Sunday 26th June - a sunny Sunday

Before the service:-

• On the lake ; Heinrich Hofmann
• Arioso ; J S Bach
• Memories of Childhood ; Granados
• Trumpet tune ; Charpentier

And the trumpet tune prompted memories of his own wedding-day, for our minister. Appropriate, since he was preaching about Jesus' changing the water into wine at the wedding feast. And a bride-to-be liked the Charpentier piece so much that it is to be played at her own wedding later this year!

By process of association, the rest of the organ music had to be celebratory. So, the music during the offering was Funiculi, funicula, by Denza. (The words celebrate singing and dancing.) And the outgoing voluntary was Verdi's Drinking Song, from La Traviata.

However, amidst all this frivolity, let's not forget more serious matters. Please continue to pray for members of the congregation who are sick, or who have family members in need of our prayers. We give thanks for operations successfully endured, and pray for continued recovery and an increase in strength. We pray for consultants, surgeons, nurses, and give thanks for their expertise. And we pray for the relatives of those suffering, that they may have continued strength to support their loved ones.

Nothing if not topical - torrential rain outside prompted me to play rainy music inside, on Sunday 19th June :-

• When sunny gets blue
• Raindrop prelude ; Chopin
• Pavane ; Paul Drayton

During the offering, the Choir sang a Caribbean Lord's Prayer.

The outgoing voluntary was The Hornburg, from the Lord of the Rings (by special request).

I've been so SLOW to catch on! I've been searching the web for good prayers - prayers that would say exactly what I wanted them to say. But, I hear you say, why waste time searching?

Quite so. So, I've written my own. Here's An Organist's Prayer:-

Dear Lord,

We thank you for the many blessings that we in the western world enjoy. In particular today, we thank you for the medical profession and for the knowledge that allows them to treat us when we are ill. We thank you too for the constant care that they show us, for their willingness to listen to our complaints and their continuing efforts both in diagnosis and treatment. We thank you for research into surgical procedures and new pharmaceutical products - and we pray that all these blessings might be made available to those less fortunate than ourselves in other parts of the world.

We thank you for taking care of people near and dear to us, and rejoice when we hear of improvements in their condition. At the same time, though, we pray for patience when things aren't going quite so well, and for the strength to keep on going at times when things seem very hard. Help us to remember that all things are in your hands.

When we make music, help us remember that using this gift can in itself be a form of prayer, if it is an expression of gratitude for the many and varied gifts that you give to your people.

And help us, please, to remember that you aren't just there for the bad times, but for the good times as well. If we are in a crisis situation now, help us not to forget to give thanks to you when things are going well, too.

And all these things we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen

The Christian fellowship at Killermont Parish Church of Scotland (Bearsden, Glasgow) were heartened to hear that our brother and sister's daughter came through major surgery "remarkably well" last Tuesday. There's a long way to go, and further treatment to be endured, but let's keep praying for a steady improvement.

Pray for the faith of the Roman officer in Matthew 8 (5-13), and read on just a few more verses - such is the power of healing.

The music played today?

• Before the service: Sarabande, by Arnold Cooke; Berceuse by Ernest Tomlinson, and Nobody knows the trouble I've seen, arranged by Burleigh.
• Offering : Prelude, by C. S. Lang
• Postlude : Toccata in 7, by John Rutter

Members of the Killermont church family in Bearsden, Glasgow, have a burden of prayer for someone seriously ill at the moment.

I've plundered the WorldPrayers.org website again - they're very happy for me to promote their website, so I can quite comfortably quote this prayer for doctors and nurses:-

Lord God, Giver of Life, Source of all healing, who alone can help us grow in wholeness: We thank you for the gift of life and health, and remembering your faithful servants Cosmus and Damian, we ask you to guide and uphold all doctors, surgeons, hospital staffs and all engaged in the ministry of healing together with those they serve, that disease and disunity may everywhere be overcome; through Christ the Divine Healer, who suffered and died, and lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, our God of Salvation, now and always.

Amen.

(Parish prayer - St. Cosmus & St. Damian in the Blean)

Please join me in saying this prayer for medical workers and sick people everywhere, and especially for anyone dear to you.

• I thought I should make the effort to discover who St. Cosmus and St. Damian were, and where the Parish Church of St. Cosmus & St. Damian in the Blean is situated. So, if it helps you to know where the prayer originated, I can tell you that it's in Canterbury, Kent (England).

Update: It would be inappropriate to post a running commentary on our friends' situation. For now, please give thanks that the operation has taken place, and let's also give thanks for the skills of the medical team who are doing their best for those suffering from severe illness.
Your continued prayers are much appreciated.

The prayer below is from a website called WorldPrayers.org . It's a personal prayer by B.Madaras. The people at World Prayers are very happy for me to share this with you.

Members of Killermont will be aware of a family suffering terribly right now because a daughter is seriously ill, about to have yet another operation. This prayer is dedicated to them.

Heavenly Father, I call on you right now in a special way.
It is through your power that I was created.
Every breath I take,
every morning I wake,
and every moment of every hour,
I live under your power.
Father, I ask you now to touch me with that same power.
For if you created me from nothing,
you can certainly recreate me.
Fill me with the healing power of your spirit.
Cast out anything that should not be in me.
Mend what is broken.
Root out any unproductive cells.
Open any blocked arteries or veins and rebuild any damaged areas.
Remove all inflammation and cleanse any infection.
Let warmth of your healing love pass through my body
to make new any unhealthy areas
so that my body will function the way you created it to function.
And Father, restore me to full health
in mind and body so that I may serve you the rest of my life.
I ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Organ music played today, Sunday 5th June 2005:-

Beforehand:

Sanctuary of the heart, by Ketelby
Chanson de Matin, by Elgar

During the offering: Resignation, by Bossi

Postlude: I know that my Redeemer liveth, by Handel