 September. Intimations All notices need to be in the church office by Thursday morning. Notice Board - In addition to the specific notices on this intimation sheet, please note there are posters publicising events displayed on the notice board in the servery area of the Kirk Hall.

5 Sunday 12 August 2018: 10.00am Summer Services Theme: Year of Young People This Sunday: Servant girl (Naaman s story) We gather as the people of God Introit: Cantate Domino, by Giuseppe Pitoni ( ) Call to Worship Hymn: 755, Be still and know that I am God Scripture Sentences (please remain standing) Time with young people Hymn: JP26, Clap your hands, all you people Prayers of Confession We listen to stories of faith and hope Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 5:1 19a (p.346) (Today s Reader is Tracy Curle) Solo: I know that my Redeemer liveth sung by Sarah Gillan from The Messiah by G. F. Handel. Sermon We respond to God s word Hymn: 717, O Christ, the healer, we have come Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession Offering and Time for Reflection We leave with God s blessing Hymn: 706, For the healing of the nations Benediction Choral Amen: 820, Dresden Two members of the Sunday Prayer Team are available for 15 minutes in the Queen s Aisle after this service to pray in confidence with anyone who has a personal need for prayer.

6 10.00am Music for Today Dating back to the early 16th Century, like my sense of humour, the pre-service music is from the pen of Tylman Susato. It is the dance music of its time and would have been played at Court to entertain those lucky enough to attend such events and keep their heads attached. It is known by a few titles, Danserye and Mohrentanz being the most common. It works in the form of many modern works, a theme returns several times between brief departures. The offertory will be an improvisation, and the points last week went to Thom. After the service we continue on the Messiah theme so wonderfully introduced by Sarah and Angus, and have the most famous movement from this stunning oratorio - the Hallelujah Chorus. It is thought that when performed in the presence of the King for the first time, he was so inspired that he stood - so the rest of the audience followed his example. This tradition has continued throughout the centuries since. Some more modern theorists say that he just had an uncomfortable seat! Notes on Today s Scripture 2 Kings 5: 1 19a, Commander Naaman cured of leprosy A story teaching that the LORD is not only the God of the Israelites but also the God of foreigners. Naaman, mighty commander of the Aramean (Syrian) army, has leprosy. And except for the word of an Israeli servant girl, taken captive in a raid by Syrian forces, he would have continued to be afflicted with it. Her word of witness to Naaman s wife If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy sets in motion a series of events that result in his cure and praise of the LORD. Naaman, informed by his wife, informs the Syrian King, who writes the King of Israel and sends Naaman on his way with gifts of silver and gold. Despite the excessive gifts (app. 340 kg of silver and 70 kg of gold), the Israelite king suspects that the Syrian king is seeking an occasion for war. The prophet, Elisha, intervenes with his king, however, and Naaman proceeds with all his company to Elisha s doorstep. But he is insulted to hear Elisha command him to do no more than wash seven times in the Jordan. What s the Jordan compared to the rivers of Damascus? His servants persuade him to reconsider; he washes and is cleansed. Restored, he proclaims, Now I know there is no God in all the earth except in Israel (v.15). None of which would have happened had a captive servant girl not taken the bold step of telling Naaman s wife of the prophet of God in Samaria, and his wife found her word worth passing on to her husband. Thus did God s saving intent for all people cross a seemingly uncrossable human boundary. The story starts with reference to a powerful enemy and ends with Elisha telling that commander, Go in peace (v.19a).