You can watch some parts of the service in this video here (mostly bible readings and sermon) or scroll down and read the prayers and songs in the order they happened.
Welcome
God loves and accepts us just as we are. Engadine Uniting seeks to be a safe place for all people to gather regardless of age, ability, sexuality, or culture. Know that you are loved and that your presence here this morning both enriches each one of us and our worship time together. A special welcome to our friends on zoom and to anyone visiting us this morning.
Acknowledgement of country
Today, as we gather, we acknowledge that we are meeting on the unceded lands of the Dharawal people. We honour their truth-tellers, their Elders and their knowledge of these lands, waters, and skies. We pay our respect to their Elders, past and present. And we commit to treaty, truth and reconciliation between all who call these lands home.
Lighting the candle
We light the Christ candle, recalling the flames of fire that sat over the heads of those gathered at the first Pentecost. The spirit of Christ, with us here this morning and indwelling in us always.
Call to worship
Come all you people, whoever you are, whatever your story, there’s a place for you here just as you are, warts and all. Join us on our journey here. Love is near; Jesus is here. Let us worship with glad hearts.
Hymn:
Come, O God of all the earth (Marty Haugen)
Come, O God of all the earth; come to us, O Righteous One. Come and bring our love to birth; in the glory of your Son.
Chorus: Sing out, earth and skies! Sing of the God who loves you. Raise your joyful cries, Dance to the life around you.
Come, O God of wind and flame; fill the earth with righteousness. Teach us all to sing your name; may our lives your love confess. (Chorus)
Come, O God of flashing light; twinkling star and burning sun. God of day and God of night; in your light we all are one. (Chorus)
Come, O Justice, come, O Peace; come and shape our hearts anew. Come and make oppression cease; bring us all to life in you. (Chorus)
Composer: Marty Haugen (1985)
Confession
Almighty God,
who sent the promised Holy Spirit
to fill disciples with willing faith:
We confess that we resist the work of your Spirit among us,
that we are slow to serve you, we fear the power of the Spirit,
We have stifled the Spirit in order to remain secure and comfortable.
and are sometimes reluctant to consider the needs of others and to advocate for them.
God, have mercy on us.
Forgive our divisions and the desire to do things the way we think is best, and by your Spirit draw us together.
Create in us a desire to do your will
and be your faithful people
for the sake of your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Absolution (pause to think of your breathing, for a moment in quiet)
God breathes new life into us. He restores, renews, energises and forgives. May we breathe in peace, calm and renewed resolve.
God Loves. God Forgives. God gives us power to continue. Thank you Holy Spirit. Amen
Bible Reading: Let us pray: God, please open our ears and minds and hearts so that as we hear the words of the Bible, you will speak to us and bring us new life.
1 Numbers 11 v.24-30
24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered seventy of the elders of the people and placed them all around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders, and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.
26 Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men,[c] said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!” 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
John 20 v 19-26
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Jesus and Thomas
24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin[a]), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
Hymn She sits like a bird, brooding on the waters
Bible reading 2
Acts 2: 1-11
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
5 Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Fellow Jews[a] and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
Reader: Through these words we hear God speak.
All: Thank you, God, for your words of life.
Children’s activity
Sermon
Offering
O Creator God, the giver of all, to all, but we realise we have so much more than others. Accept these gifts of money and effort, as we seek to redress the balance, to further the work of your Kingdom, to give to the work of the church and to others less well off than ourselves. May we be good stewards of the resources of the church and our own personal wealth.
Hymn: O breath of life , come sweeping through us
Prayers for Others
Loving God,
you have said that you will pour out your Spirit,
Let us listen now to your Spirit speaking.
Two to three minutes of silence
Gracious God,
you have said that you will pour out your Spirit,
let us listen now to the needs of those in our community,
Two to three minutes of silence
Merciful God,
you have said that you will pour out your Spirit.
Let us listen to your prompting.
Let us have courage to speak up for justice.
Let us be dissatisfied with easy solutions.
Let us hear your prophets today.
and let us be partners in a search for truth, justice, and reconciliation,
taking your love to the ends of the earth, as well as to our neighbours next door.
Inspire us to do all these things by your Spirit,
which is moving in this place today.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Holy One beyond all names
Eternal Wellspring
May love rise again in us today
With food for every table
Shelter for every family
And reverence for every life.
Forgive us our failings in love
And free us from all falseness
That the light of our souls may shine
And the strength of our spirits endure
For Earth and all its people
This day, tonight, and forever.
Amen
Dismissal
Beloved, go! Go out into this world filled with the Holy Spirit. Let the Spirit give you words when you have none. Let the Spirit stop your tongue when listening is the answer. Let the Spirit strengthen you when the way ahead is hard. Remember Jesus said he would not leave us alone and would send us a Comforter. Let the Spirit enfold you and comfort you and keep you until we are together again. Go in peace and bring the power and peace and fiery flames of Holy Spirit with you wherever you go. Amen.
And now may the blessing of God, the Father Son and the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. Amen
Hymn
Christ is our light! the bright and morning star
covering with radiance all from near and far.
Christ be our light, shine on, shine on we pray
into our hearts, into our world today.
Christ is our love! baptised that we may know
the love of God among us, swooping low.
Christ be our love, bring us to turn our face
and see in you the light of heaven’s embrace.
Christ is our living water, quenching thirst
Rain on this land, may nature see re-birth
Fill our parched souls with hope and healing love
Come Holy Spirit, come affirming dove.
Christ send the Spirit to our hearts we pray
Refresh, renew us, cleanse us every day
Send us all out with courage and with power
Equip us now for each and every hour.
(Bouncing balloons around church and then, after we stop singing, bursting balloons in joyful abandonment as a sign of the breath going out and spreading.)
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