You can watch the bible readings and presentation 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.
PRAYER FOR BONDI
Loving God, We pray for those involved in the terrible events at Bondi Junction: for families who have lost loved ones, for those who were injured, we ask for healing and recovery, and strength for those providing care. We give thanks for first responders and all who acted to save lives. We pray for those traumatised and distressed. May we hold one another in love and care.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
As we gather to worship, we acknowledge the Dharawal peoples and offer our respect to their elders past and present. We honour their care of this Country. We acknowledge their unceded sovereignty. As we continue our journey with Jesus in this time after Easter may it be a walk together with First nations Peoples motivated by love and seeking justice and reconciliation.
Safe statement – God loves and accepts us just as we are. Engadine Uniting is a safe place for all people to gather regardless of age, ability, sexuality, or culture. We gather today to seek the heart of God and the joy of 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.
Light the candle.
God of infinite invitation, as we light the candle today, we know that you constantly invite us and welcome us into seeing the world as your wonderful creation.
You invite us to see each other as your children. We pray today that we will live with our eyes and our hearts open to you. Amen.
PRAYER OF ADORATION AND THANKSGIVING
God of love, we thank you for the words of scripture that tell us: ‘See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God.’
We thank you,
that nothing that we do can change this truth.
We thank you,
that from the beginning of everything you made us in your image.
We thank you,
that all creation is filled with your light and love.
We thank you,
that this day – this moment is a moment of grace.
We give you thanks and praise. Amen.
SONG – God of Creation Craig Mitchell (Morning Has Broken Tune)
God of Creation, Gentle life-giver. Present at birth, and all through our days. Author of sunrise, song in the night sky, Here in this place, we offer our praise.
Jesus, Companion, teacher and healer, friend of the grieving, suffering, the poor. Stand with your people, whisper among us, promise of mercy, goodness for all.
Spirit of Comfort, blow through Creation. Stir up new life, breathe peace through our world. Healer of hearts, and hope for tomorrow, weave all our sorrows. into new dawn
Here we give thanks for life in its fullness. Blessings received, your gifts to us all. Make us a people filled with compassion, selflessly giving serving your world
Craig Mitchell, 2010 May be used in worship with acknowledgement.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of reality, our gospel text for this week tells us that when they saw Jesus after his resurrection, the disciples thought they were seeing a ghost. They could not distinguish reality from unreality.
We are often the same, God of truth. We so often live as if how others categorise us, and how we talk about ourselves in our own minds is the truth of who we are. We too often think that our gender, age, ethnicity, ability, sexuality, and income level define who we are.
We so easily take the counterfeit for reality. Forgive us and give us the wisdom and courage to see truly and to live fully in the reality that all of creation comes from you and that we are your offspring. AMEN
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
Friends, we are loved by the God of the universe. This is the truth of our lives. We are loved and we are forgiven. Amen.
Kathy speaks: Today we are going to learn some more about our partner and organisations Project Youth and Common Grace (see video here, or scroll down)
SONG – When I needed a neighbour
Verse 1: When I needed a neighbour, Were you there where you there? When I needed a neighbour were you there? And the creed and the colour and the name won’t matter; were you there?
Verse 2: I was hungry and thirsty, were you there, were you there? I was hungry and thirsty, were you there?
Verse 3: When I needed a shelter, were you there? etc
Verse 4 Wherever you travel, I’ll be there
CCLI 227923 © Words: 1965 Stainer & Bell Ltd; Music: Stainer & Bell Ltd
BIBLE READINGS
First Reading Luke 24 36-48: Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
The Ascension of Jesus
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Bible Reading, 1 John 3: 1-18: Children of God
3 See how much the Father has loved us! His love is so great that we are called God’s children—and so, in fact, we are. This is why the world does not know us: it has not known God. 2 My dear friends, we are now God’s children, but it is not yet clear what we shall become. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he really is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps himself pure, just as Christ is pure.
4 Whoever sins are guilty of breaking God’s law, because sin is a breaking of the law. 5 You know that Christ appeared in order to take away sins,[a] and that there is no sin in him. 6 So everyone who lives in union with Christ does not continue to sin; but whoever continues to sin has never seen him or known him.
7 Let no one deceive you, my children! Whoever does what is right is righteous, just as Christ is righteous. 8 Whoever continues to sin belongs to the Devil, because the Devil has sinned from the very beginning. The Son of God appeared for this very reason, to destroy what the Devil had done.
9 Those who are children of God do not continue to sin, for God’s very nature is in them; and because God is their Father, they cannot continue to sin. 10 Here is the clear difference between God’s children and the Devil’s children: those who do not do what is right or do not love others are not God’s children.
Love One Another
11 The message you heard from the very beginning is this: we must love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain; he belonged to the Evil One and murdered his own brother Abel. Why did Cain murder him? Because the things he himself did were wrong, and the things his brother did were right.
13 So do not be surprised, my friends, if the people of the world hate you. 14 We know that we have left death and come over into life; we know it because we love others. Those who do not love are still under the power of death. 15 Those who hate others are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life in them. 16 This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for others! 17 If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God? 18 My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.
Partner Organisations (Part 2): Sydney Alliance and UnitingWorld (Timor Leste)
Our congregation supports Uniting World and its project in Timor Leste. This update comes from Mardi who is the churches relations manager at Uniting World:
SLIDE 1 UnitingWorld, with the help of Engadine Uniting Church, partners with the Protestant Church of Timor-Leste (IPTL), and their agency, Fundación Sosial Naroman (FUSONA Foundation).
The goal of this project is to develop food security to overcome malnutrition of children and women. This is a shift away from operating health clinics as the project has done in the past.
SLIDE 2 The project Works across two communities: Los Palos and Same. It is 100% supported by UnitingWorld donors.
Malnutrition, particularly among children, has been a huge problem in Timor-Leste and now there is a hidden hunger crisis being made worse by the rising cost of living, global conflict and climate change In Timor-Leste, the prevalence of stunting, impaired growth and development caused by malnutrition, in children under five is 47 percent, among the highest in the world. The Current major initiative is to train staff and community members to create and run kitchen gardens with the goal to increase the reliable supply of fresh food to families and decrease spending on imported nutrition-poor foods.
Nutrition education will also contribute to reduction in malnutrition and disease and promotion of healthy living. Another key piece of work for the church is in child protection and safeguarding.
SLIDE 3 UnitingWorld works through churches, but programs include all people regardless of their faith, sexuality, ethnicity, ability or gender.
UnitingWorld prioritise the needs of the marginalised and the vulnerable and believe that local communities are best placed to identify the solutions to their own problems.
They strengthen partners organisations, and the partners strengthen UnitingWorld in return.
SLIDE 4 . When UnitingWorld asked how to best help, and they were told that the sustainable, local solution to the crisis was Gardening! Hundreds of families growing their own food right where they live.
The Director of our partner FUSONA* is passionate about equipping families to tackle the food crisis themselves. “We want every family and community to have the opportunity to produce their own food to eat and improve their health. And if they want to earn an income they can plant extra to sell,” he said.
Here is a picture of the first kitchen gardens- barren soil.
SLIDE 5 And how they look now. “People apply their own time and energy to generate their food and income. We provide seeds, equipment and education, and accompany families at every step of the way.”
Part of the project will be to educate people about the importance of good nutrition and sanitation. Its about equipping families to tackle the food crisis themselves.
“So far, we’ve been successfully showing people how to grow sweet potato, eggplant, spinach and green mustard… people have been coming to the church to learn more and join in,” he says.
SLIDE 6 Thank you. We believe we can impact thousands of lives with this approach and reduce malnutrition for children in Timor-Leste.”
REFLECTION
SONG – This is Our God The Servant king
Verse 1
From heaven You came helpless babe entered our world Your glory veiled,
Not to be served but to serve and give Your life that we might live.
Chorus
This is our God the Servant King he calls us now to follow Him.
To bring our lives as a daily offering of worship to the Servant King
Verse 2
There in the garden of tears my heavy load He chose to bear.
His heart with sorrow was torn, yet not my will but Yours He said.
Verse 3
Come see His hands and His feet, the scars that speak of sacrifice
Hands that flung stars into space to cruel nails surrendered
Verse 4
So let us learn how to serve, and in our lives enthrone Him
Each other’s needs to prefer, For it is Christ we’re serving
CCLI 78897 © 1983 Thankyou Music
OFFERTORY
God is generous in all that God does in making and sustaining this world of wonders. Let us participate in that generosity and give in love and hope.
OFFERTORY PRAYER
God of love, take what we give here as you take us, in love, grace, and care. May what we give here and what we give in other ways and places. Be for a flourishing of a world of truth and goodness for all. AMEN
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRAYERS FOR OTHERS
LORD’S PRAYER
BENEDICTION
Here in this ordinary place.
May we awaken to the power of love,
here in this ordinary crowd.
May we build a neighbourhood of justice for all,
now with these ordinary hands
May we daily work to build a world at peace
Let us go into our day in joy,
knowing that the truth of God and God’s world is always there for us to experience.
Let us go into our day in love, as companions to each other,
so that we might guard and guide each other in God’s world.
Amen.
(Jack Nelson-Palmier/wsj)
SONG – We shall go out with Hope of Resurrection ( O Danny Boy tune)
Verse 1
We shall go out with hope of resurrection
We shall go out from strength to strength go on.
We shall go out and tell our stories boldly.
Tales of a love that will not let us go.
We’ll sing our songs of wrongs that can be righted
We’ll dream our dream of hurts that can be healed
We’ll weave a cloth of all the world united.
Within the vision of a Christ who sets us free
Verse 2
We’ll give a voice to those who have not spoken
We’ll find the words for those whose lips are sealed.
We’ll make the tunes for those who sing no longer
Vibrating love alive in every heart
We’ll share our joy with those who are still weeping?
Chant hymns of strength for hearts that break in grief
We’ll leap and dance the resurrection story, Including all within the circles of our love
CCLI 1076616 June Boyce Tillman
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