ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
We acknowledge the Dharawal people who gathered on these lands as we gather on these lands today. We pay respect to elder’s past, present and emerging and honour the sacred stories, dreamings and deep connections with earth and waters. May we work together for reconciliation and the flourishing of all.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Hear the words of the Psalmist, who says:
Living in the Most High’s shelter,
camping in the Almighty’sshade,
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my refuge, my stronghold!
You are my God—the one I trust!” (Common English Bible)
As we draw together in worship today, may we know that we are safe in the arms of a loving God.
Light the candle
Christ is the light of the world revealing the beauty and wonder of our Creator God, and the beauty and wonder of the whole of creation.
May we bring light and hope to dark places.
WELCOME We gather together today to affirm in hope and faith, that we can create a sacred space of welcome. At Engadine Uniting we believe all people are created lovingly and wonderfully in the image of God, and we welcome everyone regardless of race, age, ability, sexuality and gender.
As a Christian Community we believe that God reaches out to us in love and acceptance and that our relationships with each other should express love and respect. Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, wherever you’ve come from, wherever you’re going, – you are welcome here and you are loved
PRAYER OF INVOCATION
Creator God,
be with us today as we enter this space of worship and contemplation.
May we know that we are secure in your gaze.
May we know that we are held in your care.
May we feel the invitation to draw into your loving and faithful presence.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Loving God,
we are sorry for the times we have not trusted and tried to achieve things in our own strength.
We are sorry for hurting ourselves and those around us.
We are sorry for the times we have not stood up against injustice
and spoken out against those who harm the marginalised.
Please accept our heartfelt sorry.
Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
Hear the words of the Psalmist, who says:
God says, because you are devoted to me,
I’ll rescue you
I’ll protect you because you know my name.
Hear these words and be comforted. Your sins are forgiven, be free to go and love one another in peace and harmony.
Amen.
SONG All are welcome
Let us build a house
Where love can dwell
And all can safely live
A place where
Saints and children tell
How hearts learn to forgive
Built of hopes and dreams and visions
Rock of faith and vault of grace
Here the love of Christ shall end divisions
All are welcome, all are welcome
All are welcome in this place
Let us build a house where prophets speak
And words are strong and true
Where all God’s children dare to seek
To dream God’s reign anew
Here the cross shall stand as witness
And a symbol of God’s grace
Here as one we claim the faith of Jesus
Let us build a house where love is found
In water, wine and wheat
A banquet hall on holy ground
Where peace and justice meet
Here the love of God, through Jesus
Is revealed in time and space
As we share in Christ the feast that frees us
All are welcome, all are welcome
All are welcome in this place
Source: Musixmatch Songwriters: Paul Tate / Marty Haugen
Reflection on Seasons of Creation: Kathy (from 3.55, below)
Sermon: David Barrow, Hunter Community Alliance, via Project Reconnect (from 14.40, below)
JUSTICE FOR THE WHOLE CREATION Project Reconnect’s All age message this week is called Justice for the Whole Creation and is the work of 30 young people from 3 congregations who were asked to express their visions for “a just world”. It is accompanied by a beautiful Paul Sommerville song – “Cherish Delicate Earth”https://vimeo.com/1104648982
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Creator God,
we praise you for the wonders of your creation.
We thank you for protection from the sun during the day,
and the comfort of your presence in the darkness.
We praise you for the birds of the sky and the creatures of the sea.
We give thanks for the animals that live on and under the ground,
and the human communities you have gifted to us.
For all the good things of the earth, we say thanks.
We look around and we are troubled, but we bring this world before you; its peoples, its creatures, its waters, air, and soils – we bring them to you in prayer.
we lament of what we have done to the earth, our home.
We lament that we have not listened to the wisdom of those who know this land best,
We lament often feel overwhelmed by the undoing of your good world that you’ve given to all your creatures to enjoy.
We pray that we will work together and act together to care for the Earth.
Amen
Bible readings
1 Timothy 6:6-19
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Final Charge to Timothy
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Luke 17 v 1-10
Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 So watch yourselves.
“If your brother or sister[a] sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
God’s living word for us today. Thanks be to God
MESSAGE – Project reconnect https://vimeo.com/1104645751
Our message today comes from Project reconnect, is a reflection on the Timothy reading and is brought to us by David Barrow. Some of you may know David through his work at Sydney Alliance, Synod Standing Committee or Uniting NSW/ACT.
David Barrow is a member of New Lambton Uniting Church on Awabakal Country, after being at Leichhardt Uniting for many years, and a member of Christian Students Uniting before that. David has nearly 20 years of experience in community organising. He trains community organizers in community-alliances of faith, union and community”. Today’s reflection is called Take Hold of the Life that really is life.
Brief Reflection on David’s message – Kathy
Did you hear something in this reflection that appealed or engaged your sense of discipleship? What kind of a community are we building here in Engadine?
What stood out to me were a few phrases
that We are called to be salt and light
The Church doesn’t just have a message it is a message
Faith Walks the streets
Faith builds new relationships across difference and through change
David calls us to build communities rooted in justice, generosity, and hope. He urges faithful, strategic action that reflects Christ’s radical love to protect creation and uphold justice for all. What does this mean for us here in Engadine today? Jesus shows up in the forgotten places – and so should we.
PRAYER
God, who calls us to love our neighbour
Fill our hearts with a spirit of service and compassion.
Inspire us with the courage to act on this vision.
Save from self-interest and guide our daily work for the common good.
Using the example of Christ, who came to serve, grant us the inspiration and ability to build the world you desire. Amen
SONG
God of the Bible, by Shirley Murray Tune: Morning has broken
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
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Offering Statement God calls us to lives of generosity. Here at this church we give of our time, and with food donations to project youth. We give financially as we are able via direct giving, and thru the QR code donation and cash box at the church entrance. Let us pray and give thanks for all good gifts and for the offerings we bring.
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God,
for all that we have been given, we give thanks.
For all that we are able to give, we give thanks.
For all that is—seen and unseen—we give thanks.
Amen.
PRAYER FOR OTHERS – Leanne
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever. Amen.
Holy Communion
We gather around the table at God’s calling, drawn to receive whom we are
One with God’s creation, called to be more than individuals, more than our communities or even our churches can be alone
We do not own Christ’s table and like our common home it is ours only when we share. Here we are welcome, like the friends of Jesus first gathered
Welcome for justice, fulfilment and love
Welcome with those you would expect and those you might not want to be here. Welcome to celebrate being a work of God
repurposed as friends of Jesus
refreshed by bread and wine through human hands
from Earth’s own self on whom and whom we feed
All are welcome at this table
God be with you and within you
And also with you
Lift up your Hearts
We lift them up to God
Give thanks to the Lord our God
It is right to give our thanks and praise
It is indeed right, it our joy, Holy God, at all times to give you thanks and praise. You are the source of all life and goodness. You have created all things from the beginning and formed us in your image – wonderfully and lovingly.
Therefore with the angels and the company of heaven we proclaim your great and glorious name for ever praising you and say together
Holy Holy Holy Lord, God of Power and might
Heaven and Earth are full of your Glory
Hosanna in the Highest
God Sustainer of Life, Giver of the Good things of the Earth –
send your Holy Spirit that these gifts of the Earth which we receive
may be for us the body and blood of Christ, and that we,
filled with the spirits grace and power
may be renewed for your service in the care of all your creation.
Hear the words of institution of this sacrament as recorded by the apostle Paul in Corinthians
For I received from the Lord
what I also delivered to you,
that the Lord Jesus,
on the night when he was betrayed,
took bread,
and when he had given thanks,
he broke it and said:
This is my body which is for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
In the same way also the cup,
after supper, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it,
for the remembrance of me.
As Jesus did, so do we –
We break this bread
We share this cup
United in Christ with all who stand before you in earth and heaven,
we worship you, our God, in songs of everlasting praise
Blessing, honour and Glory be yours here and everywhere
Now and forever Amen
We trust that
Christ who died is
Christ who rose
And Christ who comes again
Jesus, Son of God,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world, show compassion
grant us peace.
The gifts of God that make you God’s people.
Come for all is ready
Please hold the juice so we can participate in communion together
DISTRIBUTION
Christ’s body broken for you. Amen.
Christ’s life poured out for you. Amen.
Prayer after communion
Renewing God,
Invited and fed at your table we are remade, repurposed.
May this food empower us to cherish your Creation who we also are.
And whether our cares be light our heavy, our song be strong or weak, keep our hearts warm, our hands open, our lives ever embracing and embraced by Your love.
Amen
SONG – Christ be our light
Longing for light, we wait in darkness
Longing for truth, we turn to You
Make us Your own, Your holy people
Light for the world to see
Christ, be our light
Shine in our hearts
Shine through the darkness
Christ, be our light
Shine in Your church gathered today
Longing for shelter, many are homeless
Longing for warmth, many are cold
Make us Your building, sheltering others
Walls made of living stone
Christ, be our light
Shine in our hearts
Shine through the darkness
Christ, be our light
Shine in Your church gathered today
Many the gifts, many the people
Many the hearts that yearn to belong
Let us be servants to one another
Making Your kingdom come
Christ, be our light
Shine in our hearts
Shine through the darkness
Christ, be our light
Shine in Your church gathered today
Songwriters: Bernadette Farrell
BENEDICTION
May God bless you and keep you.
May God’s face shine upon you,
and give you peace
Today and always.
Amen.
Blessing Song
‘For you deep stillness’
For you, deep stillness of the silent inland
For you, deep blue of the desert skies
For you, flame red of the rocks and stones
For you, sweet water from hidden springs.
From the edges seek the heartlands
and when you’re burnt by the journey
may the cool winds of the hovering Spirit
soothe and replenish you.
In the name of Christ, In the name of Christ.
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