Tuesday 4 November 2014

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 2nd November 2014

The Call to Worship  
Hugh led us into Worship with a responsive reading from Psalm 107: 1-7; 35-37 
Leader:  Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, and his mercy endures for ever.
People:  He gathered them out of the lands; from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
Leader:  Some wandered in desert wastes; they found no way to a city where they might dwell.
People:  They were hungry and thirsty; their spirits languished within them.
Leader:  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
People:  He put their feet on a straight path to go to a city where they might dwell.
Leader: He changed deserts into pools of water and dry land into water-springs.
People: He settled the hungry there, and they founded a city to dwell in.

Leader: They sowed fields, and planted vineyards, and brought in a fruitful harvest.
People: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, and his mercy endures for ever. Amen!


Hymn  TiS 130                                   “We plough the fields and scatter”

All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above;

then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord for all his love.

 

This well loved hymn written by the German, Matthias Claudius, was translated into English in 1869.  This “Harvest Hymn” has always been a great favourite of film producers who always seem to include a verse or two in any movie where they want to convey a spirit of community in their story.  I smiled as I sang and looked around at our church family.  I remembered the story of the widowed Nellie Shipway who walked many miles across the fields to Marsden Road Church each Sunday, in the early part of the 20th Century.  When she died in 1946 at the age of 82, her family gave her church its memorial font which is still used by the Marsden Road Church Family.  While all the fields and orchards are now gone and increasingly replaced by high-rise developments - our spirit of community continues to thrive and grow.  During the last 48 years I have often felt that sense of community as the church family has shared in many baptisms.  Two of our own children and one grandchild were baptised in Nellie’s Font.  Wonderful memories of tradition and community everywhere!


Announcements:  We were reminded that our Lamington Drive next week will provide help to the Parramatta Mission to feed the hungry and homeless people in our community.  We were also invited to a special morning tea after the service, to help celebrate Betty’s 100th Birthday and Marcia’s 90th Birthday.  Kaye does a wonderful job in organizing these happy “parties” for us all.


Prayer of Adoration and Confession:  Hugh prayed for God to; “reach into the darkness with hope, truth and light” and to use His almighty love to “move mountains, cross seas and breathe life in the darkest places.”  Hugh asked that; “we give you our lives in this worship” so God can use our lives to reveal God’s blessings to the world.  Amen.  We asked for and were given forgiveness for our sins as we vowed to remember that love for God and love for our neighbours are the same thing. 

Offering / Prayer:  The offering was taken by the stewards and children and the

Important Bible Words for the Day were read once again by Oliver, with help from Elaine.

Joshua 3: Verse 9; “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.”  We all repeated the Important Bible Words and the children went to Sunday Kids.


In recognition of All Saints Day and the Marsden Road “Saints” through 189 years of continuous worship in this place - the men’s Quartet, Malcolm, Grahame, Hugh and Warwick sang “When the Saints go Marching In” and invited us all to join in the final chorus.

I looked around at some of the other memorials and windows dedicated to the memory of some friends I had worshiped with in this sacred place and felt the love in this place.


Hymn TiS 745                        “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God
We really enjoyed singing this hymn as a round, although, with reading the words from the screen we did mix ourselves up a little, but it still sounded harmonious and was great fun.

Bible Reading:                                  Matthew 23:1-12  (page 748)
Pat read the very clear and unmistakable message about pride and pretence and the lesson about the true value of real humility.

Reflection:                                         “God is not impressed with pride”
This Reflection was well timed for a society that seems to have become a little carried away with pride in its achievements.  Hugh spoke of the way we might describe ourselves and suggested most would respond with a description of their vocations and positions.  He spoke of the longing for respect we have, but warned this should not lead us to see ourselves as superior to others. 
Cultural bragging rites, was the term Hugh used to describe our need to be “top dog” in some area of our life.  This need for progression and being “the best” leads to a need to impress others and a feeling of superiority.  In short, like the Pharisees in today’s reading we can become hypocrites and believe we are a step closer to God than those who are not as well educated, respected or accepted in society.
Hugh agreed it is good to succeed, it is good to want the best for your company, family or community, but pride is always a danger.
“God is not impressed with pride. God is not interested in how great you are. He is interested in how great others are as a result of your life.”   
In telling a story of a teacher who learned to love her pupils, even those who were not so appealing, Hugh demonstrated how this teacher made a difference by making individuals feel important.  “She let God use her as an instrument of his love, an instrument of encouragement.”    “If you want to be somebody, put others before yourself. It is as simple as that.”
What an important lesson that is for all of us to understand and act upon every day!
In acknowledging that we live in a competitive society, Hugh stressed it is not sinful to want to “get to the top” – but the real problem is just how you get there.  He reminded us that, as Christians are always under a microscope and asked; “Are you living a life worthy of being called a child of God?  Or are you just wearing a mask?” That certainly is a question worth our serious consideration and an honest answer!

Hugh shared the motto of his high school in Korea which was founded 130 years ago by an American missionary named ‘Appenzeller’.  “The greatest among you will be your servant” was an an inspirational motto from the Bible.  Hugh also reminded us we should retain our humility, making reference to a well known Indian evangelist’, Sadhu Sundar Singh who received many accolades.  This saint said; “The donkey went into Jerusalem, and they put garments on the ground before him.  He was not proud.  He knew it was not done to honour him, but for Jesus, who was sitting on his back. When people honour me, I know it is not me, but the Lord, who does the job."   May we all follow his example in our own lives!
Hugh concluded with Mark’s version of today’s reading from Matthew.
Mark 10: 42-45;  “Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles have power over them, and their leaders exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be the servant of the rest, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, he came to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”   Amen.

Prayers of the People:  Our prayers were led by Delma who acknowledged on our behalf that we need so much comfort and strength from God because we are surrounded by fear and uncertainty – with our God - the only real certainty we have.  The prayer was for us to listen to our Heavenly Father and to become people of His great love.  We asked for blessings for people who help us and help in other lands and give comfort, strength and courage.  We prayed for the people who are helping with the Ebola crisis, for the church and its people and for the people from our own “little church with a big heart”.  Then we shared the comfort of the Lord’s Prayer.

Communion:  Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation: through your goodness we have this bread to set before you, which earth has given and human hands have made.
It will become for us the bread of life.  Blessed be God for ever.
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation: through your goodness we have this wine to set before you, fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
It will become for us the cup of salvation. Blessed be God for ever.

Before taking Communion at the alter rail we proclaimed our Faith:
Christ has died: Christ is risen; Christ will come again.


Hymn              “The Summons”   A song of the Iona Community written by John L. Bell  in 1987. 
This certainly is a call that invites a positive response from us whenever we sing it in our worship.
Will you come and follow me If I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know And never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown, Will you let my name be known,
Will you let my life be grown In you and you in me?


The Benediction & Blessing    Hugh sent us from the service with a feeling of renewal as he invoked the Benediction and Blessing.  Amen.


Retiring hymn:                                   “May the feet of God walk with you”

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