Welcome, from the people of Eddleston, Peebles Old,
Stobo and Drumelzier. As the Bells of Peebles Old
Parish summon us to worship, we turn to the Upper
Room in Jerusalem where Jesus is engaged in what
is known as the Upper Room Discourse. It is the most
intimate and loving sermon of Christ in the Bible.
The key to effective Christian living, and powerful,
fruit-producing lives is not how much of the Bible you
know, or how long you pray, or what church you go to.
The heart of the discussion in the upper room is that
the necessity is to abide in Christ.
And in the middle of the teaching, Jesus says “I am
the true vine”!
And that is the theme of our worship today.
When the bells finish, our first hymn will be “At the
name of Jesus, every knee shall bow.”
5th Sunday of Easter
Hymn: At the name of Jesus
PRAYER
God,
you sent your Son into the world
that we might live through him.
May we abide in his risen life
so that we may bear the fruit of love for one another
and know the fullness of joy.
Creator of the universe,
you made the world in beauty,
and restore all things in glory
through the victory of Jesus Christ.
We pray that, wherever your image is still disfigured
by poverty, sickness, selfishness, war and greed,
the new creation in Jesus Christ may appear in justice, love, and peace,
to the glory of your name. Amen.
THE LORD'S PRAYER
LESSON
John: 15; 1-8
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every
branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.
You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken
to you.
Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear
fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you
abide in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and
I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and
withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and
burned.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever
you wish, and it will be done for you.
My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and
become my disciples
REFLECTION
HYMN: Blessed Assurance
PRAYER
Holy God,
you have called us to follow in the way of your risen Son,
and to care for those who are our companions,
not only with words of comfort, but with acts of love.
Seeking to be true friends of all,
we offer our prayers on behalf of the church and the world.
Sisters and brothers in Christ,
God invites us to bring our doubts and fears,
our joys and concerns, our petitions and praise,
and offer them for the earth and all its creatures.
We pray for the created world.
For those who rebuild
where things have been destroyed;
for those who fight hunger, poverty and disease,
and for those who work to bring an end to our attempts to attack our
world’s ecosystems,
Make plain to us the responsibility which is ours as stewards of your
creation.
We pray for people who are in need;
those for whom life is a bitter struggle, those whose lives are clouded
by death or loss,
by pain or disability,
by discouragement or fear
by shame or rejection.
Eternal God, we give thanks to you
for the great community of faith
into which you have brought us;
for those who have kept safe our scriptures, gathered our songs,
built our sanctuaries, and taught us to know and trust you.
May we live as faithfully as they.
Until you bring us with all your people into the fullness of your eternal joy.
Receive these prayers, O God,
and transform us through them,
that we may have eyes to see and hearts to understand
not only what you do on our behalf,
but what you call us to do
so that your realm will come to fruition in glory. Amen.
HYMN: Hail to the Lord's anointed
THE BLESSING and BENEDICTION
Let us focus on the race ahead.
Go into the days of this week
strong in the presence of the Holy Spirit,
and confident that God goes with you.
And the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit go with you
today and in all the days to come. AMEN.