Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 22 March 2015

Carolyn welcomed us all and led the Call to Worship:

The days are surely coming, says God, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and Judah.

This is the time to begin anew.

I will put my law within them, says God, and will write it on their hearts.

This is the time to begin anew.

God says, I will seek you with my whole heart.

Come let us worship God.

Hymn TIS 155 "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder" A song of praise, sung from the heart. Thanks for this magnificent world and thanks for sending Jesus to show us the way.

Prayer of Adoration and Thanksgiving

A prayer to our living and generous God who has from the beginning of time sustained, renewed and restored us as he has held all things together; who has spoken to us through the prophets and priests. Carolyn, on our behalf, gave thanks for the Spirit at the heart of our community that teaches, comforts and guides us. For this we gave thanks and praise.

Prayer of Confession

We are sorry for all the things we have done and have not done that have

caused others pain and which, in turn, have hurt you.

Create in us a new heart and loving spirit.

Forgive us when we miss the beauty around us.

Create in us a new heart and loving spirit.

Forgive us when we stop caring about others and ourselves.

Create in us a new heart and loving spirit.

Forgive us when we ignore the little things in life.

Create in us a new heart and loving spirit.

Declaration of Forgiveness Carolyn reminded us that Christ is the One who offers salvation to anyone who wishes to have freedom. She then declared: Your sins are forgiven. Thanks be to God.

Hymn TIS 684 "Love will be our Lenten calling" "Peace will be our Lenten living" and "Truth will be our Lenten learning". Love, peace and truth, the foundations of our lives when "God alone is all in all."

Readings Malcolm read to us from Scripture: Psalm 51:1-12 and John: 12:20-33. The Psalm was a prayer of David. He had been visited by the prophet Nathan after he had visited Bathsheba. This is an earnest and urgent plea for forgiveness as David lays open all his sins before the Lord. Are we able to do this?

The reading from John recounts the visit of Greeks for the Passover. They were very keen to hear Jesus. It's worth reading the passage again. My sympathy is with the crowd. How can an ordinary local be making such claims? And what is he talking about?

Years ago I decided I would hold off from committing my life to God until I had found out answers to some very hard questions. I had to give up. I had to commit without answers and now, there are even more questions.

Reflection Carolyn's prayer focused our hearts and minds on the purpose of the time ahead: Gracious God, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight. In the name of Christ. Amen.

Carolyn began by referring to the times when we don't understand each other in conversation. When those listening cannot fit together what is being said.

She linked this to a situation in which she had been involved. An infant with a mysterious illness for which answers didn't seem available. The available mountain of facts and theories surrounding the illness were overwhelming.

She then linked this to the Gospel reading, where Greeks came seeking answers from Jesus. Through Andrew and Phillip an arrangement was made and so they were able to speak with Jesus. Jesus told them: "It is time for the Son of Man to be glorified." and told them that unless a grain of wheat falls to earth and dies, it remains a single grain but if it dies, it bears much fruit. This left the Greeks more puzzled, still trying to hold together the ambiguity of Jesus’ words. He followed this by telling them that a person who loves their life is motivated by selfishness but the person who has "spent" his life will regain it.

Carolyn then referred to William Barclay's words: only in death comes life, only by spending life do we retain life and only by service comes greatness.

Jesus' ministry was for all...Jesus was to die for the whole world.

We have to cope with not having all the answers. We live in a world where the ability to test things objectively is regarded as a good and those things that can be quantitatively texted are valued.

However, even in the scientific world the Quantum theory has upset that view. Not all knowledge can be observed objectively.

People were puzzled by Jesus words and Jesus encouraged them to be part of the ambiguity.

Experiences lead us in different directions. Referring back to the sick child, Carolyn raised the question of what would pull that family through the hard times ahead. We can't have all the answers. We have to hold on in faith. But not having answers does not stop us focusing on God.

Carolyn then prayed, saying that as we are all on a pilgrimage with questions, may we be enabled through Christ. God is a mystery. As we pilgrim may we be supported as a community through Faith in Christ, being held by God. Amen

Hymn TIS 633 "Lord, we are blind; the world of sight is as a shadow in the dark." A hymn acknowledging our need for God to open our eyes to the truth.

During the Offering the Men's Quartet lifted our spirits with and encouraged us to join in "The Gospel Train" giving us a different way to encourage each other in our faith.

Prayers for the People Von thanked God that we can bring our prayers for those we love and care for. She asked for God to be with the people of Vanuatu, to comfort and strengthen them in their distress. Von asked for God's care for our loved ones living far away or travelling, to keep them safe. She asked God, the Good Shepherd, to help all those in need: healing the sick; inspiring those broken in faith; comforting the lonely and rejected - those who have lost hope. Von asked for God's blessing in the church worldwide and the special needs of our own congregation, especially Jan and all who lead. We then joined in the Lord's Prayer.

Hymn TIS 465 "Loving creator, grant to thy children mercy and blessings." A prayer to ask God in different ways to guide us in our search for oneness with him.

Blessing May God, who created you, sustain you. May God, who came in Christ, set you free. May God, who is as near as the breath you breathe, grant you peace. Amen.

 

 

 

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 15 March 2015

After the service I was speaking with Kaye and we were of the same mind. We found Sunday services uplifting because when we, as a community, gathered together we laid aside all other concerns and focused as one on worshipping the God of all. The resultant peace mended many of the week's wounds and strengthened us for the week ahead.

Jan welcomed us and read Psalm 107: 1-3 as a Call to Worship

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands,

from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

We then joined in a simpler version of the same sentiment: TIS Hymn 106 "Now thank we all our God with hearts and hands and voices: that is, with our all.

Jan led us in the Prayers of Praise and Thanksgiving addressing the loving God who heals and frees and nourishes us, thanking him for his love and care and asking that our response of praise and thanksgiving be acceptable. She thanked God that we do not have to bear the weight of our frailties which was lifted from us by the sacrifice of the life of God's son, Jesus Christ.

We then confessed our transgressions in our own voices in the song:

Create in me a clean heart, oh God and renew a right spirit within me.

Create in me a clean heart, oh God and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation and renew a right spirit within me.

Keith Green music: words Psalm 51

 

And Jan announced the Words of Grace: "Our sins are forgiven"...Thanks be to God.

We watched a video which impressed upon us how much good can be done with just a little gift from us during Lent. I was going to call it a sacrifice and for some of us it could mean giving up that one little treat we normally brighten our lives with or perhaps eating more plainly during lent. But how many of us truly go without something we actually need? I haven't - not once in my entire life have I gone to bed hungry or been without clothes or shelter or medical care when I needed it.

 

We gave our Offering and Jane prayed that it would be used to further God's kingdom.

As we sang Hymn TIS 598 we asked that God would transform our lives into what we should rightly be. The last line "O still small voice of calm" alerts us to the need to listen. We can shout above it that we know better and lose our chance for peace.

The Bible Readings: Joan read to us Numbers 21: 4 - 9 and John 3: 14 - 21 which are linked and in a way also linked back to the call to give to others, at this time, especially. Whatever things we think we need, our only true needs can be met by God. Numbers speaks of the time in the desert when the people had begun complaining and being impatient. The Bible says that God sent serpents among them but then ordered Moses to make a serpent on a pole and lift it up that everyone who looked at it would be saved from the venom of the snakes. (And their own venomous thoughts?). The NT reading refers back to that time and relates it to Christ's sacrifice on the Cross - that whosoever believes in him should have eternal life.

Sermon "God's love for us no matter what."

Jan began by relating to us that during her training she spent time experiencing the sort of situations she might have to minister to after ordination, among them the wards at Westmead Hospital. There she saw the wonderful things that could be done to restore people to wholeness and related that to the medical insignia of a serpent on a pole harking back to the healing effects of that sign in the wilderness, so long ago.

Despite God's provision for them all through their journey, the people were impatient and turned to complaining. Jan made the point that it was more likely that the snakes just happened to be there but the people would have interpreted that as God's action. So the people asked Moses to take away the snakes. (Notice that he didn't do that but constructed a serpent on a pole which the people had to look up at to gain protection - God's answer doesn't always coincide with our idea). Jan drew our attention to the fact that the people were asked to look at what they feared. (Sometimes the thing we fear to look at is ourselves - we don't want to see what's there).

Jan drew our attention to God's unending patience with the people (Fortunately that patience extends to us, here today, this minute.) and just as the people had to look to the serpent to be healed, so we must look to Jesus for wholeness.

To quote Jan "Believing in him not only head but heart, is essential for the message to bring life and hope for us. It is not a message of condemnation but of compassion. God's love is so generous and encompassing, that anyone and everyone, can find a place within it."

And again "Let us look to Jesus who brings hope and wholeness to a lost world. Let us make that grace our own, and pray for others to open their lives to him. Let us renew our conviction, to share that love with others around us, that they will come to believe that forgiveness is possible, and life can begin anew, no matter what!! Amen.

This theme was continues in the next Hymn "The great love of God" TIS 164 as it told us of God's love being "yours, it is ours, O how lavishly giv'n! It's for each one of us - no matter what!

During the musical interlude provided by Grahame we thought on those things we needed to offer to God for his care, after which Jan led us in the Prayers for the People. She offered our love joined with God's, reaching out, shining God's light to the world. With her we prayed for those close to us and those in the community around us. We particularly prayed for all those involved in the Royal Commission: the victims that they will find healing and peace, and the perpetrators that they will face their crimes and seek forgiveness in the power of the Spirit. We then joined in The Lord's Prayer.

Hymn TIS 147 "To God be the glory, great things he has done." We sang with full voice and full hearts, thanking God and praising him for him amazing goodness which comes to us in so many ways.

Jan Blessed us and then we offered our blessing to each other, singing Hymn TIS 779 "May the feet of God walk with you"

 

 

 

 

Sunday Service Marsden Road Unitng Church 8 March 2015

 

For those who follow this blog and those who receive the hard copy, I'm sorry that I have not been able to deliver it as regularly as I was doing in previous times. This irregularity will probably continue as my personal resources are not matching the number of demands on my time and energy.

However, I hope that when I can write up the service in some way, it will be a help to those who look to it to keep in touch with our church and use the blog in their own way.

This week Dan led our service and because I did not take any notes I can only give you my own version of his theme. He raised the issue of Wisdom and Foolishness. He pointed out that Wisdom was God's voice to us and that in not listening to that voice we were exposing our own foolishness.

The bible readings for the day included Psalm 19; 1Corinthians 1:18 - 25 and John 2:13 - 22.

In the reading from John we are told of Jesus’ anger at the Temple being used for unholy purposes and his declaration of his power. Later in John we  hear that God sent his Son into the world so that each of us can have eternal life. And later in the same reading we are told that "God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world should be saved through him." Jesus is the focus, we are to look to him. This is made clear earlier in the same chapter in John, "And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.." we are to keep our attention on him. In him is our salvation, our release from the things that weigh on us and prevent us from being all we should be. This is why Jesus was so angry in the Temple. The focus was everywhere but where but where it should have been. When we look to Jesus and trust in his teachings, we are surely transformed, eternal life begins.

In Corinthians, Paul warns us that this message is foolishness to those who haven't experienced its redeeming quality, so don't expect congratulations from everybody for following that way. In fact, those who are wise by this world's standards will probably think you are a bit slow.

I remember the father of a young minister offering the minister's young bride a new house if only she would dissuade her new husband from throwing his life away, going to the mission field. But they had experienced the saving grace of Jesus and all the new houses in the world couldn't compete with that.

God reaches out to us, drawing us to him anew each day. Even before we open our bibles or sit in contemplative prayer, God is speaking to us from the world around us and the people in it. Psalm 19 tells us that "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork...their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the earth." 

We only have to look just once on God's handiwork around us to realise that our God is good and everything that comes from him is good. Just as he creates beauty around us, he can transform our lives into things of beauty.

Many of us have been fortunate in so far as during dark patches in our lives, we have been put in touch with someone whose transformed life gives us hope. May we be transformed in such a way that we pass on that hope to others.

Charles Wesley's hymn "And can it be that I should gain" shouts the results of such a huge change and his great gratitude to God who is the source of all such transformations. "Tis mercy all, immense and free: for O my God it found out me." Don't hang back. Whether it is an initial step of trust or another step along the way, it's immense and free mercy. Go for it because as Charles Wesley says later in the hymn " My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose went forth, and followed thee. No "ifs" or "buts". Wesley is clearly sure of the work of God's great love in his life.

 

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 15th February 2015

The Call to Worship  Rowena welcomed us warmly; no matter what our circumstances or our frame of mind.  She welcomed us wherever we are on our faith journey and even if we have doubts, or are faltering in our faith.  We felt we could relax and feel accepted and embraced in God’s love and care, knowing that we are all part of the family of God.  Although each of us have had different experiences on our journey this week – some happy, some sad, some lonely, some feeling valued – but all accepted equally as we came together to share our journey and gain strength for the week to come.

Hymn  TiS 596                                   “Fill thou my life, O Lord, my God”

Horatius Bonar was born and educated in Edinburgh and ordained to the ministry, in 1837.  He was a pastor at Kelso and in 1843; he joined the Free Church of Scotland. He was a prolific writer of hymns and religious tracts and the words of this hymn were particularly appropriate for our frame of mind for Worship after the call to worship and welcome.

Fill thou my life, O Lord, my God, in every part with praise,

that my whole being may proclaim thy being and thy ways.

Not for the lip of praise alone, nor e'en the praising heart

I ask, but for a life made up of praise in every part.

Announcements:  Among a number of other notices, we were reminded about the Bible Study at the Church on Tuesday night and at the Village on Wednesday and the Pancake Morning Tea next Sunday after church.  We were also invited to volunteer for a committee to plan the 150^th Anniversary of our Church.

Prayer of Confession/Words of Assurance

Rowena’s prayers with us reminded us that as we readied ourselves to centre ourselves in God, we probably considered we are mostly nice people, although we sometimes struggle in a difficult world.  We don’t lie and cheat; we pray for peace – yet we know that we fall far below the “love standard” set by Jesus – frustrated and undermined by negativity – we become too busy.  We humbly joined in asking for your pardoning Grace and for self honesty and for help to become agents of peace to help others.  Rowena declared; “God knows us and yet loves us still.  You can depend on it – you are forgiven and set free.”  “Thanks be to God.”

Offering / Prayer:  The offering was taken by the stewards and children and the prayer was offered.  “Let us return some of your gifts to the church and to the world.  We are all in this together – accept what we give to help heal the world.” Amen.

Children’s Message  This special message to “children of every age” is obviously one of Rowena’s favourite times in the service.  She had gathered a small number of objects and asked the children what these things might have in common.  There was a small vase of flowers, a pretty card, a colourful book, a beautifully wrapped box and a Bible.  The children agreed they were all things you could give to people as gifts and Rowena nodded and said they were all also things to share.  Then she told the children that God gave himself to us as a gift we can all share with everyone and she offered the children the interesting looking box to take out to Sunday Kids and share with their teachers.  I wonder if they realized that their teachers would be busy sharing God’s love with them as they all enjoyed the chocolates everyone knew were hiding in the wrapped box?

Hymn TiS 685                        “The Power of Your Love”

This modern hymn written by Geoff Bullock – beginning with the words: “Lord, I come to you; let my heart be changed” provided a thoughtful way to approach our Bible Reading and Reflection.

Bible Reading:                     Psalm 147: 1-11 (page 467) & Mark 1:29-39 (page 757)

Our reader today was Mae and this beautiful Psalm, telling of the joy of praising our God and of his care for all things and all people was a comfort to hear.  The passage from Mark described the way Jesus was much in demand with acts of healing and preaching all through Galilee – yet he knew he needed to set aside time for himself – to be alone and to pray. 

Reflection:                               "Let God and let go!”

It was interesting to hear that Rowena had struggled for inspiration on reading the set passages for today.  She admitted the Gospel reading just did not resonate with her until the third reading – when she realized it was not just a nice story of a day in the life of Jesus going about his ministry.  It was, she finally realized, a “meaty” message – “Let God and let go.” 

This ministry was the job that Jesus was sent to do, so he could not allow the business and the excitement of the people he healed and preached to, or the business of each day, to overcome him and impede his progress.  He needed to move on because he came to live among us to call people to repentance and to teach them about how they might live their life to enter into the Kingdom of God.

Rowena highlighted the very important message that Jesus realized that he was suffering from exhaustion and he needed to “escape” the pressures and activities of his schedule to renew himself for God’s work.  A person rested, renewed and inspired can overcome obstacles and solve problems as they face the day refreshed.

Did it seem strange and uncaring at first when Jesus withdrew to a quiet place where he could be alone with his thoughts to pray and renew his physical and mental health so he could move on and begin again refreshed by God?  Perhaps so – after all there were still people waiting and clamoring to be healed and to hear his preaching in that place – but I wondered if this eagerness of Jesus to move on might also be a sign that once we have heard the message of God’s love, we are trusted to share it where we are planted.  Perhaps we don’t have to look for extreme situations to share the message.

However the simple message that we should allow God the opportunity to take control of our lives by letting go and resting and renewing our spirit is a BIG message to accept for most of us.  As we rush around trying to make sure we are fulfilling all our duties, keeping our schedules going and not letting other people down, we are often taking on much more work than is good for us.

The “parable” Rowena related about the person who is standing on one side of a field looking at a huge pile of stones that must be moved to the opposite side of the field amused us – but – if our friend with a huge truck offered to transport our “stones” across the field in one big load would we be able to let go?  Or - would we cling to our own wheelbarrow to keep control and spend hours, running back and forth with our own wheelbarrow, in order to move those stones? 

How much better would our frantic lives be if we relied on our friend God, to load up our stones while we renewed ourselves and clearly sought his guidance to find a better way to live our lives?

Hymn TiS 595                        “O Jesus I have promised”

This well loved old hymn takes us back to our childhood when it was easier to make such promises with confidence, but as adults we grow in experience and learn how easy it is to stray from such good intentions.  However, it is always comforting to renew the promise and try again.

Prayers of the People:  Rowena led these prayers in a different way and invited us to stand and face north in the direction of Indonesia, where the two young Australian men and their families wait for news - Taiwan where the lives of 33 people were cut short by a plane crash and to Papua New Guinea where refugees are seeking asylum.   We faced south as we remembered the God of Ice and Snow and the pristine beauty of Antarctica which is entrusted to us and we turned east as we prayed for women and girls abused in Chile and neighbouring countries. We prayed for equality and the ability to make a difference.  As we turned west we prayed for the huge continent of Africa with Ebola and poor and oppressed people with little hope.  We prayed for Australia and for the people in our special “red books”. Then we shared the Lord’s Prayer.

Hymn TiS 658                        “Here I am Lord”   

How fitting it felt to sing Daniel L. Schutte’s Hymn where we could offer ourselves to do God’s work - after we had symbolically turned to face the places in the world where we might serve His people.

The Benediction & Blessing    Rowena sent us out with a Blessing that we should trust in God’s mercy for ourselves and allow His Spirit to be the “wind beneath our wings” so we can rise up like an eagle.  Amen.

Retiring hymn:                         “Now unto Him who is able to keep”

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 8 February 2015

 

Theme: Why do I do it?

Call to Worship

Dermot declared that we had gathered in the Holy place of the church to meet God the Creator, who knows each one of us by name and urged us to respond to the call by joining in the following hymn.

Hymn TIS 745 "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness"

We seem to need constant reminding to seek the most important things first and this hymn imparts that message very clearly

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Dermot began by speaking of God who created us with the capacity to choose; with the capacity to alter; with the capacity to protect or destroy the creation we have been given; made in God's image. He then raised the problem of how we have made ourselves the most important thing, not sharing ourselves or our gifts but protecting our controlled and ordered lives. Dermot praised God who has created the vast universe but then confessed that we often choose to use it for ourselves, risking humanity's future. He then appealed to God, the source of all life, the God of all, to breathe life into us; to walk and talk with us, that we will be the people we should be, for the sake of the gospel. Dermot appealed to God to help us lose ourselves in him, so as to carry out his will in this world.

Offering

Dermot accepted the offerings, praying that they be used to share the church and the gospel.

Hymn TIS 276 “There’s a light upon the mountain and the day is at the spring”

A message of hope. When this will happen worldwide is not in our hands but it can happen in our lives in a minute.

Bible Reading Kaye read to us first from 1 Corinthians 9:16 - 23 and then from

Mark 1: 29 - 39.

In Corinthians Paul makes it clear that his preaching of the gospel is not his choice and is not for any reward. He has to do it because that is the command we have been given and he follows on by saying he is prepared to accommodate anyone in any way to facilitate the passing on of the good news. The Mark reading covers a time at the very start of Jesus' ministry when he cured many people of their various illnesses. But then he went out into the villages to spread the word. That was his purpose - that everyone should know the message of redemption.

Message. Dermot.

Jesus lived his life in service for others but is there any instance of him asking "Why"? No, because he knew that is the purpose of life. We may speak about it as a command from God because in the sense of that being the way he should live that was part of his thinking.

But he was human and needed support to carry on, so prayer was an integral part of his life. The service he gave took its toll on him and ultimately he suffered death because he did not shy away from the purpose he saw before him. But that suffering is why we can relate to him. It's why we know to turn to God for the strength to continue.

Jesus did not do good to others for a reward: he did it out of love. That is the template for our lives. We should not even be looking for God's approval much less the approval of others.

When Paul spoke about the reason for his preaching it was the same. He preached because he had to. Not for any other reason and he, as Jesus did, was willing to lose all of self in doing it.

Paul speaks of bring free, which meant much in a world where so many were slaves. But being free, he willingly gave all of self in service to others. As Luther said. "Here I stand. I can do no other". Dietrich Bonhoeffer had to risk all for Christ's sake and died for it.

When we risk ourselves for others, we are sharing in the presence of God. That is God's call to us: to lose ourselves for others.

Hymn TIS 223 “How sweet the name of Jesus sounds”

The old message for those who feel the burdens are too heavy and the hurdles too high - the only help.

Prayers of the people and Lord’s Prayer

Dermot prayed to the God of compassion and grace, reminding us that like any other service, we do not seek reward but pray out of love. We pray in compassion and from our concerns for those around us, trusting in God's abiding love to care for his children. After praying for those known to the congregation, we joined in the Lord's Prayer

Hymn TIS 572 “O Thou who camest from above, the pure celestial fire to impart”

The pure celestial light has pierced the darkness for all who have sought it. Harking back to the first hymn: that's our priority

Benediction

Dermot blessed us and announced the final hymn, saying that those should be the words we took with us.

Going out Hymn  “Now unto him”

Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling,

And present you faultless before the presence of his glory

With exceeding joy.

To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty,

Dominion and power, both now and forever.

Amen.

 

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 1 February 2015

We gathered together expecting to experience fellowship together; to learn of God's healing and redeeming grace; and to experience it anew, so as we left at the end of the service we would be fit and encouraged to serve him in the world.

However today, those things seemed to happen in a larger, deeper way. At least it did for me.

The use of Psalm 111:1 as a Call to Worship emphasized that our relationship with God is 100%..."I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart"... and that we can only achieve that within the congregation of his people.

TIS Hymn 165 "Praise our God, the great creator" continued this praise, acknowledging God's hand in every sphere of our existence.

This whole and holy adoration of God extended into the Prayers as we acknowledged the God who is love, from whom all creation springs forth and who sustains all that creation in love. Such love that he was prepared to become poor for our sakes. Who was shown to us in Jesus Christ, doing good and preaching the gospel in obedience, thereby opening the kingdom of heaven to us all. Before this God we confessed our shame, knowing he would have mercy on us and forgive us.

The Commissioning of all those who serve in MRUC in any way followed, continuing to name God as the source of all gifts, whose purposes are achieved by the holy use of those gifts in each of us. In keeping with this, each of us pledged that with God's help and relying on his grace we would carry out the tasks to which we had committed ourselves. This part of the service was drawn together with the Covenant Prayer, which began, "I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will..." laying ourselves open to God's purpose.

Immediately this pledge to obedience found a sliver of fulfillment in the offering of some of our goods to God's service in the community, (including our offering of food to CCA) as an expression of our love, to spread God's blessing to our neighbours.

 

In the Bible Readings brought to us by Lyn, we saw the source of today's reflective service. Psalm 111 from which our Call to Worship was taken, spoke of God as the absolute spring of all that is good, while Mark 1:21 - 28 demonstrated this spring of goodness (and power) in the everyday life of the Jews in Capernaum.

In her Sermon Jan focused on the need for our obedience, if God's creative and loving power is to be fully effective in the world. After alluding to the ambivalent attitude of Australians to authority (we despise the corrupt people in authority, are skeptical and mistrusting of bad management and corporate greed but appreciate the people kept alive by our drink driving rules).

Even so, many are reluctant to acknowledge that Right and Wrong exist.(could it be that the drink-drive laws work so well because breaking them can lead to a person's life being seriously inconvenienced, other than any acknowledgement of  the right thing to do). However campaigns like this show that authority can be good.

Jan related this to God's discipline of his people which was not meant to cause suffering but to show care.

When Jesus arrived on the scene, he soon established his authority and power, through his significant teaching and healing ministry, revealing his great compassion. Compassion that can liberate and restore. He brought brand new life to the man in the synagogue in Capernaum and we are called to share that ministry of God's loving, challenging, provocative power.

Jesus brought God's presence into reality and continues to do...through him we can become new people.

In TIS Hymn 638 "O Christ the healer, we have come" we reflected on Jesus the Healer, but with more emphasis on his ability to restore our inner wholeness rather than our physical ailments.

Chris prayed on our behalf the Prayers for the People acknowledging God's gracious and loving care, asking him to hear our joys and cares. He brought before God the planet and  asked for the release of this world from the tyranny of greed. He prayed for those who are oppressed, those who have endured loss and conflict, that they will have confidence in God to intervene and sustain all people in time of need and bring the gospel of love to all. We then joined in The Lord's Prayer

TIS Hymn 533 "I come to meet my Lord" This hymn stresses the unity in Christ of all Christians and the forgiveness and liberty offered to all by God.

Communion

To begin this service with Jan, Mae and Elaine, we offered The Peace to those around us.

With that, Jan invited us to claim our place around the table, announcing that the table of bread and wine had been made ready, explaining that it was a table in company with Jesus and those who love him. Then we, who have faith, and we who would like more, we who celebrated the sacrament often and we who had not been for a long time; we who have been able to follow Jesus and we who have failed; were invited to come.

And then we were invited to take the ordinary things through which we will be blessed. And as Jesus thanked God for the gifts of the earth we also celebrated God's goodness.

Jan then recounted the first communion service where Jesus declared of the bread: "This is my body which is given for you" and of the wine: "This cup is the new relationship with God, sealed with my blood." God then commanded: "Take this and share it."

Following this we shared the Great Prayer of Thanksgiving. In this prayer we acknowledged the many times throughout the ages when God has sustained his people, leading us to praise him for his faithfulness.

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory,  Hosanna in the highest, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Jan then blessed the bread and wine asking that God's spirit would revitalize us through them, making us like God, living and caring for the world.

After the distribution we prayed a final prayer: As this broken bread was scattered through fields and hills before being gathered to become one, so may we and all people be gathered from the ends of the earth into Christ's kingdom.

 

TIS Hymn 468 "We are your people, Spirit of Grace." This hymn speaks of the practical business of being a Christian - being neighbours, being a community, open to strangers, clashing and forgiving, showing justice and care. Sometimes it's hard for we mere humans but the outcome makes it worth the effort.

Jan then pronounced the blessing: May the blessing of God Almighty, The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be amongst you and remain with you always. This, in itself, brings a sense of peace, which we passed on to each other through the blessing:

Hymn TIS 778 "Shalom to you now" ...shalom my friends. This prayer to each other, without further detail, expressing our wish for all other people.

 

 

 

Reflection on Australia Day 26 January 2015

I was unable to attend church today so I am unable to write up the service. However I thought I would write a personal reflection and include something that I see as relating to the readings.

 

One of the first things we do on a Sunday in the service is to offer a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

I have a background in biology teaching and as a result I am very aware and thankful of the universe around us, from tiny bugs to great towering trees; from a pot plant in a corner to panoramic vistas.

I have looked through huge telescopes and down school microscopes and am always amazed at the intricacy, the microscopic engineering and the impossible processes that keep our universe and everything in it buzzing along. And I thank God for it. I take none of it for granted. At the moment I am crashing into things a lot around my home and have bruised toes, but they always heal. That is amazing! My body knows to send stuff to my toes to fix them. On a grander scale, this country we live in just knocks me out. I love this place. I relate to Dorothea Mackellar's line, "Core of my heart, my country". Travelling around Australia, I have seen splendours that I cannot give thanks enough for. What a gift! Just outside!

Then there are the people of this country. What a mix of God's children; what a mix of God-given talent! May we continue to be so different from each other, honing our particular skills and contributing the better part of each of us to make this world a better place. I didn't mean it to be, but this has turned out to be a bit of an Australia Day theme.

Then we have a prayer of confession.

My ongoing fault is lack of trust in God's ability to run his creation. I am always meddling, messing things up. But Jesus showed another way. I don't have to keep doing the wrong thing. And. God is merciful. He forgives. Thanks for that.

The bible readings for today were from Jonah and the beginning of Mark.

The Mark reading covered Jesus' calling of the disciples. For those of us who have never responded to that call, now could be the time. For those of us who have responded, it could be a time to renew our commitment or even check out whether or not we are following the example Jesus set as closely as we might.

In the Jonah reading, Jonah was sent to warn a people of their approaching destruction because they had ignored God. The people repented and God was merciful. It seems these people were pretty terrible, but God's mercy was greater. So, in case you are thinking you have really overstepped the line too far, God calls us all - as we are.

Then a strange thing happened. Jonah threw a tantrum. He wanted these evil people punished, it seems. It didn't suit him that God forgave them. Big lesson there. It is God who is in charge. (Note to self).

All people who have ever lived or who will live, are God's creation and his children. Sometimes we forget that and make judgements about who makes the cut and who doesn't. God's mercy is available to all who seek it. There is that catch, though. God doesn't push his gifts into people who don't want them.

It is the same with God's other great gift of love. Everyone on this planet is a child of God and is loved by God. It is not for any of us to call judgement on who can look to God for his love. But again there is a catch, That love cannot free us from whatever binds us unless we accept it and let it do its work in us. And it's not a once only thing, If my life is anything to go by there needs to be continual asking for God's healing grace which is free to us because of his great, boundless love.

To all of you - a blessed Australia Day. That we have so much to celebrate is a gift from God too.