Dalserf Parish Church
HARVEST THANKSGIVING SERVICE
Sunday October 3rd 2021
REFELECTION
Delivered by
Philip Fox
Entry of God’s Word
(Please stand if you are able)
Welcome and Intimations
Call to Worship
Joan Pollok
PS 24 : 1
“The earth is the Lord’s and eveything in it,
The world is the Lord’s and all who live in it,
The earth is the Lord’s and everyhing in it,
Praise the name of the Lord!”
CH4 233
All the world is God’s own field,
bearing fruit his praise to yield;
wheat and weeds together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown:
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear-
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.
For the Lord our God shall come
and shall bring his harvest home;
From His field shall in that day,
all offences purge away,
give his angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast,
but the fruitful ears to store
in His care for evermore.
Even so, Lord, quickly come-
bring your final harvest home!
gather all your people in
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there for ever purified,
ever thankful at your side-
come, with all your angels, come,
bring that glorious harvest home!
Prayer of Thanksgiving & Confession
The Lord’s Prayer
Liz Lawson
CH4 229
He only is the maker
of all things near and far;
he paints the wayside flower,
he lights the evening star;
the wind and waves obey him,
by him the birds are fed;
much more to us his children,
he gives our daily bread. – Refrain
We thank you, then, O Father,
for all things bright and good,
the seed-time and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food:
accept the gifts we offer
for all your love imparts;
and that which you most welcome,
our humble, thankful hearts. – Refrain
READING
Psalm 8 Bruce Archibald
Matt 9 : 35-38 Kay Blair
CH4 230
Praise God for the harvest of orchard and field,
praise God for the people who gather their yield,
the long hours of labour, the skills of a team,
the patience of science, the power of machine.
Praise God for the harvest that comes from afar,
from market and harbour, the sea and the shore:
foods packed and transported, and gathered and grown
by God-given neighbours, unseen and unknown.
Praise God for the harvest that’s quarried and mined,
then sifted, and smelted, or shaped and refined;
for oil and for iron, for copper and coal,
praise God, who in love has provided them all.
Praise God for the harvest of science and skill,
the urge to discover, create and fulfil:
for dreams and inventions that promise to gain
a future more hopeful, a world more humane.
Praise God for the harvest of mercy and love
for leaders and peoples who struggle and serve
with patience and kindness, that all may be led
to freedom and justice, and all may be fed.
SERMON
Philip Fox
“What and Where is the Harvest”
CH4 181
For the beauty of the earth,
for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies:
Refrain – Christ, our God, to you we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon and stars of light: Refrain
For the joy of ear and eye,
for the heart and mind’s delight,
for the mystic harmony
linking sense to sound and sight: Refrain
For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild: Refrain
For each perfect gift and sign
of your love so freely given,
graces human and divine,
flowers of earth and buds of heaven: Refrain
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Philip Fox
CH4 147
All creatures of our God and king,
lift up your voice and with us sing
Alleluia, alleluia!
Bright burning sun with golden beam,
soft shining moon with silver gleam,
Refrain -O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Swift rushing wind so wild and strong,
white clouds that sail in heaven along,
O praise him, alleluia!
New breaking dawn, in praise rejoice,
and lights of evening find a voice; – Refrain
Cool flowing water, pure and clear,
make music for your Lord to hear,
Alleluia, alleluia!
Fire, with your flames so fierce and bright,
giving to us both warmth and light, – Refrain
Dear mother earth, who day by day
unfolds God’s blessing on our way,
O praise him, alleluia!
All flowers and fruit that in you grow,
let them His glory also show – Refrain
Let all things their creator bless
and worship him in humbleness,
O praised Him, alleluia
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, Three-in-One, – Refrain
BLESSING ( everyone)
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God
and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with each one of us,
this harvest time and all the days that lie ahead.
INTIMATIONS
A warm welcome is extended to all joining us for Worship this morning.
The Service this morning will be brought by Philip Fox and members of the Kirk Session
Tea and coffee will resume in Hamilton Hall after the Service. However strict Covid Church Guidelines must be followed.
The Recording system is now installed and training has been given to the team, Margaret Baillie, Eric Budgell, Lewis and Karyn Scotland. We thank our volunteers. Anyone else interested in receiving training should speak to one of the team. The link to the service can be found on the Dalserf Church Web Site and Dalserf Church Facebook page.
Prayer List.
Please continue to pray for
Rita and Sommerville, Willie Miller and John Grove.
Netherburn Mary Grove has been taken into hospital on Thursday Please remember Mary in your prayers.
John’s daughter Kay has had an accident and we ask you to keep her in your prayers.
We also give thanks for those who have recovered or are well on the way to better health.
Keep in prayer our elderly and housebound and those who are still a bit anxious to join us.
The flowers this week have been gifted by Mrs Hazel Blair
Flowers will be gifted next week by Mrs Ann Carson
The Service next week will be conducted by Revd C. McPherson
HARVEST THANKSGIVING
The Thanksgiving gifts received today will be sent to the Foodbank
GUILD
The Guild will meet on Wednesday 13th October at 7.15pm. The meeting will take place in the small hall to allow social distancing and will take the form of an AGM and chat over a cuppa.
A report will be given on the National Guild Projects and Theme for the next 3 years.
Plans at present are to meet on the 2nd Wednesday of October through to December with the situation reviewed for the incoming year.
GUIDELINES FOR PLACES OF WORSHIP
Scottish Government and Church of Scotland guidance for places of worship during the present Pandemic.
These can be found on both the Government Web Site and the Church of Scotland Covid advice site.
Main points for us are
• Face coverings must be worn at all times in the church buildings.
• Face coverings may be removed to read the Lesson, make announcements and deliver the Sermon. However they should be replaced to move from one area to another.
• Congregations are strongly advised to take care in mingling and close proximity to others and as such should try to maintain a degree of distancing whilst in the buildings.
• Guidelines exist for notifying authorities of positive tests following a church meeting.
Let’s do all we can to protect each other by respecting the virus, being vigilant and holding each other in prayer.
