Broomhill Hyndland

Parish Church “Lighting the Way”

for 29 March 2020

Dear Friends,
Many thanks for all the support given. For those more technologically astute
than I, our little Sunday Reflections are being placed on the website, Twit-
ter and also Facebook.
It has been rewarding to receive some texts and emails of encouragement
and I am grateful for that. Gordon, our Session Clerk, has organised the co-
ordinators who will help direct our volunteers which started officially on
Monday along with a Newsletter produced by Carol and printed by Jill.
Can I continue to encourage you to phone each other, particularly if you are
an Elder and have a district. Alison has also suggested the good old fash-
ioned way of writing a letter or a note. This would be helpful for those who
do not have technology available to them to now they are still part and par-
cel of our lives.
I have also started prayers by text which are available daily. If you wish
this text message, text me on my mobile. (07711 569 127)
Remember also there will be other forms of worship available to you on the
radio, and also Songs of Praise on a Sunday.
George

The lectionary readings for this Sunday, Lent 5(A), are:

Ezekiel 37: 1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8: 6-11; John 11: 1-45

In the stillness of this day, let’s bring our thoughts to God.

PRAYER
And now, a time of prayer. This is a prayer from my dear friend Roddy Hamil-
ton, minister of New Kilpatrick. It’s called ‘Conduit’. May we all be channels of
God’s peace.
The words are beautiful, use the silent space.

CONDUIT
God between us…
(there just feels a greater space between us now…)

God between us…

(just more space for love to fill…)

God between us…

(what an expanse for us to flood with grace, and blessing, and hope…)

God between us…

may you, may love,
may compassion
be the conduit that reconnects us…
Amen
REFLECTION
Based on thoughts from Ezekiel and St John
It was probably around 1980 that I passed my driv-
ing test and after a bank loan, purchased my first
ever car, a Humber Sceptre from the garage at the
Hurlet near Barrhead. I loved that car with its wood
veneer fascia and overdrive on the steering column.
As a youngster driving, I made many errors, none more so than racing up
Prospecthill Road near Hampden Park far too fast and after nearly taking off
like the Dukes of Hazzard at the brow of the hill, realising too late that the
traffic lights at the bottom were at red. Cars were waiting for the lights to
change and I was literally standing on the brakes, knowing that I was never
going to stop in time.
My heart was in my mouth...
...then the lights changed and the cars in front of me moved away.
In my own way that was a life changing moment, never was I going to
drive that way again.
In 1821 a young man, interested in writing rather than fighting, became a
journalist and a novelist writing about Czarist Russia. He spent much time
also discussing politics in cafes and bars but the group that met was discov-
ered by Czar Nicolas and they were sentenced to death by firing squad.
Blind-folded, dressed in burial clothes, hands tied behind their backs, they
were paraded in front of a jeering crowd and then tied to posts. The order
was given to ‘Aim’ but just at that moment a horse-rider rode up with an
Order from the Czar that sentence was to be four years hard labour in-
stead. Dostoevsky never fully recovered from that experience, “Now my life
will change, “ he said, “ I shall be born again in a new form.”
Both the reading from Ezekiel and the Gospel of John speak of new life:
from the barrenness and desolation and dryness of the valley to the resur-
rection of Lazarus.
Through difficulties and despair the prophet preached new life.
Through the despair of Mary and Martha who questioned Jesus’ timing and
his presence, Jesus showed that he was the resurrection and the life. All
were changed witnessing Lazarus that day. In amongst the confusion and
the cries, life had not only changed but life had come again.
My driving experience was minor to Dostoevsky but both were shocks that
changed us as people. Where we are with this pandemic is similar. Like
what Ezekiel and saw and Lazarus experienced, life as we know it has been
withdrawn.
We too are in that valley, we too are like Martha and Mary and Jesus re-
minds us there is way through this.
In the shortest line in the Bible ‘Jesus weeps.’
With COVID19 God breaks down and cries – that is what I believe.
And in his tears, Jesus legitimises my tears, your tears, all our tears.
He cries and in these tears he understands when we fall silent. Sometimes,
there are no words. We sometimes make a mistake to rush into words and
platitudes, Bible verses and the likes.
He cries with us...
but through his emotions he also asks us to look beyond.
He asks us to look at the blessings that we have also now, that through this
crisis have been brought back into sharp focus : all the people who matter;
the food that we take for granted; the air that we breathe; the freedom to
move about without restriction.
At the age of 20 – I nearly crashed.
Life changed.
Dostoevsky also writes : “Man only likes to count his troubles; he doesn’t
calculate his happiness.” And in ‘Crime and Punishment ‘ , “ The darker the
night, the brighter the stars. The deeper the grief, the closer is God.”
We are called to tell others that dry bones can live. Life has changed and
will be different.
Prophesy to the bones.
PRAYER
Holy God,
Creator of Life,
you call us out of dark places,
offering us the grace of new life.
When we see nothing but hopelessness,
you surprise us with the breath of your Spirit.
Call us out these dark places whilst in isolation,
call us out from the feelings of loneliness,
call us out to find new routines and new ways
to make it through the day.
Fill us with your spirit of life
that in this Lenten time,
and in this lockdown time,
we know that you are with us,
calling us to hold fast
and to remember that all, in time,
will be well.
A NEW HYMN FOR THESE TIMES
Below, a new hymn written by Graham Leitch, which can be sung to the
tune, ‘’Lord and Father of Mankind.’
Read the words, hum the tune to yourself, or sing it to each other.
In times of danger and of doubt
In times of danger and of doubt,
When trials multiply,
Lord, calm our fears and still our souls,
Remind us of your truths of old:
Help us on you rely.
Help us on you rely.
When changing our familiar ways,
Help us adapt to change;
Lord, give us persevering hearts,
A spirit fit to face the task
In comfort or in pain.
In comfort or in pain
Help us to see our neighbours' need,
Our neighbours' burden share;
To go for them that second mile,
To love and give and help and smile
In comfort or in pain.
In comfort or in pain.
Lord Jesus, you have suffered more,
Your pain has known no end;
You healed the sick, reclaimed the lame,
In pity share each sufferer's pain,
On you we now depend.
On you we now depend.

RE-LIGHT YOUR CANDLE

Now, re-light your candle this Sunday as a reminder to all,
that Jesus is the Light of the World.
Say, as you are lighting the candle at 7pm, with those near and far,
the wonderful uniting words of the Lord’s Prayer.

Broomhill Hyndland Church of Scotland

Minister: Rev George Mackay
Tel 0141 959 8694 Mob 07711 569 127
Church Office: 64 - 66 Randolph Road, Glasgow G11 7JL
www.broomhillhyndlandchurch.co.uk