Pray : Lord, it is wonderful that we can be certain that you delight to receive us. That sense of acceptance, of your assured love for us is marvellous. Indeed, it comes as a surprise, almost too good to be true, as our society is apt to look for what is in it for them. We praise you and adore you that you are our loving Heavenly Father, always ready to love us, to forgive us and to involve us in your plans. We recognise that all this is undeserved, it isn’t of our doing, it is all through your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, who died that we might be forgiven and was raised that we might have eternal life. Help us to grasp the amazing nature of this – to give you the praise for it, not only with our words but also with the response of our lives. Help us to truly follow Jesus heart, soul, mind and strength. Lord, we confess that we still let you down. We even let ourselves down. There are times when we imagine that it doesn’t much matter because you will forgive us anyway. Allow your Spirit to permeate our lives that we become much more accustomed to following your lead, more adept at resisting temptation and more eager to WANT to do things your way. Help us to grow in grace and maturity in our faith – seeing things from your angle, doing things, increasingly, in ways that please you and bring glory to your name. Be with us here today, be with those who remember us – join us together with all your people in love, in Jesus Christ your Son, who taught us to prayer together saying Our Father…

Thought- No doubt the disciples had been delighted to meet with their risen Lord and to know that he really was the Saviour, the Son of God. However, this was a turning point for them – seeing Jesus going up to heaven was a wondrous sight – but they weren’t that keen on being left behind; being entrusted with the good  news of salvation and tasked to share it with “all people’s everywhere” seemed more a burden than a joy. And for all Jesus’ promises to be with them always and to being given his Holy Spirit they felt deflated. Staring into space, holding on to the last vestiges of Jesus among them bodily, their tails were down. They were human and sometimes there is a disconnect between faith and practice – as there is often for us. The challenges of living the Christian life in our day and age are significant; there is much to do, resources appear scarce and the obstacles all too apparent. We can be apt to feel sorry for ourselves and motivation is a struggle. We need to hold together the upward vision – looking to Jesus for hope, encouragement and equipping with the heads down – practical implementation for Christ’s commands – getting on with the business of living and loving for Jesus. Yes, we need a realistic appraisal of the gospel tasks in hand, we may even need time to get over our loss of things that are dear to us as changes impact on us, but we need to remain buoyant – keep afloat – so that we can begin to set out on fresh endeavours for Jesus sake, in his strength and for his glory.

Pray: Lord, the old BT advert used to say “It’s good to talk” and it is but it is good to talk – and it’s also good to talk to you (and listen as well). Help us to recognise that prayer involves relationship - with you, with others, with the world around us. If it is to be meaningful, we need to grasp that want us to be in relationship with you – open, loving, honest, forgiving, yes and sometimes challenging. Speak to us now, in this time of prayer, listen too to our concerns for ourselves, for others, for the world, for your church. May all this be in the context of the loving relationship you have for us in Jesus your Son. Make this prayer time real – and please ensure that it is related to our daily lives so that when we leave this place we do not leave your presence but go with you to love and serve you. We pray for your world – for the many people who today have little to celebrate, many who hardly know how they are going to scrape an existence. Support and encourage them, keep them from danger, give them hope both in things material and spiritual. Increase our desire and our will to change things for the better, to conform more closely to your pattern. Even in the midst of “economic challenge” give a greater will to the leaders of the nations to help the poorest of the poor. Bless the continuing efforts of aid agencies, not least Christian Aid week. As well the fundraising may this past week have raised the profile and directed the attention of many to the needs of our sisters and brothers who live in dire poverty. We pray for the church – especially where it is growing and struggling to keep up in teaching and training new believers, but also where it is up against it – sometimes oppression and persecution but sometimes too against discouragement or even apathy. Bless the work of the Church locally – Church of Scotland and ecumenically and the changes afoot. We pray for the General Assembly and commit to you all the business and decision making, including the way we reach out to our communities. Nearer home, be present with all in need of your touch – for comfort, encouragement, challenge, for direction. Be a blessing to all in need. In our prayer walk this week we remember those who live or work in The Maltings and Links Avenue. In a moment of silence we “talk” to you. Help us also to listen. SILENCE. Hear and answer our prayers, make us attentive also to your voice – we pray in Jesus’ name Amen

Blessing - May the Lord bless you. Amen.