Call
to Worship
Leader: Dear People of God, what shall we do?
People:
We shall praise God who hears our prayers, who draws near to us, and brings new
life out of death.
Leader: Dear Friends in Christ, how shall we
live?
People:
With the confidence of God's beloved children, with security and joy of God's
saving Grace.
Leader: Sisters and Brothers, what is the promise?
People:
New life, forgiveness of sin, the Spirit as gift!
Leader: Dear Children of God, how shall we praise?
People:
We lift our voices and our hearts in love, thanks, and praise!
All: We will live out Jesus' Resurrection!
We will praise Him as long as we
live! Amen.
Today
Hugh brought us a message of God's unconditional love. To prepare our hearts
and minds we began with the Hymn "Be still for the presence of
the Lord", focusing on the need to be still and reverent before the Holy One, the One whose
glory can be revealed to us, if only we humble ourselves and leave ourselves
open to his work.
In
keeping with this, Hugh then led us in a Prayer of Adoration, reminding
us of the great magnificent holiness in whose presence we were and are.
Something not to be taken lightly nor someone who can be approached in any way
other than with total frankness. He knows us through and through, anyway.
Following
this we joined in a Prayer of Confession, asking for wisdom and guidance
and admitting that we are not always ready to pass on the great blessing of
God's love to others. For this we asked forgiveness, pleading for God to shine
his Spirit through us for the benefit of others and the furtherance of his
Kingdom.
Hugh
then said The Words of Assurance, asking that the "Word of our
Stillspeaking God continues to burn in our hearts” and then, based on the promise made to us, told us that we
could be confident that our sins are forgiven.
After
the Offering, which was dedicated to God's work, with, "Let our
gifts be the seeds of the living and enduring word of God...", Lyn brought
to us the Children's story using a Dr. Seuss book to illustrate that
God loves us as we are, which theme was continued in the Hymn TIS 491 "Father
welcomes all his children" offering love and life to all.
Alan
then read to us from Acts 2:14a, 36 - 41 and 1 Peter 1: 17 - 23. The
message in Acts was clear. Follow Jesus, commit to him and enjoy new life. But
more, cease from daily creating the same world that sent him to the cross.
Peter says, in part: "Now that you have purified your souls by your
obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another,
deeply from the heart." That's not just the people we like or the people
in our church. We have been loved - it is for us to love others.
Hugh
then
delivered his Sermon, speaking of the extra-ordinary price that was paid
to set us free and our responsibility to let others realise that freedom is
real and worth having through our love shown to them. Hugh used several
examples of real stories to demonstrate how that gift of love to others must
work and to impress upon us that the gift of love we have been given cannot be
held onto selfishly as that is a contradiction of the gift itself. Hugh
reminded us of John 13:35. "By this everyone will know that you are my
disciples, if you love one another." It's the number one rule.
One of
the stories Hugh told was about a priest who, when he was ordained, adopted the
name of his friend who saved his life by smothering a grenade with his own
body. Our name is Christian for the same reason.
Grahame
then led us in Prayers for the People, remembering in particular the
strife-ridden areas of the world such as Syria and Ukraine where people are
suffering so badly, and asking for God's blessing on our leaders and community
care-givers. He then turned to the personal concerns of the congregation,
following with The Lord's Prayer.
Communion
began
with the Hymn TIS 511 vv 1,2, &, 4
"Let us break bread together with The Lord" a song showing the
logical extension of taking part in this service: break bread, drink wine, sing
songs and work together for the Lord. This was followed by the offering of The
Peace between members of the congregation, putting into immediate effect
the command to love one another.
The Table
was then Prepared and the people drawn into the service with:
The
Spirit of The Lord is with You
And
also with you.
Lift
up your hearts.
We lift
them up to the Lord.
Let us
give thanks to the Lord our God.
It
is right to give him thanks and praise.
Hugh
then prayed, rehearsing the events of Jesus' saving ministry. After the
response of the congregation, Hugh prayed again, telling again the events of
the last supper.
Let us
proclaim our faith. Christ has died: Christ is risen: Christ will come
again.
Following
the Distribution we were reminded that we were, afresh, members of
Christ's body and his agents in the world.
His
love led to the events we were commemorating: our responsibility is to show
that love to others, that they will come to realise it is for them too.
Our
final Hymn TIS 650 vv 1 - 5 " Brother, sister let me serve
you" reflected the point of Jesus' sacrifice which we had just remembered,
the theme of Hugh's sermon and our way of showing the love that has been
showered upon us to others.
Hugh
sent us out with the Benediction:
Friends,
rejoice in the mothering and fathering love of God! Rejoice in the victorious
life of our risen Saviour! Rejoice in the power of the Spirit. Go, living in
the love of Christ! Go, serving in the name of Christ! Let your love of God
embrace Your children, Your family, Your enemies, Those who are far off, Those
who are strangers met on the road. May your lives praise the Lord!
Hymn
TIS 781 "Father,
bless us as we go"
Father,
bless us as we go,
Jesus
walk beside us,
Holy
Spirit guide us.
Amen.
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