You can watch the bible readings and sermon 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.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY
On 18 January in 1788 HMS Supply reached the place the Indigenous people called Kamay or Botany Bay, two days ahead of Capt Philip’s flagship the Sirius and the rest of the fleet. The fleet moved to Warrane, or Sydney Harbour, over the 25 to 27 January. There is no accurate recording of the words Capt Arthur Philip made on the raising of the Union Jack on that day.
The formal proclamation and claiming on the eastern half of the land wasn’t made until the 7 February. Philip’s 1787 orders were to ‘live in amity and kindness with the Indigenous peoples and to punish anyone who should wantonly destroy them or give them unnecessary interruption in the exercise of their several occupations’. Clearly this didn’t happen, nor those responsible, punished.
Today we remember and honour the Gweagal and Gadigal peoples and their elders of the Eora nation who were part of that first contact. We light a candle to remind us of Christ’s presence.
OPENING PRAYER
Moses waited for this day. The prophets spoke about this very happening. The law fulfilled!
The word made flesh! The Son of God and the King of Israel! All of these wondrous matters coming together in the rabbi Jesus, who comes to us from humble and surprising roots.
This Jesus meets us today. Come and see! The word of God speaks to us; what do we hear?
Let’s join the conversation; God through the Holy Spirit is talking to us.
Speak to us, Voice of Love, Spirit of Truth. Let no words fall to the ground unanswered.
HYMN
Jesus calls us here to meet him
as, through word and song and prayer
we affirm God’s promised presence
where His people live and care.
Praise the God who keeps Her promise;
praise the Son who calls us friends
praise the Spirit who, among us
to our hopes and fears attends.
Jesus calls us to confess him
Word of life and Lord of All
sharer of our flesh and frailness
saving all who fail or fall.
Tell his holy human story
tell his tales that all may hear
tell the world that Christ in glory
came to earth to meet us here.
Jesus calls us to each other
Found in him are no divides.
Race and class and sex and language
Such are barriers he derides.
Join the hand of friend and stranger;
join the hands of age and youth;
join the faithful and the doubter
in their common search for truth.
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
BIBLE READING (OLD TESTAMENT)
Psalm 139:1 – 6, 13 – 18 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.
PRAYER OF ADORATION AND CONFESSION inspired by Psalm 139
Your thoughts, O God, how much heft and gravity they hold for us. Your affection and your generosity – imagine if we tried to map it out or count it with grains of sand – we wouldn’t be able to find anywhere near enough! It’s hard for us to be able to piece it together.
You see every part of us. You formed us, inside and out – a secret, intricate, and intimate master project. Before we speak, you know what we’re going to say. Before we act, you know what we’re going to do. Nothing is mysterious to you about us. You love us in our brokenness and wrap us up in grace and delight. This means everything to us, God. There’s nothing like your love; we couldn’t be more thankful. You are worth all our praise and so much more.
No one can know us like this – not our parents, not our partners, our children, not even us.
We have nothing to hide from you. God, we name quietly within ourselves now those shadowy and divided parts, and share with you the ways we’re sorry for forgetting how to truly live.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
God meets us in our fear, our guilt, and our shame, in our joys and in our happiness and reminds us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made divine masterpieces. This same God has acted in a decisive way to deal with all that could be better within us and in the world – so much so that somehow, even the shadowy parts of us are but light to God! Our marvellous Creator is also a beautiful forgiver. And you, beloved child, are forgiven. Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL READING
John 1:43 – 51 (NIV) The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
In this we hear God’s word of invitation to discipleship. Thanks be to God.
MESSAGE A community needs at least two people!
SONG
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
And together we’ll spread the news, that God is in our land.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
OFFERING PRAYER
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am Lord, Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them, they turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My word to them
Whom shall I send?
Chorus
I, the Lord of wind and flame
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them, My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them,
Whom shall I send?
Chorus
BLESSING & BENEDICTION
May light come into your eyes
May hope spring up in your heart
May peace guide all of your mind
And keep you in God, and keep you in God.
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