You can watch the bible readings and part of the service here, or scroll down to read the rest of the Sunday prayers and content, and watch this video at the point it occurs during worship.
GATHERING THE PEOPLE
Welcome and Announcements Friends, you are welcome in this place. 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. Together, we seek to make this a safe environment for all who search for meaning and purpose in life. Together let us seek to be Christ’s light and salt in the world. So welcome!
Acknowledgement of country
As we gather this morning to worship on Dharawal land, let us acknowledge and remember the first nations peoples who also gathered, lived, cared for and worshiped on this land. We acknowledge the great sorrows and injustices brought on the Dharawal peoples through the past and present actions and inactions of the church, the government and the society in which we live. We seek forgiveness.
All: In doing so, we recommit to the path of reconciliation and justice that God lays before us.
Lighting of the Christ Candle
Call to worship
Come, let us gather, people of God. God is offering us a resting place, a place of belonging, a place to be restored and revived. Come, let us find ourselves at home here in this love.
All: Come, let us worship together!
Prayer Of Invocation/Welcome
O Community of God, community of love, help us to find our way into love, into relationship, into life. Embrace and enfold us in your being and joy. Amen.
Hymn/Song: Christus Paradox
You, Lord, are both Lamb and Shepherd. You, Lord, are both prince and slave. You, peacemaker and swordbringer
Of the way you took and gave. You the everlasting instant; You, whom we both scorn and crave.
Clothed in light upon the mountain, Stripped of might upon the cross, Shining in eternal glory,
Beggar’d by a soldier’s toss, You, the everlasting instant; You, who are both gift and cost.
You, who walk each day beside us, Sit in power at God’s side. You, who preach a way that’s narrow,
Have a love that reaches wide. You, the everlasting instant; You, who are our pilgrim guide.
Worthy is our earthly Jesus! Worthy is our cosmic Christ! Worthy your defeat and vict’ry.
Worthy still your peace and strife. You, the everlasting instant; You, who are our death and life.
Sylvia Dunstan (1955-1993)
Mother’s Day prayer: a prayer for
Prayer of adoration and confession
This confession supplied by Steve is based around Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…
…Except for a new car and the better house; save for designer clothes and nice jewellery and that club membership.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…
Except for that overseas trip, and better interest rates for my funds; for my family members to stop being so… or start being more… Except for limitless oil to drive my car and resources to sell to keep our economy pumping.
Except for lower taxes and ever-higher standards of living. Except for these things, and perhaps a few others, O Lord, I don’t want for anything!
The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.
I need not want; only see what is given only find what is offered only remember life is shared only glimpse the possibilities only walk in faith.
The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. Amen.
Words of Assurance/Affirmation
Jesus keeps summoning us, drawing us out further into the depths of love. And always in ways that fully embrace who we are, which means showering us with forgiving love. So let that forgiveness wash over you now.Your sins and struggles are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
HEARING THE WORD
Readings Robert H
Let us pray: God, please open our ears and minds and hearts so that as we hear the words of the Bible, you will speak to us and bring us new life.
Acts 9:36–43
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”
39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
John 10:22–30
22 At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me, 26 but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, in regard to what he has given me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
Reader: Through these readings we hear God speak.
All: Thank you, God, for your words of life.
Hymn/Song: Watch: Paul Kelly “Come and Meet me in the middle of the air” on Youtube here: Paul Kelly – Meet Me In The Middle Of The Air (Live)
Item “Vision for a Just Australia” video here: https://vimeo.com/1071299302 Created by Uniting Care, Uniting World, Frontier Services, each of the Synods across Australia, it is a true collaboration of those engaged in working for justice across the Uniting Church. It articulates the hopes and vision of the UCA in seven foundational areas, outlining key actions we believe should be taken by governments and the wider community to bring about communities of justice and flourishing in Australia and beyond.
These areas are First Peoples, creation care, refugees and migration, the economy, human rights, urban and rural communities, and Australia’s place in the global community.
Report Cards provide a shorter version of each foundation which gives you the most relevant information for engaging your local MP or community leaders. Each card includes our vision for that area, our advocacy asks, the current situation, and questions for discussion.
Sermon Rev Steve Aynsley. You can watch his sermon here:
RESPONDING TO THE WORD
Hymn/Song: We are your people
We are Your people Spirit of grace You dare to make us To all our neighbours Christ’s living voice hands and face
Joined in community Treasured and fed May we discover Gifts in each other Willing to lead and be led
Rich in diversity Help us to live Closer than neighbours Open to strangers Able to clash and forgive
Glad of tradition Help us to see In all life’s changingWhere You are leading Where our best efforts should be
Give as we venture Justice and care (Peaceful resisting Waiting or risking) Wisdom to know when and where
Spirit unite us Make us by grace Willing and ready Christ’s living body Loving the whole human race
CCLI Song # 2574471 Brian Arthur Wren © 1975 Hope Publishing Company For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
Offertory prayer
Our God brings life to us. Let’s celebrate this life with our giving now. Thank you to everyone as you bring your gifts of loving service and financial support through online giving. If you prefer to use cash, it can be placed in the wooden box at the back, and you can also make one-off donations via the QR code on the box.
Let us pray: Loving God, may life ripple outwards through these offerings. Bring blessing, bring peace, bring goodness. Amen.
Prayers of the people (Bruce H)
Good Shepherd, we give thanks for the miracles of fruit and vegetables bursting forth from the earth. We give thanks for all who play a part in putting food on our plates. We thank you for the people we eat with and ask that you bless our households. Help us to extend our tables to include our neighbours. Bring down the walls that exist between us and others. We pray for a world in which everyone has enough to eat.
We pray for a world that grows in generosity and care, a world where wolf and lamb sit down to eat together and no one thinks about hurting any more. Let your love fill all of the earth, God, cover every bit of it with your glory. Amen.
Please join with me in this version of the Lord’s Prayer, from New Zealand:
Eternal Spirit: Earth-Maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all.
Loving God, in whom is heaven, The hallowing of your name echoes through the universe!
May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the earth. May your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
May your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.
by Jim Cotter, published in A New Zealand Prayer Book: He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa.
Hymn/Song: Holy Spirit go before us
Holy Spirit go before us Every mind and heart prepare For good news of life in Jesus For the joyful hope we share
Gently lead the lost to safety Gently teach them Wisdom’s way Till they come to see You gladly Till we find the words to say
Holy Spirit come and help us Give us words to speak of Christ Teach us how to tell all people Deepest darkness can be light
Help us tell how faithful God is And how Jesus sets us free Take our words and make them gospel So that many may believe
Holy Spirit stay to show us How to serve as Christ served us May our words of love be grounded In love’s actions first and last
Your good news is news of justice And the strong befriend the weak In Your service till compassion Builds the peace the nations seek
CCLI Song # 2107453 Elizabeth J. Smith | Hal H. Hopson © Words: 1997 Smith, Elizabeth J.; Music: 1996 Hope Publishing Company For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
Benediction
The best thing in life is love. Love is at the centre of everything— it is who God is. It is our destiny.
So may you taste it. May you experience it. May it enter into you and flow through you.
May love be a refuge for you— the place where you belong, all of it sealed with Holy-Spirit-assurance, the compassion of Jesus, and the immense joy of the homemaking God.
Go in peace.
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