Friends, you are welcome in this place as I am welcome. Our time together is God’s gift to each of us. We come with what we know of and have experienced in life, we come seeking to discover what we don’t yet know about God and God’s hopes and dreams for our lives. Whether we believe or don’t believe, whether we know much or not at all, all are welcome. We declare in Jesus’ name that this is a safe physical, emotional and spiritual environment for all who search for meaning and purpose in life, regardless of age, race, gender, sexuality, or abilities.
God, you invite us to experience your goodness today and every day.
You welcome us when we are full of joy and when we are in despair.
You welcome us when we feel alive and when we feel dull inside.
You bring us into your love and into your community.
We do not take your invitation for granted, God of all goodness.
We know ourselves welcomed, and we rejoice.
Amen.
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Dharawal people and their elders past and present, and wonder what the past elders would have made of the use we make of this land on which we meet.
Focus on: James Redbanks, ‘The Shepherd’s Life’
Lighting the Candle
The Light of the world is much needed in many dark places. Help us serve people living in shadows, the shadows of pain, poverty, loneliness, prejudice and much more. Jesus Christ, with us now as we worship and fellowship, shine in our hearts we pray.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Come, let us live in the love of God.
Come, let us sing of God’s goodness.
Come, let us speak of God’s faithfulness.
Come, let us pray in hope.
Come, let us worship together.
Come, all are invited, all are welcome.
Hymn 179
Verse 1
Praise with joy the world’s Creator, God of justice, love, and peace,
source and end of human knowledge, Force of greatness without cease.
Celebrate the Maker’s glory, power to rescue and release.
Verse 2
Praise to Christ who feeds the hungry, frees the captive, finds the lost,
heals the sick, up-sets religion, fearless both of fate and cost.
Celebrate Christ’s constant presence: friend and stranger, guest and host.
Verse 3
Praise the Spirit sent among us, liberating truth from pride,
forging bonds where race or gender, age or nation dare divide.
Celebrate the Spirit’s treasure: foolishness none dare deride.
Verse 4
Praise the Maker, Christ, and Spirit, one God in community,
calling Christians to embody oneness and diversity.
Thus the world shall yet believe, when Shown Christ’s vibrant unity.
Readings: Luke 19:1–10, Habakkuk 2 5-11
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of all seeing, the story of Zacchaeus tells us that Jesus ‘looked up’ and saw Zacchaeus. We are so glad that Jesus did that. We do not always look up, look around. Weighed down by the burdens of our lives, we look only down. We sometimes have tunnel vision, seeing only what we expect to see.
We miss all the goodness of your work in our lives and the world because we do not look up, look around, look outside ourselves. Forgive us for not living with open eyes, for not living with open lives, and for not looking up looking around, looking outside ourselves. Amen
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
Hear the words of Jesus to Zacchaeus and us all: ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’
This very day God stays in our homes and hearts. Today and all days, we are forgiven.
God is busy with the completion of your work, both outwardly and inwardly. God is fully occupied with you. Every human being is a work in progress that is slowly but inexplicably moving toward perfection. We are each an unfinished work of art both waiting and striving to be completed. God deals with each of us separately because humanity is a fine art of skilled penmanship where every single dot is equally important for the entire picture.
Shams Tabrizi, a Persian poet, of the mystical branch of Islam, Sufi.
HYMN 657
God of freedom, God of justice,
you whose love is strong as death,
you who saw the dark of prison,
you who knew the price of faith —
touch our world of sad oppression
with your Spirit’s healing breath.
Rid the earth of torture’s terror,
you whose hands were nailed to wood;
hear the cries of pain and protest,
you who shed the tears and blood —
move in us the power of pity
restless for the common good.
Make in us a captive conscience, quick to hear, to act, to plead;
make us truly sisters, brothers, of whatever race or creed —
teach us to be fully human,
open to each other’s needs.
Message: You can watch the video Here
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Generous and loving God,
As we offer you our money, accumulated in a capitalist system we cannot help be part of, give is critical questioning minds to see where out money comes from and to where it is going.
We also offer – our time, energy, desires, and love – our hope for a new and better world. Receive these offerings and receive us as eager participants in your new world. Amen.
Prayers of the People – Peter
Announcements
COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
Zacchaeus was a son of Abraham.
We, too, are daughters and sons of God.
Our message is that radical and that simple.
We are – all of us acceptable to God.
We are – all of us, welcomed by God in every moment of our lives.
Help us to break free of traditions and systems that entrap us and share with others the way of Jesus.
Let us go into our lives in the joy of knowing we are loved.
Let us go in that truth and in that peace.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
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