Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 22 March 2015

Carolyn welcomed us all and led the Call to Worship:

The days are surely coming, says God, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and Judah.

This is the time to begin anew.

I will put my law within them, says God, and will write it on their hearts.

This is the time to begin anew.

God says, I will seek you with my whole heart.

Come let us worship God.

Hymn TIS 155 "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder" A song of praise, sung from the heart. Thanks for this magnificent world and thanks for sending Jesus to show us the way.

Prayer of Adoration and Thanksgiving

A prayer to our living and generous God who has from the beginning of time sustained, renewed and restored us as he has held all things together; who has spoken to us through the prophets and priests. Carolyn, on our behalf, gave thanks for the Spirit at the heart of our community that teaches, comforts and guides us. For this we gave thanks and praise.

Prayer of Confession

We are sorry for all the things we have done and have not done that have

caused others pain and which, in turn, have hurt you.

Create in us a new heart and loving spirit.

Forgive us when we miss the beauty around us.

Create in us a new heart and loving spirit.

Forgive us when we stop caring about others and ourselves.

Create in us a new heart and loving spirit.

Forgive us when we ignore the little things in life.

Create in us a new heart and loving spirit.

Declaration of Forgiveness Carolyn reminded us that Christ is the One who offers salvation to anyone who wishes to have freedom. She then declared: Your sins are forgiven. Thanks be to God.

Hymn TIS 684 "Love will be our Lenten calling" "Peace will be our Lenten living" and "Truth will be our Lenten learning". Love, peace and truth, the foundations of our lives when "God alone is all in all."

Readings Malcolm read to us from Scripture: Psalm 51:1-12 and John: 12:20-33. The Psalm was a prayer of David. He had been visited by the prophet Nathan after he had visited Bathsheba. This is an earnest and urgent plea for forgiveness as David lays open all his sins before the Lord. Are we able to do this?

The reading from John recounts the visit of Greeks for the Passover. They were very keen to hear Jesus. It's worth reading the passage again. My sympathy is with the crowd. How can an ordinary local be making such claims? And what is he talking about?

Years ago I decided I would hold off from committing my life to God until I had found out answers to some very hard questions. I had to give up. I had to commit without answers and now, there are even more questions.

Reflection Carolyn's prayer focused our hearts and minds on the purpose of the time ahead: Gracious God, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight. In the name of Christ. Amen.

Carolyn began by referring to the times when we don't understand each other in conversation. When those listening cannot fit together what is being said.

She linked this to a situation in which she had been involved. An infant with a mysterious illness for which answers didn't seem available. The available mountain of facts and theories surrounding the illness were overwhelming.

She then linked this to the Gospel reading, where Greeks came seeking answers from Jesus. Through Andrew and Phillip an arrangement was made and so they were able to speak with Jesus. Jesus told them: "It is time for the Son of Man to be glorified." and told them that unless a grain of wheat falls to earth and dies, it remains a single grain but if it dies, it bears much fruit. This left the Greeks more puzzled, still trying to hold together the ambiguity of Jesus’ words. He followed this by telling them that a person who loves their life is motivated by selfishness but the person who has "spent" his life will regain it.

Carolyn then referred to William Barclay's words: only in death comes life, only by spending life do we retain life and only by service comes greatness.

Jesus' ministry was for all...Jesus was to die for the whole world.

We have to cope with not having all the answers. We live in a world where the ability to test things objectively is regarded as a good and those things that can be quantitatively texted are valued.

However, even in the scientific world the Quantum theory has upset that view. Not all knowledge can be observed objectively.

People were puzzled by Jesus words and Jesus encouraged them to be part of the ambiguity.

Experiences lead us in different directions. Referring back to the sick child, Carolyn raised the question of what would pull that family through the hard times ahead. We can't have all the answers. We have to hold on in faith. But not having answers does not stop us focusing on God.

Carolyn then prayed, saying that as we are all on a pilgrimage with questions, may we be enabled through Christ. God is a mystery. As we pilgrim may we be supported as a community through Faith in Christ, being held by God. Amen

Hymn TIS 633 "Lord, we are blind; the world of sight is as a shadow in the dark." A hymn acknowledging our need for God to open our eyes to the truth.

During the Offering the Men's Quartet lifted our spirits with and encouraged us to join in "The Gospel Train" giving us a different way to encourage each other in our faith.

Prayers for the People Von thanked God that we can bring our prayers for those we love and care for. She asked for God to be with the people of Vanuatu, to comfort and strengthen them in their distress. Von asked for God's care for our loved ones living far away or travelling, to keep them safe. She asked God, the Good Shepherd, to help all those in need: healing the sick; inspiring those broken in faith; comforting the lonely and rejected - those who have lost hope. Von asked for God's blessing in the church worldwide and the special needs of our own congregation, especially Jan and all who lead. We then joined in the Lord's Prayer.

Hymn TIS 465 "Loving creator, grant to thy children mercy and blessings." A prayer to ask God in different ways to guide us in our search for oneness with him.

Blessing May God, who created you, sustain you. May God, who came in Christ, set you free. May God, who is as near as the breath you breathe, grant you peace. Amen.