Strong and Courageous

Prayer with Worship Leaders (10:45)

Light Reflective Music

Bible Enters (Organ)

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.

Intimations, Funerals, Baptisms (remember to share this beforeSunday Worship)

A church member died this week in Hospital - Isabella Connachan

We are looking for a new treasurer for the church. The main duties are:

-ensuring Sunday offerings are counted, recorded and banked(usually at the post office)

-keeping an accurate record of all income and expenditure

-paying invoices promptly

-liaising with members of the Board and attending quarterly meetings with occasional extras

-communicating with the Church of Scotland office, Presbytery, OSCR (charities regulator) (all very helpful bodies)

-preparing regular reports

-monitoring church hall account-most dues are paid by BACS

-preparing end of year accounts and presenting to the congregation.

(Ongoing support will be in place, from the current treasurer, for as long as necessary.)

Petting zoo in which the Pennypit family learning centre would love to give some of our congregation free tickets to join them on the 07th  (Audrey will have the tickets)

There will be a “Pennypit family and learning centre community” open day on the Saturday 23rd August 10-2

New Prayer Roter is up.

No Sunday Club / Parents are free to use the play area if need be.

Testomony (Try to identify someone.)

Chris Dixon will be speaking to us. Sharing his experience up north.

Call to Worship: (Psalm 66)

Minister: Shout for joy!

All: All the earth.

Minister: Sing the glory!

All: Of His name.

Let us worship God!

Hymn: CH4 738 - 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 (Rev. Bosch)

Faithful God, You go before Your people.

We gather to worship in Your holy presence.

You lead us with strength and courage.

Help us not to fear or be dismayed.

Your promise never fails or forsakes us.

Guide us to trust in Your steadfast love.

We confess our doubts and fearful hearts.

Forgive us for faltering in our faith.

Cleanse us with Your mercy and grace.

Renew our spirits to follow Your path.

You appoint leaders to guide Your people.

Grant us wisdom to obey Your call.

Fill us with courage to face each challenge.

Let us rest in Your constant presence.

May our worship honor Your holy name.

In Jesus’ name, who taught us to pray

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: SoF 145 Great, is the lord and most worthy of praise

Children’s Address:  New Frontier!

(“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Hymn: SoF 189 Hosanna

Reading: Deuteronomy 31: 1-8

Joshua to Succeed Moses 31 So Moses continued to speak these words to all Israel. 2 And he said to them, “I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out and come in. The LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’ 3 The LORD your God himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, so that you shall dispossess them, and Joshua will go over at your head, as the LORD has spoken. 4 And the LORD will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them. 5 And the LORD will give them over to you, and you shall do to them according to the whole commandment that I have commanded you. 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” 7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. 8 It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Sermon: (Rev. Bosch)

Joshua was the new leader elected to lead the Israelites into the promiseland. Moses was old and he knew his leadership was approaching the end. He had to hand over the leadership to a younger leader. Joshua had the responsibility to take over from Moses a wise and muture leader. He also had to start a new adventure crossing a new frontier. The new frontier was unknown to him and the Israelites.

The younger leader had to adjust to his new role and also navigate new circimstances. I think it is natural to have respect for Joshua for his willingness to take on such a heavy task.

The theology in the reading is powerful and still relevant for us today. The theology is aimed at encouraging someone, like Joshua, who was young and inexperienced. He was facing an intimidating task and therefore this passeage emphise twice two theological points. These points are relevent esspecially if we are facing a difficulty.

Twice we hear “Be strong and courageous”.

Twice we hear “The Lord your God will go before you”.

When entering a new frontier with no experience we to want to hear these words of encouragement. It will also bring reasurance if there is additional support.

It is very difficult to face true challenges all on our own. Solving a issue or facing your gaint with love and support is so much more easier.

In the reading the support that Joshua is receiving is not just any support but rather God giving his helping hand. God is supporting. God is envolved.

God is helping and more specifically God is going out before Joshua. God is preparing the place and space for Joshua. The new frontier will be prepared by God for Joshua and the Israelites.

It is comforting to know as we enter a new environment that it is already made safe. It is therefore easy to imagine that Joshua found it reasuring to know the a new frontier will not be a dark abise.

My personal hope is that Prestongrange church is also at a brink of a new frontier. A new frontier that is filled with milk and honey.

My personal prayer is that the doors of this church will not close. Rather it will stay open for many years to enjoy the sacraments of our Lord.

If, and I believe we are, on the brink of a new frontier then the theology of our reading is very appropreate. The theology tells us as we are stepping into a new phase “be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” We also hear that “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

These words are reasuring as we enter into a new frontier as a Christian community in Prestonpans.

The encouragement that Joshua receives is not just for our church but also personal. How many of us are personally at a new frontier gaizing into the unknown?

Their might be those stepping into new territory. A new business venture. A new health or spiritual situation. A new family reality.

The words “Do not fear or be in dread” and “He will be with you; he will not leave you” is then timely as we pray for God’s sustainance.

I think the important part of today’s reading is the emphises that God will go before us to prepare the landscape. The new frontier is not an envirnment of hostilities but rather a place made ready for the arrival.

My oldest brother lives in Africa. He is in the catering business. His job entails building five star campsites for the wealthy in the middle of Tanzania. Before the tourist season he and his team goes into the middle of nowhere to start building the camp. Part of the construction is a airfield, flasing toilets and comfortable bedding all this in the middle of Africa.

When the wealthy guests arive they have no idea the hard work behind the scenes to set up a five star camp. Part of the logists, that nobody knows of, is that after the tourist season (tourist have left) the whole camp has to be demolshed. Everything that was build has to be taken down and driven away. The reason is for nature to recover and to prefent potsurs using the camp to hunt illigally.

Setting up a five star camp in Africa is a logistical nightmare. Yet, every year my brother sends us pictures of these beautiful temporary resorts constructed in the middle of Africa. I am sure that every year the guests does not realise the hard work behind the scenes.

I wonder how much work does God do behind the scenes to prepare for our new place of arrival?

I wonder how God’s logistics look like behind the scenes before we arrive at our new destination?

The reasurance we receive is that God will go with us. We can not determine how God preperes. What we can determine is our own experience of not being afraid or dismayed.

In other words, be at peace as we enter the new frontier with the knowledge that God is working away behind the scences.

The message today is simple God is with us therefor we may be confident in His efforts.

Be encouraged this morning just as Joshua received support from God so to will God be with us clearing the way.

Amen.

Hymn: CH 374 The Servant King

Prayer for Others (Calum)

Heavenly Father,

We gather in your holy presence, lifting up those who need your grace and mercy.

Comfort those weighed down by grief, wrapping them in your tender embrace.

Strengthen the weary and discouraged, renewing their hope with your unending love.

Guide those who are lost and searching, leading them to the truth of your Word.

Bring healing to those afflicted by illness, restoring their bodies and spirits.

Uphold families facing hardship, providing for their needs and binding them in unity.

Bless leaders across the world with wisdom, compassion, and a heart for justice.

Protect the oppressed and vulnerable, shielding them from harm and injustice.

Soothe hearts troubled by global unrest, war, and division, fostering peace in their midst.

Inspire your church to serve humbly, reflecting your love in acts of kindness and mercy.

Empower those working to address hunger, poverty, and environmental crises with courage.

May your Holy Spirit move among us, uniting us as one body to shine your light.

We thank you for your boundless grace, which sustains all creation through every trial.

Amen.

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

Prayer of Thanks

Hymn: CH 146 - From all that dwell below the skies

Rethink and Blessing (Rev. Bosch)

“Go and Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

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)