Prepared by Rev David Jebb – 22nd June 2025
Call to Worship:
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord.
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation!
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
The light is shining in the darkness, Flickering hope, love and possibility onto the walls around us.
Lord, we turn to you again this day, show us how to be people of the light, in a dark and dangerous world. Amen
STF 89: Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
Opening Prayers
We join together in prayer,
Let us take some time to gather ourselves in a moment of quiet.
We bring with us our troubles, anxieties, our hopes and joys,
the light and shade in our worlds, the bits we show and the bits we hide.
As we think back over the last few days let us be honest with ourselves.
Look at the times we have fallen short, the things we have said that we shouldn’t have, the
times we should have spoken up when we felt unable to,
when our actions or inactions have caused pain.
All too often we are headstrong thinking we know best, and we stop listening to the still,
small voice guiding us, loving us, supporting us.
We are sorry when we turn our back on you,
open our hearts and minds to you, your love and guiding presence.
We give thanks for You and for all you have given us, this planet we call home, those we
share our lives with, work colleagues, friends and family.
In a moment or two of quiet let’s consider those things we are grateful for, all those things
that lift us up, give us stability,
Let us use what You have given us and imagine them as a protective shield with which we
can go out into the world, sharing Your love, being Your hands, feet and voices in our lives.
Amen.
Bible Reading: Luke 8:26-39 ( NIV) ‘Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man’
26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,[a] which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.
38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.
Reflections for Today – Listening for the Quiet Voice of God
The Gentle Voice of Christ Reading: Luke 8:26–39
Today’s Gospel paints for us a deeply human picture—a man broken in every way, living among tombs, wrapped not in cloth but in fear and shame, chained by forces he cannot name. We may feel far from that scene. But if we’re honest, all of us carry our own silent struggles—wounds the world doesn’t see, sorrows that sit quietly in the corners of our hearts.
And yet—Jesus does not pass him by.
He crosses stormy waters, leaves the familiar shores, and steps into a place others avoid. Not by accident, but with purpose. He comes to this man—this outcast, this soul thought to be beyond help—and He stays with him. He does not shout. He does not condemn. He simply asks, “What is your name?”
In that one question, Jesus offers a glimpse of the heart of God: a God who restores before He fixes, a God who listens before He heals. The man answers, “Legion”—a name that reflects the many battles inside him. But Jesus hears more than the name. He sees the person beneath—the image of God, covered in dust but not destroyed.
And what happens next is breathtaking. The townspeople had given up on him. But Jesus? He gives him back his life. He clothes him, calms him, and he is found—sitting at Jesus’ feet, in his right mind. At peace.
That image—of sitting at the feet of Christ—says it all. He is not just healed, he is home.
Dear friends, this is not only a story for someone long ago. It is our story too. We all carry griefs and regrets, fears we’ve hidden, memories we wish we could forget. And sometimes, we feel lost—tired from carrying too much for too long.
But the same Jesus crosses the distance to reach us too. Not always in a miracle, but often in a whisper. In a gentle touch. In the quiet of prayer. In the comforting words of a friend. The Spirit of Christ still speaks—not in thunder or fire, but in stillness and love.
Remember Elijah, who stood on the mountain in despair. He too thought all was lost. But God did not speak in the earthquake or the storm. God came in a still, small voice—a voice soft enough to be missed unless your heart is listening.
So many today long to hear that voice. And the good news is: Christ is still speaking. He calls us by name. He clothes us not with shame, but with mercy. As Paul wrote: “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” That means you—right now—are wrapped in Christ’s love, held in His grace, and covered by His peace.
You are not forgotten. You are not alone. You are not beyond hope. In Christ, your name is Beloved. Redeemed. Healed.
And just as the man was sent back to his town to share his story, so we are sent—to share the peace we’ve received, to carry a word of hope to someone else who feels forgotten.
So today, may you hear Christ’s voice again—maybe not in noise or drama, but in the gentle whisper of love that says: “You are mine. You are made whole. Go in peace.” Amen.
Prayers of Intercession – Listening for the Still, Small Voice
Let us take a moment to still our hearts…
Let us breathe gently…
And in the quiet, let us bring our prayers before God.
We pause…
to remember the noise and turmoil of world events.
We think of war and conflict—in Israel and Gaza, in Ukraine and Russia, in Sudan, in Congo, and throughout the Middle East.
We hold in our hearts the cries of the wounded, the displaced, the grieving.
So many voices cry out—
but in the midst of the chaos…
In the face of the loud voices, Lord, help us to hear your still, small voice of calm.
(pause)
We pause…
to hold before God the unrest and divisions in the political world.
We pray for wisdom and integrity among global leaders—
in the G7 gathering, in Canada, in the United Kingdom, in Oman, in Kuwait, and in every nation facing tension and change.
May voices of compassion rise above the noise of anger and fear.
In the face of the loud voices, Lord, help us to hear your still, small voice of calm.
(pause)
We pause…
to listen to the cry of the hungry—
those longing not only for food, but for justice, for shelter, for dignity, for love.
We think of those silenced by poverty, suffering in hidden corners of the world.
We remember them now…
In the face of the loud voices, Lord, help us to hear your still, small voice of calm.
(pause)
We pause…
to pray for peace between faith communities—
wherever misunderstanding, suspicion or violence divides your people.
We long for harmony, respect, and shared hope.
We pray for the unity that only love can build.
In the face of the loud voices, Lord, help us to hear your still, small voice of calm.
(pause)
We pause…
to remember those who face daily battles—
with addiction, with shame, with loneliness or fear,
with the “demons” that no one else can see.
Lord, draw near to all who cry out in the dark.
In the face of the loud voices, Lord, help us to hear your still, small voice of calm.
(pause)
We pause…
to hold in prayer our loved ones—
our families, our friends, our neighbours—
and all who are struggling with stress, uncertainty, illness, or grief.
Bring your comfort to every weary heart.
In the face of the loud voices, Lord, help us to hear your still, small voice of calm.
(pause)
And now we pause…
to be honest with you, O God, about our own hearts.
The thoughts that race, the worries we carry, the weight we do not know how to name.
In the quiet, meet us with your peace.
In the face of the loud voices, Lord, help us to hear your still, small voice of calm.
(longer pause)
Lord Jesus,
You crossed the sea to reach the one who felt beyond hope.
Cross the waters of our hearts today.
Speak again your words of peace.
And send us out as people of calm in a noisy world.
In your name we pray,
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer ‘ Our Father….
Hymn: STF 693 “Beauty for brokenness, hope for despair…”
1 Beauty for brokenness,
hope for despair,
Lord, in Your suffering world
this is our prayer.
Bread for the children,
justice, joy, peace,
sunrise to sunset,
Your kingdom increase!
2 Shelter for fragile lives,
cures for their ills,
work for the craftsmen,
trade for their skills;
land for the dispossessed,
rights for the weak,
voices to plead the cause
of those who can’t speak.
God of the poor,
friend of the weak,
give us compassion we pray:
melt our cold hearts,
let tears fall like rain;
come, change our love
from a spark to a flame.
3 Refuge from cruel wars,
havens from fear,
cities for sanctuary,
freedoms to share.
Peace to the killing-fields,
scorched earth to green,
Christ for the bitterness,
His cross for the pain.
4 Rest for the ravaged earth,
oceans and streams
plundered and poisoned –
our future, our dreams.
Lord, end our madness,
carelessness, greed;
make us content with
the things that we need.
God of the poor . . . © Graham Kendrick (b 1950)
Blessing
Here we are Lord,
Gathered in your name. Here we are Lord,
seeking to follow your call. Here we are Lord, guide us this week we pray,
And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
