You can watch the bible readings and sermon 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.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY
With flannel flower and wattle, with acacia and blue gum branches we dance our own corroboree
as we celebrate life with Christ Jesus our Lord. We welcome him into our lives on Dharawal land, gifted to them by the Creator since time immemorial. We acknowledge their land and their elders past and present joining our voices with theirs in our search for reconciliation and justice making.
YOU ARE WELCOME
All people are made in the image of God. No matter your gender, sexuality or experience of life, 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.
CALL TO WORSHIP Based on Psalm 131
Let us Pray: Lord, I’m not trying to rule the roost, I try not to big note myself before others.
I’ve kept my feet on the ground, and I’ve cultivated a quiet and longing heart.
Like a child content in its mother’s arms, I am content with you LORD.
And so I wait with hope, LORD, hear my prayers and receive each of our lives this day. Amen
HYMN
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word.
Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dew fall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the One Light Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God’s recreation of the new day.
Eleanor Farjeon 1881 – 1965. Used with permission. CCLI Licence # 31951
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Prayer: In Matthew’s Gospel we hear these words ‘wherever he went, people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and bless them. The disciples rebuked these people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Lord, why in your short ministry would these words be remembered?
After all it was just about little children who especially in those days were not to be seen and not to be heard. In this little passage of Scripture we receive a deep truth. All people whatever their age or status, whoever they are, all are welcome within Jesus’ warm and loving embrace.
Perhaps this hasn’t been how we’ve experienced life. Excluded, ignored, deemed to be of little value or worth. Today, especially today, as we celebrate Hannah & Melanie’s baptisms we are reminded of the love of Jesus who draws us to himself that we might know life & love with a capital L.
BAPTISM of Hannah & Melanie
THE BAPTISM
SONG (repeat)
May the feet of God walk with you and His hands hold you tight.
May the eye of God rest on you and His ear here your cry.
May the smile of God be for you and His breath give you life.
May the Child of God grow in you and His love bring you home.
Words © AW Podlich Music © R Mann. Used by permission. CCLI Licence # 31951
RESPONSES
BIBLE READING
1 Corinthians 13: 1- 8, 13 If I speak in the tongues of humans and of angels but do not have love, I am just a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions and if I hand over my body so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. And now faith, hope, and love remain, these three, and the greatest of these is love. In this we hear God’s word of transforming love.
MESSAGE “All you need is love, love is all you need”
HYMN
The great love of God, is revealed in the Son
Who came to this earth, to redeem everyone.
That love, like a stream, flowing clear to the sea
Makes clean every heart, that from sin would be free.
It binds the whole world, every barrier it breaks
The hills it lays low, and the mountains is shakes.
It’s yours, it is ours, O how lavishly given!
The pearl of great price, and the treasure of heaven.
Rev Daniel T Niles 1908 – 1970 Used with Permission. CCLI Licence # 31951
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN
1 God of Eve and God of Mary 2 As you came to earth in Jesus
God of love and mother-earth so you come to us today
thank you for the ones who with us you are present in the caring
shared their life and gave us birth. That prepares us for life’s way.
3 Thank you for belonging, shelter 4 God of Eve and God of Mary
bonds of friendship, ties of blood Christ our brother, human Son
and for those who have lost children Spirit, caring like a Mother
still are parents under God. Take our love and make us one!
Fred Kaan 1929 – 2009 Words © Hope Publishing Co IL 60188 Used with permission CCLI Licence # 31951
BLESSING & BENEDICTION
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