For today’s service, we are indebted to Common Grace for their liturgical resources written by Aboriginal Christian leaders Bianca Manning, Safina Stewart, and others. You can find their website here.
Welcome to everyone.
Acknowledgment of Country: we watched this 5min Acknowledgement of Country provided by Common Grace
then Lighting the Christ Candle
CALL TO WORSHIP. (Read by Loraine And Ian, from Psalm 96 (New International Version))
1 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples.
4 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.
11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness. AMEN
Hymn: based on Psalm 23
Book Club Reflections: John H shares his reflections on his experience in Book Club and how much he has learned about First Nations people through reading history, poetry and novels in the book group.
Prayers of Confession and Assurance. (Loraine)
A Prayer of Defiant Hope, written by Safina Stewart for Aboriginal Sunday 2025
God of Justice, help us engage. This land is stained with blood and tears, But your love defies all apathy and despair. God of all time, help us believe. This vast and ancient land sings with defiant hope. Reveal the pathways to healing, connection and true community.
God of Mercy, help us hear. The old people inspired and dared us to take a tangible stand, Our First Nations family call for we, the Australian church, to uplift and pray.
God of Grace, help us represent. Shine your guiding light on our nation’s darkest moments that we might be a part of the freedom story in your mysterious kingdom.
God of Hope, help us grow. Sink our roots deep to weather any storms Help us stand in our birth right and inheritance as we sing with defiant hope of your faithfulness and love. Amen
Hymn: You Are My Hiding Place
Bible Reading (Ian T) Romans 8:22-28 (New Living Translation)
22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
23And we believers also groan, even though we have the. Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Sermon: We watched this 16min video from Common Grace, with reflective messages from a number of Aboriginal Christian leaders.
Activity: (Loraine) We were invited to join the Common Grace community in creating a vibrant mural that reflects our shared prayer, solidarity, and commitment to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Bianca and Safina write, “This mural depicts the ancient heart and songlines of these lands we now call Australia. Around the heart of the mural will be written words that represent friendship, hope, and solidarity. Surrounding this centrepiece will be a sea of handprints, symbolising our embodied commitment to justice, reconciliation, and the flourishing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”
“Once completed, this mural can be displayed as a reminder to pray for and walk alongside our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters. Together, we will continue listening to the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian leaders, learning deeply, and turning our faith into tangible actions for hope and transformation in our nation.”
The mural features artwork by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist Safina Stewart, depicting the ancient heart and songlines of these lands we now call Australia. Songlines are sacred cultural routes that hold stories, knowledge, and connections between Aboriginal communities across this vast and diverse continent. These ancient pathways follow the tracks of the ancestors, sung and danced in language to help custodians follow lore, and strengthen relationship between country, culture and cosmology. Many songlines and cultural practices have been disrupted through acts of genocide and dispossession. Safina’s artwork reflects the reclaiming of culture, song and pride, celebrating the defiant hope and connections that remain strong within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The heart and songlines symbolise the way that is opening up to finding home, hope for healing, and flourishing connections as we journey together.”
Prayers (Sarah) The Bible passage to be read before the prayers is from Mark 9:35-37:
“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me”
Safe, Free, Flourishing Prayer: This prayer for the children across our nation impacted by the youth justice system was written by Gomeroi woman and Common Grace’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Justice Coordinator, Bianca Manning.
God of love, mercy and justice, We come before you with heavy hearts, knowing that you see all and your ears are attentive to the cries of those who are suffering. We pray for all children and young people who are in contact with the youth justice system. Please protect them, comfort them, and guide them into healing, safety, repentance and love.
We lift up their families to you, may they be supported, strengthened and cared for by the whole community. We pray for victims of crime, who have also suffered immensely. Please comfort, heal and provide for them. May the whole criminal justice system be transformed in your name Jesus, so that healing and rehabilitation will be prioritised and no more trauma will be inflicted, especially against our most vulnerable. Please raise up your Church to engage, to love and to support young people and their families in their local community.
We pray for all political leaders, decision-makers, and police officers, that you would grant them wisdom and compassion. We pray that all children will be released from adult watch houses, that the minimum age of criminal responsibility be raised to at least 14, racism will be exposed and ended, and that culturally safe solutions that promote the safety, freedom and flourishing of all will be supported. In Jesus name, Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE continued by Sarah.
HYMN: For you deep stillness. (You can see this song here)
Benediction (Loraine)
In the darkness of the night, may we look up to the heavens where our wounded Saviour has left His markings as a reminder of His great love and faithfulness.
May we find our next steps in confidence and hope with Him. May we hear His voice calling us up and out of despair and into the living hope of His kingdom and good way. Amen.
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