"A Cloud
of Witnesses"
Procession
The congregation
processed into the church; a cloud of witnesses; a line of saints who have
served at Marsden Road Uniting Church and out in the world for so many years
out of their love for God and their love
for their fellow people.
Hymn TIS 455 verses 1, 2, 3, 7 & 8: “For All the Saints” May we continue as the saints of
old who in God's strength and guided by his Spirit, laid the
foundations of this church to which we belong and in which we serve.
Call to
Worship - (B. J. Beu, Abingdon 2016)
Praise the
Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song! Love your enemies, do good to those who hate
you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes
you on the cheek, offer the other also; And from anyone who takes away your
coat do not withhold even your shirt.
Give to everyone
who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them
again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. Praise the Lord! Sing to
the Lord a new song.
Take courage,
all you people. Take
courage, says the Holy One, for I am with you.
Do not be
afraid, for God’s
Spirit is with us. The
Holy One watches over all who come in love.
Let our mouths
speak the praise of God. Let us bless God’s
holy name forever and ever.
Hymn TIS 454: “Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” We can approach God in confidence,
knowing that he will lighten each burden and guide our way.
Opening
prayer
Almighty God,
your people of all the ages live and praise you without ceasing. In our
communion with you, we have communion with generations past and generations yet
unborn. Before your throne we are one with a great multitude which no one could
number, and in praising you we join with people from every nation. Grant to
your church on earth that as we celebrate the triumph of your saints in glory
we may profit by their example and enter with them into the inexpressible joys
you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer of
Confession
A time when we
are given an opportunity to think about all our blessings and God's great
generosity to us and then think about and acknowledge all the ways in which we
fail to live out the freedom he has given us. Then we can lay that burden of
failure on him and ask forgiveness.
Declaration
of Forgiveness
Hear again, the
word of truth: in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Thanks, be to
God!
The Peace
As forgiven and loved members of Christ’s body, let us share signs of peace
with one another.
The peace of
Christ be with you. The Peace of Christ be with you always.
Offering
Living, loving,
gracious God, in you we find eternal life. Accept these gifts, that we may spread the good news of your
comfort and grace throughout the world. Amen.
Hymn TIS
511: “Let us break
bread together with the Lord” "Lord, fill all our living with your life." The only way we
can live
authentically.
The Service
of Holy Communion Today,
for those unable to attend communion, I will be including as much of the
Communion service as possible, which will mean that other sections such as the
sermon will need to be left out
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.
You, O God
created us and have brought your people
through many
trials: Abraham and Sarah, Miriam and Moses...Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother
Teresa— all attest to your providence and mercy and show us ways to live.
S0 now with all our hearts we praise
you, faithful God. In the beginning, you called light to shine in darkness...
Yet we chose our own sinful ways... So, you spoke an eternal word in a human voice
in Jesus of Nazareth... 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... 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!
On the night
before he died, Jesus gathered with his friends to share a meal and wash their
feet, teaching one more lesson of love. He took bread and blessed it and broke
it. He gave it to them and said: “Take this and eat it. This is my body.” Whenever you do this, eat it, in remembrance of
me. Jesus took a cup of wine and blessed it and gave it to them. He said: “Take this and drink it. This is my
blood, sealing God’s
promise to forgive your sins. Whenever you do this, drink it, in remembrance of
me:
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. Send us as your messengers in the world and fill us with
energy, courage and love:
Blessing and
glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honour, power and might be to our God
forever and ever! Amen.
Lamb of God
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.
Invitation to
Communion
The gifts of God
for the people of God. Draw near with faith, to feed on Christ in your hearts
with thanksgiving.
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.
The Service
of the Word
Ephesians 1:11-23
You who have heard and believed, you are his.
Luke 6:20-31
This is about ignoring the ups and downs of this world and other people and
remembering whose we are. Thanks be to God.
Preaching of
the Word
Today I am
making a huge exception. For the first time since I began writing this blog, I
am sacrificing the space given to the sermon to relate the blessings received
from other parts of the service.
Hymn TIS
256: “From heaven
you came, helpless babe”
This hymn paints a picture of an unexceptional person, who in obedience to God,
provided us with a way back to wholeness. However this wholeness can only be as
intended if it is spent in service.
Music to lead
us to prayer
As Grahame
played we prepared ourselves to hear God's voice and to let our imagination see
God's intended will in action.
Intercessory
Prayers
This is the time
when we look outwards, focusing on the world around us, from our own church to
our local suburb to our state and country, praying for our secular, business
and political leadership.
Praying for all those in distress of any sort,
anywhere in the world, especially those who have given up hope as the result of
terrible physical or mental illness or because of irreparable damage to their
homes brought about by hostilities often way outside their own influence.
God of truth,
for all the saints. We give you thanks.
Then we
prayed together The Lord's Prayer.
Hymn TIS 456 "Your hand, O God, has guided” An affirmation that God always has
been and always will be with his people.
Benediction
In all
things, give thanks to God, for you have been called to bear witness to the
good news. And may the Creator of all, Holy Spirit, and Christ Jesus— one God,
living in you and through you and around you, comfort your hearts and
strengthen them in every good work and deed. Amen.
Blessing
Song. Hymn TIS 779:
“May the feet of God walk with
you”
May the feet of
God walk with you and his hand hold you tight.
May the eye of
God rest on you and his ear hear your cry.
May the smile of
God be for you and his breathe give you life.
May the Child of
God grow in you and his love bring you home.
Go to
Memorial Garden
The congregation
then forwarded out and gathered around the church garden while John conducted a
service to scatter Tom Lowe's ashes onto the ground of what had been his
spiritual home for so long. His Spirit will remain with us.
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