You can watch the service here, or scroll down to read the rest of the Sunday prayers and content, and watch the sermon at the point it occurs during worship.
CHRIST CANDLE
The student asked their master ‘What is the definition of darkness?’ The master replied, “Darkness, my child, is when you can no longer see your neighbour’s face”. We gather to celebrate Christ Jesus the Light of the world. In Him there is no darkness. In him all people are seen and known by name.
We light the Christ candle to remember who we and our neighbours are. Christ candle is lit.
HYMN OF ADORATION & PRAISE Music: Tim P
Christ is the world’s Light, he and none other;
born in our darkness, he became our brother.
If we have seen him, we have seen the Father:
Glory to God on high.
Christ is the world’s peace, he and none other;
no one can serve him and despise another.
Who else unites us, one in God our Mother?
Glory to God on high.
Christ is the world’s life, he and none other;
sold once for silver, murdered here, our brother –
he, who redeems us, reigns with God Almighty:
Glory to God on high.
Give God the glory, God and none other;
give God the glory, Triune God amongst us;
give God the glory, God with us, our brother:
Glory to God on high.
Fred Pratt Green 1903 – 2000 Words © 1969 Hope Publishing Company. Used with permission CCLI 31951
YOU ARE WELCOME
All people are made in the image of God. If you know what it is to love and to be loved, you are welcome. If you have spent your whole life searching for such love and acceptance you are also welcome. We are all welcome to this safe place where Jesus is acknowledged as Lord. You are welcome in His name on this day of new beginnings. The Peace of the Lord be with you! And also with you.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY
You are the Creator, LORD. All the earth is yours. You are the Son, LORD. We live on the land of your birth one with us. Flesh of our flesh. You are the Holy Spirit, LORD. Present to the Dharawal peoples through song, culture and law. We gather on your land and their land, the gift of God in community; we acknowledge and honour all who live on this land.
CALL TO WORSHIP & OPENING PRAYER
God of the bright morning star. God who in the beginning saw all that God had made and saw that it was very good. We gather to worship you. Let us Pray: Creator and creating God who has given to each of us the gift of this new day. May we cherish its wonder and its resurrection possibilities. Father, Mother, Christ Jesus, Redeemer and life giving Spirit we worship and adore you. Amen
ANNOUNCEMENTS
A RESPONSIVE PSALM OF THANKSGIVING Ps 107: 1 – 9, 43
Give thanks to the LORD for God is good
God’s mercy endures forever.
Let all those whom the LORD has redeemed proclaim
That the LORD has redeemed them from the hand of the foe.
The LORD gathered them out of the lands, from the east and from the west
From the north and from the south.
Some wondered in desert wastes
They found no way to a city where they might dwell.
They were hungry and thirsty
Their spirits languished within them.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble
And the LORD delivered them from their distress.
The LORD put their feet on a straight path
To go to a city where they might dwell.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his mercy
And the wonders the LORD does for her children.
For the LORD satisfies the thirsty
And fills the hungry with good things.
Whoever is wise will ponder these things
And consider well the mercies of the LORD.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Robyn / John H
Hosea 11:1 – 11 (NIV) “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek & I bent down to feed them. “Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent?
A sword will flash in their cities; it will devour their false prophets and put an end to their plans.
My people are determined to turn from me. Even though they call me God Most High.
“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man—the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities. They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. They will come from Egypt, trembling like sparrows, from Assyria, fluttering like doves. I will settle them in their homes,” declares the Lord.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION Robyn / John H
LORD, these words from the Prophet sum up the lives of your Israelite people over the 600 years from Moses to King David and the exile in Babylon. You gave them life and land and a livelihood but they turned their backs on you, took you for granted, forgot you and chased after other gods.
There isn’t a person in this place whose heart doesn’t ache or remember their own times of grief and loss, at a love ignored, taken for granted, abused, forgotten or denied. Your pain LORD is real.
For some, our pain is still real. And yet, again and again, like the writer of Lamentation who in the face of all that would overwhelm and turn bitter, recalls these words ‘yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope, because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness O Lord my God’. Gracious and merciful God though our lives too often reflect what Hosea has shared. This is not all that we are.
You are ours and we are yours. Forgive and set us free to worship and to follow you, always. Amen
HYMN
Lord, you have been our dwelling-place
In every generation;
Your people have received your grace
And blessed your consolation;
Through every age you heard our cry;
Through every age we found you nigh
Our strength and consolation.
Persisting sins we long have wept
Your patience long have tested;
But steadfast faith in you we kept
Still to your name devoted:
For you have kept and loved us well
And granted us in you to dwell
From your love never parted.
Lord, nothing from your arms so sure
Shall your own people sever;
Our helper ever will endure
God’s love will fail us never.
Your people, Lord, have dwelt in you;
And you remain our dwelling true
For ever and forever.
Thomas Hornblower Gill 1819 – 1906 Public Domain.
GOSPEL READING Robyn / John H
Luke 12:13 – 21 (NIV) Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself? “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Hear these words and live them out in Jesus’ name. Thanks be to God.
Sermon: Rev Paul Bartlett. You may watch the sermon here, with the Readings from: 5m30sec and the message from 11min21sec
HYMN
Loving Spirit, loving Spirit
You have chosen me to be
You have drawn me to your wonder
You have set your sign on me.
Like a mother, you enfold me
Hold my life within your own
Feed me with your very body
Form me of your flesh and bone.
Like a father you protect me
Teach me the discerning eye
Hoist me up upon your shoulder
Let me see the world from high.
Friend and lover, in your closeness
I am known and held and blessed:
In your promise is my comfort
In your presence I may rest.
Loving Spirit, loving Spirit
You have chosen me to be
You have drawn me to your wonder
You have set your sign on me.
Shirley Erena Murray 1931 – 2020 Words the Hymn Society of America. Used with permission CCLI 31951
OFFERATORY PRAYER Karen R
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & LORD’S PRAYER Karen R
HOLY COMMUNION An Iona communion service Elder – Leanne
Thanks be to you, O God, that we have risen this day
To the rising of this life itself.
Be the purpose of God between us and each purpose
The hand of God between us and each hand.
The pain of Christ between us and each pain
The love of Christ between us and each love.
O God, who brought us to the bright light of this new day
Bring us to the guiding light of eternity.
WORDS OF INVOCATION
Loving God, through your goodness, we have this bread and wine to offer which earth has given, and human hands have made. May we know your presence, in the sharing of this bread so that we may know your touch in all bread, all matter.
We celebrate the life that Jesus has shared among his community through the centuries and shares with us now. Made one in Christ and with each other we offer these gifts of bread and wine and with them ourselves a single, holy and living sacrifice. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world. Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world. Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world. Grant us your Peace.
DISTRIBUTION
CLOSING PRAYER
Hunger knocks at the door: may we be ready with bread.
Thirst taps at the window: may we be ready with water.
Homelessness pulls up in the driveway: may we be ready with tents.
Disease and poverty ring the bell: may we be ready to care, to share.
You are the knock, the ring, the tap: the unexpected guest.
You are the one for whom we wait: help us to see you in every guest.
HYMN
Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to you.
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my silver and my gold
Nothing, Lord, would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as you shall choose.
Take my will and make it yours
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is truly yours
It shall be your royal throne.
Take my love: my Lord, I pour
At your feet its treasure-store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for thee.
Frances Ridley Havergal 1836 – 1879 Public Domain
BLESSING & BENEDICTION
Recent Comments