Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 1 June 2014

 

Call to Worship - Hugh

Here, today we are in God's presence. God is with us wherever we may go but when we meet together in church it is a special time because we meet as one.

God be with You.

And also with you.

HymnTIS 130 "We plough the fields" A song centred on farming matters - to be taken literally or metaphorically - praising God for his hand in all the work we carry out; using it for his purposes.

Prayer of Adoration and Confession - Hugh

Our Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning to praise and adore you, the architect of the soaring, majestic, intricate, beautiful creation.

We praise you because you help us grow, heal us, mend us. You can see inside to every scar, wound, hurt - every shameful memory - we praise you for the comfort and strength you bring us; for your grace and guidance. We thank you for this congregation and the community of all believers. We confess that we have sinned in so many ways against you and for this we beg forgiveness.

In Jesus name we can say, "Our sins are forgiven".

Thanks be to God.

The Offering was then collected as an extension of our worship and offered for God's work around us.

Hymn TIS 693 "Come as you are" A gentle, warm invitation to all. God knows us better than anyone else does and loves and welcomes us just as we are.

Bible Readings Psalm 68: 1 - 10, John 17: 1 - 11 read by Pat.

The psalm, praise to God, singing of his mighty power and expressing faith in him to right all wrongs.

The words from John, a prayer of Jesus for his disciples now that they were going to have to carry on his work. It becomes a prayer for us, the ones left with the mission to carry on Jesus’ work on Earth in this time. Something to give us great confidence.

Reflection - Hugh

Hugh spoke of the dissent and disagreement between Christians and reminded us that Australia, India and Canada are the only countries where churches have united. He spoke of the alienation felt in developed countries and of the accompanying suicide rates brought about by structural loneliness. Structural loneliness brought on by "being ourselves", by privacy, by protecting ourselves and our property.

Hugh spoke about unity, explaining that the disciples understood the idea very well. They were all Jews, with the same heritage, the same forefathers, with the same cultural tradition, they understood unity well. However, when Jesus stepped into the scene that unity came to include all.

"One thing is crystal clear here. Jesus wants to introduce God to us so that God's love for him may be in us too...Jesus made us one with himself by loving us as God had loved him." By this unity among us became possible.

Prayers for the People

Ruth prayed to the Almighty Loving Father, giving thanks for being able to approach God to give thanks for all our blessings. She prayed that those affected by all the sirens we had heard during the service would have a good outcome, then thanked God for the rain and asked for peace throughout the world, praying that those who do not honour God will see the truth. She then prayed for the personal concerns of the congregation and asked us to join in the Lord's Prayer.

Communion

The peace of The Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

With that, we offered the sign of peace to those around us in the service.

Hymn TIS 491 "Father welcomes all his children" again, a song, speaking of God's welcoming invitation to all, not just the good or the deserving but everybody. Take up the invitation.

Preparation of the Table

The Bread: It will become for us the bread of life.

Blessed be God forever.

The wine: It will become for us the cup of salvation.

Blessed be God forever.

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 thanks and praise.

Prayer

Father, we give you thanks and praise through your beloved Son Jesus Christ your living Word. You have created all things through Your Son, our Saviour.

By the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh; born as a human, he lived on earth and went among us; he opened wide his arms for us on the cross; he put an end to death by dying for us; and revealed the resurrection by rising to new life; so he fulfilled your will and won for you a holy people.

Therefore with angels and archangels and all the company of Heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, forever praising you and saying:

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

...these gifts of bread and wine may become to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ

...Take, eat; this is my body that is given for you

...this is my blood of the new covenant,...Do this and drink it...

Let us proclaim our faith.

Christ has died:

Christ is risen:

Christ will come again.

 

The Distribution

Hymn TIS 647 "Comfort, comfort, all my people" God who can mend each hurt. Take each wound to him who is faithful in healing our pain.

Benediction

May the Lord walk beside you to comfort you.

May the Lord walk above you to watch over you.

May the Lord walk behind you to keep you safe.

And the Lord walk before you to show you the way.

And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, now and forever more.

Retiring Hymn: May the feet of God walk with you.

And a special thank you to Grahame for his ministry of music each week.