High Level of Responsebility (Baptism, Confirmation)

Order of Service: Adult Baptism and Confirmation

Meet with Elders

Light Reflective Music

Bible Enters (Organ)

Light The Candle

Welcome / Intimation (Rev. Bosch)

I greet you in the Name of God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe - in the care of Christ Jesus.May it be that we receive mercy, peace and love.

Box for Money Donation for Flowers

The Board Meeting will be on Monday at 19:00.

We are looking forward to our Holiday from the 11th until the 19th of May. Rev Robin Hill and his worship team will cover me during that time.

VE Day, 8th of May, Prayer for… Specific / General

Call to worship (Psalm 67)

Minister: May God be gracious to us,

All: and shine his face upon us.

Minister: Let the people praise the Lord.

All: Let all the world praise the Lord.

Let us worship God!

Hymn: CH738 - Glorious things of thee are spoken

Declaration:

Blessed be the name of the Lord now and evermore. From the rising of the sun to its setting, the Lord’s name be praised. Let us pray:

Prayer of Approach and Confession (The Lords Prayer will be said during the Baptism)

Almighty God, shine Your face upon us. Let Your radiant love light our path. We gather to praise Your holy name. Your glory fills our hearts with awe. Through baptism, You call us Your own. We respond with faith and humble trust. Confirm Your truth within our souls. Guide us by Your Spirit’s steady hand. Forgiven, we are cleansed by Your grace. Your mercy renews us day by day. Remember Your people, as you are faithful. Uphold Your promise of unending love. Let Your covenant bind us to You. May our worship rise as sweet incense. Draw us nearer to Your sacred heart. Bless this moment with Your holy presence. Lead us ever closer to Your will. Amen.

Hymn: CH770 - I love you Lord

(Children enter.)

Children’s Address: Take the Lead!

Hymn: CH564 - Jesus loves me this I know

(Children exit.)

Reading: Leviticus 26: 14 - 26 / 40 - 42

14 “But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, 15 if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, 16 then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you. 18 And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins, 19 and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit. 21 “Then if you walk contrary to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you, sevenfold for your sins. 22 And I will let loose the wild beasts against you, which shall bereave you of your children and destroy your livestock and make you few in number, so that your roads shall be deserted. 23 “And if by this discipline you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me, 24 then I also will walk contrary to you, and I myself will strike you sevenfold for your sins. 25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute vengeance for the covenant. And if you gather within your cities, I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. 26 When I break your supply of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in a single oven and shall dole out your bread again by weight, and you shall eat and not be satisfied.

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40 “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me, 41 so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies—if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.

Sermon: (Rev. Bosch)

Upfront and to the point. I have experienced many times people who are upfront and to the point. There were times that I appreciated the frankness because it gave clarity, other times I thought the frankness was just rude (To much!). Some cultures are more to the point, where other cultures prefere more of a soft landing. My experience in Scotland has tought me the importance of setting the scene first before jumping to the point. Although, I prefer to get to the point as quickly as I can. Nevertheless, there are ways of getting to the a point, it can be fast or slow. The context will determine the best way to communicate. My grandmother remended me of the importance of considering the way/still of communicating. (Soft answer = Soft responce)

In regards our reading God jumps very quickly to the point. God is upfront and in your face. It really does not matter if you or I find God’s frankness to be offensive or rude. It is a type of reading that makes any person feel uncomfortable, because it is not just to the point, the reading also grinds/pushes the point accross. In other words, God makes it very clear what will happen if you do not uphold His commandments.

14 “But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, 15 if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, 16 then I will do this to you…

God is very serious about obedience and for his people to up hold his instructions. If a person does not respect God through his/her actions there will be consequenses.

In other words, if the people of God does not take responsibility for their actions there will be consequenses. Broadly speaking the Old Testament asks its readers to be an adults. The same is true with our reading today, where it is asking God’s people to be mature/grow-up. Maturety in the sense that they(God’s people) will take responsibility for there actions. If they do not then the consequenses will be very severe.

The principle we learn is to take a hight level of responsibility for ones own actions. It is about facing the terrible realities of life and not hide away from it. The reading tells that if they do not there will be consequenses. The reading states it this way:

“And if by this discipline you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I myself will strike you sevenfold for your sins.”

A unhealthy or immature response will be to say: “How terrible is God to do this to poor me, it is not as if I am that bad?” (Victum statement / Victum mantality)

A better, more health and mature response will rather say: “I am sorry God. I realise I have done wrong. I will make to necessery adjustment to move back into your will. Please forgive me and help me. (Responding in a constructive way.)

When God’s people take that high level of responsibility for there actions then the consequences will be that God will remember again. The reading states it in the following way:

“If then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.”

God is upfront and to the point. It is God’s Will for us to consider if we are living according to His guidance. The teaching warns us to be careful to shift the blame to God or someone els. Be careful to point to the faults of others, without considering the beam in one’s own eye (so to speak). If it is cristile clear that we have contributed to some kind of situation, then our reading is asking of us to take responsibility and to make ammends were needed.

The teological reasurance for us this morning is that God is quick to forgive. God is quick to remember is promises. God is quick turn to us again.

As we turn to the fond, we will experience the quickness of God, where he will demonstrate his forgiveness and promises in our Lord Jesus. God is quick to remember his covenant sealed through our Lord Jesus Christ, in the workings of the HS. Amen.

Baptism: (One slide called "Baptism" for this section.)

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28: 18-20)

Statement

When Jesus was baptized in the waters of the Jordan, the Spirit of God came upon him.

His baptism was completed through his dying and rising again.

Our baptism is the sign of dying to sin and rising to new life in Christ.

It is Christ himself who baptizes us.

By the Spirit of Pentecost, he makes us members of his body, the Church, and calls us to share his ministry in the world.

By water and the Holy Spirit, God claims us as his own, washes us from sin, and sets us free from the power of death.

In this sacrament, the love of God is offered to each one of us.

Though we cannot understand or explain it, we are called to accept that love.

In baptism we are assured of the love that God has for us, and the sign and seal of the Holy Spirit is placed upon us.

(Candidate Approach Table)

Profession of Faith

Allan Kelly, in seeking baptism, do you reject sin and confess your need of God’s forgiving grace;

and, believing the Christian faith, do you pledge yourself to glorify God and to love your neighbour? I do. 

Will the congregation please stand.

Let us affirm the faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed. (Place the Apostles' Creed on the screen.)

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Prayer

Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this water, that Allan Kelly, being buried with Christ in baptism, may rise with him to newness of life;

and being born anew of water and the Holy Spirit may remain for ever in the number of your faithful children;

through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glory, now and for ever.

Amen.

Declaration

Allan Kelly, for you Jesus Christ came into the world: for you he lived and showed God’s love; for you he suffered the darkness of Calvary

and cried at the last, ‘It is accomplished’; for you he triumphed over death and rose in newness of life; for you he ascended to reign at God’s right hand.

Baptism

Allan Kelly, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Blessing (Sing Hymn 796) (Place this Hymn on the screen.)

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Amen.

Confirmation Allan Kelly, your baptism makes you a member of Christ, and brings you into the family of God.

Now your home is in the Christian community, and you will always have a place in it.

Believing in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and confessing Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord,

do you promise to join regularly with your fellow Christians in worship on the Lord’s day?

I do.

Do you promise to be faithful in reading the Bible, and in prayer?

I do.

Do you promise to give a fitting proportion of your time, talents, and money for the Church’s work in the world?

I do.

Do you promise, depending on the grace of God, to profess publicly your loyalty to Jesus Christ,

to serve him in your daily work, and to walk in his ways all the days of your life? 

I do.

Defend, O Lord, your servant Allan Kelly , with your heavenly grace, that (s)he may continue yours for ever, and daily increase in your Holy Spirit until she/he comes into your everlasting kingdom.

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the King and Head of the Church, and by the authority of this kirk session,

I welcome and receive you within the fellowship of the Lord’s Table, and admit you to the full privileges of the children of God

and to the responsibilities of membership within this congregation of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

May your sharing in our life together bring blessing to you and to us all.

The peace of the Lord Jesus be always with you. (Congregation: "And also with you.")

Kirk Session, Right Hand of Fellowship, Present a Bible as Gift

Commitment of Congregation

You who are gathered here represent the whole Church, the Church catholic.

Word and Sacrament bring you the joy of Christ’s presence in your midst.

They also bring you responsibilities as Christ’s people in this place.

Do you welcome Allan Kelly; and do you renew your commitment, with God’s help, to live before all God’s children in a kindly and Christian way, and to share with them the knowledge and love of Christ? The congregation says: We do.

The minister and congregation say together: (Place these words on the screen.)

We will nurture one another in faith, uphold one another in prayer, encourage one another in service.

Prayer

God of love, we rejoice again to receive your grace in Word and Sacrament.

We have heard your call and are made new by your Spirit.

Guide and guard Allan Kelly all her/his days.

God of grace, in whose church there is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, help us to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to profess with our whole lives the one true faith, and to live in love and unity with all who are baptized in his name, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns, and is worshipped and glorified, with you, Father, and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever.Let us prayer together: 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Hymn: CH161 - O God, our help in ages past (verses 1-4, 6)

Prayer for Others (Ian Mandarson):

Heavenly Father, on this coming VE Day, we give thanks for the courage and sacrifice of those who brought peace to a war-torn world. Bless all who suffered, grant healing to nations still scarred by conflict, and guide us to honor their legacy by fostering unity and compassion. Amen.

Offering (The person at door duty brings the plate to the table.)

Prayer of Thanks

Hymn: CH 468 - Son of God, eternal Saviour (Blaenwern)

Rethink and Blessing (Rev. Bosch)

God is quick to forgive. God is quick to remember is promises. God is quick to reveal his grace. Go and return to Him.

In the presence of the Holy Spirit, may the peace of God,  which is beyond all understanding, guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Amen

Sing/Play Amen (Organ)

Bible Exits (Organ)