You can watch the service here (when the video link becomes available), or scroll down to read the rest of the Sunday prayers and content, and watch the sermon at the point it occurs during worship. This morning we welcome lay preacher Graeme Randall from Leichhardt Uniting.
Welcome and Announcements
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. We gather today accepting each other in our diversity to seek love and joy in 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. A special welcome to our friends on zoom and to anyone visiting us this morning.
Acknowledgement of country
As we gather this morning to worship on Dharawal land, let us acknowledge and remember the first nations peoples who also gathered, lived, cared for and worshiped on this land. We acknowledge the great sorrows and injustices brought on the Dharawal peoples through the past and present actions and inactions of the church, the government and the society in which we live. We seek forgiveness.
All: In doing so, we recommit to the path of reconciliation and justice that God lays before us.
Hymn/Song: Sing To God With Joy And Gladness (based on psalm 147)
Chorus
Sing to God with joy and gladness
Hymns and psalms of gratitude
With the voice of praise discover
That to worship God is good
Verse 1
God unites the scatter’d people
Gathers those who wander’d far
Heals the hurt and broken spirits
Tending ev’ry wound and scar
Verse 2
Such is God’s great pow’r and wisdom
None can calculate or tell
Keen is God to ground the wicked
And with humble folk to dwell
Verse 3
God with clouds the sky has curtain’d
Thus ensuring rain shall fall
Earth responding grows to order
Food for creatures great and small
CCLI Song # 1080688, John L. Bell © Words: 1993 WGRG, c/o Iona Community, Glasgow, Scotland; Music: 1993 WGRG, c/o Iona Community, Glasgow, Scotland. For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
Lighting of the Christ Candle (light the candle)
Call to worship
You are welcome in this place.
You are welcome just as you are.
You are welcome as you were,
and as you will be in the future.
Together, let us come together to worship.
Prayer Of Invocation/Welcome
Creator God, be with us today as we wrestle with your words.
Bless us with uneasy answers
Encourage us through your Spirit.
Invite us into a closer relationship with you. Amen.
Hymn : The love of God comes close
1. The love of God comes close
where stands an open door,
to let the stranger in,
to mingle rich and poor.
The love of God is here to stay,
embracing those who walk the Way;
the love of God is here to stay.
2. The peace of God comes close
to those caught in the storm,
forgoing lives of ease
to ease the lives forlorn.
The peace of God is here to stay,
embracing those who walk the Way;
the peace of God is here to stay.
3. The joy of God comes close
where faith encounters fears,
where heights and depths of life
are found through smiles and tears.
The joy of God is here to stay,
embracing those who walk the Way;
the joy of God is here to stay.
4. The grace of God comes close
to those whose grace is spent,
when hearts are tired or sore
and hope is bruised and bent.
The grace of God is here to stay,
embracing those who walk the Way;
the grace of God is here to stay.
5. The Son of God comes close
where people praise his name,
where bread and wine are blest
and shared as when he came.
The Son of God is here to stay,
embracing those who walk the Way;
the Son of God is here to stay.
Prayer of adoration and confession
Let us take a moment to silently confess.
(allow two to three minutes of silence)
Loving God,
you have heard our prayers of confession.
Have mercy on us.
Amen.
Words of Assurance
God has heard you.
God loves you.
God has forgiven you.
Know the peace of God flowing through you.
Thank you God, Amen.
HEARING THE WORD
Readings (Tim and Narelle)
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.
Reading 1: Hebrews 11:29-12:2
Reading 2: Luke 12:49-56
Reader: Through these readings we hear God speak.
All: Thank you, God, for your words of life.
Interview Graeme
God of the Bible, by Shirley Murray (55.54.55.54) Tune: Morning has broken (aka Bunessan, Tis 156 or 627)
God of the Bible, God in the Gospel,
hope seen in Jesus, hope yet to come,
you are our center, daylight or darkness,
freedom or prison, you are our home.
God in our struggles, God in our hunger,
suffering with us, taking our part,
still you empower us, mothering Spirit,
feeding, sustaining, from your own heart.
Those without status, those who are nothing,
you are made royal, gifted with rights,
chosen as partners, midwives of justice,
birthing new systems, lighting new lights.
Not by your finger, not by your anger,
will our world order change in a day,
but by your people, fearless and faithful,
small paper lanterns, lighting the way.
Hope we must carry, shining and certain
through all our turmoil, terror and loss,
bonding us gladly one to the other,
till our world changes, facing the Cross.
Words © 1996 Hope Publishing Company
Sermon/Reflection: Graeme Randall, Leichhardt Uniting
RESPONDING TO THE WORD
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Holy God,
you are the beginning of all things good.
You desire truth, healing, and justice.
Let us be partners in your work of reconciliation,
peace-making and loving-kindness today.
Amen.
Hymn/Song: Help Us Accept Each Other
Help us accept each other
As Christ accepted us
Teach us as sister brother
Each person to embrace
Be present Lord among us
And bring us to believe
We are ourselves accepted
And meant to love and live
Teach us O Lord Your lessons
As in our daily life
We struggle to be human
And search for hope and faith
Teach us to care for people
For all – not just for some
To love them as we find them
Or as they may become
Let Your acceptance change us
So that we may be moved
In living situations
To do the truth in love
To practise Your acceptance
Until we know by heart
The table of forgiveness
And laughter’s healing art
Lord for today’s encounters
With all who are in need
Who hunger for acceptance
For justice and for bread
We need new eyes for seeing
New hands for holding on
Renew us with Your Spirit
Lord free us make us one
CCLI Song # 3609613 Brian Hoare | Fred Kaan © Words: 1975 Stainer & Bell Ltd; Music: Brian Hoare – The Jubilate Group (Admin. by Jubilate Hymns Ltd, sub to Hope Publishing for various regions) For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
Offertory prayer
Thank you to everyone as you bring your gifts of loving service and financial support through online giving. If you prefer to use cash, it can be placed in the wooden box at the back, and you can also make one-off donations via the QR code on the box. Let us pray:
Loving God, Accept these gifts we offer, gifts of money, time, energy, and attention.
May they be pleasing in your sight.
Let these offerings be used wisely for your work in this place.
Amen.
Prayers of the people (Leanne)
Merciful God,
you see the divisions all around us.
You hear the hurts and feel the pains.
Be with us in these hard times.
Gracious God,
you see the racism, misogyny, ageism, ableism and other hate.
You see the wounds and scars it creates.
Be with us in these hard times.
Loving God,
you see the wealth gap and growing inequalities.
You hear the cries of anguish.
Be with us in these hard times.
God of justice,
help us to be a witness
to light, truth, love, and reconciliation.
Help us to speak up for those who are oppressed.
Help us to act for truth and kindness,
and to care whenever there is injustice in this world.
Help us to know the actions we can take.
Be with us through it all.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
Celtic version of the Lord’s Prayer (J Phillip Newell)
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
Benediction
May God’s love shine on you.
May God’s grace flow through your heart.
And may the peace that passes understanding
be with you now and always.
Amen.
Benediction Song:
Faith Hope and Love (Trish Watts)
Verse 1
Faith hope and love, This is what we long for
Faith hope and love, This is what we need
Faith hope and love, This is what we cry for
Oh teach us how to live
Verse 4
Freedom for all, This is what we long for
Freedom for all, This is what we need
Freedom for all, This is what we cry for
Oh teach us how to live
CCLI Song # 1961597, Trisha Watts © 1992 Watts, Trisha For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
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