Easter 3, April 26, 2020.  Leighmoor UC. I am aware that if we had been meeting for worship this Sunday, the service would have included material for Anzac Day.  I have written a prayer, and I have also inserted one after the Sermon, which is from a resource written by Uniting Church chaplains serving in the Australian Defence Forces. Hymn Suggestions: 161: Tell out my soul https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6ji4y9Q-K0&list=PL5DD548A5057D8327&index=3&t=0s 395: Alleluia, Christ is risen! 254: O changeless Christ, for ever new 514: Be known to us in breaking bread https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aOwYeG_jyU 595: O Jesus, I have promised 613: Lord of all hopefulness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8mti7VL3gg&list=RDb8mti7VL3gg&start_radio=1&t=0 47: Our God, our help in ages past [Anzac Day] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsHIwXTjAOU Bible Readings: Acts 2: 14a, 36-41 Psalm 116: 1-4, 12-19 1 Peter 1: 17-23 Luke 24: 13-35 Prayer O wonderful God, you who created the earth and the sky, you delight us too by your nearness. You astonish us through the ordinary ways you make yourself known to us. May our hearts be filled with gratitude-for you, our Creator, who fashioned this planet and the rest of the solar system, and who created each one of us. You place us on the road…to faith…to mission…meeting grace, goodness, and compassion, along the way. We remember today those who were and still are, involved in the bloodbaths of war. We pray for all affected by war…for war widows, for people who grew up minus a father, and for those who did not recognise the one who returned. Even though we are in lock down-our hearts are not. We continue to pray for our armed service men and women who are serving, and pray that one day, there will be no war, and all will live in peace, We pray this prayer in the name of our Prince of Peace, Amen Sermon The Journey to the Heart [Luke 24: 13-35] In the 1960’s, there was a very moving book-and later, a film, released -a story of three friends – 2 dogs and a cat, making their way through 400 kms of Canadian wilderness, to get back to their master. The Incredible Journey. I must have been about 6 years old when I saw the film-a Saturday matinee-and I cried, and cried and cried! -the story of the animals, making their way home. The Incredible Story. There has since been a remake: Homeward Bound,(1993) Another Incredible Story: ‘Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about 7 miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.  While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them…’(Luke 24: 13-15) The Incredible Journey. -two disciples on the road to Emmaus that first Easter evening. -they are walking from Jerusalem after an unsettling weekend. -they carefully review the events of the past days. Cleopas and his unnamed companion (because often unnamed people in the Bible are women, some scholars suggest that the unnamed one is a female disciple), but it doesn’t matter -They were members of the larger circle of the disciples of Jesus-and they were very depressed. The promising adventures of these last years in which they had invested themselves, failed to show them the redemption of Israel: ‘But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.’(vs 21) Their incredible young leader, in whom they had such hope, was arrested, sentenced to death, and crucified. To be sure that morning there were stories circulating that the tomb of Jesus was empty, that He was alive! But such reports were not acceptable. Meanwhile, an unrecognized Traveller appeared and joined with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The stranger asked about their conversation. These depressed ones express surprise that the Stranger was unaware of the harassment, and death of the prophet of Nazareth. Then they shared their own bewilderment at the fact that on the third day when there should have been some glorious fulfilment, their hopes were only further crushed.  Even though the women had told them of an empty tomb and the vision of angels, they discounted this report. So what does the Risen Christ, seen as a ‘stranger ’do? HE TELLS THEM OFF! ‘Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!’ Let’s consider for a moment, what their encounter with the risen Christ tells us about their faith: The disciples show many of the traits we all show- In our faith-there is the initial enthusiasm, them disillusionment after the honeymoon period, then a rekindled fervour (later they said ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road…’) They worked through their disappointment in their sharing with Jesus. To have someone come and join in, as Jesus did, reminds us what a key element sharing faith is-even when we have doubts. Let’s keep these points at the front of our minds as we hear the rest of the story. What happens? They come near to the village, it’s almost evening, they urge him to stay with them. Why? The Biblical precepts of hospitality: it was very important to display hospitality and to extend that to strangers-as Abraham entertained angels, so too, may we…(maybe we have to wait until the end of lock down-or recognize those in our household as angels!) Also-they may have been eager to learn more from their travelling companion. THIS is the turning point for them. This is where they are changed from doubting and despairing disciples, into excited witnesses for their Lord. Their action-their invitation changes him from a stranger to a companion. Recognition of the risen Christ comes with the act of breaking bread and the sharing of a meal. The word ‘companion’ means ‘one who eats bread with another.’ We have all had those meals, haven’t we…perhaps with someone we don’t know very well-maybe even just met-and by the end of the meal, the time together, they have become

Easter 2, Year A, April 19th, 2020 Hymn suggestions: Be still for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZugvUQ4m90U 398: Come down, O love divine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLQu6_Tjk9M 355: Man more than man 263: May daughters and my sons hear tell- 392: At the dawning of salvation 407: Breathe on me, breath of God https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5keJHZdWYM 649: These things did Thomas count as real 691: Faith will not grow from words alone, Bible Readings: Acts 2: 14a, 22-32 Psalm 16 1 Peter 1: 3-9 John 20: 19-31 Prayer Loving, Easter God, We must stay behind shut doors, but our doors are always open to you, our Divine guest. There are no barriers for you…unless we erect them. Come into our hearts…come into our homes. May you be the key that unlocks the strength we crave, the soothing words we need to hear, to dissolve our fears. Amen Sermon: Break out or lock down? [John 20:19-31] When lock down becomes break out. When low mood becomes enthusiasm ‘Then she said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it in my side.  Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “MY Lord and my God.” In 1909, Paul Engle wrote these words: ‘You say you buried God (weeping you say it) And split the flesh to its essential parts. But you have left us bodies bright with flame, And buried God no deeper than our hearts.’ The Sunday after Easter Sunday. We are still in the Easter season, which concludes with the celebration of Pentecost, near the end of May. So…Easter…yet today is known in the church as ‘Low Sunday.’ -the Sunday after the outburst of Easter joy. Similar to the first Sunday after Christmas Day.  We feels a little flat. Some of the excitement has gone-in a way we have reached our goal -our Lenten journey has ended from darkness to the light of the empty tomb, seen at dawn. Now we are back-on the other side of the mountain-back in the valley. We have finished our Hot Cross buns We have consumed our chocolate quota for the year We have grieved and moved through to rejoicing. And now -we are left coping with the Easter victory, in our ordinary lives. Our Bible reading depicts a confused, dispirited group huddled behind locked doors on Easter morning. Yes, the women had said “We have seen the Lord” -but they were not believed. That’s typical isn’t it-women are sometimes blamed, or labelled as being too emotional, even hysterical, in times of grief. It is worth noting that in Jesus’ time (and this is still the case in some countries in the world today), women’s testimony did not count as reliable, or even legal witness. In western society, in our main-line churches, we could say we have known nothing but crucifixion, or death – slow decay -empty churches -decline in numbers -ageing congregations -absence of children and youth.  Think back to Sunday School numbers when you were young.  Sunday School picnics were wonderful occasions.  Church socials/events were often the places where young people met, fell in love…another wedding in the church. But now? Decline. Even Easter, the most important event in the Christian calendar, which makes it on to the secular calendar but:  if you only listened to secular society you’d think it was a 4 day holiday invented by confectionary manufacturers to honour something to do with bunnies! Sometimes we, the church, feel small, powerless, without the numbers. -seen as irrelevant in society. Even some politicians say that. The church may feel that it is dying -numbers are down-how can we become excited about the resurrection, when we see decay in our midst? Shouldn’t our numbers be larger as people of the resurrection? In the reading from John, it’s Sunday evening, 2 days after Jesus was crucified.  Ten disciples are hiding in an upper room.  Judas has taken his life, Thomas is somewhere else. That morning they had been told by the women that Jesus’ tomb was empty. They are scared. Would they be blamed for the theft of the body-an act that warranted capital punishment by the Romans? Huddled together, frightened. Then suddenly Jesus stood among them and greeted them with “Peace be with you.” He showed them the holes in his hands and side. And he gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit-a very different account from the one from Acts.  Here Jesus is depicted as breathing the Holy Spirit into the disciples in the same way that God breathed life and Spirit into the first human beings. Nothing more than a breath…but it blew open a securely locked door. The huddled, fearful disciples-behind locked, bolted doors -were broken into -breathed on -given the gift of the Spirit. Remember Aslan, the Christ figure, in C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?  After Aslan has risen from the dead, Aslan brings the stone statues of the creatures of Narnia back to life by breathing on them.  He bounds up to a stone lion: ‘I expect you’ve seen someone put a lighted match to a bit of newspaper which is propped up in a grate against an unlit fire. And for a second nothing seems to have happened; and then you notice a tiny streak of flame creeping along the edge of the newspaper. It was like that now. For a second after Aslan had breathed upon him the stone lion looked just the same. Then a tiny streak of gold began to run along his white marble back—then it spread—then the color seemed to lick all over him as the flame licks all over a bit of paper—then, while his hindquarters were still obviously stone, the lion shook his mane and all the heavy, stone folds rippled into living hair. Then he opened a great red mouth, warm and living, and gave a prodigious yawn. And now his hind legs had come to life. He lifted one of

Happy Easter! Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! “Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen.”(Luke 24:5) ‘Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”(John 20: 28-29) Lost and Found As we approached Jerusalem the crowd stood at the gate and cried in tear-choked voice”: “We are lost in his death.” Upon the hill the angels sang: “We are found in his rising.” (Ann Weems) Easter Just when I though there would be no more light in the Jerusalem sky, the Bright and Morning Star appeared and the darkness has not overcome it. (Ann Weems) My haiku for this morning: ‘Angels fill the hole with resurrection splendour. Paradoxical!’ We are Easter people!  Sing your alleluias!  Make a joyful noise!  Dance, pray, smile, laugh. Easter blessings and love, Barbara   Easter Sunday, 2020.  Rev Barbara Allen [hymn suggestions: people can access some of these on-line, or read them in their hymn books.  These suggestions are from Together in Song (TIS): 365: Christ the Lord is risen today 720: Halle, halle, halle, hallelujah! 392: At the dawning of salvation 362: Jesus Christ is risen today 382: Now the green blade rises from the buried grain 242: I danced in the morning 228: Crown him with many crowns 380: Yours be the glory, risen, conquering Son 390: Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord. Call to Worship With Mary, let us approach the tomb. With Mary, let our surprise and grief-be turned to joy. With Mary, we hear Christ call our names. Let us give thanks to our risen Lord who has triumphed over death. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen Prayer O God, to you belong all praise and glory. Easter is a glorious season, a time to remember your power-and your love. The stone was rolled away, and our fears of death were rolled away as well. You brought life out of death, and have promised that to us also. God of wonder, that the tomb should be empty on that Easter morning is as unbelievable to us as it was to Mary; that one should die and be raised again for all, is beyond our comprehension. Yet though our minds be stretched beyond their limit, by the gift of faith we do believe. We praise the risen Jesus, alive and present in our midst. Because Jesus stooped to comfort the least of your people, those on the margin, the overlooked, we too have hope that you can lift our spirits, when we despair. When we face troubled times, you comfort us, strengthen us, and love us.  Fill us with hope as we behold Christ’s resurrection. The miracle of Easter shows us that nothing is impossible for you-and that nothing in life or in death can separate us from your love. Alleluia! Amen. Bible Reading: John 20: 1-18 Sermon There is a picture of the empty tomb, with the stone rolled to the side.  The caption reads: Missing, presumed dead. -missing, presumed dead. ‘Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.’ Easter: the mood of the Easter Season is a rollercoaster of emotions: from grief and loss, to waiting-and patience-and finally it is Easter Sunday, the most important day in the church calendar.  Christmas is essential-we need the Son of God to be born among us-we need the death on Good Friday-but Easter Sunday is the most important-because if there was no resurrection-no empty tomb-then the baby Jesus remains just a baby, and Good Friday just a day of death. We as Christians know that if there was no resurrection, we have nothing to stand on. We worship a risen Lord. This year, we cannot attend a church gathering, but the ‘alleluias’ still abound in our hearts. We are still the church. He has risen!  Alleluia! And yet, like the Christmas story, it is all too easy to rush through the Easter story. After sombre Good Friday-we hurry through Easter Saturday-eager to get to the good part. BUT stop! Listen! We know the quote ‘take time to smell the flower’ Slow down-or you’ll miss some jewels of the Easter story. In John’s account, we hear that Mary came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. The gospel accounts of the First Easter are, to a degree, so familiar that we tend to merge them together. John does not say why Mary went to the tomb-but it was not in order to anoint the body (as in Mark and Luke).  In John’s account, the preparation of the body -to mask the odours, and to show respect and devotion of family and friends-had already taken place-carried out by Nicodemus.  Mary goes to the tomb- in order to grieve -away from others -to weep in private. She comes to the tomb while it is still dark. John is the only gospel to state that it was dark. Matt and Luke say that it was dawn. Mark-that the ‘sun had risen.’ John may be using the word ‘dark’ to convey to us that Mary has not grasped what has happened. -she ‘saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb’ -all that the empty tomb means to Mary at this stage is that the body of Jesus has been stolen. -she hasn’t grasped the deeper significance. ‘She saw.’ Seeing is believing But not yet. How well do we see? Ever driven home-and you can’t remember how you got home?  You were so intent on what was going on in your mind, that you weren’t aware of what you were doing, or seeing? How many of you have ever been on a familiar, maybe your daily, walk-and not noticed something that

Hello Jesus’ followers, As we enter into the solemn mood on this the holiest of our holy days, we kneel at the feet of the cross, crying for our loved one who has died.  We were not his followers then, but we are his followers now. A few weeks ago, I wrote about haiku, Japanese poetry enshrined within 17 syllables. My morning dog walks are slow…Harry is middle aged, blind, and has been off colour the past few days.  The walk allows me to wake up properly, pray, and sometimes, through the silence, bits of haiku start to form.  Today, this Good Friday one came into being: Mary on her cross. Heart shredded by grief’s talons. “My son, my son, why…” Blessings as you mourn, and wait through Holy Saturday. Sometimes we are not good at waiting, impatient in this society of 2 minute noodles, drive-through food etc, though these weeks in lock down may have made us a little more patient.  When we slow down, when we wait…well, we see things we haven’t noticed before, we become mindful. In the darkness, remember…you are loved. In Jesus’ darkest time, he remembered and cared for others, right to the end: ‘When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. ‘(John 19: 26-27) Barbara Good Friday Service: Leighmoor Uniting Church, 2020. If you have a cross, of any kind, I invite you to have it in front of you, or wear it, during this service at home, and to have as a focus for the rest of the day. I would have used other symbols for the Good Friday service, having them as the ‘voices’, but instead I have chosen to put together a service that is easier to follow on your own, or with a small family group. Introduction On this Good Friday we hear the Bible Readings, and are invited to enter the story, through some of the key characters. When we hear their stories we may ask ourselves: Am I like Peter?  Do I deny Jesus? Do I grieve like Mary?  Each of the stories (some of them adapted from Whole People of God material) is linked with Bible readings, if you want to look them up. I was going to include them as well, but it would be many more pages!  I have included prayers, parts of hymns, and a poem.  You may enter into all of it, or part of it.  You may even choose to focus on a hymn, or a reading, instead.  Prayer From the depth of his agony, Jesus cried out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In this question he identified himself with all who suffer pain, rejection, and death. We are invited to experience God’s presence, even in our darkest hours. This is the darkest of all Christian days, yet we worship God. In our grief, we seek God’s caring presence. Amen. Hymn 339: O sacred head sore wounded. O sacred head sore wounded, with grief and shame weighed down; O kingly head surrounded with thorns your only crown; death’s shadows rise before you, the glow of life decays; yet hosts of heaven adore you and tremble as they gaze. What language shall I borrow to praise you, heavenly friend, for this your dying sorrow, your mercy without end? Such agony and dying! Such love to sinners free! O Christ, all grace supplying, turn now your face on me. In this your bitter Passion, good Shepherd, think of me, look on me with compassion, unworthy though I be: beneath your cross abiding forever would I rest, in your dead love confiding, and with your presence blessed. (-Paul Gerhardt) Reflections Judas Iscariot tells his story: (Luke 22:39-51) Was I there?  Yes, I, Judas Iscariot was there all right.  I don’t suppose you’ll ever understand why I acted as I did.  But if you had known Jesus as I knew him, perhaps you wouldn’t be quite so harsh in your condemnation. Why, he had everything going for him!  He could make the crowds hang on his words.  There were hundreds-no thousands-who would have done anything he asked them to do.  He was the perfect leader for our people.  And then he threw it all away.  It would have been child’s play for him to get the whole nation behind him and throw those detested Romans clear out of the country.  I was sure that’s what he was leading up to, with all his fine talk about a kingdom.  And then he blew it.  “My kingdom is not of this world”-indeed! I tell you I’ve never been more disappointed in my life.  Someone who lets people down like that ought to be betrayed.  And yet…O God…I wish I could forget those eyes that seemed to see right into me.  I wish he had just stopped loving me for one bitter moment.  Perhaps it would be easier for me now. Peter tells his story: Luke 22: 54-62 How could I have done it?  “I’m your man, Jesus.  You can count on me!  Maybe not on anybody else, but you can count on good old Peter the Rock” That’s what I said to him, not 24 hours ago.  And I meant every word of it.  I was so sure that nothing could ever make me let him down.  And then look what I did- told those men and that serving girl, three times in arrow, that I never even knew him! Never knew him!  I knew him as I’ve never known anyone in my life.  To think that I was the one who realised on the mountain top that here was no mere mortal, but God living with us.  I was the one who blurted it out: “Jesus, you’re the Christ, the son of the living

Hello Faith Pals, I thought I would send you some thoughts for tomorrow, being Maundy Thursday.  Tomorrow morning I will email you the Good Friday service and the Easter Sunday service.  I just wanted to get this to you so you had it for tomorrow. For the hymn: ‘Were you there when they crucified my Lord?’ one version has these verses added for Holy Week: 1. Were you there when he gave them bread and wine? 2. Were you there when he knelt and prayed to God? 3. Were you there when his friends betrayed and fled? 4. Were you there when they scorned and mocked our Lord? 4. Were you there when they led him to the cross? We would be having a service tomorrow evening, wouldn’t we? (not sure whether this is a tradition at Leighmoor UC). Washing of feet, or Tenebrae? It doesn’t matter.  What might be helpful is tomorrow, sometime during the day,  when you have your shower/bath, or put on your shoes and socks, you consider your feet, and remember that Jesus washed his disciples feet. When you have your meals on Thursday, if bread is used, remember the last meal Jesus eat with his disciples, and put yourself in the picture.  Where are you sitting?  What are you doing?  What does it mean to follow the one who called himself ‘The Bread of Life’? ‘Kneels at the feet of his friends, silently washes their feet: master who acts as a slave to them. Yesu, Yesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve, the neighbours we have from you. Loving puts us on our knees, silently washing their feet, this is the way we should live with you. Yesu, Yesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve, the neighbours we have from you. As we ponder Jesus’ last night with his close friends, his disciples, we remember it was a night when he washed his disciples’ feet, as an example of humility. A night also when he broke the bread and poured the wine, as a means by which his disciples could remember the meaning and significance of his death. It was also a night when discipleship failed; when Judas betrayed his Master, and Peter denied his Lord. And those who had followed him abandoned him and ran away. Here is a beautiful prayer about Peter’s denial, and what it means for us-from the pen of the wonderful Ken Gire: Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you for Peter.  He was a great man.  He loved you so much.  He left everything to follow you.  In your name he healed the sick, cast out demons, and preached the kingdom.  For three and half faithful years he stood beside you.  And when the soldiers came to take you away, he stood up for you,  When the others deserted you, he followed all the way to the temple courtyard. I confess I would never have made it that far. Help me not to pass judgement on him, Lord.  Rather, may his great and fervent love for you pass judgement on me. Help me to see that I deny you in so many areas of my life, in so many ways and at so many different times. When I am too busy to pray, I deny that you are the centre of my life. When I neglect your Word, I deny that you are competent to guide me. When I worry, I deny that you are Lord of my circumstances. When I turn my head from the hungry and the homeless, I deny that you are a God of mercy who has put me here to be your hands and your feet, When I steal something from another person to enrich or enhance my life- whether that be something material or some credit that is rightly due another, which I have claimed for myself- I deny you are the source of all blessings. Forgive me, Jesus, for all those quiet ways, known only to you, in which I have denied you. Help me to pray for and encourage others the way you did for Peter.  Even during those times when they may in some way deny their friendship.  Especially during those times. Thank you for all the times you have prayed for me that my faith might not fail.  There is no telling how many times I have been rescued from Satan’s hand because you stood beside me.  And thank you, most faithful of friends, that no matter how terribly I have failed you, I can always look into your eyes, and there find forgiveness. Amen (Ken Gire, Instructive Moments With the Saviour) Prayer Lord Jesus, although you were betrayed, another denied knowing you, and everyone abandoned you, help me to stay with you. You remained faithful to death, even death on a cross. Strengthen me, help me not turn aside when the going gets tough, but help me follow you through sunshine and shadow alike, For the final victory belongs to you, Amen. Blessings to you all, Barbara   Virus-free. www.avg.com