It is time to show us your talent and have some fun....
We are looking for people to join our APC virtual Choir If you would like to be part of the choir please click the button below, fill in your contact information which will be sent to Alison who will contact you to tell you the next step on your road to fame....but seriously, it is about having fun and fellowship with other members of our church community.
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10th May 2020 Christian Aid Sunday in APC Welcome and Introduction Good morning everybody and welcome to our service of worship. Today marks the beginning of Christian Aid week. Christian Aid is an international aid and development agency. The Christian Aid family, works across 37 countries to promote sustainable development, to strive for social justice and to support poor and marginalised people, whatever their beliefs, sexuality, gender or ethnicity, to lift themselves out of poverty. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has long been a supporter of the work of Christian Aid and contributes to its projects in the world through our World Development Appeal around Christmas each year. Many congregations also hold a special Christian Aid Sunday at the beginning of Christian Aid week in May every year. Normally that involves inviting a guest speaker and holding a special lunch or coffee morning to raise awareness of their work and to give people an opportunity to contribute financially if they wish. Due to the lockdown we are unable to do that this year, so instead, I want you to sit back and enjoy a virtual service that the Christian Aid Ireland staff workers have prepared for us. The service has a very special link to us as a Presbyterian community as the sermon will be led by Rev Dr Liz Hughes who is a retired Presbyterian minister and the Chair of Christian Aid Ireland. At the end of the service there will be a link mentioned that you can use if you wish to contribute to the work of Christian Aid at this time. The link is also on our Facebook page and website. So without further ado let me hand you over to the Christian Aid team as they lead us in worship this morning… Wed 6th May 2020 APC Midweek “The Gift of Laughter” Welcome and Introduction Good morning everyone and welcome to our Midweek time of worship together. Today is the third reflection in our series “Counting our Blessings” as we think about some of the gifts God gives us. Today we will be thinking about the gift of laughter. But to begin, as always, let’s take a moment to talk to God. Let’s pray. Opening Prayer Loving God, we thank you for the things in life which make us laugh, the things that bring a smile to our faces. We thank you for a sense of humour helping us to see the funny side of life, enabling us to share a joke even when it is on ourselves. We thank you for those with the special gift of bringing laughter to others, bringing a little light relief into the seriousness of our world. Loving God there is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a place for solemnity and a place for humour. Help us to get the balance right in our lives. Teach us to appreciate your gift of laughter and to share it with those around us, in the name of Christ, Amen. Let’s join together in the words of the Lord’s Prayer… Lord’s Prayer Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us, And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil, For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, For ever and ever, AMEN. Bible Reading Ecclesiastes 3 v 1-8 ‘A Time for Everything’ There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Reflection “The Gift of Laughter” A poodle and a collie were walking together when the poodle suddenly confided in his friend – “My life’s a mess” he says. “My owner is mean, my girlfriend ran away with a Schnauzer and I’m as jittery as a cat.” “Why don’t you go see a psychiatrist?” suggests the collie “I can’t” says the poodle. “I’m not allowed on the couch!” We all know people who are blessed with the ability to come up with one liners or funny stories which have us all rolling around in stitches. We call this the gift of laughter. It reduces stress, recharges our focus, and gives us a much needed break. It renews the spirit, energizes us to face a tough situation and deepens our friendships. It’s something to be treasured, something to be encouraged and something to be extremely thankful to God for. That’s why I want us to spend a few minutes this morning reflecting on the wonderful gift of laughter. One of the earliest recorded joke books is called The Philogelos. This is a Greek word meaning “the love of laughter.” It dates back to about 350 AD. It’s hard to appreciate some of its humor, but one joke that our modern ears may still appreciate goes like this- “An intellectual came to check in on a friend who was seriously ill. When the man’s wife said that he had ‘departed,’ the intellectual replied: ‘when he arrives back, will you tell him that I stopped by?” The existence of such an early book of funnies reminds us that ‘risibility’ or the ‘ability to laugh’ is one of the characteristics that makes us truly human. When we laugh, we make those around us feel comfortable, we ease a difficult situation. Laughter has the ability to keep our engines humming with joy, even when everything around us is falling apart. That’s why in the bible we read that when motivating the discouraged Israelites to take up tools and begin rebuilding the city of Jerusalem, Nehemiah said to them, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” He knew all about their prolonged suffering, yet he encouraged them to not be grievous in spirit. God is the creator of joy and laughter, as we pray to Him, He will lift our spirits, and strengthen us in the most amazing ways! Laughter is God’s gift to us. Reflect Take a few moments in silence now and thank God for His gift of laughter… Because laughter is God’s gift to us, it is inherently good for us. That’s why in the book of Proverbs we read “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Did you know a child laughs approximately 400 times a day, yet the average adult laughs only 1.5 times? There are many amazing physical benefits to laughing. Laughter stimulates our hearts, lungs, and muscles and enhances our oxygen uptake. It is also clinically proven to increase those awesome chemicals in our brains called endorphins. These make us feel happy and lighten our mental load. Laughter is so good for us, that’s how we know it is God’s idea! When we laugh we remind ourselves of all the great things God has done in our lives. Psalm 126:2 says, “Then our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues sang for joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” So when we laugh we proclaim God’s goodness! Reflect Take a moment and reflect on how much laughing benefits us mentally and physically. Also take a moment and reflect on the truth that when we laugh we reflect what God is like to others. Of course there are times when it is not appropriate to laugh as the writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us when he says, “There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” It is also never right to laugh at the expense of someone else’s feelings which is why the writer of Proverbs says, “Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbor and says, I was only joking!” Laughter used in this way is not funny, it is bullying. It can ruin people’s lives, affect their physical and mental health, damage their capacity for learning and for a few, even affect forever the way they interact with peers and colleagues. As a Christian we are also encouraged not to laugh at things that are crude. So Paul says in Ephesians 5 v 4, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” This can be difficult at times because while most modern comedians include observations about life that are incredibly funny, often these are interspersed with references which are crude or at times even blasphemous. It’s hard for all of us to know where to draw the line sometimes, and so we must allow ourselves to be guided by our conscience. We must pray for great wisdom to know how best to engage with our friends and colleagues during times of banter without compromising our faith or giving the impression that God is a joyless prude. Reflect Are there any ways that you have been joking that may not be pleasing to God or may be hurting other people around you? If so take time to confess and ask God for His help to know how best to have a laugh… Laughter and joy are God’s gifts to us. When Jesus was on earth he was constantly with his friends. They enjoyed eating and drinking together on a regular basis which is why the religious conservatives of his day referred to him disparagingly as “a wine bibber and a glutton!” He was no party pooper either. We find him accepting the invitation to a family wedding and discover that on that occasion he performed his first public miracle by turning water into wine! When I think about Jesus, I think about him often having the craic and being surrounded by people because of his good humour and generosity of spirit. People like this are God’s gift to us – the joker in the pack. Reflect Take a moment to thank God for the people in your life who make you laugh and for people in society who have this ability to make others laugh and have fun. So let me encourage you, especially in these difficult days to find ways of making yourself and your children laugh. That will look different for all of us depending on our circumstances and our stages of life. It might be playing a game, watching a comedy or cartoon or reading a funny book. It might involve googling some Irish jokes, listening to a comedian on CD, the internet or on telly, or arranging a zoom or Whatsapp call with family or friends during these days of lockdown. Laughter is God’s gift to us. It is medicine for the soul especially at a time like this. So make it a priority this week to do something fun. To kick start that process I want to leave you with a few of my favourite comedy clips and something for the kids at the end of today’s reflection. It’s my prayer that as you watch these that God will begin to lift your spirits and fill your hearts again with joy. Why don’t you send in your favourite comedy clip or something funny you’ve seen on U-tube. Then together we can encourage one another…But for now let’s take a moment to pray. Today we will be thinking particularly about teachers, parents, young people and students as they try to negotiate the difficulties of care and study during these days… Prayer Lord we pray for teachers in schools and colleges as they continue to provide online support for parents and students. Give them wisdom, patience and strength. Encourage them in the knowledge that they are making a very significant difference in the lives of their students and their families. We pray for parents who are trying their best to juggle work and home-schooling or child care responsibilities. Give them wisdom to know how to balance these tasks and renewed energy and enthusiasm to keep doing their best. We pray for children, young people and college students. Lord, give them the motivation that they need to see the value in their studies and the resolve to do their best despite not having the support of their peers around them. We think especially of those who are doing significant examinations- Lord, pour out your Spirit of Wisdom on these students particularly. Help them to remain calm, and to find the energy and enthusiasm to be self-motivated and to study well. Enable them to attend carefully to the questions asked, to think clearly, to remember accurately, and to express themselves well. Grant that they may reflect on the best of the work they have done and the best of the teaching they have received. Accept their best efforts in these examinations and in the great test of life on earth. May they know that their best is always good enough and that in the end, they will find the way that is best for them. May your love be upon them, O Lord, and may they learn to seek your help and to place all their trust in you. And Lord, in all the seriousness of these days, teach us how to maintain a positive attitude and to still enjoy a good laugh. We ask this through Christ our Lord, AMEN. Closing Words It’s been a joy and privilege to share with you again today. Thanks again for logging on. I hope you have found our time together to be an encouragement. Do join me again on Sunday morning when we will be celebrating the amazing work of Christian Aid. This will be a virtual worship service arranged by Christian Aid staff. It will include prayers, songs, bible readings, a kids slot and a talk led by Presbyterian minister Rev Liz Hughes who is the chair of Christian Aid Ireland. If you would like to contribute to the work of Christian Aid there will be a link provided on our Facebook page and website to facilitate that. In the meantime do keep everyone in your prayers and look out for anyone you can help. Don’t forget to click on today’s links for some of my favourite comedy clips and something fun for the children. For now, let me close with a benediction after which, as always, I invite you to join me in saying the grace together… Benediction May the God of hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore, Amen. 3rd May 2020 Morning Worship APC “The Gift of friendship” Welcome and Introduction Good morning everyone and welcome to our Sunday morning time of worship together. Today is the second reflection in our series “Counting our Blessings” as we think about some of the gifts God gives us. It’s my hope and prayer that reflecting on these will help us maintain our spirits in these challenging times. Today we will be thinking about the gift of friendship. But to begin, as always, let’s take a moment to thank God for our family and friends. Let’s pray. Opening Prayer You have blessed us, O God with the gift of friendship, the bonding of persons in a circle of love. We thank you for such a blessing: for family and friends who love us, who share our sorrows, who laugh with us in celebration, who bear our pain, who need us as we need them, who weep as we weep, who hold us when words fail, and who give us the freedom to be ourselves. Bless our friends and family with health, wholeness, life, and love. Amen. Let’s say the Lord’s Prayer thoughtfully and sincerely together… Lord’s Prayer Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us, And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil, For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, For ever and ever, AMEN. Bible Reading Philippians 2 v 25 -30 “I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, who you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill and almost died. But God had mercy on him and not only on him but on me also, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. Welcome him in the Lord with great joy and honour men like him because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help that you could not give me.” Reflection “The gift of Friendship” One of my favourite singer songwriters of all time is Neil Diamond. I discovered him by accident really. Growing up my mum and dad had a record player and I used to love to put on an album, sit on the sofa and sing along. The truth is, they didn’t have much of a collection. It was a choice between Neil Diamond, Nana Mouskouri and Buddy Holly. Over the years my musical tastes have varied and I love to listen to all sorts of music ranging from classical to Rap. But to this day, I’m still drawn to my childhood days listening to the warm, gravelly voice of Neil Diamond. One of my favourite songs is his version of the classic, “He ain’t heavy he’s my brother.” I’ll play it for you at the close of today’s reflection. But for now let me read you the lyrics, He Ain’t heavy, he’s my brother. The road is long With many a winding turn That leads us to who knows where Who knows where But I'm strong Strong enough to carry him He ain't heavy, he's my brother So on we go His welfare is of my concern No burden is he to bear We'll get there For I know He would not encumber me He ain't heavy, he's my brother If I'm laden at all I'm laden with sadness That everyone's heart Isn't filled with the gladness Of love for one another It's a long, long road From which there is no return While we're on the way to there Why not share And the load Doesn't weigh me down at all He ain't heavy he's my brother He's my brother He ain't heavy, he's my brother It’s a beautiful song written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell in sad circumstances. Russell had been diagnosed with terminal cancer at the time. But it speaks of a wonderful aspect of the human spirit. That inner desire to care for another human being, no matter how painful the experience, no matter how uncertain the path, no matter how long the commitment, simply because we love them and want what’s best for them. I have seen it again and again in the lives of so many people- an elderly lady sitting for 15 hours in a chair beside the bed of her dying husband, a mother carefully filling the lunchbox of her child for the 1000th time, a rugby coach standing in the pouring rain, a young person cutting the grass for an elderly grandparent, an individual donating a perfectly healthy organ to save the life of another, a busy student taking time out from their exams to listen to a friend who has just split up from their boyfriend, a father throwing a ball for his son again and again, despite knowing that his shoulder will ache for the next 3 days. And so the list goes on…. No matter who we are, no matter how emotionally strong, there are times when we feel that the road is long and the way is hard. At those times, as another song puts it, “we all need somebody to lean on”. We call these people ‘friends’ and they are an amazing gift to us from God. It’s essential to have friends and to do what we can to be a good friend. It is only the unwise person who tries to do life on their own. The writer of Ecclesiastes describes it like this… “two are better than one for when one falls down the other can pick them up.” Take a moment and think of your best friends… Name them. In our reading today we discover that the apostle Paul was no different. Chained to two Roman guards in a Roman prison he spells out his thankfulness to God for a faithful friend. His name was Epaphroditus. When the church in Philippi had heard about Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, the leaders had decided to send Paul a gift and some practical help. Epaphroditus was chosen to complete both tasks. He travelled 800 miles, over a 6 week period to get to Rome. He carried the gift that the Philippian church had sent and gave it to Paul. He then stayed on with Paul in Rome in order to be his personal assistant. True friends always go the extra mile for us, especially when we are in trouble. Take a moment and think of specific times and ways that your best friends have gone the extra mile for you… But why did Paul feel it necessary to include a personal assessment of this man in the letter that he was writing to the Christians in Philippi? The simple reason was that Epaphroditus had been extremely sick. He may have caught the dreaded Roman fever that often swept the city like a plague. News of his sickness had reached the Philippians already. Thankfully in God’s mercy Epaphroditus had recovered after many months of illness. But he was still distressed that his friends and family in the Philippian church were worrying about him. He longed to get back to them at some stage soon, so that he could tell them and show them that he was ok. Paul as a wise pastor, knowing the sacrifices this man has made and the recent sufferings he has experienced, decided that the best course of action is to thank Epaphroditus for his help and send him back to Philippi with his blessing. Knowing how churches work and how people sometimes think, Paul also wisely decided to send Epaphroditus back with a note of explanation and a report of recommendation to the leaders in his home church. You see, Paul knew that there was always the potential for some wagging tongues in the Philippian church to spread the rumour that Epaphroditus was a quitter. So Paul takes time to wisely include an explanation of his illness and a glowing report of his character in his letter which Epaphroditus could deliver to the church on his return to Philippi. With such a glowing report from the apostle Paul accompanying Epaphroditus on his return it is hard to see how anyone in the church in Philippi could accuse Epaphroditus of being a failure. Friends stick up for us and they always see the best in us no matter what other people might say… Take a moment and think of ways that your best friends have stuck up for you and made you feel good about yourself over the years… There is so much more that we could say about Epaphroditus, but this morning I want to leave you with one final thought. It’s simply this. In describing him Paul doesn’t call Epaphroditus his ‘friend’ be calls him, “my brother”. It’s interesting that this is how Paul describes his friend. You see, they weren’t related. In fact, their background should have meant that they would have remained their whole lives without ever having any relationship. Paul had been a Jewish Pharisee. He would have looked upon someone like Epaphroditus as a Gentile Dog- someone to be avoided at all costs. But Christ had changed all that. Paul and Epaphroditus had both come to love Christ. Christ had given them a new love for each other that was sincere and real. They were now family! What Christ did for Paul and Epaphroditus he has done for us. We’re all from different backgrounds. There isn’t much from the world’s point of view that would ever have brought us together. But Christ has changed all that. He has brought us all equally into his family. I hope that’s how you view the people in our in our little church. I hope that’s how you view every Christian in Arklow or wherever you meet them on your travels. I hope we don’t just see ourselves as a collection of individuals who happen to meet together for one hour in the same place every week. We’re family! I’m your bother, you are my sister. You are my father and I’m your son. Sure like any family we have good times and bad. There are times we help each other, there are times we let each other down. There are times when we’re having a laugh and times when we’re arguing. But we’re family, brothers and sisters in Christ. What a blessing that is. That’s why I’ve been ringing round to see how you’re all getting in these difficult days. That’s why it’s been so encouraging when you’ve asked me how Emma and the kids are doing, and when you’ve told me that you are praying for our wider family too. Listen, I just want you to know that however difficult we are all finding these days, you are not alone. I’m so proud of how you have all been doing your best to look after your children and your parents and each other. Let’s keep going. Let’s keep phoning and emailing and encouraging one another. Let’s thank God for the gift of friends and for the amazing blessing that it is to be part of His big worldwide family… And when all this is over and we’ve spent a few moments in silence remembering all who have died, we’re going to have one great big party to celebrate our friendships together. That will be a day worth waiting for…Let us pray. Prayer Loving God, we thank you again today for the fellowship that we share in our church family. For all that this offers, all that it means to us and all the ways it enriches our lives and enlarges our experience. We thank you for the unity we have discovered in Christ for the love of God which binds us together. We thank you for the experiences we have shared over the years, for the bonds they have created between us. We thank you for the care we have been able to show and the care we have in turn received. We thank you for the opportunities we have had to discuss our faith and the way our understanding of you has grown as a result. We thank you for the way we can talk together openly and honestly and know that our friendship will not only continue but flourish. Loving God, we do not claim to be a perfect family for we are all too conscious of our weaknesses as individuals and collectively. But we praise you that you have brought us together even this morning online in fellowship with you and with one another. Take a moment and think about another member of our church. Someone you’ve got to know in recent days or over many years. Pray for them and for their family asking God to be with them and help them at this difficult time…SILENCE…Amen Closing Words Thanks again for logging on. I hope you have found our time together to be an encouragement. Do join me again on Wednesday morning when we will be reflecting on the gift of laughter. Don’t forget to look at our church website or on Facebook for latest information. Stay tuned in to listen to Neil Diamond singing, “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.” Keep everyone in your prayers and look out for anyone you can help. So let me close with a benediction after which, as always, I invite you to join me in saying the grace together… Benediction May God give you... For every storm, a rainbow, For every tear, a smile, For every care, a promise, And a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, A faithful friend to share, For every sigh, a sweet song, And an answer for each prayer. So may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore, Amen. We have received calls from members of the congregation requesting banking details for the church. Here is a previous blog post and the details are contained therein. Alternatively we are adding a button under the GET INFORMATION tab to facilitate a permanent link to the Banking Information. "Congregational Update… “Due to the Covid 19 outbreak unfortunately our services and activities must remain cancelled for the foreseeable future. Rev Michael and the elders have been keeping in touch with everyone by phone call. Currently everyone in our church family and their wider family circles are all keeping safe and well. Reflections and prayers are being prepared each week by Michael and posted online by Dave Hendry. Aleida has received several enquiries from congregational members about how they might continue to contribute to our church finances during this period of closure. We are conscious that this is a particularly sensitive issue in the current climate because some people have seen work colleagues made redundant, some have been made temporarily redundant themselves and others are afraid of what the future might hold. In light of this, we would like to stress that no one should feel under obligation to contribute, especially if you are concerned about your own circumstances. If you are worried about your own financial situation or know of anyone in this position, please do let us know, as we may be able to provide some assistance through our Benevolent Fund. Having said this, on balance, the elders felt we would publish our IBAN number for anyone who would wish and are still able to contribute. Several people already contribute in this way through Standing Orders rather than using Free will offering envelopes. The details are listed below.. If you are worried in any other way, please don’t hesitate to phone Michael or your church elder to receive assistance and pastoral care. In the meantime please continue to pray for each other, especially those who work in our hospitals and care homes, and keep looking out for each other particularly those who are most vulnerable.” Sincerely, Rev Michael For those wishing to Contribute, the Church Bank details are as follows: Presbyterian Church Account Number 11410697 IBAN IE66 BOFI 9064 5111 4106 97 " |
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