The fine print that leads to life

WELCOME

Friends, we are all welcome in this place. Our time together, is God’s gift to each of us. We come with what we know of and have experienced in life, we come seeking to discover what we don’t yet know about our God and God’s hopes and dreams for our lives. We declare in Jesus’ name that this is a safe physical, emotional and spiritual environment for all who search for meaning and purpose in life. Together let us seek to be Christ’s light and salt in the world. Welcome.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY

We live on a land which was never ceded and is still without Treaty between the Dharawal original inhabitants and what are still therefore its European invaders. We acknowledge the need for a treaty and for truth telling. We acknowledge and honour the Dharawal elders past and present and join with them in seeking justice and reconciliation.

CHRIST CANDLE

We light this candle because it brings light to this place. We light this candle because it reminds us of Christ Jesus whom we proclaim is the Light of the world and we want His light to be part of our lives.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Come into God’s presence, deeply and wondrously known.

Come, sing your praise, and enter the story again.

Come in to community, be shaped, renewed, and reformed.

From here, we will go to carry the cross of love.

God of wondrous knowledge, too vast for our understanding, meet us here as we gather.

Receive and welcome each one of us and make us, together, a vessel for your just and loving way.

HYMN – Altogether Whatever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEGc3_D19Vo

O God, you search me, and you know me.
All my thoughts lie open to your gaze.
When I walk or lie down, you are before me
Ever the maker and keeper of my days.

You know my resting and my rising.
You discern my purpose from afar
And with love everlasting, you besiege me
In ev – ‘ry moment of life or death, you are.

Before a word is on my tongue, Lord
You have known its meaning through and through.
You are with me beyond my understanding
God of my present, my past and future, too.

Although your Spirit is upon me
Still I search for shelter from your light.
There is nowhere on Earth I can escape you
Even the darkness is radiant in your sight.

For you created me and shaped me
Gave me life within my mother’s womb.
For the wonder of who I am, I praise you.
Safe in your hands, all creation is made new.

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

90 sec video from UC President of the Assembly Rev Sharon Hollis on ‘Safe Church Sunday’

OT READING Janene

Jeremiah 18:1 – 6 (NIV) This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:“Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel”.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

O God, we have tried and stumbled again, over the possessions and thoughts you ask us to give up.

We set out on this path confident that we understand and are determined to put you first,

but a life time of habits and life experience, family and work just seem to get in your Way.

Little if anything seems to change once we leave this place. O God, we tried; may we try again?

Silence…

Listen. God hears, and God speaks in reply: yes, of course, you may try again. Practice, beloved, practice; with me, there is always renewal and restoration. There is always hope. Be at peace,

and start again in me. Amen

SONG – Altogether Okay Leanne

Change my heart O God, make it ever true.

Change my heart O God; may I be like you.

You are the potter, I am the clay.

Mould me and make me, this is what I pray.

GOSPEL READING Janene

Luke 14: 25 – 33 (NIV) Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

In this we hear God’s word with open eyes, open hearts and open minds. Thanks be to God. Amen

HOLY COMMUNION as preparation for what we are about to hear and receive… (Elder – Judy)

It’s Passover eve and as followers of Jesus we gather to hear the familiar words spoken in community for generations about God’s blessing and deliverance from the time of Moses in Egypt. There’s Peter and John Jesus’ closest disciples, there’s Judas always worried, always counting our purse as if its never enough, there’s Nathaniel and Philip and Andrew always intruding people to Jesus, there’s Simon the freedom fighter his sword is always close at hand, Bartholomew and Thomas they keep to themselves and the women are here too Martha and Mary and Mary of Magdala…Lazarus must be late. His head has been in the clouds ever since Jesus woke him from the dead! We’re full of bravado, dread, anticipation and expectation, tomorrow much may happen you can feel the tension.

We had a plain but simple meal but now Jesus is about to speak: now I’m listening.

INSTITUTION, INVOCATION & DISTRIBUTION

I AM the bread of Life…I AM the wine of new Life…this is bread my body, this wine is my blood…

Binding us together in him, a promise for the ages…not even death…O Lord now you are scaring us.

MESSAGE: Rev Paul Bartlett The fine print that leads to LIFE! (sermon from 11.50)

HYMN ‘We are your people’

We are Your people
Spirit of grace
You dare to make us
to all our neighbours
Christ’s living voice, hands and face.

Joined in community

Treasured and fed

May we discover

Gifts in each other

Willing to lead and be led.

Rich in diversity

Help us to live

Closer than neighbours

Open to strangers

Able to clash and forgive.

Glad of tradition
Help us to see
In all life’s changing
Where You are leading
Where our best efforts should be.

Give, as we venture

Justice and care

(peaceful, resisting

waiting or risking)

Wisdom to know when and where.

Christ as we serve you
In different ways
May all we’re doing

Show that you’re living
Meeting Your love with our praise.

OFFERATORY PRAYER

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Kathy

LORD’S PRAYER (Anglican Church of NZ)

Eternal Spirit, Source of all that is and ever shall be.
Loving Parent in whom we discern heaven.
May knowledge of your holiness inspire all peoples.
And may your commonwealth of peace and freedom flourish on earth.
Until all of humanity heeds your call to justice and compassion.

May we find the bread that we need for today
And for the hurts we cause one another
May we be forgiven in the same measure that we forgive.
In times of trial and temptation, help us to be strong;
When life seems overwhelming, help us to endure;
And thus from the yoke of self centredness deliver us.

May you reign in the power of human love. Now and forever. Amen

BLESSING & BENEDICTION ‘God be in my head’ (repeat)

God be in my head, and in my understanding
God be in my eyes and in my looking
God be in my mouth and in my speaking
God be in my heart and in my thinking
God be at my end and at my departing.

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