Processional Hymn
Hymn TIS 351 "Lift
High the Cross" During the singing of this hymn the cross was brought to the sanctuary.
Welcome to visitors Jack
welcomed Rev. Graham Ellis, our minister for the day and the Walker and Baker
families who came especially for this service.
Responsive Prayer of Praise.
O, give thanks to the Lord and call upon his
name:
tell among the people what things he
has done.
Sing to him, O, sing to him, O sing praises:
And tell of his marvellous works.
Call to mind the wonders he has done:
His marvellous acts and the
judgements of his mouth.
Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, from
everlasting to everlasting:
And all the people say Amen. Praise
the Lord.
Almighty God, we praise you for Jesus
Christ, the foundation and cornerstone of all we believe and long for:
We praise you, O God....
Graham spoke about Bill Walker and
his contribution to the ministry of the Uniting Church.
He directed our attention to the cross which
he had carried into the church. It was the work of Bill and a gift to Nth Ryde
Uniting Church. Graham pointed out the careful crafting which had gone into the
cross, a symbol of Bill's care for the church and its people.
Collect of the Cross
Almighty God, you called your church into
being, that your people might know you.
and make your name known, and blessed us
with the witness of your servant, Bill Walker.
Grant that we, following in his footsteps,
may learn to take hold of the cross, embrace the truth that is eternal, and
show our faith by our actions.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Carolyn and Colin then led
us in an appreciation of the stained glass windows by relating their
history and speaking of the people in whose names the present windows are
dedicated, reminding us of the faithfulness of people over time.
Hymn TIS "Love Divine
all loves excelling" A prayer to be the blessing that others have been for
us.
Scripture: Luke 16: 19 - 31 The
account of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man hadn't much time for Lazarus
despite seeing him every day, but when he ended up in damnation and seeing
Lazarus in Heaven, he wanted his help. I think we are supposed to hear a
message about having to respond God's call in this life. I don't know what to
make of this passage but my view is that God's merciful, welcoming arms are
always open.
Sermon "Saints Alive" Graham
began with a line from Judith Wright's "The Slope", "will you
deny the burst of glory in the world and man?" Graham told us that the
title of today's sermon arose from a conversation "Saints Alive - The
Eternal in Time" and also pointed out that 150 years doesn't just happen.
He said that Eternity had broken through in these saints. He compared the
"quantity" of "everlasting" with the 'quality' of 'eternal'
and reminded us that Jesus was about 'quality' and continued by saying that in
Bill Walker, quality had invaded time.
Graham remembered a church camp (which
he says should be law because of their great benefit) where he conversed with
Bill; when the essence of Bill was addressing the essence of Graham and visa
versa. It was a matter of being and truth exchanging with being and truth.
And
Graham said that essence was found in the construction of the cross. Graham
spoke of many people whom the church acknowledges and added Bill Walker to that
list. Graham then spoke of the window dedicated to the Walkers and how God's
spirit comes to us through art, and how those windows raise an awareness of
what is being celebrated and reminded us of John Wesley's words "The best
is yet to come." God blessed us with the witness of Bill Walker.
Will you deny the burst of glory in the man
Bill Walker?
The Offering During
the offering the choir will sing "All Praise to Thee"
The Family Remembers Bill's
son spoke of the many memories he and the family had of Marsden Road. He spoke about many instances
where Marsden Road Church had been a blessing to the family and how they had
benefited in so many ways from their time here.
Hymn AHB 519 "Dear
Lord and Father of Mankind" Another prayer, addressing our God to whom we
can turn - always.
Prayers of the People were led
by Margaret who began with a reminder that God is waiting to hear us and then
turned our prayerful attention to the needs of our own community and the world
around us. We then joined in The Lord's Prayer
Graham then pronounced the Benediction to
which we responded with the
Threefold Amen.
Hymn TIS 455 "For
all the Saints who from their labours rest" Those who have blessed us by
the foundation they have laid.
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