Tuesday 11 October 2016

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 2 October 2106




Welcome to this time of worship and community. We hope you find the service helpful and encouraging.

Lay Preachers’ Service. Welcome to Rowena and visitors given by Lyn.

Call to Worship

Lord God, we quietly reflect that, like the aboriginal people before us, we are on sacred ground. For us, it‘s not because of any special construction of the building, but because we, and generations before us, have met you here. In our worship today, inspire in us: Gratitude, Love and a Willingness to serve our neighbours, our community, our world.  In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen

Hymn TIS 90: “I’ll Praise My Maker” (Number 5 from Top 10 list and a special hymn.)

Opening Prayer

Inspire us this day, O God. With the power of your Holy Spirit, revive our courage. With Christ’s holy calling in our lives, rekindle our sense of purpose. With your steadfast love and faithfulness, renew our faith. In gratitude and trust, we pray. Amen.

A Prayer of Confession

Merciful God, comfort us when we wander into exile and find ourselves lost and alone.

Forgive us when we wander from your gracious love and find ourselves falling into sin.

In Christ Jesus, reconcile us to yourself, and bring us back into your loving embrace.


Revive our souls, strengthen our faith, and bless us with your holy calling, that we may be inspired to live your calling, and trust in your grace, all the days of our lives. In Christ’s mercy and grace, we pray. Amen.

Declaration of Forgiveness

God did not give us a spirit that is timid, but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled. Trust in the power of this good news: God’s grace is ours through Christ Jesus, who has destroyed both death and sin. In the name of Christ, we are forgiven and made anew.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Hymn TIS 474: “Here in this place - gather us in.” 

The Service of Holy Communion presided over by John

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.  And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. ​We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. ​It is right to give our thanks and praise.



With all our hearts we praise you, faithful God. In the beginning, you called light to shine in darkness, you made living things to grow and flourish and you created human beings in your image. You chose us in love, guided us by your presence and blessed us with your holy law. Yet we chose our own sinful ways. We broke your commandments, persecuted your prophets, forgot your wisdom and, time after time, refused to answer your call. So you spoke an eternal word in a human voice in Jesus of Nazareth, son of Mary, Son of God. He called and people followed, leaving every other loyalty. He set us free to praise your holy name. But hatred and violence shouted Jesus down. Betrayed and abandoned and nailed to a cross, he laid down his life for the world he loved, and broke the chains of evil and death. Then you turned our sorrow into joy. On the third day you raised him up to lead your people into life. So we praise you, holy God, with angels and archangels and all your faithful people:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!



John then told us again the story of that night when Jesus blessed the bread and wine and shared it with his friends,

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again!



And now, faithful God, send us your Spirit to feed us with the body and the blood of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Make us one body in Christ...

As this broken bread was once many grains, which have been gathered together and made one bread: so may your Church be gathered from the ends of the earth into your kingdom.


Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us.

Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.

Jesus, redeemer of the world, grant us peace.

The gifts of God for the people of God. Draw near with faith, to feed on Christ in your hearts with thanksgiving.

The Distribution.



Prayer after Communion

Holy God, we came to this table scarred by regrets and broken dreams, anxious about many things, knowing that we are not immune to evil's lure. And you met us at this table; embracing us in our brokenness, naming us "beloved", claiming us for eternity. We thank you, living, loving God. Amen.

Early History of MR Church: Joan spoke to us about the early history of the MRUC and the people who had devoted so much of themselves to the establishment and the nurture of this church. As I sat there listening, I wondered if we are prepared to give our all as they seemed to have done, contributing so much time, money and energy to what was obviously their first concern, the building of God's kingdom here at Marsden Road.

My Call to Lay Preaching Rowena spoke to us of her call to Lay Preaching and the steps in the path that led to that from an early age. She also spoke of the difficulty of obtaining training, when she could only attend classes at night and the hurdles which needed to be jumped to become accredited. We are glad that she persisted because she has been a blessing to the people at MRUC.

Choir: “Bless the Lord” The choir has brought us a number of items during this time of celebrating the anniversary of MRUC, all adding that extra dimension to our worship.

Bible Readings:​ Romans 10: 13-17; Luke 10: 25-37         Glen & Emma

Reflection Warwick spoke on the reading about the Good Samaritan. He covered many relevant points but I think these are especially worth keeping in our minds daily as we travel through life:

The four questions the Good Samaritan didn’t ask, but could have:

1. Is this man one of my group ? Lies at the heart of the story, a story that happens time and time again: Sunni & Shiite; Catholic & Protestant. Does he share my beliefs or values? No! There is a fellow human in need. Why didn’t the priest and Levite stop?

2. Do I like him ? It’s easy to be kind to people we like. People we warm to, people we know and appreciate. But Jesus said, “If you love those who love you....” No ! Liking had nothing to do with it; he didn’t even know him, let alone like him.

3. Does he deserve my help? There are a lot of undeserving people. Warwick then passed on a story of a man in Germany who gave his property as a shelter for asylum seekers...who trashed it. Were they deserving? The Samaritan didn't consider that, he got in and helped.


4. What can I get out of it for me? The satisfaction of helping, but it actually cost him time and effort, and money to pay the innkeeper.

These are the 4 questions the Samaritan didn’t ask, and we can’t afford to ask them either. Jesus asks us: “Of these three men, who do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” The lawyer said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” Jesus says to us as he did to the lawyer: “Go and do the same.” 
Amen

Hymn TIS 629: “When I needed a neighbour” ​​

Prayers of the People: Laurel led us. Praying for the concerns of the world and our church in particular, especially the Lay Preachers who have served MRUC. She asked for help for those in physical need in war-torn countries and for refugees who
have had to flee their homes. She prayed for more local concerns but the thing that touched our hearts was the ending:

Take the clay of our lives and shape it to love,

Take the clay of the Church and shape it to grace,

Take the clay of today and shape it to hope,

And then breathe your spirit into it all again.                             

Hymn TIS158: “God has spoken by his prophets”​​

Benediction

May the all embracing love of God, our Father

The grace and example of Jesus Christ, our Lord

The power and conviction of the Holy Spirit

Be with us now, as we go from here.

Sung Blessings:  “May the feet of God walk with you”




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