St James' Church of Scotland

We’re in the New Testament Book of Ephesians for our main reading this week. It’s the Ninth week after Pentecost and we’ve been making our way through this letter of the Apostle Paul during the Seventh and Eighth weeks after Pentecost as well.

The theme this week is inclusion, drawing on Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians and J.K.Rowling’s ‘Cupboard Under The Stairs’, among other things.

Below, you will find the main scripture for this week, then the Order of Service with time stamps referring to the relevant points in the video of Rev. Geoff McKee’s morning service at St James’ for Sunday 25 July 2021. As an additional element, this week, there is the audio of Geoff’s Reflection (also in the video), with a link to an Amnesty International online article which features the image he discusses in his talk. Finally, you can find Katherine Robertson’s Musical Selection for this week, linking to a video on YouTube.

We are thankful that Moray has moved into “Level Zero” Covid-19 restrictions which means much wider access to Church of Scotland buildings than has existed for a while. It’s no longer necessary to make a prior booking through our Session Clerk, Susan McSheffrey, ahead of time in order to attend any of the services in the church.

The capacity of the church for services is now 107. Singing is permitted for all, but the congregation must wear masks at all times.

We hope very much to be able to welcome you in person to a Sunday Morning Service at St James’ before too long.

This week’s main reading

Ephesians 3:14-21 (New International Version)
A Prayer for the Ephesians
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

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18 July 2021 is the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost and, like last week, the main teaching this week is based on a text from the New Testament book of Ephesians.

In the Intro to Ephesians in The Message, Eugene Peterson notes that “Paul’s letter to the Ephesians joins together what has been torn apart in our sin-wrecked world.” He describes “the energy of reconciliation” as “the dynamo at the heart of the universe”.

It is “imperative that we join in vigorously and perseveringly” so that “every detail in our lives contributes to what Paul describes as God’s plan worked out by Christ.”

This is a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in Jesus – “everything in deepest heaven and everything on planet earth.”

Today’s main reading is specifically about a reconcilation of Paul’s time: reconcilation of Jews and Gentiles.

Below you will find the main reading followed by the video service which includes the other readings, prayers and Rev. Geoff McKee’s sermon. At the end of this post for today, you will find Katherine Robertson’s Musical Selection.

The Order of Service is set out below with time stamps for the the relevant point in the video so you can skip to your favourite hymn or fast forward through the sermon 😉

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11 July 2021 is the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost.

Feeling fated to despair and failure? Feeling rejected, shamed and guilty? Everyone does at times and today’s Scripture is a place to turn for reassurance. Ephesians, Chapter One.

Below, you will find the main Scripture we’ve mentioned and then Rev. Geoff McKee’s video service from St James’ Church, including prayers, further Bible readings and the sermon. There is also Kath Robertson’s musical selection, featuring a “future hit” at St James’… 🙂

This week , we have included a full Order of Service with “time stamps” for the different elements of the service so you can find them quickly within the video service, if you wish. Is this a help?

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04 July 2021 is the 6th Sunday after Pentecost.

Below you will find the Video service from St James’ Church, including Rev. Geoff McKee’s sermon. There is also the sermon scripture set out in full and a musical selection.

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Here is our Service for 27 June 2021, the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost.

The main Lectionary reading is from Paul’s (New Testament) Second Letter to the Corinthians. Following the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Corinthian Church is a young church which Paul seeks to encourage and guide. This passage focuses on Stewardship – i.e. trying to answer ‘difficult’ questions such as “How much should we give?” and “What is a fair balance?”

A foundational part of Paul’s apostolic ministry was raising funds for the poor in Jerusalem. Collecting money in this way did not simply address some very real economic needs (Jewish congregations tended to be poorer than their gentile counterparts); it also served to strengthen unity and reconciliation between Jewish and gentile Christians.

Paul’s recommended income-generating strategy might be said to be unorthodox. But, as explained in Geoff’s sermon, it’s not, when viewed through the lens of Christianity.

Read on for the main Scripture, then the video service by Rev. Geoff McKee featuring readings, prayers and the sermon. Finally, as usual, there is a Musical Selection by Kath this week referencing the fact that the service is one of Holy Communion.

The main reading for this week

2 Corinthians 8:7-15 (New International Version)
7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

10 And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”

Video Service for 27 June 2021

I place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of God. If anything will advance the interests of the kingdom, it shall be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping it I shall most promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my hopes in time or eternity.

david livingstone

Musical Selection

This Sunday we are so thankful to be celebrating holy communion once again.

The hymn “Behold the Lamb” was written by Suart Townend, and Keith and Kirstyn Getty.

Whilst writing some of the lyrics, certain ideas crystallised in the mind of Stuart Townend and he makes the following comments about that –

“Three aspects of communion became clear: the act of remembering and celebrating Christ’s death through eating bread and drinking wine; the expression of being one in Christ through sharing in one bread and one cup; and the proclamation of Christ’s return. In my experience, churches usually focus EITHER on the first OR the second – and hardly ever the third! So, I wanted to create a song that helped us keep in mind the full picture of what Communion represents.”