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MORNING WORSHIP FOR REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
ST COLUMBA’S, PONT STREET
SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER 2026
Welcome
Introit: For the fallen, Guest
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Call to Worship
Hymn 713 Come all who look to God today (Gonfalon Royal)
1 Come, all who look to God today,
stretch out your hands, enlarge your mind,
together share his living way
where all who humbly seek will find.
2 Come, young and old of every faith,
bring all your treasuries of prayer,
and seek the living Spirit’s breath
to realise the truths we share.
3 Bring your traditions’ richest store,
your hymns and rites and cherished creeds;
explore your visions, pray for more,
since God delights to meet fresh needs.
4 Come, trust in God and live in peace,
anticipate that final light
when strife and bigotry shall cease,
and faith be lost in praise and sight. Amen.
Prayer of Approach and Lord’s Prayer
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,
and the power and the glory for ever, Amen.
Call to Remembrance
The Tryst
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.4
Congregation: We will remember them
The Lament, Silence, Reveille & Kohima Epitaph
When you go home, tell them of us and say,
for their tomorrow, we gave our today
Hymn 161 O God our help in ages past (St Anne)
1 O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home!
2 Under the shadow of thy throne
thy saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defence is sure.
3 Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting thou art God,
to endless years the same.
4 A thousand ages in thy sight
are like an evening gone;
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun.
5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away;
they fly forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.
6 O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guard while troubles last,
and our eternal home.
Old Testament Reading: Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many.
‘Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’
Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.’
But Joshua said to the people, ‘You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.’
And the people said to Joshua, ‘No, we will serve the Lord!’
Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.’
And they said, ‘We are witnesses.’
He said, ‘Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.’
The people said to Joshua, ‘The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.’ So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.
Anthem: Greater love, Ireland (1879 – 1962)
Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can the floods drown it.
Love is strong as death.
Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Who his own self bare our sins in his own Body on the tree,
that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.
Ye are washed, ye are sanctified,
ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
that ye should shew forth the praises
of him who hath called you out of darkness
into his marvellous light.
I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 25:1-13
‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Hymn 721 We lay our broken world
1 We lay our broken world
in sorrow at your feet,
haunted by hunger, war, and fear,
oppressed by power and hate.
2 Here human life seems less
than profit, might, and pride,
though to unite us all in you,
you lived and loved and died.
3 We bring our broken towns,
our neighbours hurt and bruised;
you show us how old pain and wounds
for new life can be used.
4 We bring our broken loves,
friends parted, families torn;
then in your life and death we see
that love must be reborn.
5 We bring our broken selves,
confused and closed and tired;
then through your gift of healing grace
new purpose is inspired.
6 Come Spirit, on us breathe,
with life and strength anew;
find in us love, and hope, and trust,
and lift us up to you.
Sermon
Anthem: God so loved the world, Stainer (1840 – 1901)
God so loved the world.
God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoso believeth, believeth in Him
should not perish, should not perish
but have everlasting life.
For God sent not His Son into the world
to condemn the world.
God sent not His Son into the world
to condemn the world;
But that the world through Him might be saved.
God so loved the world.
God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoso believeth, believeth in Him
should not perish, should not perish
but have everlasting life, everlasting life,
everlasting, everlasting life.
God so loved the world.
God so loved the world.
God so loved the world.
Prayers of Thanksgiving, Intercession & Intimations
Hymn 706 For the healing of the nations
1 For the healing of the nations,
Lord, we pray with one accord;
for a just and equal sharing
of the things that earth affords.
To a life of love in action
help us rise and pledge our word.
2 Lead us forward into freedom,
from despair your world release,
that, redeemed from war and hatred,
all may come and go in peace.
Show us how through care and goodness
fear will die and hope increase.
3 All that kills abundant living,
let it from the earth be banned;
pride of status, race, or schooling,
dogmas that obscure your plan.
In our common quest for justice
may we hallow life’s brief span.
4 You, Creator-God, have written
your great name on humankind;
for our growing in your likeness
bring the life of Christ to mind;
that by our response and service
earth its destiny may find.
National Anthem & Benediction
God save our gracious King!
Long live our noble King!
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the King.
Organ Postlude: Nimrod, Elgar
Retiring Offering for PoppyScotland
