Author: Rector

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Diocesan Lent Quiet Day

Programme
10.00am Worship
10.20am Jesus condemned – Bishop Kevin
10.40am The women by the way
11.00am Break
11.30am Jesus falls; Simon carries the cross
11.50am Crucifixion – Dean Reuben
12.10am The silence of the tomb – Bishop Kevin
12.30pm Final worship
If you would like to find out more about the Lent Quiet Day or would like to book a
place, please contact the Rev Les Ireland on 0141 776 3866, or email
Les949@btinternet.com. Access details for the Zoom meeting will be circulated
nearer the time.

Everyone is welcome and invited to this free event.

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Night Prayers for Lent Course

The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night, and a perfect end.

Amen.

O God, make speed to save us;

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Psalm 31.1-5

Antiphon:          Make haste, O Lord, to deliver me,

for you are my tower of strength.

  1. In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.

2  Incline your ear to me; make haste to deliver me.

3  Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe, for you are my crag and my stronghold; for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me.

4  Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, for you are my tower of strength.

5  Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth.

Antiphon:          Make haste, O Lord, to deliver me,

                           for you are my tower of strength.

Reading

Silence

Response (Ps. 31.5)

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

            Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

For you have redeemed me, Lord God of truth.

            I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

            Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

  

Nunc Dimittis

Antiphon:    Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

1    Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace;

your word has been fulfilled.

2     My own eyes have seen the salvation

          which you have prepared in the sight of every people;

3     A light to reveal you to the nations,

and the glory of your people Israel.

Antiphon:    Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

Lord, have mercy on us,

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

A time of silent prayer

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven. 

Give us today our daily bread. 

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us. 

Do not bring us to the time of trial

but deliver us from evil. 

Amen.

Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray; and in your mercy

defend us from all perils and dangers of this night;

for the love of your only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Conclusion

We will lie down in peace, and take our rest;

For you alone, Lord, make us dwell in safety.

Into your hands, O Lord, I commit my spirit;

You will redeem me, O Lord God of truth.

Keep us tonight, Lord, from all sin;

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.

Lord, hear our prayer;

And let our cry come to you.

Bless the Lord, the God of our fathers;

Sing his praise and exalt him for ever.

Bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;

Sing God’s praise and exalt God forever.

The almighty and most merciful Lord guard us and give us his blessing.

Amen.

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And the Angels Attended Him

The icon – The Invitation – is in church for the duration of Lent.

Jesus walks into the wilderness his hand reaching back for you to come join him, where those things that you think are cracks and brokenness can be beautified.

I am currently reading ‘The Sound of Life’s Unspeakable Beauty’, it is a beautiful book any time but especially for Lent.  It says of itself, and it is true in my reading so far:

“This is a beautiful book. This word “beauty,” in the Japanese definition, requires sacrifice. The sacrifice of death to preserve honour or the natural process of decay is beatified.”

Going into the wilderness is a place not were we decay but were we can be beautified.  When all distractions, all temptations, all outside influences are no longer assailing our senses, we get the chance to look at ourselves and to listen to what God is saying to us and for us. 

So let us journey into the wilderness not in dour West of Scotland attitude, but in the joy of having 40 days with God removed from all other distractions, where we too will be attended to by the angels.

(I am sure there will be more about the book at another time.)

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Diocese Synod 2022

What makes up the people of God?
Not bread alone, but bread of love
Blessed, given and broken.
A taste of heaven within the spirit,
held in the soul regardless of taste
or lack of.
Bricks without straw;
are still made in love;
still build true and strong foundation.
Straw without bricks can be blown away.
But bricks without straw?
The dust of the earth
from which we are made;
life giving water
by which we live;
Shaped and formed in love by God
the Ultimate Potter.
The people of God, 
the bricks of God,
The Church of God,
Built of Love.
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Lent Morning Prayers

Lent Morning Prayers are a short quiet way to start Mondays through Fridays during Lent. Via Zoom only they will take the form of prayers, images and music. You don’t need to have your video on so you don’t even need to get out of bed to join us. Beginning 8am Thursday 3rd March.

Meeting ID: 898 7269 8656
Passcode: Monklands

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Purple Friday

Each year on the last Friday in February LGBT Youth Scotland hold a fundraising day called Purple Friday. As part of it they hold a Pass the Torch Relay, with the aim that people all over the country will, together, cover the equivalent distance of walking round the coastline of Scotland. A total of 2,500km or 1553 miles, or 3,645,377 steps. As the distance between Holy Name and St Paul and St John the Evangelist is 7 miles I decided that would be my goal. I chose to do it around Lochend Loch which is about a mile round rather than walking the busy road between the two churches.

LGBT Youth Scotland do fantastic work in supporting our young people and in going into schools to provide education and information. Such support is important, teenage years can be tough going. Indeed even well meaning and supportive parents can be seen as far from being, when the stresses and strains of growing up make life tricky. Having someone else to turn to when there is no support, or no perceived support, can make a vast difference to the LGBTIQ+ youth in our communities. I had hoped to raised £250, as I write this the total stands at £390 which is simple marvellous. (My JustGiving page for Pruple Friday is open until 6th March Kirstin Freeman is fundraising for LGBT Youth Scotland) If you are reading this after 6th March then the JustGiving page will have closed, if you would like to donate then please go directly to LGBT Youth Scotland’s website and do it there Make a donation | LGBT Youth Scotland | LGBT Youth Scotland you can also find out more about their work.

Over on the Facebook page you can see short videos that were taken throughout the walk, in some various people talk about why they joined me, below is a brief summary of the day.

After Thursday being a white out with snow it was with trepidation I drew back the curtains on Purple Friday, but the day was still and bright. Indeed it turned out to be the most perfect weather for walking despite being a bit slippy in a couple of places during the first 1 mile.

Margaret and Irene from Holy Name joined me for the first mile, as we walked we chatted and said hello to others who were enjoying the morning sun, lots of the with their dogs. Our conversation at this point was mostly about the news from Ukraine, our fears, our hopes, so it was only natural that we stopped at the peace garden and said a prayer, among the chirping of hedgerow birds, for Ukraine and her people and the world as it tried to respond in ways that would bring peace.

As we approached the end of our first lap, we were joined by Pamela and Kayleigh and then at the car park by Nicola and Tracey. The 7 of us then walked the next three miles.

We weren’t in any great hurry so despite having started at 9.30am it was lunchtime by the time we reached 4 miles. We stopped and talked as we ate lunch. Please if you have time go and listen to the stories on Facebook – The Scottish Episcopal Church in Monklands | Facebook For me a big part of the day was about raising awareness these moving stories help do that.

While I had been delighted with the company for those first 4 miles, mile 5 was done mostly on my own, as I walked I prayed and gave thanks, for others involved in and with Purple Friday, for those who had joined me and their stories, for all those who work for inclusion and justice, and for the people of Ukraine.

While the morning had been sunny the clouds where now coming over and a sharp, but light, wind had started to blow, so it warmed my heart to see Geoff waiting at the car park and he and Paul joined me for the last 2 miles, minus a few hundred yards which I did myself. As I said in the wee video that began those last two miles, it would appear that females walk in the morning, men in the afternoon and priests all day.

It felt surprisingly emotional when I finished, the 1/4mile stones helped me on the last difficult mile as my back was sore and I was in need of a cup of coffee and a sit down, but I am so glad I did it and so thankful to those who shared Purple Friday with me.

As I have said elsewhere, to those who walked and talked, shared stories and prayed, those who supported financially or by allowing others to take part (providing lifts and allowing time off work), thank you; you are all superstars.

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Lament for Ukraine


Hearts bleed with broken dreams, 
pain wracks not only bodies but the world.
The scream of missile trace 
drowns out the cries of hope;
clouds of building dust
and flames of acrid smell
fill the air with despairs offspring.

First cut of lies, dug deeper
not by the foe but …
supposed friend who turns a back,
hiding behind an acronym_
and like Pilate washes hands.

Strength for them and us, is the plea,
the prayer, the hope.  That they may live
and we may breathe deeply, take the risk
and proclaim in more than hopes and prayers
God lives, God cares, God acts
and so will we.
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Holy Week Services

Each Day during Holy Week we will be MARKing Holy Week by journeying through the Gospel of Mark. It will be done over the course of the whole week through reflection, music, image and parts of the Gospel itself.
From Monday to Thursday, the service will last no longer than an hour, while on Friday it will be a little longer.

Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday
2pm MARKing Holy Week in St Andrew’s Chapel
Holy Wednesday 
11am Said Eucharist in the Church
2pm MARKing Holy Week in St Andrew’s Chapel
Maundy Thursday
2pm MARKing Holy Week in St Andrew’s Chapel
7pm Sung Eucharist 
with stripping the altar and the Watch in Church
Good Friday
2pm MARKing the final hour in Church
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Lent Litany

Holy God maker of heaven and earth.
Hear us.
Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
Heal us.
Holy Spirit Giver of Life,
Help us.
Holy and Blessed Trinity,
Hear our prayers.
We pray for those who hunger for food; those who hunger for clean water; those who hunger for a safe home; those who hunger for a peaceful life.
Lord, hear us.
We pray for those who are fearful for the future; those who are anxious for the present; for those whose past is a painful and a constant burden.
Lord, hear us.
We pray for those who lead, countries and communities; for those who lead industry and judiciary; for those who ensure our health service, fire brigade, police force, social work and education institutions are fit for purpose.
Lord, hear us.
We pray for those whose bodies ache; for those for whom age is taking its toll; for those whose minds are troubled. We give thanks for all those who care for the sick and vulnerable, grant them strength and patience.
(You may wish to pause at this point to bring before God names of those you know in need of prayer.)
Lord, hear us.
We pray for the Church throughout the world; for all those who serve in congregations and the wider community; for those who doubt; for those for whom faith in you is new; for those who are persecuted for faithfully following you.
Lord, hear us.
We remember before God all those who we love but see no longer, praying that they may know the joys of heaven and we too may know those joys when this life ends.
(You may wish to pause at this point to remember before God those you miss.)
Lord, hear us.
Let our fasting turn us to attend to the needs of others, and not our own hungers.
Help us Good Lord.
Let our charity be a sign of your generosity, not an occasion for pride.
Help us Good Lord.
Let our prayers make us witnesses to your grace and lead us to acts of justice.
Help us Good Lord.
Let our sufferings make us one with Christ, who suffered for our salvation.
Help us Good Lord.
Let our lives be consecrated to your will, as this Lent leads to Easter’s new life.
Help us Good Lord.
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing that you have made and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent, create and make in us new and contrite hearts that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may receive from you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  
Amen.
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Lent Course

This year’s Lent Course will take place on Tuesday evenings in the St Andrew’s Chapel.  They will begin at 7pm and conclude at 8pm with Compline.  The theme will be God’s instruction to Moses: ‘Take off your shoes for you are walking on Holy Ground.’   A booklet containing Compline and the readings for the whole course will be available on the web site or in hard copies in the Church.

For those who are unable to attend in person both the course and the service of Compline will be available via zoom.