You can watch the service here, or scroll down to read the rest of the Sunday prayers and content, and watch the sermon at the point it occurs during worship.
Acknowledgement of Country:
We acknowledge the Dharawal People
traditional custodians of this land.
and pay respects to elders past and present,
As First and Second Peoples walking together,
may we commit ourselves
to be people of the covenant;
listening, truth telling and seeking justice for all.
Candle Lighting:
We light the Christ candle,
acknowledging that Christ is the light of the world.
We come to worship with gladness,
and joy,
acknowledging God’s love and faithfulness,
which is for all.
WELCOME
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 to seek the heart of God and to find joy in the presence of God and each other. Know that you are loved and that your presence here this morning both enriches each one of us and our worship time together.
Opening Prayer
For those of us who have come in uncertainty or hurry,
you, O God, are our still calm point
For those of us who have come with stress and emotion,
you, O God, are our peace.
For those of us who have come with our well-worn routines of the everyday,
you, O God, are fresh inspiration.
For those of us who have come in the ordinary and the earthly,
you, O God, are the Spirit that transforms.
God, surprise us,
confront us,
move us,
comfort us,
centre us,
surround us now.
Amen.
Gathering Hymn: Build A Longer Table – Tune Jesus Christ is waiting
1 Build a longer table, not a higher wall,
Feeding those who hunger, making room for all.
Feasting together, stranger turns to friend,
Christ breaks walls to pieces, false divisions end.
2 Build a safer refuge, not a larger jail;
Where the weak find shelter, mercy will not fail.
For any place where justice is denied,
Christ will breach the jail wall, freeing all inside.
3 Build a broader doorway, not a longer fence,
Love protects all people, sparing no expense.
When we embrace compassion more than fear,
Christ tears down our fences; all are welcome here.
Thanksgiving Prayer
We thank You for people around us who bear witness to Love and Compassion.
For those whose work is to provide us with what we need,
who care for us when we are sick
and delight us in so many ways by being just who they are.
And for the random kindness of strangers
which turns the ordinary into a moment of joy and meaning.
We thank You for the blessing of our environment,
and of sustenance for mind, body and soul.
For colour and beauty in nature,
and things we see and hear and feel
which bring us pleasure,
the things that make us stop for a moment,
that we want to share and enjoy –
thank You,
Thank You for Jesus’ message of hope,
His steadfast living out of your Love ,
His Spirit, which draws us into new communities of compassion and healing
Prayer of Confession
Compassionate God,
we confess that we do not always live in the ways of your kin-dom.
When we strive for power rather than lifting the weak,
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
When we long for wealth and security rather than sharing what we have with those in need
Christ have mercy
Christ have mercy
When we put our concerns and opinions before the needs of our community rather than listening, attending, and noticing,
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
Words of Grace
God’s grace abounds for all people
in the kin-dom of God.
His forgiveness is for everyone
We continue to be bathed in the love of God.
God sees us, God knows us, God loves us
Thanks be to God.
Today is Christ the King Sunday, the final day of the Church year. Next week a new Church year begins with Advent. The concept of King is fraught with difficulty, as we live and worship in colonised lands. The language of kingship and royalty is littered throughout our hymns, prayers, and scriptures,
When you think about a King, what image comes to mind for you? Here are a few images (pictures of chess piece, lion, medieval king, cartoon king, King Charles III)
Often it is a role because of birthright, because their Dad was King or Mum was Queen. The word king can make us think of power, a position, someone bigger, better, or above all. We are going to watch the first of two videos from Project reconnect on Christ the King with Rev Greer Hudson Adamstown UCA. It is called Who is this King?
Project reconnect 23/11 All age https://vimeo.com/1122747661
Bible Readings
Jeremiah 23: 1-6 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 2 Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the Lord. 3 “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. 4 I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord.
5 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will raise up for David[a] a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.
6 In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Savior.
Luke 23:33-43
33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[c] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[d]”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Project Reconnect – Christ the King https://vimeo.com/1126388021
You can watch Kathy giving a reflection after the sermon here, as well as the bible reading and recorded talks by Rev Greer Hudson.
Song – Servant King
From heaven You came helpless babe
Entered our world Your glory veiled,
Not to be served but to serve
And give Your life that we might live.
This is our God the Servant King
He calls us now to follow Him.
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King
There in the garden of tears
My heavy load He chose to bear.
His heart with sorrow was torn,
Yet not my will but Yours He said.
Come see His hands and His feet,
The scars that speak of sacrifice
Hands that flung stars into space
To cruel nails
Surrendered
So let us learn how to serve,
And in our lives enthrone Him
Each other’s needs to prefer,
For it is Christ we’re serving
CCLI 78897
© 1983 Thankyou Music
Offering Prayer
Generous God
Giver of all good gifts,
take our offerings we have brought
and take our lives,
that we may be your peace, your joy, and your love
in our community and in the world.
Amen.
Prayers for Others
Let us come before God with our prayers for the world, for those we love and ourselves.
Let us remember the peoples of this world.
those in positions of responsibility.
those who suffer poverty, hunger and illness.
Those who endure oppression, imprisonment or fear for their lives.
Jesus, for the peace of the world, rule our hearts and wills.
Jesus, remember us when we come into your kingdom.
Let us remember our community.
those on the fringes, the forgotten and the marginalised.
those without work and those whose work is not valued.
those whom we love, our families, our friends and ourselves.
Jesus, for the reconciliation of your people, rule our hearts and wills.
Jesus, remember us when we come into your kingdom.
Let us remember all who are in need.
those who are lonely, in grief or despair.
those in sickness or pain.
those who bring comfort, hope and care to others.
Jesus, for the healing of your people, rule our hearts and wills.
Jesus, remember us when we come into your kingdom.
Amen.
Blessing
Creator God, Christ the King, Living Spirit,
go before us to give light to those who sit in darkness
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Blessing Song – We shall go out with Hope of Resurrection ( O Danny Boy tune)
We shall go out with
Hope of resurrection
We shall go out from
Strength to strength go on.
We shall go out and tell our stories boldly.
Tales of a love that will not let us go.
We’ll sing our songs of
Wrongs that can be righted
We’ll dream our dream of
Hurts that can be healed
We’ll weave a cloth of all the world united.
Within the vision of a
Christ who sets us free
We’ll give a voice to those.
Who have not spoken?
We’ll find the words for those.
Whose lips are sealed.
We’ll make the tunes for those.
Who sing no longer?
Vibrating love alive in every heart
We’ll share our joy with those.
Who are still weeping?
Chant hymns of strength for
Hearts that break in grief
We’ll leap and dance the resurrection story.
Including all within the circles of our love
CCLI 1076616 June Boyce Tillman
Recent Comments