大象传媒

Announcement from continuity:鈥溾��now on 大象传媒 Radio 4 it鈥檚 time for this week鈥檚 Sunday Worship, which comes from the Chapel of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David in Carmarthen. The preacher is the Revd Canon Stuart Bell, and the service is led by Trinity St David鈥檚 chaplain, the Revd Dr Emma Whittick.

ITEM 1: Hymn 1: Amazing Grace


ITEM 2: Introduction (Emma)Good morning, bore da, a chroeso: welcome.听 At the beginning of this new academic year we, like thousands of other educational establishments across the UK are preparing to welcome new students. Many members of the National Youth Choir of Wales, singing for us today, are themselves getting ready for change: the prospect of going to a new school, college or university for the first time is an exciting but daunting one.听 There is much to look forward to, new people to meet, things to learn, experiences to be had.听 Yet many things will never be the same again.听听

This morning as the world around us, whatever our context, undergoes change and uncertainty, we fix our eyes on God, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.


ITEM 1 contd: Hymn 1: Amazing GraceArr.Eriks E拧envalds听


ITEM 3: Link (Emma)
John Newton, the writer of the words of that celebrated hymn, famously experienced a remarkable change in his own life whilst he was in the middle of a raging storm at sea.听 Newton had been a confirmed atheist, despite his mother teaching him the Gospel from an early age.听 Some of her words stuck in his mind though and he called out to God as he struggled to keep his ship on course.听 Newton described how, on March 21st 1748, at the helm of his ship, the unchangeable God had met him: "on that day the Lord sent from on high and delivered me out of deep waters."听
That moment of change in his life would eventually lead to a much larger one: Newton, having been a slave trader, went on to become an influential supporter of abolitionism. Some years later, as an old man and barely able to write, Newton recorded these words on the 54th anniversary of his conversion: 鈥淚 endeavour to observe the return of this day with humiliation, prayer, and praise."

Our first Bible reading, taken from Ecclesiastes chapter 3, reflects on the way the passage of time brings change to our lives.


ITEM 4: Reading 1: Ecclesiastes 3 1-8 (NIV) (Choir member)
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,听 听 a time to plant and a time to uproot,3听 听 听a time to kill and a time to heal,听 听 a time to tear down and a time to build,4听 听 听a time to weep and a time to laugh,听 听 a time to mourn and a time to dance,5听 听 听a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,听 听 a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,6听 听 听a time to search and a time to give up,听 听 a time to keep and a time to throw away,7听 听 听a time to tear and a time to mend,听 听 a time to be silent and a time to speak,8听 听 听a time to love and a time to hate,听 听 a time for war and a time for peace.


ITEM 5: Link (Emma)Our anthem today is a setting by Mansel Thomas of words of John Keble, 鈥楤lest are the pure in heart, for they shall see our God鈥�. Then the Revd Canon Stuart Bell, who has spent much of his professional life ministering to students undergoing the changes that time of life brings, will preach.

ITEM 6: Anthem: Blest are the pure in heart
Mansel Thomas听 听
听听 听
ITEM 7: Sermon part 1 (Stuart)

Mother Teresa said, 鈥榊esterday has gone.听 Tomorrow has not yet come.听 We have only today.听 Let us begin鈥�.听 What realism!听 No wonder she achieved so much.听 We live life a day at a time.听 That鈥檚 why giving time to someone else is such a precious gift.听 The time we have given can never be replaced.
One thing that we can guarantee is the more that time passes, the more it will bring change.听 The Christian view of time is that it goes in a straight line.听 It is not cyclical, going round and round.听 Today will not re-appear at some time in the future allowing me to correct my mistakes and make a better fist of things the next time around.
For this reason, the passage of time and the changes that it brings, means time is treated like an enemy sometimes.听 鈥楾ime like an ever rolling stream bears all its sons away鈥�, says the hymn.听 It鈥檚 an enemy to the young who want it to go faster so that they can strike out for independence and live their own way.听 It鈥檚 an enemy to the old who want it to slow down so they can pack in more things on their bucket list.
But in fact, the life changing process of time is a gift from God to us.听 He created it, and sits above it.听 He鈥檚 not contained by it.听 He entrusts it to us and expects us to steward it carefully and to use it well.听 At the end of time we鈥檒l be accountable for what we have done with it.
He has given us time with a view to us seeking after him, reaching out to him, finding him.听 It鈥檚 not to be wasted.听 It鈥檚 to be used with urgency.听 We are to seize the day and transform it into something of eternal value.听 The New Testament tells us that he rewards those who truly want to find him.听 For some it might be very quick, whilst for others it might take a life time, but finding him is most certainly possible through the various changes of our life.
Oh, no, others will argue back saying that time is something meaningless.听 The past is insignificant, described as looking like 鈥榓 set of tracks made by a drunken fly with feet wet with ink, staggering across a piece of white paper.听 They lead nowhere and reflect no pattern of meaning鈥�.听 Similarly the future like the past is empty of purpose, they say, and only has the significance we give to it.
However, King Solomon, that keen student of life, from 3000 years ago has got his own perspective on this.听 In our reading from Ecclesiastes we heard how he sees time as a tapestry of contradictions.听 The collector comes to the point in life where he disperses his hoard, the shepherd takes the knife to the throat of the lamb which previously was carefully nurtured back to health, and the peace loving nation prepares for war.听 Fortunately, says Solomon, this impermanence is only preparing us for the permanence of eternity for which God has placed a longing in our hearts.听听
That鈥檚 where Thomas Aquinas takes us in O salutaris hostia, 鈥極 grant us endless length of days in our native land with thee鈥�.

ITEM 8: Anthem: O Salutaris Hostia听
贰蝉别苍惫补濒诲蝉听听
听 听 听
ITEM 9: Reading 2: Hebrews 1 8-12听 (NIV) (Choir member 2)
A reading from the book of Hebrews.
About Jesus the Son, God the Father says,
鈥淵our throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;听 听 a sceptre of justice will be the sceptre of your kingdom.
He also says,
鈥淚n the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,听 听 and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain;听 听 they will all wear out like a garment.
You will roll them up like a robe;听 听 like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,听 听 and your years will never end.鈥�

ITEM 10: Sermon part 2 (Stuart)
Time is a sentinel standing guard over our lives marking off the minutes, the hours and the days.听 That鈥檚 true for the student at the beginning of a university term, and for the rest of us as well 鈥� whatever our stage of life.听 鈥楾ime goes, you say.听 Ah no!听 Alas time stays.听 We go鈥�, writes poet and essayist听 Henry Austin Dobson.听 But what impact does time have on God?听 He may have created it as a gift for us, so is he now inside it and himself affected by it, or does he stand above it as its master?
Something which never changes over time is regarded as rather boring and uninspiring.听 Change stimulates, challenges, excites, even surprises.听 If God doesn鈥檛 change over time then that suggests that he鈥檚 more than a bit dreary and predictable.听听
Yet it is this unchanging character of God which is the bed rock of our Christian faith.听 His changelessness is an important feature of his being. That鈥檚 what our reading from Hebrews just said: 鈥榶ou remain the same鈥�.
Imagine for a moment that God was the victim of time and not the master of it, so that his character did develop over the years.听 If he was changing for the better then that means that he鈥檚 not as good as he might be at the moment.听 That might mean that he鈥檚 not worth listening to just now and that we should come back to him again in a year or two when he knows better than he does at present.
If he was changing for the worse, then that would be a terrible thought.听 How might he end up?听 He might abandon his plans for the world and release us back into the chaos from which it was formed in the first place.听 He might change his mind on the things that he has promised so that he becomes totally unreliable.听 He might not even be able to keep to his promises in the future because of his changes in outlook and power.听听
But actually God says of himself, 鈥業 the Lord do not change鈥� [Malachi 3.6].听 He boasts about it.听 James, one of the NT writers says about him that 鈥榟e does not change like shifting shadows鈥� [James 1.18].听 But actually the notion of the changelessness of God is a further guarantee of his reliability and trustworthiness.听 In fact, the scientific enterprise itself explores and confirms that we inhabit a reliable universe, formed, as Christians would say, by an entirely reliable God.
This reassurance is just the reminder we need; for the student starting a new academic year, or anyone who is facing an uncertain future.
Far from being boring, an unchanging God, who is master of time and the changes that it brings, is at the core of our confidence in him.听 Take Horatio Spafford for example.听 A wealthy Chicago lawyer.听 First of all, his only son died of scarlet fever at the age of 4, then there was a city wide fire in which he lost a substantial portion of his wealth, and then he sent his wife and 4 daughters away to England for a holiday, only for the ship on which they were sailing to be sunk in the middle of the Atlantic.听 All 4 daughters were drowned.听听
His wife, Anna, who survived the accident said to the pastor who was counselling her, 鈥楪od gave me 4 daughters, now they have been taken from me.听 One day I shall understand why鈥�.听 For his part Horatio Spafford sat down and wrote the words of this hymn, 鈥榃hen peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, thou has taught me to know, it is well, it is well with my soul鈥�.听 That is depending on the dependability of an unchanging, timeless God.

ITEM 11: Hymn 2: It is well with my soul
Arr. Mak Willberg听
听
ITEM 12: Intercessions (Choir members)
Voice 1听Trusting in the changeless promises of God, let us pray to the Father:In a world that is constantly changing, we pray for your church that she may be a beacon of light and hope in times of trouble and a refuge for those in need.Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer


Voice 2听We pray for your protection and blessing upon all who face changing and challenging circumstances at this time.听 We especially remember those about to begin new academic years at universities, colleges and schools.听 Grant them courage to trust in your promises and perseverance when the road ahead is difficult.Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer听


Voice 3 Give us a reverence for the earth as your creation,that we may use its resources with integrityin the service of others.Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer


Voice 4 We pray for Her Majesty the Queen, and we pray for our nation at this time of uncertainty when divisions seem to grow ever deeper. In leadership, in debate and in decision making we pray for wisdom, for understanding, courage and compassion and for your fairness and grace.Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer


Voice 5 Strengthen those who stand in the face of adversity, comfort and help the sick, and raise up all who have fallen into sin.Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer


Voice 6 Hear us as we remember those who have trusted in Christ to the end.Grant us with them a share in your eternal kingdom.Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer

ITEM 13: Collect & Lord鈥檚 Prayer (Emma)
A collect reminding us of God鈥檚 faithfulness.
Almighty God,听you fed your people in the wilderness,听and guided them by a cloud of fire,giving commandments to order their lives.Give us eyes to see your purpose,Perseverance to follow where you lead,And courage to know the truth that sets us free;That our lives may be blessed and your will be done.
Amen.听听

We join all our petitions together in the words of the Lord鈥檚 Prayer:

Our Father who 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.

ITEM 14: Link (Emma)听We end our service by singing the Welsh hymn Tydi a Roddaist, which speaks of God's faithfulness through the ages. 鈥淭ydi a roddaist liw I鈥檙 wawr, A hud I鈥檙 machlud mwyn鈥� 鈥� "O Thou Who Gave the dawn its form, and gently set the sun.鈥�

ITEM 15: Hymn 4: Tydi a Roddaist
Hughes听
O Thou who gave the dawn its formAnd gently set the sun;O Thou who formed the song and scentOf sylvan springtime green;Oh! save us lest the magic goesThat every place in this world knows.
O Thou who gave the brook his songAnd murmuring green forest made;Who gave the breeze its biting tongueThe lark its serenade;Oh! save us lest we see a dayThat cause our heart鈥檚 song go away.
O Thou who once heard hesitant stepsOn Calvary鈥檚 hill of shame;Who saw the blood in trickling dropsFrom Man on path so strange;Oh! save us from our future loss;No crown of thorns,听nor pain, nor cross.
ITEM 16: Blessing (Emma)
May the love of the Father enfold you,The wisdom of the Son enlighten youAnd the fire of the Holy Spirit set your hearts ablaze as you place your trust in the unchangeable Lord.听

A bendith Duw Hollalluog, y Tad, y Mab a鈥檙 Ysbryd Gl芒n, a fo yn eich plith ac a drigo gyda chwi yn wastad.听 Amen
听And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with you all, ever more. Amen.

ITEM 17: Organ Playout
March in F by Lefebure-wely

Closing Announcement:Organist Meirion Wynn Jones bringing this morning鈥檚 Sunday Worship to a close with March in F by Lefebure-wely. That service was recorded at the chapel of University of Wales Trinity Saint David in Carmarthen, during the National Youth Choir of Wales鈥� summer residency last week. The preacher was the Revd Canon Stuart Bell and the service was led by the chaplain, Revd Dr Emma Whittick. The pianist was Nicola Rose and the choir was directed by Tim Rhys Evans. The producer was Dominic Jewel.

Next week鈥檚 Sunday Worship celebrates the witness of people with disabilities in churches and worshipping communities across the country.