Our new website was launched on Wednesday. We’ve had to change the domain name to www.bowdenandmelrosechurch.org Please take a look. It has not been easy setting this up remotely – so many thanks to Niall at Macgowan Marketing who has had the patience of a saint! Helen and I are finding our way around it and will gradually add more content as time goes by. The website and our Facebook page have been linked so you will be able to listen to mid-week and Sunday reflections on either as well as live streamed worship from Melrose. We don’t have Wi-Fi in Bowden Kirk so we are unable to go live from there.
Reopening our buildings
Our church buildings open on Sunday, subject to the restrictions we were following before Christmas – a maximum of 50 in attendance in Melrose, 20 at Bowden, with the requirement for distancing, face masks, hand sanitising, trace and protect, no singing etc. Worship in Bowden Kirk is at 9.30am, Melrose Church at 11.00am.
Sunday worship
You can join us live at 11.00am on Sunday on both Facebook and our website or watch the recording thereafter. As at present a Sunday Worship podcast will be posted on the website, Facebook and Instagram at 6.00pm on Saturday evening. You can listen to it anytime thereafter. You can also listen by phoning 01896 808551. In our worship during Lent we are looking at the events of Holy Week through a series of objects. On this sixth Sunday of Lent that object is a palm cross.
Lent
During Lent you are encouraged to follow our daily reading guide through Mark’s Gospel. A recording of the reading and a short reflection is being posted each day on the website, Facebook and Instagram.
Holy Week and Easter
Thursday 1 April, 7.00pm – Maundy Thursday Service in Melrose Church
Friday 2 April, 7.00pm – Good Friday Service in Melrose Church
Sunday 4 April, 9.30am – Easter Sunday Service in Bowden Kirk
11.00am – Easter Sunday Service from Melrose Church
All services in Melrose Church will be live streamed.
We will not be able to have a service on the saddle of the Eildons on Easter Sunday.
Messy Church
A couple of activity sheets for Palm Sunday and Easter are available online. Please share!
Moderator’s Service
As in previous weeks the Moderator, Rt Rev Martin Fair, has curated a service. You may wish to join church folk from around Scotland in worship. The YouTube link goes live at 3am on Sunday morning. https://youtu.be/1t9XiFTlarA
Television and Radio
There are other worship opportunities on Sunday. On BBC 1 Scotland at 10.30am you can watch Reflections from the Quay for Palm Sunday led by the Rev David Cameron of New Laigh Kirk, Kilmarnock and the Rev Gillian Patterson of Wellsley Church in Methil. Songs of Praise is at 1.15pm. On BBC Scotland at 12noon The Service comes from Dreghorn and Springside Church of Scotland, led by Rev Jamie Milliken. New Every Sunday is at 7.30am on Radio Scotland and Sunday Worship at 8.10am on Radio 4. Both will be available afterwards on BBC Sounds.
Prayer
This Sunday Christians across the country – and further afield – will once again join together in prayer and reflection at 7pm in response to the pandemic.
God whose love endures,
Hear us as we welcome the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hear us, as we remember
All that You have done in times past
And give thanks that Your enduring love has embraced even us.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose love endures,
Hear us as we welcome the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hear us, as we gather in the company of Your people,
Or in company alone with You,
And lift up our voices to cry: Hosanna!
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose love endures,
Hear us as we welcome the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hear us, as we journey
Through the week that is to come.
May we journey in the presence of the One who goes before us, even to the Cross.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose love endures,
Hear us as we welcome the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hear us, as we listen to the voices
Who now cry: Crucify!
And may we know it was for us He hung and suffered there.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose love endures,
Hear us as we welcome the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hear us, as we wait
For the dawn to break
And for Your enduring love to vanquish the darkness.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Offering
Despite the restrictions of these days the work of the church goes on. Thank you for your ongoing support. Many of our members now make their offering by standing order and we would encourage you to do so! Please contact Helen to set this up – bowden.melrosepc@btinternet.com Alternatively you can send or deliver your offering to the church, or you can make an online offering to Bowden and Melrose Church via the Church of Scotland website. https://cos.churchofscotland.org.uk/donate/?cong=040271
