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
Before the Magi came from the east looking for their King, before Abram left Ur of the Chaldees, before the sea levels rose cutting off the land bridge with the land we now call Papua New Guinea, and while the neanderthals lived with homo sapiens in western Europe, the Dharawal people lived on & cared for this land.
Land given to them by the Creator. The land an integral & interwoven part of how they understand their identity & belonging. We acknowledge their elders past & present and pledge to continue to work for reconciliation & justice making.
WELCOME
We believe all people are made in the image of God and that no matter their experience of life, their gender, sexuality, status or standing in the community they are welcome in this space where Christ Jesus is acknowledged as Lord. His ministry is one of inclusion, teaching, healing and love.
We seek to do and be the same through the inspiration, power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
CANDLE LIGHTING
Good Friday & Easter Morning tell us that grief and loss are strong – and that love and inclusion are stronger. Darkness is strong – but light is stronger. We light a candle to remember that Christ is the Light of the world and is our Light. Praise be to God.
CALL TO WORSHIP
We gather in the name of Christ to be aware of his presence and centred on his teaching.
Let us come with open hearts to receive the Living Word, the Bread of Life. May the Holy Spirit enable us to hear Christ’s words which are full of Truth and Love. Let us, together worship God.
HYMN
Praise with joy the world’s Creator
God of justice, love and peace
Source and end of human knowledge
Force of goodness without cease.
Celebrate the Maker’s glory
Power to rescue and release.
Praise the Son who feeds the hungry
Frees the captive, finds the lost
Heals the sick, upsets religion
Fearless both of fate and cost.
Celebrate Christ’s constant presence –
Friend and Stranger, Guest and Host.
Praise the Spirit sent among us
Liberating truth from pride
Forging bonds where race or gender
Age or nation dare divide.
Celebrate the Spirit’s treasure –
Foolishness none dare deride.
Praise the Maker, Son and Spirit
One God in Community,
Calling us to leave behind
Faith’s ghettos and obscurity.
Thus the world shall yet believe
When shown Christ’s vibrant unity.
John L Bell & Graham Maule © Wild Goose Publications. Used with permission CCLI Licence # 31951
PRAYER OF CONFESSION based on Psalm 51
Merciful God of steadfast love, you are my joy and my hope!
I give you permission however painful for me to reset the way I daily look at life.
Give me new glasses to see me as you see me and to see you at work in the world.
Create in me a heart and mind receptive to you, O God, a spirit of hopefulness within me.
When I forget you and all that you can do for good in my life, do not give up on me.
Restore to me the joy of your presence, and sustain in me a humble and emboldened spirit. Amen
‘Create in me a clean heart’ A better word than ‘clean’ is a ‘pure’ heart, for the heart is from where true decisions are made, where we are receptive to (but not overwhelmed by all that happens in life) to your presence, purpose & power Lord in the world that clearly shows your saving acts.
Similarly a willing or ‘right’ spirit is one that is open to all that God wants to do in and through my life, a spirit that trusts & lives out that trust. Whereas when we use the word ‘clean’ we often if not always associate that with the thought that I am ‘unclean, dirty or filthy’ which more often than not just further weighs us down, and is rarely life giving or enabling.
SONG (repeat)
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast us not a-way from your presence, O Lord
And take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of your salvation.
And renew a right spirit within me.
Words and music © Keith Green. Capitol CMG Publishing. Used with permission CCLI Licence # 31951
GOSPEL READING John 6: 24 – 35
Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “give us this bread, always.”
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
MESSAGE Are you always hungry?
HYMN ‘Jesus, you are the bread we long for’ by Bernadette Farrell
Refrain: Jesus, you are the bread we long for
Jesus, you are the word we need
Jesus, here in your gathered people today
You live to show us the way.
For those who starve, you become bread;
For those who thirst, you become wine
Do this in memory of me.
For those in need, you became poor;
For those in shame, your love is sure
Do this in memory of me.
For those who weep, your arms are wide;
Those who are lost, you sit beside
Do this in memory of me.
For those alone, you speak your word;
For those oppressed, your cry is heard
Do this in memory of me.
King of all Kings, choosing to serve;
To the world’s eyes failed and absurd
Do this in memory of me.
Test and Music: Bernadette Farrell © GIA Publications used with permission. CCLI Licence # 31951
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & OFFERING PRAYER
HOLY COMMUNION
Invitation: Welcome, Welcome to this meal. A meal where humanity meets God, where heaven becomes ordinary. This is a meal of encounter, an encounter with Christ, an encounter with one another, an encounter with all of humanity.
At this meal the servant becomes the host. The host welcomes all, the rich and the poor, the young and the old, the broken and the vulnerable. At this table all are equal, all are guests of God at this banquet. So come and receive. Come you with little faith. Come you with great faith. Come with a desire for deeper faith. Come and receive heaven – heaven in the bread and wine.
Liturgy: God our mother and father, The source of all, bringing life and vitality, Loving, caring and giving; God, our Saviour, Who lived with us, shared our joy and suffering, And sits at the table with us; God, the Spirit, The breath of life, Inspiring, challenging, and sustaining us; We thank you God, three in one.
In your compassion and mercy you chose to live among us: As a friend, a brother, a teacher, an asylum seeker, a traveller, a prisoner. Speaking for those who have no voice, shouting against injustice, Modelling for us community, teaching us to love one another, Serve one another, forgive one another, Sentenced to death, and punished on a cross of pain, experiencing suffering and shame. Christ died.
He was raised from the dead, met again with his friends, Transformed them, and began a movement. Today he remains with us, praying and interceding for us.
We do here as generations have done before us and thank you Lord for this bread and wine.
In this meal we connect with you, are transformed by you, and receive Life.
On the night of his rejection and knowing hatred and betrayal, Jesus took bread, said thank you, broke it, and gave it to his followers saying: “Take this and eat it. This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me”. After supper, Jesus held the cup, said thank you, and gave it to his followers saying: “Take this and drink it, in remembrance of me”. In bread and wine we remember the one who died for us and today lives for us. We ask that by your Spirit this bread and wine may become for us your body and your blood. We bring ourselves, Our dreams and our fears, Our hopes and our disappointments, Our successes and our failures.
DISTRIBUTION
CLOSING PRAYER
HYMN (4th verse words amended)
O breath of life, come sweeping through us
Revive your church with life and power
O breath of life, come cleanse, renew us
And fit your church to mee this hour.
O wind of God, come bend us, break us
Till humbly we confess our need
Then in your tenderness remake us
Revive, restore, for this we plead.
O breath of love, come breath within us
Renewing thought and will and heart
Come, love of Christ, afresh to win us
revive your church in every part.
Revive us, Lord! Is love abating?
While people live with hate and fear
Revive, us Lord, the world is waiting
That all may know that you are near.
Elizabeth Ann Porter Head 1850 – 1936 Used with permission CCLI Licence # 31951
BLESSING & BENEDICTION TIS 549 ‘God be in my Head’ – Chet Valley Churches 17 Oct 2022
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