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 – Long Time Living Here Deborah Cheetham
YOU ARE WELCOME
The story of God is bigger, wider, more inclusive and welcoming, filled with more love than we could ever imagine. There is room here for everyone, there is room here for you and for me.
CHRIST CANDLE When a candle burns brightly we can see all of creation. When the light of Christ burns brightly we can see clearly each other’s face. Our horizons are expanded. Let us light this Christ candle that we may honour and respect each other and love God with all our being.
CALL TO WORSHIP A prayer by Monica Hughes
Heavenly Father, Creator God, We thank and praise you for your good gift of creation. For your rivers, mountains, soils, skies and seas that sustain life, bring joy and heal.
We marvel at the diversity and wondrous complexity of life you have called by name.
The beauty of relationship between all you have made, designed to live and flourish together.
We thank you Mother God for calling us into relationship with you, commissioned to care for your good creation. To nurture, protect and join with all creation in singing your praise.
OUR RESPONSIVE PRAYER
But ask the animals
and they will teach you
And the birds in the sky
and they will tell you
Or speak to the earth
and it will teach you.
Which of these does not know
That the hand of the Lord has done this?
In God’s hand is the life of every creature. Job 12: 7 – 10
HYMN
Let all creation dance
In energies sublime
As order turns with chance
Unfolding space and time
For nature’s art
In glory grows
And newly shows
God’s mind and heart.
God’s breath each force unfurls
Igniting from a spark
Expanding starry swirls
With whirlpools dense and dark.
Though moon and sun
Seem mindless things
Each orbit sings:
‘Your will be done.’
Our own amazing earth
With sunlight, cloud and storms
And life’s abundant growth
In lovely shapes and forms
Is made for praise
A fragile whole
And from its soul
Heaven’s music plays.
Lift heart and soul and voice:
In Christ all praises meet
And nature shall rejoice
As all is made complete.
In hope be strong
All life befriend
And kindly tend
Creation’s song.
Brian Arthur Wren Words Piece Together Praise © 1996 Hope Publishing Used with permission CCLI # 31951
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
BIBLE READINGS
Genesis 1: 20 – 31 And God said, ‘Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.’ So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.’ And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’
So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Mark 9: 38 – 41, 50 Part of the Gospel Reading for today
“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
Here are found words of new life and meaning. Thanks be to God.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION
Loving Creator God, help us in our worry and striving, to live more simply and confidently in your spirit. Humble us enough to be aware of the pride, worry and fear that can distract us from the flow of your love and presence in our ordinary lives. May we see your beauty and purposes in even the smallest and seemingly most insignificant moments of our day; in the exchange of a smile, in the pleasure of sharing a cup of tea or the simple pleasure of serving others in your name.
Just as the massive fig trees and towering oaks display your glory in an Australian rainforest, may we be reminded of the humble moss and fungi that also have a place and are important and wonderful too. May we remember that every person and every moment is cherished and important because what you made is good.
ASSURANCE
As we seek to refocus on God’s goodness in creation and not on our own frailty, know that in seeking forgiveness our lives are set free. God’s Grace is a Gift. Faith keeps us secure and focused. Know that you are forgiven and that God’s Spirit truly lives within us. That is Christ’s promise.
REFLECTION HYMN TIS 137 For the beauty of the earth by John Rutter
MESSAGE
OFFERTORY PRAYER
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN
Touch the earth lightly, use the earth gently
Nourish the life of the world in our care:
Gift of great wonder, ours to surrender
Trust for the children tomorrow will bear.
We who endanger, who create hunger
Agents of death for all creatures that live
We who would foster, clouds of disaster
God of our planet, forestall and forgive!
Let there be greening, birth from the burning
Water that blesses and air that is sweet
Health in God’s garden, hope in God’s children
Regeneration that peace will complete.
God of all living, God of all loving
God of the seedling, the snow and the sun
Teach us, deflect us, Christ re-connect us
Using us gently and making us one.
Shirley Erena Murray. Words In Every Corner Sing © Hope Publishing Used with permission CCLI #31951
BLESSING & BENEDICTION
Gracious God, you are the hope of all the Earth.The one who called all creation into being, who overcame all barriers that divide and who unites all things in the household of your gracious love. Be with us and grant us grace that we might live gently with this planetary household of which we are part and be faithful as we seek to follow Jesus and share with Him in caring for this world, in its fullness, for which He died and rose again. Amen
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