A Christian Church, A Family of Faith
The Presbyterian Church in Canada
Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church; Clairville
Organists: Rodney Girvan      Minister: Rev. Alexander [Sandy] D. Sutherland; B.A., B.Th. M.Div
www.pccweb.ca/brpc
July 8st 2012

Call to Worship
Opening Praise  Just as I am
Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidds’t me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
 Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
 Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need in thee I find, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
 Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
 Just as I am; thy love unknown has broken every barrier down. Now to be thine, yea, thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
 Just as I am; of that free love the breadth, length, depth and height to prove, here for a season, then above, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Prayers of Approach & The Lord’s Prayer

Special Music – 				led by John Warren   

Recalling our Heritage and Memorial

Scripture Reading:   Psalm 78:1-8 
1    O my people, hear my teaching;
    listen to the words of my mouth.
2    I will open my mouth in parables,
    I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3    what we have heard and known,
    what our fathers have told us.
4    We will not hide them from their children;
    we will tell the next generation
    the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,
    his power, and the wonders he has done.
5    He decreed statutes for Jacob
    and established the law in Israel,
    which he commanded our forefathers
    to teach their children,
6    so the next generation would know them,
    even the children yet to be born,
    and they in turn would tell their children.
7    Then they would put their trust in God
    and would not forget his deeds
    but would keep his commands.
8    They would not be like their forefathers—
    a stubborn and rebellious generation,
    whose hearts were not loyal to God,
    whose spirits were not faithful to him.

  			        2 Timothy 4:1-8
1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Hymn of Illumination Tell me the old, old story
Tell me the old, old story of unseen things above, of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love. Tell me the story simply, as to a little child, for I am weak and weary, and helpless and defiled.
REFRAIN: Tell me the old, old story, tell me the old, old story. Tell me the old, old story of Jesus and his love.
 Tell me the story slowly, that I may take it in, that wonderful redemption, God’s remedy for sin. Tell me the story often, for I forget so soon; the early dew of morning has passed away at noon.
 Tell me the story softly, with earnest tones and grave; remember I’m the sinner whom Jesus came to save. Tell me the story always, if you would really be, in any time of trouble, a comforter to me.
 Tell me the same old story, when you have cause to fear that this world’s empty glory is costing me too dear. Yes, and when the world’s glory is dawning on my soul, tell me the old, old story, Christ Jesus makes thee whole.

Gospel Reading:       Luke 23:39-46
39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
40But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
44It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Sermon 	Giving our ‘Kept Faith’	
Something very precious has been handed down to you. It was a legacy of forefather [and mothers] who worked fingers to the bone, who saw to the building of this place and places like it, who made sure there was not simply food on the table, but faith to hold up households in good times and bad. 
We have been entrusted with a magnificent treasure, and it is not the kind buried in the yard. It is hidden away in our culture, and stashed away in sweet memories of Sunday Schools, and Church gatherings, and the songs that children always tend to sing louder, and friends, and dear ones now long departed.
Yet what we hold onto isn’t like our other treasures of memory, because this treasure is a treasure of faith.
Oh, yes, this building has been handed down a number of times, and there are lots of traditions – including those ‘things we always do’ that we don’t even call traditions ‘round here and more and there generations of roots sitting out in our pews, driven deep into our community and running out around the whole globe.
And today’s service is about getting together for a little while to check on those roots, and to look again at who we are, and remember – as best we can – the best of who we have been expected to see, and remember, and have a surprise encounter with. 
But as much as you came together to meet each other this Sunday, and to cherish your past, and our shared past; my prayer in this service’s reflection is that in this coming home you will also have that wondrous moment of encountering yourself again, and of meeting your purpose in the refreshment of your calling in faith. And somewhere in the midst of this hour, as memories dance on the edge of senses, that you sense the felling of love that is still in this place; and has been waiting for you.
For the deepest truths that we cling to -  our faiths and hopes, and the love that is meant to permeate everyone and everything – are offered like the glimmering of new days and new dawns.
The apostle Paul did all he could to prepare Timothy to be a new generation of preacher and leader in the church. For it was timothy’s generation that would be the first that would have lived their whole lives in Christian faith, and those coming after him. He taught Timothy those deep truths, and helped him to see the fullest purposes of faith and ones hope and the hopes of communities and even nations.
	Yet, as with any tradition or heirloom, the handing down of this treasure of faith Timothy, was done with the utmost care, and attention to detail, so that in the transmission nothing would be lost in the translation.
	We run a real danger of real trouble when from one generation to another we seek to improve our faith, and modernize out beliefs with out the proper attention to why these faiths have been passed down in a certain way for unknown and untold generations. 
	Paul is careful with timothy because he does not want what has been gained to be lost. He is careful and yet it seems that Paul is also stern. Paul won’t accept changing the faith to please the unbeliever that their old faith is ‘not all that bad’. Paul wants the best possible starting point for Timothy and those who would follow the first generation of apostles. 
	What has been handed down to you?
	A house for worship? A yard to rest your bones? Is that all? And is that all we celebrate each summer when we gather for a Sunday and remember the truths that were passed down, the truths about Jesus Christ and all he has done, those truths that in ways we see and are yet to see have made us strong; and made generations before us strong.
	Have we kept faith as they did, and made the proclaiming of good news a shout above the din of myths and worldly distractions? What has been the fight we have fought in this generation?
What was handed to you was more than a care of building and it grounds, or the fondness for a piece of countryside or the people that both rest beneath it s sod, or still tread the soft grass of the fields, you have been given the gracious lessons of those who have ‘kept the faith’ best by giving it to you.
		   
Hymn of Response Saviour teach me day by day
Saviour, teach me day by day, Love’s sweet lesson to obey,
Sweeter lesson cannot be, Loving Him Who first loved me.
 With a child’s glad heart of love, At Thy bidding may I move,
Prompt to serve and follow Thee, Loving Him Who first loved me.
 Teach me thus Thy steps to trace, Strong to follow in Thy grace,
Learning how to love from Thee, Loving Him Who first loved me.
 Love in loving finds employ, In obedience all her joy;
Ever new that joy will be, Loving Him Who first loved me.
 Thus may I rejoice to show, That I feel the love I owe;
Singing, till Thy face I see, Of His love Who first loved me.

Offering   
Prayers of Thanksgiving

Commissioning Praise   Simply trusting every day
Simply trusting every day; Trusting through a stormy way, 
Even when my faith is small; Trusting Jesus, that is all.
Chorus: Trusting as the moments fly, trusting as the days go by, 
Trusting him whate’er befall, trusting Jesus, that is all.
 Brightly doth his Spirit shine - into this poor heart of mine; 
While he leads I cannot fall; trusting Jesus, that is all. Chorus
 Singing, if my way be clear; Praying, if the path be drear; 
If in danger, for him call; Trusting Jesus, that is all. Chorus
 Trusting Him while life shall last; Trusting Him till earth is past,
Till His gracious advent call; Trusting Jesus, that is all. Chorus

Blessing and Benediction

Before the service speak to God. 
During the service let God speak to you. 
After the service speak with your neighbour.

Memory
I wondered as the winds of change blew,
At the setting at the day
What waking truth I’d grasp to hold
To light the rising way

For our path is oft’ times hidden, 
 Or we’re to dim to see;
To travel veiled and changing roads
Towards eternity

So I reach into the treasure trove,
To pull a sparkling gem
And set it by the light of faith
To shine my way again

And I go ever, always onward
Searching one day to the next. 
In the light of precious memories

In the lesson’s I’ve been left
God bless you on your journey, through life, this day and always

The church was not designed to be a reservoir, ever-receiving and retaining for itself God’s spiritual blessings, but rather a conduit, conveying them on and out to others everywhere.
Robert Hall Glover (1871–1947)