**Please note that there is no video available for this service**
WELCOME
NOTICES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
We acknowledge the Dharawal people, the original inhabitants of this land and space. We acknowledge their love of this land, the place of their livelihood, of culture; the making of many stories. We pay our respects to the Elders past, present and emerging.
LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE
CALL TO WORSHIP
A shared liturgy
The joy of the living Christ be with you all
Response – And also with you
The Lord has lifted up our souls from great caverns of trials
Response – and has restored our life from the deep pit of despair
God has turned our weeping into dancing
Response – and has removed the rags of sorrow and clothes us with happiness
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
God of things made utterly new, as we gather here in the name of the risen Christ,
Uplift us with your power and grace,
Extend our worship beyond habit, higher than loving duty
and deeper into that universe of the spirit
Where delight and praise flow more freely than the air we breathe,
To the glory of your name
Amen
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
We sometimes forget
that we were created for Joy.
Our minds are too busy.
Our hearts are too heavy
for us to remember
that we have been
called to dance
the Sacred dance of life.
We were created to smile
To Love
To be lifted up
And to lift others up.
O’ Sacred One
Untangle our feet
from all that ensnares.
Free our soul.
That we might
Dance
and that our dancing
might be contagious.
Answer us when we call to you, our righteous God. Give us relief from our distress; have mercy on us and hear our prayer.
With confidence in Christ’s work for the healing and liberation of humanity let us open our hearts to his inflowing grace.
PRAYER OF ASSURANCE – We all say together
Our God fulfils his promises and is true to his word.
We have told him our wrongdoings
God has forgiven us,
God loves us and has plans for us
God brings to us peace for our hearts
We gather here today in reassurance of God’s love for us
Amen.
PASSING OF THE PEACE: for everyone to be involved
HYMN – Christ has Risen
Christ has risen while earth slumbers,
Christ has risen where hope died
as he said and as he promised
as we doubted and denied.
let the moon embrace the blessing;
let the sun sustain the cheer;
let the world confirm the rumour;
Christ is risen God is here!
Christ has risen for the people
whom he loved and died to save;
Christ has risen for the women
bringing flowers to grace his grave.
Christ has risen for disciples
huddled in an upstairs room.
He whose word inspired creation
can’t be silenced by the tomb.
Christ has risen to companion
former friends who fear the night,
sensing loss and limitation
where their faith had once burned bright.
They bemoan what is no longer,
they expect no hopeful sign,
till Christ ends their conversation,
breaking bread and sharing wine.
Christ has risen and forever
lives to challenge and to change
all whose lives are messed or mangled,
all who find religion strange.
Christ is risen. Christ is present,
making us what he has been –
evidence of transformation
In which God is knowns and seen.
BIBLE READINGS
New Testament Gospel Reading Mark chapter 10 verses 46-52
Blind Bartimaeus receives his sight
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed
Old Testament Reading Job chapter 42 verses 1-6 and verses 10-17
42 Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’
5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
Then verses 10-17
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver[a] and a gold ring.
12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.
Reader:
Through these readings we hear God speak.
Thank you God for your words of life.
HYMN – Lord of all hopefulness
Lord of all hopefulness,
Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever child-like,
No cares could destroy,
Be there at our waking,
And give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord,
At the break of the day.
Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled
At the plane and the lathe,
Be there at our labours,
And give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord,
At the noon of the day.
Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hands swift to welcome,
Your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing,
And give us, we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord,
At the eve of the day.
Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment,
Whose presence is balm,
Be there at our sleeping,
And give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord,
At the end of the day.
THE MESSAGE https://vimeo.com/1006031069 Rev David Chegwidden is the guest preacher today, courtesy Project Reconnect.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OFFERING
Offering, online banking, cash in the box located towards the back of the church near the doors, QR codes available, church banking details in the Church Bulletin. Thank you for your generosity.
OFFERING PRAYER
Lord, we bring to you our offerings of money, skill, talent, food and time. We bring these gifts with a grateful heart and ask that you further bless these gifts to bring hope, comfort and purpose to other people’s lives. Keep us generous and mindful of other people’s needs.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
The Lord’s Prayer
HYMN – The Power of your Love
Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I’ve found in You
Lord I’ve come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see You face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me
Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
BENEDICTION PRAYER
May our footsteps on these ancient lands,
Remind us of creation and connectedness, in our search for truth.
May the gum tree, from its roots to its branches,
Remind us to dig deep and reach high, in our action for justice.
May the eagle, who soars in the sky,
Remind us of the power, in our call for love.
May the expanse of the lands and seas, of the sky and stars,
Remind us of God’s timing in our faith in hope.
May the Holy three, Creator Spirit, Lord God, Papa Jesus,
Remind us of community.
So with grace, mercy, and peace, go in truth, justice, love and hope.
BENEDICTION SONG – Deep Stillness
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