Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 29 July 2018

Today Lynette led our service, using the theme of gifts and talents to show us how we can serve God and build the Kingdom.

 

Lynette supported her reflections with a relevant and inspiring selection of hymns:

 

TIS 152 “Joyful, joyful, we adore you”. This hymn became very important when we thought about Lyn’s words later in the service, exhorting us to look to the Spirit to uphold us and guide us.

TIS 429 “Break now the bread of life, dear Lord to me.” Referring to the story of the loaves and fishes and Jesus’ ability to use any offering of ours to do so much good.

TIS 619 “Have faith in God, my heart” Good advice at any time. We need God’s support in this hard world.

TIS 675 “Lord, the light of your love is shining.” That's the thing that will lift us up at any time.

TIS 779 “May the feet of God walk with you.” How could we offer each other anything more?

 

To begin her message to us, Lyn showed a DVD and spoke to the kids about the story of the loaves and fishes. Using examples from the kids’ lives, she told the power of sharing and the good it brings.

 

Lyn continued this theme in the reflection for adults, stressing that we all have some gift or resource that we can use to show God’s love to the world.

 

An example Lyn gave was of a woman who did not have much by way of this world’s goods but who, after thought, came up with many ways of showing love to others.

 

She realised that she had a car and could transport people who needed to be taken somewhere and who had no way of getting there by themselves.

 

She knew that while her house was not “flash” it was a place where she could provide hospitality either through providing accommodation or for a shorter time offering others a meal or afternoon tea.

 

Lyn pointed out that even if we have no material resources, we can always “listen” so that a friend with difficulties can know that they are heard and not just alone in this giant sea of humanity to which we belong.

 

Picking up a tea towel is often a way to relieve the pressure off someone, reducing the chaos in their lives a little, as is picking up a pen to write a nice card or note to a person we know to be having a difficult time. Emails are fine for exchanging information, but there’s nothing like holding a card and being able to look at it across the room to lift the spirit of someone who feels alone in the dark times.

 

Lyn gave more examples of ways we can reach out to people who need to be touched by God’s love. When a person is suffering in some way it is like a miracle for them when someone steps in and solves the problem or at least part of the problem.

 

Then there is prayer. When we can't see anything that we can do ourselves we should do the same as Jesus did and turn to God in prayer.

 

With this Lyn moved into the next part of the reading about the disciples out at sea in the storm but as soon as they looked up and saw Jesus, they were transported to the shore. The message: keep our focus on Jesus. He will carry us through in love, whatever the circumstances.

 

And then the other way to find the way to be God’s hands in this world: scripture.

As we read, the Spirit will speak to us and guide us and we will be given the Grace to proceed.

 

Thank you, Lyn.