Monday 8 February 2016

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 7 February 2016


Call to worship

The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.

Let us praise your great and glorious name, you are Holy Lord.

Mighty King, lover of justice, establishing equity, justice and righteousness in Israel;

Extol the Lord our God, worship at his footstool, holy is he! (Psalm 99: 1, 4)

Hymn TIS 143 Immortal, invisible, God only wise It is interesting that God is hid from us but we know him so well.

Prayers of Praise and Thanksgiving Jan led us in Thanking our God for blessings beyond anything we could have ever imagined ourselves. Isn't it so? We sit, having a quiet complain that we don't have everything the way we want it, while all the time missing the magnificent blessings we do have.

Prayer of Confession For us, Jan confessed our smallness of thought and vision which prevents us seeing God with new eyes, trapping us and causing us to "refuse to believe in connections with your sacred being." For this we asked forgiveness.

Words of Assurance "Our God, in Christ, is indeed near to us... Let us believe that we can see this love above us and beside us. For we are forgiven!" Thanks be to God.

Offering Jan prayed that our gifts would be blessed for use in the community and wider world for the healing that is needed, in Jesus name. Amen.

Hymn TIS 537 Let us talents and tongues employ We speak of our experience at Communion. We are aware that we are bound together by the Spirit that pervades the whole service.

Holy Communion Iona liturgy Both our readings today tell of people being overwhelmed by their knowledge of God's presence. In our Communion service we are invited to share in a tradition where people open themselves to the presence of God, symbolized by bread and wine or juice, in remembrance of the sacrifice Jesus was prepared to make for us. It was a sacrifice of love made for all people, not because anyone is or was worth that sacrifice, but because Jesus loved us enough to die, rather than turn aside from his mission to show all people the way to wholeness. And that is ALL people.
The invitation today is "So come to this table You who have much faith And you who would like to have more; You who have been to this sacrament often, And you who have not been for a long time; You who have tried to follow Jesus, and you who gave failed. Come. It is Christ who invites us to meet him here." Nobody is worthy in their own right but we are all invited because we are all, every one, loved by God. And so we ask towards the end of the service: "Hear us now, O Christ And breathe your Spirit upon us. And upon the bread and wine. May they become for us your body, Vibrant with your life, Healing, renewing and making us whole..." But all invitations only take effect when we say "Yes" to them.

Prayer after Communion Jan prayed for the power to keep us walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

Bible Readings Laurel read to us: Exodus 34:29-35 The Israelites knew that Moses had spoken with God simply by his appearance. We often know people who have been touched by God and their affect on us is as it was for the Israelites. We know we have to listen to them.

Luke 9:28-36​​ The disciples knew Jesus was being shown to them in some special way. Peter, not knowing how to cope with this, made an offer that wasn't particularly useful or relevant. But God spoke to their hearts and they knew the truth of Jesus.

Sermon 'Encountering the uniqueness of Jesus and his transforming power Jan began by asking us if we had ever had a time when we had been very aware of God's presence.
She continued, speaking about her recent holiday and how the many natural formations and processes had been a reminder to her of God's power, his constancy of love and Grace. She was reminded of God as life's "great lifesaver, and if and when the waves knock us off our feet, or we get in too deep, he is there for us."

Our experiences can be different but our faces can shine with the joy of the moment. These are times when God shows us something other than the ordinariness of life.

Jesus came in love because the world was going off course and needed God's mercy and healing. He came to bring life, purpose and direction to people and patience to deal with the ambiguities and mysteries. Jan spoke about so much more but space prevents my writing any more today.

Song to listen & reflect on See Yourself by Robin Mann about Transfiguration

The chorus was telling: Open your eyes, see yourself, In the one who's shining on the hill. Hear the voice say to you "This is the one I love."

Musical interlude before prayer While we sat in contemplation, quietly considering our own needs and those that concern each of us in the world around. A good time.

Prayers of Intercession Jack told us of the need for prayer as Nth Sydney and Kuringai presbyteries unite. Each has been run differently and now those differences will have to be negotiated. He then prayed for our personal concerns and for our leaders followed by The Lord's Prayer.

Hymn TIS 474 Gather us in Gather all of us in. That can only happen if we, God's hands and voice, make his invitation clear to the world. His invitation of love. Claire told us about that last week.

Blessing May the blessing of God who is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be amongst you and remain with you, always. Blessing song TIS 778   Shalom to you now God's greatest blessings be yours. Amen.

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