麻豆约拍

Sunday Worship - Sunday 1st August - From National Evangelical Church of Beirut

"We Cling to our faith"

Opening announcement spoken by the Radio 4 Continuity announcer:

麻豆约拍 Radio 4. It鈥檚 ten past eight and time now for Sunday Worship which today comes from Beirut. The service is introduced by Pastor Rima Nasrallah van Saane and Pastor Habib Badr.

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Habib: We greet you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, from the sanctuary of the National Evangelical Church of Beirut, the oldest Arabic speaking Protestant church in the Middle East, located in Beirut Central District.

Rima: One year ago, around a kilometre from here, a nuclear sized double explosion took place at the Beirut port killing round 200 people, injuring more than 6000 thousands and displacing 300 000.

Habib: I, Pastor Habib, was sitting behind my desk getting ready to officiate at a wedding, when everything came crashing down around me. The shock wave which tore through Beirut, smashed the stained glass windows of the church, sent the doors flying, sucked out the furniture out of the building and flung people against the walls. 鈥� within minutes the city was devastated and the country plunged into panic and confusion.听

REEM Haddad: We invite you to listen to the testimony of a member of our community, Trivina Kassis, who spoke the following words right after the blast.

TRIVINA Testimony

Rima: One year later we invite you to pray with us as we lift up our country and its people before the lord.

Habib: We pray as Protestant pastors, but we also pray in unity with all our fellow Christian communities with whom we have experienced the blast and with whom we united in responding to it.

Rima: Just across from us is the Armenian Apostolic Church, down the road are the Maronite, Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholic Churches. And not far from them the Armenian Catholic Church. In this service you will hear their voices as well, with tunes and languages that remind us of the ancient roots of Christianity in the East and its diversity. We start with an ancient Maronite chant sung in the Syriac language with which we assert that despite all trouble all glory goes to God:

Maronite Chant in Syriac:听听 Shoubhou (special recording provided by the National Evangelical Church of Beirut)
Translation: Glory be to this voice which became human, and to the sacred word which became embodied.
It was heard by the ear, seen by the eye, touched by the hand and eaten by the mouth.
Glory be to the word, the great sacrament, he who appropriated our bodies, the ancient God. Coming to save us from the terror of hell, distancing us from every dark night.
May there be peace in our homes, love and security, our guest Jesus has enriched us for all time.

HABIB: Let us pray:
We praise you, God our creator,听 for you have shaped and ordered this world. Out of this patch of dirt and rock, you formed the glorious mountains of Lebanon, you have dotted them with trees and capped them with snow. You made springs gush forth in its valleys watering the grape vines and the olive trees. You filled its air with fragrances of jasmine and thyme. You have made it a haven for migrating birds as well as migrating peoples.

RIMA: We praise you that your son Jesus walked on our land, visited our towns and touched our people. After his resurrection, his message of salvation travelled from the shores of Tyre and Sidon, and was embraced by the many peoples who joyfully call themselves Christians today and who raise their voices every Sunday across Lebanon expressing with ancient and modern rites this long history of steadfast faith.

HABIB: We praise you for the work of the holy spirit among us. The Spirit who has comforted us during our trials and distresses. The Spirit who has empowered us to love and serve each other. The Spirit who blessed us with diversity and talents. The Spirit who gives us hope. AMEN

REEM: The days after the blast were a haze. The scope of the devastation was so vast that we did not know where to begin. Some of us became homeless. We needed to check on the physical and mental health of parishioners. Our Church building and offices were a wreck. In the midst of this chaos, we were surprised by the arrival of teams of self-organized volunteers 鈥� mostly made up of young people 鈥� carrying brooms and shovels who tirelessly worked alongside us till the premises were cleared and we could function again.听
(Music under: 鈥� Track 11: Beyond these Shores: CD: Iona 鈥� Woven Cord: Label: Open Sky 鈥� Openvp6CD - ASIN 鈥� : 鈥� B0007ZP14I)

One of those many teams was made up of youths and priests from the Greek Orthodox church, and here is a testimony from one of their young people:

Testimony Of Nabil Saliba, from the Greek Orthodox Youth
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Nadeem and I am 17 years old. I remember the Beirut blast profoundly, I was at home, 7 km away from the Beirut Port. When the first shock wave hit my building I thought it was just a washing machine causing a huge raucous, when the second wave hit I knew I was terribly mistaken. The first idea that came to me was this was the emergencies the school used to teach us and this was an earth quake so I rushed under a table to hide. As I peeked through the window I saw that there was something wrong with the sky, it wasn鈥檛 your usual August blue sky, no, it had this huge cloud of smoke, pink smoke.
This is how I knew that an explosion happened and that it was very close to my house. I started calling my friends making sure they are alright and that my family members were alright. Then I rushed to social media where videos started emerging and I remember that I saw very very bloody videos and pictures of people coming out of their buildings with pieces of glass sticking out of them, I just remember a lot of blood. That鈥檚 when I knew that something terribly wrong has happened.
Once we understood what happened, me and my father and a small group of friends (from church??) decided to go and offer our help. We were astonished to see the sheer amount of adults offering their help. Nobody knew what happened but all knew that we had a certain responsibility and accountability to go and offer our help. We went to mosques and to churches we truly saw the Lebanese people unified however in a very terrible and sad way. We saw how there were Muslims cleaning churches and how there were Christians cleaning mosques we were truly鈥�. That day鈥� the coming weeks, months,,鈥� I think for the first time in history, the Lebanese were unified, there was no religion or sectarian root no there was just the Lebanese people and they were just trying to help in any way possible.
To this day the only feeling I can truly remember of that day, it was really really bitter sweet time. Something terrible has happened and it came at the cost of many lives and homes however we were able to see something truly beautiful among us鈥�
I think it was a very revolutionary day in Lebanese history.
However, it is very upsetting that after an entire year no justice is taking place. And those who died, were injured or lost their homes were brushed aside.听听听

REEM: This feeling of continued injustice makes us yearn even more for God鈥檚 justice. This is a Byzantine chant sung by the Greek Catholic Choir of Beirut (Psaltopedia) based on Psalm 119 expressing the justice of God in Arabic:听

Psalm or Chant (from Psalm 119 Psaltopedia 鈥� Greek Catholic Choir of Beirut -Byzantine tune) (special recording provided by the National Evangelical Church of Beirut)
Translation: It is time for the Lord to act.
You are just oh Lord and your judgments are right hallelujah
Lead me in the paths of your commandments for I delight in them.
Turn away the disgrace that I dread for your ordinances are good.
You are just oh Lord and your judgments are right hallelujah
Turn me from the paths of evil and grant me your laws, grant me.
You are just oh Lord and your judgments are right hallelujah
I find my delight in your commandments because I love them.
You are just oh Lord and your judgments are right hallelujah
My soul languishes for your salvation; I hope in your word.
You are just oh Lord and your judgments are right hallelujah
My soul yearns for your justice, rule O Lord.
Look at my misery and preserve my life according to your steadfast love
You are just oh Lord and your judgments are right hallelujah
Give me life with your justice
Dr George Sabra: Epistle Reading:听 2 Corinthians 4: 7-12
A reading from Paul鈥檚 second letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 4, verses 7-12. We have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus鈥� sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Taize Song: (special recording provided by the National Evangelical Church of Beirut)

Dr. George Sabra: Gospel Reading: John 17: 11-17

Taize Song: Halloumo ya shououbou (special recording provided by the National Evangelical Church of Beirut)

RIMA Meditation
For the past months, a team of conservators/restorers at the archaeological museum of the American University of Beirut have been carefully fitting together hundreds of jagged and tiny pieces of colourful broken glass. Their task is to reconstruct the many vases and rare pieces of ancient Roman and medieval glassware which were shattered during the Beirut Blast. In a TV report, one of the restorers exclaimed that: tedious and challenging as this may be, it seems easier than putting back the pieces of a broken Lebanon together.
It is no secret that many inside and outside the country feel that Lebanon has been broken into many tiny pieces and that reconstructing it as a functional nation and country seems a little less likely with every passing day.听
The devastating explosion in Beirut鈥檚 Port was emblematic of everything that has been going wrong in Lebanon and which ended up in a big bang forcing us all to our knees and pulling us into a vortex of communal despair. Years of corruption, successive dysfunctional governments, and deeply entrenched sectarian mindsets, were aggravated by the developments in the surrounding countries.
Those following the news, know that since October 2019, the country has been experiencing its worst economic crises nay a financial collapse! The Lebanese currency lost more than 90% of its value plunging so many into deep poverty. The already dysfunctional infrastructure almost shut down: Extended power cuts, lack of fuel, medicinal shortage, 鈥� with no sign of hope at the horizon.
Indeed, like the apostle Paul, we feel afflicted. Afflicted and hard pressed from every side. Politically, financially, socially鈥μ� The accumulated weight of all that has happened particularly in the past two years adding to it a pandemic 鈥� has weighed down the church. We have lost many of our people to emigration or to death. We have lost our financial resources and many of our institutions have shut down. We have lost buildings and facilities due to the blast. The leadership of the church feels physically and mentally tired.
Like Paul, we are perplexed. What will the future hold? What should we advise the people entrusted to our care? Should we encourage them to stay or to leave? What should we do with our institutions? Should we struggle to keep our schools, hospitals and centres open or should we resign in the face of the financial facts?听 Should we accept that Christianity is disappearing from the land of its birth and that the last safe haven left for minorities in the region is no longer safe and no longer a sanctuary.听听
Like Paul, we were physically struck down. Walking around in Beirut today, one can still see that a large part of the city remains destroyed. Shards of glass can still be found on sidewalks, some buildings and structures will never be used again. The faces of those who died are painted on the walls surrounding the port reminding us that justice has not yet been achieved. And here in our Church, we can still see the scars of the blast despite all the restoration done.
We feel like broken clay jars! Like those shattered antique vases in the archaeological museum鈥�
Yet as Christians, we also know that unlike these antique vases our value is not found in the material of the jar itself; in the systems and structures that can be broken. On the contrary, we hold a treasure, an indestructible treasure, a treasure of which we are custodians. A treasure which is both very simple and extra-ordinarily powerful. More powerful than all the princes of this world and their oppressive rules. And it is this treasure which prevented us from being crushed and destroyed!
Few days after the blast, as members of our congregation were crouching on the floor picking up broken glass, clearing rubble and vacuuming soot and dust from carpets in the sanctuary we spontaneously exploded into singing our Arabic version of Count Your Blessing, Count Them one by One. It was the most unexpected song to come to mind in the midst of all the destruction and pain. And yet, we had all felt the power of life pushing against the powers of death, we saw the faint but clear ray of light shining through the darkness, and felt the bonds of love which united us all at that moment overcoming all differences. Truly the Lord was present with us!听
One year later, as difficulties are still piling up and it becomes harder to go on, it is our faith in the Lord of life which carries us through. It carries us to care and to share, to serve and to build and to work tirelessly towards justice and truth. So that the life of Christ may be revealed in the midst of death.
And so, though all signs around us remain bleak, we do not lose hope for we do not cling to the clay jars but to the treasure within. Amen.
REEM, In the spring of 2019, Christian youths organizations from all denominations in Lebanon joined with the Taize community in organizing an Ecumenical Youth Event in Beirut, praying and hoping for a renewed life. Little did we know at that time that the Location where we had gathered with 1600 young people from all over the world, would be blown to pieces in this fashion and that the youths of Lebanon would soon experience a life altering political and financial crisis. Together we continue to pray for true peace, as we listen to the Arabized version of the Taize Song Dona La Pace, sung by an ecumenical choir during that event.

听
Donna La Pace (In Arabic 鈥� Taize) (special recording provided by the National Evangelical Church of Beirut)

Intercessions

Habib: Let us pray
HABIB: We pray for the peoples and the leaders of all the nations, that they may be reconciled to one another in pursuit of your justice and peace.
We pray in particular for Lebanon, a suffering and broken country. We pray for the formation of a new and just government, for solidarity among all its constituents, for the respect and good stewardship to its natural resources and for a sustainable and fair development of its economy.
Lord in your mercy,

RIMA: Hear our prayer.

HABIB: We pray for the church worldwide and in particular for the churches of Beirut who have sustained great human and physical losses. We pray that they be empowered by your Holy Spirit to continue their ministries of healing and hope.
Lord in your mercy,

RIMA: Hear our prayer.
听

HABIB: We pray for the schools, hospitals and care homes and we pray that these vital ministries will get a new lease on life, particularly those that have been destroyed damaged or discontinued as a result of the blast and the general economic situation..
Lord in your mercy,

RIMA: Hear our prayer.

HABIB: We pray for those who have lost dear ones as a result of the blast, for those whose bodies have been marred and those who have become homeless and unemployed. For those who have experienced trauma, those who have lost hope, and those who are experiencing anxiety and depression as a result of the compounded problems. Continue Lord, to comfort the bereaved and let us not tire from speaking truth to power and seeking after justice and human dignity.听
Lord in your mercy,

RIMA: Hear our prayer.

HABIB: We pray for a new vision and new energy so that united in your name we may continue to work and yearn for your kingdom to come. Lord in your mercy, hear us. Amen.

RIMA: and now we pray together the Lord鈥檚 prayer as we hear it being sung in Armenian, the language of a people who have been experiencing injustice and displacement for over a century and whose Christian faith is the main treasure which sustains them.听

Lord鈥檚 Prayer (Armenian) (special recording provided by the National Evangelical Church of Beirut)

HABIB: LORD鈥檚 Prayer in English听

RIMA: LORD鈥檚 Prayer in Arabic

HABIB: Blessing In Arabic

RIMA: Go in peace extolling the Lord as we close with a final more contemporary song from the Maronite Church sung in Arabic based on Psalm 95.听

Hymn (Maronite) Psalm 95: 1-7听 haloumou Nourannimou (special recording provided by the National Evangelical Church of Beirut)

Translation:听 O come, let us sing to the Lord;
听听听 let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
听听听 let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God,
听听听 and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
听听听 the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
听听听 and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down,
听听听 let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
7 For he is our God,
听听听 and we are the people of his pasture,
听听听 and the sheep of his hand.
O that today you would listen to his voice!

Radio 4 Closing announcement:

鈥淥 come let us sing to the Lord,鈥� music from the Maronite Church which brings to a close Sunday Worship recorded in Beirut. The preacher was The Revd Dr Rima Nasrallah van Saane - who also devised the service. The leader was the Revd Dr Habib Badr, Senior Pastor of the National Evangelical Church of Beirut. The producer was Philip Billson. Next week the听 Revd Richard Frazer of Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, explores the wonder and enchantment to be found in human living and stories, at the start of the city's festivals.