Sunday 18 Jan 2026
GATHERING THE PEOPLE
Welcome and Announcements My name is Melanie. I am a member of Engadine Uniting Church and will lead the worship service today.
Friends, you are welcome in this place. Our time together is God’s gift to each of us. God loves and accepts us just as we are. Engadine Uniting seeks to be a safe place for all people to gather regardless of age, ability, sexuality, or culture.
We gather today accepting each other in our diversity to seek love and joy in the presence of God. Know that you are loved and that your presence here this morning both enriches each one of us and our worship time together. A special welcome to our friends on zoom and to anyone visiting us this morning. Together let us seek to be Christ’s light and salt in the world. So welcome!
Acknowledgement of country
We pay our respects to elders past and present as they hold the knowledge, language and spiritual connections to this country.
All: We acknowledge:
Our gratitude for this land we share today,
Our sorrow for the cost of that sharing,
Our hope that together in the spirit of Reconciliation,
we move to a place of justice and partnership,
As together we walk gently on this land.
Introduction/Lighting of the Christ Candle
Have you ever had someone remember your name when you least expected it? Or perhaps you’ve been given a new nickname that shaped how you saw yourself?
Throughout this Season after the Epiphany, we listen for echoes of the Servant Songs – poems in Isaiah that remind us God calls people to listen, to follow, and to shine with God’s light.
This week’s scriptures show that God calls and names servants, disciples, and whole communities, bringing hope and light into the world. So, we ponder together: What does it mean, as a community and as individuals, to be named, called, and sent by God? Let us light the candle and hear the call to worship and to community. (light candle)
Call to worship
The psalmist reminds us that we can put our hope in God.
In Psalm 40, we are told:
God leaned down to me and listened to my cry for help.
God lifted me out of the pit of death, out of the mud and filth,
God set me on solid rock.
The psalmist reminds us that we can sing of God’s wonders.
In Psalm 40, we are told:
God put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise.
Oh God, I will tell the good news of your righteousness,
I will declare your faithfulness and your salvation.
Let your loving-kindness and faithfulness always protect me.
Let us pray.
Opening Prayer/Prayer of Welcome
Creator God,
as we gather together,
may we remember all the times you have set our feet upon the rock.
May we rejoice in the glories of each new day.
May we sing a song of your faithfulness.
Creator God,
as we gather this morning,
may we bring our heartaches to lay at your feet.
May we be gentle with tender hearts and bruised egos.
May we share your love and mercy with all those you have sent along our path.
Creator God,
may your glory and righteousness be known through us,
today and every day.
Amen.
Hymn/Song: The people who in darkness walked, Together in Song 274 86.86
The people who in darkness walked
Have seen a glorious light
That light shines out on those who lived
In shadows of the night
To greet you Sun of righteousness
The gathering nations come
Rejoicing as when reapers bring
Their harvest treasures home
For now to us a child is born
To us a song is given
And on his shoulder ever rests
All power in earth and heaven
His name shall be the prince of peace
Eternally adored
Most wonderful of counsellors
The great and mighty Lord
His peace and righteous government
Shall over all extend
On judgement and on justice based
His reign shall never end
CCLI Song # 1041098 John Morison © Words: 1982 The Jubilate Group; Music: Public Domain For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com CCLI License # 31951
Prayer of adoration and confession
We come into God’s presence
open and honest in the fullness of our being.
Sometimes we trust the riches
of gifts in the Holy Spirit;
sometimes we take the Spirit for granted,
or ignore, reject, neglect the gifts
the Spirit bestows.
However we come today, our God,
All: meet us in grace and love, we pray.
Sometimes we trust the strength we find,
aligning ourselves with Holy One;
sometimes we stumble, sometimes
obstacles are complex, and we lose patience,
sometimes fear wins the day.
However we come today, our God,
All: meet us in grace and love, we pray.
Sometimes we sing with fervour
the song of God in our hearts;
sometimes our voices falter,
sometimes another song seems
easier to sing.
However we come today, our God,
All: meet us in grace and love, we pray.
However we come, we do come, our God,
open, honest, and yearning to meet you here,
in your grace, with our love. Amen.
Speaker: Hear these words of assurance
Grace to you, and peace,
from God our Maker, Wisdom, Spirit.
Breathe deep in this moment
of encounter with grace.
Rest in surrender to love.
Receive peace and be renewed.
God is faithful.
Love is enduring.
Grace is given freely for all.
HEARING THE WORD
Intergenerational Item
We will watch the 2-min All-Age Message video from Project Reconnect here.
Hymn: We have a gospel to proclaim, Together in Song 245, verses 1-2, 5-6
Verse 1
We have a gospel to proclaim
Good news for all throughout the earth
The gospel of a Saviour’s name
We sing his glory tell his worth
Verse 2
Tell of his birth at Bethlehem
Not in a royal house or hall
But in a stable dark and dim
The Word made flesh a light for all
Verse 5
Tell of his reign at God’s right hand
By all creation glorified
He sends God’s Spirit on the church
To live for him, the Lamb who died
Verse 6
Now we rejoice to name him King
Jesus is Lord of all the earth
The gospel-message we proclaim:
We sing his glory, tell his worth
CCLI Song # 2649935 Edward J. Burns © 1968 The Lorenz Corporation For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com CCLI License # 31951
Readings (Ian)
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.
Reading 1
Isaiah 49:1–3 (Paraphrased) Today’s reading from Isaiah comes to us as a paraphrase. The prophet uses poetic language to describe being called and named by God for a purpose. We hear these words as an invitation to wonder how God also names and calls us today.
Listen to me, you peoples far and near;
pay attention, all who dwell across the earth.
God called me and gave me a name,
setting me apart for a purpose.
God shaped my words to be strong and true,
and sheltered me in the shadow of a caring hand.
God said to me:
‘You are my servant,
through whom my glory will be seen.’
Reading 2 John 1:29–42
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is really greater than me because he existed before me.’ 31 Even I didn’t recognize him, but I came baptising with water so that he might be made known to Israel.” 32 John testified, “I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and it rested on him. 33 Even I didn’t recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit coming down and resting is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that this one is God’s Son.”
35 The next day John was standing again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus walking along he said, “Look! The Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard what he said, and they followed Jesus.
38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he asked, “What are you looking for?”
They said, “Rabbi (which is translated Teacher), where are you staying?”
39 He replied, “Come and see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.
40 One of the two disciples who heard what John said and followed Jesus was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Christ[c] ). 42 He led him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
Reader: Through these readings we hear God speak.
All: Thank you, God, for your words of life.
Sermon/Reflection
Today we will be welcoming Pastor Rebecca Westphal from New Lambton Uniting Church in Newcastle. Rebecca focuses on the gospel reading from John and invites us to reflect on her message by asking ourselves how we feel about sharing our faith with others, as well as asking what our local community might be seeking and how we might listen deeply to that. The 8min message video from Project Reconnect is here.
We can also listen to the 2023 Project Reconnect message from Rev Nancy Brawn who looks at the story of Jesus’ baptism and asks “What’s up? What’s going on here?” Nancy invites us to recall a time when it helped to know God is not against you, and to think of examples of you and your church standing in solidarity together. The 7min message video from Project Reconnect is here.
RESPONDING TO THE WORD
Offertory prayer
“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:”
Generous God, we bring our diverse gifts.
Let your Holy Spirit breathe life into our serving,
so that all that we do may bring glory to your name. Amen
Prayers of the people (Heather)
The prayers of the people end with the congregation saying the Lord’s Prayer together.
Hymn/Song: Father Lord of all creation, TiS 631, all 3 verses
Benediction
Like the servant of Isaiah and the first disciples, we are named and called to listen, follow, and shine God’s light.
When you hear God calling your name, may you recognise God’s voice.
When you hear God’s calling on your life, may you follow God’s direction.
When you hear God’s call to love, may you spread God’s love all the days of your life.
Amen.
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