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
We gather on land the Dharawal people have lived on for over 60,000 years. We believe God gave them this land to care for and delight in, it is an integral part of who they are and how they understand their sense of belonging and identity. They call this ‘living on Country’. We acknowledge their elders past and present and pledge to work with them in reconciliation and justice making.
WELCOME
We believe all people are made in the image of God and that no matter their experience of life or their gender, sexuality, status or standing in the community they are welcome in this space where Christ Jesus is acknowledged as Lord. His ministry is one of inclusion, teaching, healing and love.
We seek to do and be the same through the inspiration, power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
CANDLE LIGHTING
Grief, exploitation and loss are strong – but love and inclusion are stronger. Darkness is strong – but light is stronger. We light a candle to remember that Christ is the Light of the world and is our Light.
CALL TO WORSHIP from Psalm 138 we read
“I will praise you LORD, with all my heart and your love, LORD endures forever”
Let us Pray…God of infinite grace, we come today with our heads full of the noise of our lives.
Often, we don’t even have enough time to sort truth from falsehood, enough brain space to know what we should retain and what we should ignore, enough energy to pay attention to what is important. This is who we are today, God of Wisdom and steadfast love. Help us to know your Peace in our hearts, your Truth in our minds and your Love for each other through the work of our hands. So, amidst all who are gathered here, I will praise you LORD with all of my heart. Amen
HYMN
Sing praise and thanksgiving, let all creatures living
Now worship their maker with gladness and song
All glory and honour we come to God bringing:
O praise to the Almighty, sing praise to our God!
Our lives of his making she brings to their waking
In darkness he held us in her gracious care
Now into the light we are called from our sleeping:
O praise to the Almighty, sing praise to our God!
Lord, frame our desiring to do your requiring
That unto your glory be all that we do
And where we have faltered, give strength and give healing:
O praise to the Almighty, sing praise to our God!
Paul Gerhardt 1607 – 1676 Adaptation © CA Gibson. Used with permission CCLI Licence # 31951
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRAYER OF CONFESSION Much is happening in our world, this is a long & urgent prayer!
Lord, we continue to be overwhelmed with images of the suffering and death in Gaza; where any means seems to justify an end result – the defeat of Hamas in response to 1,200 Israelis killed with now over 30,000 Palestinians killed, mostly women and children. In destroying that strip of land, Israel now has 1.8 Million people who hate them more deeply for all they have done.
No means justifies the death of any child no matter how hurt, angry and grief stricken you are – have we had that sort conversation in our hearts with you Lord about anger and revenge?
And then there is the battle between renewable energy vs coal & gas fired power; for one a sense of urgency for all who live on the earth vs those who deny or for whom the financial cost or inconvenience can be kicked down the road because the rising tides and storms haven’t yet reached their door or flooded their homes. Forgive and transform our short sighted self-centeredness Lord.
We continue to hear stories about affordable housing and wonder why in part that capital gains and negative gearing and a major reform of our tax laws doesn’t receive by-partisan support – perhaps if it was us, or if our children or our grandchildren were forced to sleep in cars or on a friend’s lounge or become a rough sleeper, maybe then we would demand of our MP’s meaningful change. Forgive, & transform our pursuit of money, our disinterest & our lack of compassion and understanding Lord.
We hear talk about immigration numbers too, where the shadow of xenophobia lurks and yet we also forget that for so many of our jobs almost no one other than those from overseas will take – especially in laboring, on the land, in cleaning, as Gig economy & shift workers and in aged care.
Lord, barge in and wrestle with us on these issues of our day. Forgive our indifference & make tender our hearts that we may show mercy & compassion & seek justice and hope that all may live this life in hope, in safety and in dignity. In the Name of our Lord and Saviour we pray. May it be so. Amen
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?
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 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?
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.
Daniel L Schutte 1947 – Words and music by permission Oregon Catholic Press. CCLI Licence # 31951
GOSPEL READING
Mark 3: 20 – 30 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”
Mark 3: 31 – 35 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you. “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at his disciples seated around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever hears God’s word and puts it into practice is my brother and sister and mother.”
In this we hear of God’s transforming love. Thanks be to God.
MESSAGE ‘You must be mad!’
HYMN
We are the people that God has called
to live in a family
to share our good and troubled times
our dreams and our history.
And God is our father and mother and friend
and Jesus our brother, whose love we can’t end
and the Spirit has countless blessings to send –
this household, the church, means love.
There’s no one pattern we all must fit
when family life is formed;
God shapes the love in every home
till every heart is warmed.
For God uses grandparents, daughters and sons
and lovers and spouses and single ones
and through all of our caring, God’s caring runs –
this household, the church, means love.
A family needs a meal to share
a table, an open door
a story to tell of Jesus’ life
a longing to love God more.
And God is the one who will shelter and feed
forgive us and welcome and teach and lead
so sing and be thankful: God meets our need –
this household, the church, means love.
Words: Rev Elizabeth J Smith 1958 – Used with permission CCLI Licence # 31951
OFFERTORY PRAYER
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN
Love divine, all loves excelling
joy of heaven to earth come down
fix in us your humble dwelling;
all your faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, You are all compassion
pure, unbounded love you are;
visit us with your salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Come, Almighty to deliver;
let us all your life receive;
suddenly return and never
never more your temples leave.
You we would be always blessing
serve you as your hosts above;
pray, and praise you, without ceasing
glory in your perfect love.
Finish then, your new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see your great salvation
perfectly restored in you.
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before you,
lost in wonder, love and praise.
Charles Wesley 1707 – 1788 © Australian Hymn Book Used with permission CCLI Licence # 31951
BLESSING & BENEDICTION
This, this is the God we adore
Our faithful, unchangeable friend
Whose love is as great as his power
And neither knows measure nor end.
‘Tis Jesus the first and the last
Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home
We’ll praise him for all that is past
And trust him for all that’s to come.
Joseph Hart 1712 – 1768 Public Domain Used with permission CCLI Licence # 31951
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