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
A ‘Welcome to Country’ is not something that just started following the 1988 bicentenary. It is a practice that has taken place for thousands of years on this land we now call Australia, where an Elder from one Indigenous tribe welcomes people to their land through speech, ceremony or music. 225 years ago this week, the lead ships of the First Fleet were east of Yuin country, off Eden. A week later they would anchor off the southern side of Kamay (Botany Bay) on Gweagal land of the Dharawal peoples. They were resisted with the shaking of spears and raised voices telling them to leave. Their voices still long to be heard.
CANDLE LIGHTING & WELCOME
Darkness and fear are strong, but we believe that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Through him all things were made; in him was life, and that life was the light of all humankind. His light shines in the darkness & the darkness has not overcome it”.
We believe that Word and that Light is Jesus the Christ, crucified and risen. In his name, you are welcome here with all that you bring and with all that you hope for in this life. We light a candle.
CALL TO WORSHIP & OPENING PRAYER
As the new year begins, we come to worship God.
We bring with us our hopes and our fears, our longings and our dreams.
We are invited into the mystery of God’s presence.
We bring with us a sense of wonder and joy, of apprehension and excitement.
We come to encounter the Christ Child, the light in the darkness, the word made flesh.
We bring with us open minds and joyful hearts. Let us worship God together.
HYMN Music – Leanne
Jesus calls us here to meet him
As, through word and song and prayer
We affirm God’s promised presence
Where his people live and care.
Praise the God who keeps his promise
Praise the Son who calls us friends
Praise the Spirit who, among us
To our hopes and fears attends.
Jesus calls us to confess him
Word of Life and Lord of All
Sharer of our flesh and frailness
Saving all who fail or fall.
Tell his holy human story
Tell his tales that all may hear
Tell the world that Christ in glory
Came to earth to meet us here.
Jesus calls us to each other
Found in him are no divides.
Race and class and sex and language
Such are barriers he derides.
Join the hand of friend and stranger
Join the hands of age and youth
Join the faithful and the doubter
In their common search for truth.
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Jesus of Nazareth, born of Mary, your humble birth in a manger: we are captivated by your teachings but we have buried them so deeply within our minds no one else can hear your words at work in our lives. We worship and adore you but we have buried our discipleship so deeply in our hearts no one else knows whom we follow. And we have too often done our own thing & not followed your ways and ignored your commandments to love deeply & to forgive extravagantly.
Jesus Christ, our Saviour, you lived your life so that we might live, not for ourselves but for you and all whom we encounter. Forgive us Lord and set us free to fully worship you this day and in this New Year. May we in hearing these words know that we are set free to follow Christ, amen.
BIBLE READINGS Peter & Ross
ISAIAH 60: 1 – 6 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. “Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah.
And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.
MATTHEW 2: 1 – 12 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country another way
MESSAGE Lost in wonder, love & praise – all our dreams and deep longings fulfilled in this child!
Play from 14.30 – 17.22 min mark (Last played in 2022)
Credit for image used at beginning of service:
https://www.agsa.sa.gov.au/collection-publications/collection/works/the-adoration-of-the-magi
HYMN Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning
Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
dawn on our darkness and lend us your aid.
Star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Cold on his cradle the dewdrops are shining;
low lies his head with the beasts of the stall.
Angels adore him in slumber reclining,
maker and monarch and Saviour of all.
Say shall we yield him in costly devotion
odours of Edom and offerings divine,
gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine?
Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
vainly with gifts would his favour secure.
Richer by far is the heart’s adoration,
dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
dawn on our darkness and lend us your aid.
Star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
OFFERTORY PRAYER Heather
The wise men of old offered gold, frankincense and myrrh. What can we offer? Our loose change, or practise significant stewardship? Our spare time, or examine our priorities? That which we like doing, or all our gifts?
At this Epiphany let us offer all of ourselves to the one who has given all, in praise, gratitude and wonder. Please accept our oddities and failures, our ignorance and misunderstanding, – this we ask to the one who accepts and turns water into wine, feeds thousands with very little, and can perform miracles with each one of us. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Jan C
The Lord’s Prayer together
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 echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
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, strengthen us.
From trial too great to endure, 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.
From A New Zealand Prayer Book (Harper Collins, 1997), 181.
HOLY COMMUNION This morning we welcome Heather to preside over communion, as the culmination of the course she has been undertaking with Uniting Mission and Education for lay people to share their gifts with the people of God.
Invitation
Lord, we come to your table, trusting in your mercy and not in any goodness of our own. We are not worthy even to gather up the crumbs under your table, but it is your nature always to have mercy, and on that we depend. So feed us with the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your Son, that we may for ever live in him and he in us. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
And now we give you thanks that because in coming to dwell among us as a man, a new light has dawned upon the world and the radiance of your glory is revealed, a light to all nations. You have called us to be the Church in this place, to give voice to every creature under heaven and the whole of creation.
We rejoice with all that you have made, as we join the company of heaven in their eternal song.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We bless you, Sovereign God, ruler of the universe, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who on the night of his betrayal took bread, gave you thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this and eat it. This is my body given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. In the same way, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying: Drink from this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for everyone for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, for the remembrance of me. With this bread and this cup we do as our Saviour commands: we celebrate the redemption he has won for us.
Christ has died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again
Pour out the Holy Spirit on us
And on these gifts of bread and wine,
That they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Accept our thanks and praise, good Father, through your Son, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ,
with whom and in whom, and by the Spirit who dwells in us, we worship you in joyful song:
Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever. Amen.
The minister takes the bread and breaks it in full view of the people, in silence or saying:
Christ is the bread of joy, who shares food with sinners
The minister lifts the cup in full view of the people, in silence or saying:
Christ is the cup of life, who revives the faint-hearted.
The minister holds out the bread and the cup to the people and says:
Let us receive what we are; let us become what we receive.
The body of Christ.
During communion we listen to Lamb of God, have mercy on us, grant us peace
Prayer after Communion
Father of all, we give you thanks and praise, that when we were still far off you met us in your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us, so we and all your children shall be free, and the whole earth live to praise your name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
BLESSING & BENEDICTION Paul
Christ the Son of God gladden your hearts with the good news of his kingdom; Go in peace and with renewed resolve to further the work of that kingdom. May the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
Hymn
Go forth and tell!
O Church of God, awake!
God’s saving news to all the nations take.
Proclaim Christ Jesus, Saviour Lord and King,
That all the world his worthy praise may sing.
Go forth and tell!
God’s love embraces all;
He will in grace respond to all who call.
How shall they call if they have never heard
The gracious invitation of his word?
Go forth and tell!
The doors are open wide:
Share God’s good gifts — let no one be denied.
Live out your life as Christ your Lord shall choose;
Your ransomed powers for his sole glory use.
Go forth and tell!
O Church of God arise!
Go in the strength which Christ your Lord supplies.
Go till all the nations his great name adore
And serve him, Lord and King, for ever more.
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