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OPENING ANNOUNCEMENT
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 4 and ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sounds. Sunday Worship today comes from Christ Church Castlerock in County Londonderry.Ìý It’s led by the rector, the Reverend Chris MacBruithin and begins with the Hymn, From all that dwell below the skies.

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Script of Programme:

Please note: This script may not exactly reflect the transmission. It may include editorial notes prepared by the producer, and minor spelling and other errors.

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Introit From all that dwell below the skies (LASS TUNS ERFREUEN)

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Welcome and Introduction: Rev Chris MacBruithin
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

And also with you.

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A warm welcome to Christ Church Castlerock on this Third Sunday after Trinity.Ìý Since its Victorian beginnings, our village has attracted visitors from far and wide, among them a young CS Lewis.Ìý Here on Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast, from our doorstep we can see the hills of Donegal in the Irish Republic and, weather permitting, Islay and Jura in the Western Hebrides.

This parish encompasses a blue flag beach, and forest and woodland trails across Downhill and the Black Glen; it offers recreation and rest to local resident and holidaymaker alike but also allows us to catch something of God’s greatness in the beauty of His Creation.Ìý We are truly blessed.

And at the heart of all of this stands Christ Church: today we welcome all who are listening.

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Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: let the whole earth stand in awe of him.Ìý Psalm 96: 9

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HYMNÌý ÌýFor the beauty of the earth (ENGLAND’S LANE)

Opening Prayer, Confession and Absolution : Rev Chris MacBruithin

Let us pray.

Almighty God,

after the creation of the world you rested from all your works

and set apart a holy day for all your creatures:

Grant that we, setting aside all earthly anxieties,

may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary,

and that our time of worship here upon earth

may be a preparation for the eternal rest

promised to your people in heaven;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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To acknowledge our sins is a sign of trust in God’s mercy.Ìý Let us then confess our sins in penitence and faith.

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Consider the birds of the air; they do not sow or gather into barns, yet our heavenly Father feeds them.Ìý We have failed to trust in God, looking in the wrong places to fulfil our needs.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

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Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not toil nor spin, yet even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.Ìý But we have been greedy and selfish, and degraded creation.

Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

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How little faith we have. We have not first sought the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

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Almighty God,

who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy on you,

pardon and deliver you from all our sins,

conform and strengthen you in all goodness,

and keep you in eternal life,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.Ìý Amen.

O Lord, open our lips.

And our mouth will proclaim your praise.

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This is the day that the Lord has made

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

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Our Canticle this morning is the Venite, Psalm 95, reminding us that God made the sea and his | hands prepared the ·dry land.Ìý

The Canticle: Venite

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The Psalm 92: 1-4, 12-14

ÌýÌýIt is a good thing to give thanks to the LordÌý
ÌýÌýÌýand to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
ÌýÌýTo tell of your love early in the morningÌý
ÌýÌýÌýand of your faithfulness in the night-time,
ÌýÌýUpon the ten-stringed instrument, upon the harp,Ìý
ÌýÌýÌýand to the melody of the lyre.
ÌýFor you, Lord, have made me glad by your acts,Ìý
ÌýÌýÌýand I sing aloud at the works of your hands.
ÌýÌýThe righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,Ìý
ÌýÌýÌýand shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.
ÌýSuch as are planted in the house of the LordÌý
ÌýÌýÌýshall flourish in the courts of our God.
ÌýÌýThey shall still bear fruit in old age;Ìý
ÌýÌýÌýthey shall be vigorous and in full leaf;
ÌýÌýThat they may show that the Lord is true;Ìý
ÌýÌýÌýhe is my rock,
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýand there is no unrighteousness in him.

ÌýGlory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

The Collect

Almighty God,
you have broken the tyranny of sin
and have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts
whereby we call you Father:
Give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service,
that we and all creation may be brought
to the glorious liberty of the children of God;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.Ìý Amen.

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Reader: A reading from the Book of the prophetÌý Ezekiel, chapter 17, beginning at verse 22.

ÌýThus says the LordÌýGod:
I myself will take a sprig
ÌýÌýÌýfrom the lofty top of a cedar;
ÌýÌýÌýI will set it out.
I will break off a tender one
ÌýÌýÌýfrom the topmost of its youngÌýtwigs;
I myself will plant it
ÌýÌýÌýon a high and lofty mountain.ÌýOn the mountain height of Israel
ÌýÌýÌýI will plant it,
in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit,
ÌýÌýÌýand become a noble cedar.
Under it every kind of bird willÌýlive;
ÌýÌýÌýin the shade of its branches willÌýnest
ÌýÌýÌýwinged creatures of every kind.ÌýAll the trees of the field shall know
ÌýÌýÌýthat I am theÌýLord.
I bring low the high tree,
ÌýÌýÌýI make high the low tree;
I dry up the green tree
ÌýÌýÌýand make the dry tree flourish.
I theÌýLordÌýhave spoken;
ÌýÌýÌýI will accomplish it.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

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Rev Chris MacBruithin: The Cantemus Choir sings Beati Quorum Via, the Irish composer CV Stanford’sÌý setting of the first verse of Psalm 119: Blessed are those whose way is pure; who walk in the way of the Lord. And then after our Gospel reading, the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, the Right Reverend Andrew Forster will preach.

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The Anthem: Beati Quorum Via (CV Stanford)

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Reader:

A reading from the Gospel according to Mark, chapter 4, beginning at verse 26.

ÌýHe also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,Ìý27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.Ìý The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’ÌýHe also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?Ìý31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;Ìý32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

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The Sermon; The Right Rev. Andrew Forster, Bishop of Derry and Raphoe

Castlerock is my favourite place, a place where I’ve been holidaying since childhood. I’m drawn by the natural beauty of the place and the friendliness of village life. It was the arrival of the railway that gave birth to this small seaside resort and – although the village has since grown in popularity – it remains a tranquil and welcoming place for residents, holidaymakers and day trippers.

Now, my words will do scant justice to the beauty around me but let me to try to capture something of the allure of this place. Close your eyes and imagine the scene.

Just a few yards across the road from this exquisite little church there’s a magnificent beach. On a clear day, as you walk along its pristine sands from the mouth of the River Bann, you can look across Atlantic rollers – beyond the shrieking swimmers and paddle-boarders and surfers – and catch a glimpse of the Scottish islands looming in the distance.

Head up into the dunes here, and you’ll discover an amazing habitat for flora and fauna, framing a championship golf course. Walk a little further along the coast, and you’ll come to spectacular cliffs which are home to colonies of rowdy sea birds.

Perched right on the edge of the cliff is one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic sites, Mussenden Temple, built as his library by the eccentric Earl Bishop Frederick Augustus Harvey in the grounds of his now-ruined seaside residence, Downhill House. Recently, a travel website said this was the second-best place in the UK to have a picnic. I’m sorry, but I have to disagree. I think it’s the finest place for a picnic. But perhaps I’m biased.

Carry on a little further on our walk and you’ll arrive at Benone beach, a golden ribbon of sand adorning one bank of Lough Foyle.

A sermon shouldn’t really sound like an advertisement for the tourist board, but I hope these words can convey something of the beauty of this place that keeps pulling me back.

You can open your eyes now, by the way.

Now, to stand on a windswept headland or a deserted beach, listening to the crashing of the waves, tasting the ozone in the salt air, is to immerse ourselves in the beauty of creation. For many of us, an appreciation of nature draws us closer to the creator. We see it in the psalms, for instance. Psalm 95: ‘In His hands are the depths of the earth, the heights of the mountains are his also, the sea is his for he made it, and his hands prepared the dry land.’

Creation opens a door for us to appreciate the work of the creator, whether it’s in the vast majesty of a sweeping vista or the intricate delicacy of a tiny petal. By opening our eyes and our hearts, we can see the creating hand of God at work.

Having lived in a largely rural environment, it’s not surprising that Jesus used the creation around him as a teaching aid to help explain the significance of his ministry and the impact his life would have on the world. Now, what’s interesting, particularly in our readings from Mark’s gospel, is the part of creation that he chose – not something grand and glorious, like towering mountain peaks or a vast seascape. He said this. ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like: a man scatters seed on the ground’. The kingdom of God is being compared to something that is so small and so seemingly insignificant, that Jesus likened it to seeds. In fact, he specifically used the example of the mustard seed which would’ve been recognisable to his listeners as something tiny, and of little obvious significance. Clearly, though, Jesus was saying something very important about his ministry and indeed his kingdom, and using something familiar, from the everyday life of his followers, to illustrate what he was saying.

It's quite remarkable – and quite beautiful, I think – that Jesus chose an ordinary seed, indeed one of the tiniest and humblest of seeds, to describe his ministry and make it relatable to his followers. We see the wonder of his life on earth – what theologians describe as the incarnation – portrayed in the commonplace. This wasn’t some sort of remote deity, far removed from us. This was a God of the everyday and a God of the here and now.

In his parables, Jesus encouraged his followers to think about things in a different way. Some were no doubt hoping for a spectacular overthrow of the Roman forces occupying their homeland; others for yet more miraculous signs that would become a talking point and draw more followers to him.

But Jesus was saying I want you to think differently. He wanted them and indeed us to understand that God was and is at work in the small things; that he had confidence that no matter what, small seeds would continue to grow – perhaps imperceptibly – but would grow all the same; that out of something seemingly so insignificant, growth and vitality would inevitably come. In the case of the parable in this reading, that the least of seeds – the mustard seed – would grow into a bush so large and luxuriant that flocks of birds would shelter in its branches.

It goes without saying that we live in times of change and challenge. At times we may feel helpless and even hopeless before the tidal wave of hurt, pain and division right across our world. It’s reasonable and legitimate to ask whether we can really make any difference, and whether issues such as the climate crisis are simply too big and too vast for us to resolve?

The truth at the heart of Jesus’s parables is that small things are important and small things do make a difference. Personally, I find these words of Jesus particularly comforting because they remind us that his kingdom makes a difference and that we, his children, can make a positive difference in his world. Sometimes it might be imperceptible, it might even seem negligible, but it is the picture painted for us in these parables: small things matter. Never underestimate what God will do through you – his child – the act of kindness, the caring word, the faltering prayer all become important in his eyes.

I must say I love the way the parable of the mustard seed develops and how, as Jesus says, the smallest seed ‘when planted grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.’ Jesus was indicating that his kingdom has room for all who come to Him and who were crying out for the shelter of his love and the hope that is born through faith. It is a wonderful image of the all-encompassing love of God, and an indication that there is room for each of us in the shelter of that love.

We began thinking about the beauty of the creation that is all around us, and how it can open up a door for us to appreciate all the more the gifts of the creator. But here’s something else to think about: what if God is calling us to continue in his work of creation; calling us to work with him in making our world a better place?

Creation is a beautiful gift and as we seek to create a better world we do a beautiful thing with God. What we offer might seem as small as the mustard seed but planted in him it will grow and make a difference.. Therein lies the challenge: can our lives become a parable, a parable that speaks to the world of the story of the love of God, growing within our lives and making a difference in his world.

Perhaps it's time to open our eyes again.

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Rev Chris MacBruithin: We will now hear Ag Críost an síol an Irish Hymn whose first verse means The seed is Christ’s, and his the sheaf; within God’s barn may we be stored

Solo: ÌýAg Críost an síol (Seán Ó Riada)

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Let us declare our faith in God.

We believe in God the Father

From whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.

We believe in God the Son

Who lives in our hearts through faith and fills us with his love.

We believe in God the Holy Spirit

Who strengthens us with power from on high.

We believe in one God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit.Ìý Amen.

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Prayers: Reader.

Lord of the Church, we pray for the growth of your Kingdom throughout the world.Ìý We bring to you little seeds of faith and trust you to grow them, doing more than we can ask or imagine.

Lord of the nations, we pray for the world you have made.Ìý Spur us on to sow seeds of reconciliation, justice and transformation.

Lord of Creation, we praise you for your glory and your goodness reflected here on earth; for the sunshine and rain that make things grow; for the mountain peaks and ocean swell that make us feel small; the sunshine that makes us feel glad.Ìý We face a climate crisis.Ìý Help us to sow seeds of change, learning to live lightly on earth and to safeguard the integrity of the work of your hands.

Lord of the Sabbath, we pray for all who are weary and weighed down, in need of rest.Ìý We pray for children and young people coming to the end of the school year; for holiday-makers; refresh and renew us, and all in need today. And on this Father’s Day, we pray for all fathers and all those men who invest their love and care in the next generation.

Lord of eternity, your Son Jesus Christ is the first-fruits of the resurrection; grant that when he comes again to make all things new, we may join the company of all your saints, rejoicing in one unending song of praise.

Gathering together all our prayers and thanksgivings,

we pray as one family:

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 trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.Ìý Amen.

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We go into the world

to walk in God’s light,

to rejoice in God’s love

and to reflect God’s glory.

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The Blessing: Bishop Forster

The peace of God, which passes all understanding,

keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God,

and of God's Son, Jesus Christ our Saviour:

and the blessing of God Almighty,

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,

be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.

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Hymn O worship the King all-glorious above (HANOVER)

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CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENT

Sunday Worship came from Christ Church Castlerock in County Londonderry and was led by, the Reverend Chris MacBruithin assisted by McCall Gilfillan. The preacher was the Right Reverend Andrew Forster, the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe. The Cantemus Choir was directed by Ben McGonigle and the producers were David Walker and Bert Tosh.

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With the Euros, T20 Cricket World Cup, and the Olympics providing wall-to-wall provision for sports fans - and summer festivals and sell-out tours from global stars entertaining music fans, next week’s Sunday Worship, from Highfields Church in Cardiff,Ìý explores what successÌý looks like through the lens of Christianity.

Applications are open, until 17th June, for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s Young Chorister of the Year competition.Ìý For more information visit the Sunday Worship webpage

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