Daily Spiritual Exercises: 20 - 22nd April 2020
In this week's 'Exercises', Andre has changed the format slightly so that each day's thought comes as a separate file.
In this week's 'Exercises', Andre has changed the format slightly so that each day's thought comes as a separate file.
CH4 547: What a Friend We Have in Jesus
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
You will find a solace there
In these unprecedented times, the editorial team of Life & Work, the monthly magazine of the Church of Scotland, have strived to keep the Christian community updated and informed and have delivered the attached May edition freely available to all.
Stay safe
Even as we continue into the 4th week of lockdown restrictions, we remember, that following the crucifixion of Jesus, the disciples were 'locked in' for fear of the Jewish authorities. But the message of Easter reminds us Jesus is with us and brings us peace in troubled times.
CH4 419: Thine be the Glory
Thine be the Glory,
Risen, conqu'ring Son;
Endless is the victory,
Thou o'er death hast won;
Angels in bright raiment
Rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave clothes
Where Thy body lay.
Thine be the glory,
Risen conquering Son,
Endless is the victory,
Thou o'er death hast won.
Lo! Jesus meets us,
Risen from the tomb;
Lovingly He greets us,
Scatters fear and gloom;
Let the church with gladness,
Hymns of triumph sing;
For her Lord now liveth,
Death hath lost its sting.
Thine be the glory,
Risen conquering Son,
Endless is the victory,
Thou o'er death hast won.
No more we doubt Thee,
Glorious Prince of life;
Life is naught without Thee;
Aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conquerors,
Through Thy deathless love:
Bring us safe through Jordan
To Thy home above.
Thine is the glory,
Risen conquering Son,
Endless is the victory,
Thou o'er death hast won.
Opening Hymn:
MP 537: On a Hill Far Away
On a hill far away
Stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross
Where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown.
Concluding Hymn:
CH4 374: The Servant King
From heaven you came, helpless babe,
Entered our world, your glory veiled;
Not to be served but to serve,
And give your life that we might live.
This is our God, the Servant King,
He calls us now to follow him,
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King.
Come see his hands and his feet,
The scars that speak of sacrifice,
Hands that flung stars into space
To cruel nails surrendered.
This is our God, the Servant King,
He calls us now to follow him,
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King.
Opening Hymn:
CH4 554: Rock of ages
Rock of ages cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Concluding Hymn:
CH4 557: O Love that wilt not let me go
O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee:
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
Last September, when the diary was being set out for the year ahead, the usual Maundy Thursday pot luck supper and communion at Polbeth Harwood Church was planned for 9th April,as was the Good Friday service at West Kirk on 10th April.
Covid 19 restrictions may have turned the world upside down, but our ever resourceful minister has planned services for both these important dates in the Christian calendar.
Along with husband Andre, Nanda will be broadcasting a Maundy Thursday service on Thursday 9th April at 7pm on both this website and our Facebook page, West Kirk of Calder.
Everyone is invited is get bread and wine / juice ready beforehand so that - although physically distant - all can share communion 'together'.
Then on Friday 10th April, Nanda and Andre will again broadcast a Good Friday service at 7pm, again on this website and the above Facebook page
Now we are in Holy week itself, and travelling towards Good Friday and beyond, this week's exercises ask us to consider more deeply our own journey with Jesus