Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 2^nd September 2018

The Gathering of God’s People:  

Call to Worship   (David N Mosser and other Sources)

Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.”

Receive life as a gift from God.   We will give generously to others from the gift of our lives.

Hear the words of faith and rise to act.  We will be doers of the word, acting out of faith and love.

Arise and come away.  We rise to serve with hearts overflowing with love.

The theme of the Service today was “Living Faithfully”

Hymn  TiS 156                          “Morning has Broken”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q69n6SLooc

This Hymn was written by Eleanor Farjeon who was a children’s author and poet who was born in London in 1881.  She was a sickly child with poor eyesight, but began to write from the age of five, encouraged by her father who was a popular novelist.  Although educated at home, Eleanor became a successful journalist, broadcaster and writer of poetry and stories.  She wrote “Morning has Broken” in 1931 to suit an old Scottish tune.

Opening Prayer:  Creating God, Giver of life and love, open our hearts to your loving call, that we may hear your voice and rise to follow you. We give you thanks for the gift of life, and pledge to live this gift with love and gratitude. Guide us, Holy One, to respond to those in need: the widows and the orphans, the tired and the weary, the lost and the lonely. We pray in the name of Christ, who taught us how to love. Amen.

The Prayers of Confession   Forgiving God, there are many times when we are content to rest in your word— your words of assurance, your words of comfort, your words of abundant grace.  Guide us to the places most in need of your love. Guide us to the opportunities most in need of our actions of care.  Forgive us for our times of inaction.  Forgive us when we quote the words of faith but fail to live them. For your mercy and grace, we thank you. Amen

Declaration of Forgiveness   The author of our lives calls us into new life. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.  Thanks be to God!

Passing of “The Peace”  We exchanged words of Peace with the worshipers around us.

Offering & Dedication:

Hymn TiS 597                        “Master speak, thy servant heareth”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iKCjWW3Ak4

This Hymn was written by Frances Ridley Havergal (1836 – 1879) who was the daughter of the Rev. W. H. Havergal.   She was born in 1836 and in 1851 she said; "I committed my soul to the Saviour, and earth and heaven seemed brighter from that moment."   She was the author of many hymns.

The Service of Holy Communion:    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.

Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again!

The Breaking of the Bread:   Because our bread has come from one loaf; we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.  The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.  The cup over which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ. Thanks be to God.

Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Invitation to Communion:  As tangible as grain plucked by Jesus and his disciples, as mysterious as the Presence known by our faithful ancestors, so is the meal we are about to share. Let us open our hearts and hands, as we remember and partake together.

Prayer after Communion: Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

   

Bible Reading:          Read by Chris     James1:17-27        Mark 7:1-8 & 14-23

In the reading from James, we heard what has always appealed to me as a good clear message;  ¹⁷ Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ¹⁸ In fulfilment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. ¹⁹ You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness.

Reflection:                 “Living Faithfully”  (James 1:17-27)  

John skillfully used the words written by James; “To give profoundly practical help in living daily as followers of Jesus Christ.”

He went on to say; “At the close of the first chapter of James the reader encounters a powerful claiming statement. Verse 17 is a line of poetry in the Greek. ‘Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.’   What a beautiful verse. Here is genuine good news. It is not all up to us. The good does not arise from our gritty will power. It comes from above, as a gift, from God. Do you remember that old tale about the guy who bragged that he was a self-made man? People who knew him said that accounted for a lot.”

“When wrestling with problems and struggling with destructive impulses, James instructs us to turn to God.”  John said – and then went on to remind us; “Trying harder alone is not enough, as noble as that may be. The story is told of how a legendary football coach, stood on the sideline during one game, watching the opposing team run around his team’s right end successfully time after time. In frustration he called for one of his substitutes. “Jimmy,” he said, instructing the player, “I want you to go in there and stop that sweep around the right end.”

“With pumped up enthusiasm Jimmy replied, “I’ll try coach!” The coach looked at him in disgust. “Sit down son,” he said, “Billy’s trying. ”We have to do more than just try. We are to turn to the “Father of lights.” The lights are a reference to the heavenly bodies—the sun, the moon, the stars—as great as they are, they change.”

John went on; “God alone is the Father of lights. In Verse 18 the passage turns to strikingly feminine imagery in which James calls us to trust God, “he gave us birth by the word of truth.” It is suggested that the language is metaphorical. God created you. God called you into being. Your divine purpose is not to fulfil every “itch of pleasure,” that might come your way but to be the “first fruits” of God’s good creation.”

James bids us to tune our lives to hear the music of God! There is greatness within you, within me, within us that comes from God.  With this great crucial preface, the rest of the passage from James challenges us to lean forward into a life lived for the purpose and glory of God. 

Hymn TiS 534                        “Love is his word, love is his way”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQWcTjA8e90

This hymn was written by Luke Connaughton  (1917 – 1979)

Prayers of the People:  Noelene led the prayers of Intercession today.  At the end, we joined together in the Lord’s Prayer.

Hymn TiS 618                        “What does the Lord require”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T-zLUn-kxs

This hymn was written by Albert Frederick Bayly (1901 – 1984)  It is generally considered to be Bayly’s best-known hymn, written in January 1949.  It was based on the text from Micah 6:6-8.  He was also considered to be “the father” of the new and exciting explosion in hymn writing in the 1960s -1970s. 

Benediction:   

With hearts renewed and spirits filled to overflowing with the love of God, our Creator, go from this place to follow Jesus, who taught us how to love. Listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Hear the word, do the word, and live the word. Go in peace. And the blessing of God Almighty, Creator, Redeemer and Giver of Life be with you and remain with you. Amen.

Hymn: TiS 780                        “May light come into your eyes”   Mandy Treagus

May the light come into your eyes, may hope spring up in your heart, may peace guide all of your mind, and keep you in God; and keep you in God.

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 26^th August 2018

The Gathering of God’s People:  

Fom river to ocean, from campfire to hearth, May the First People who have cared for this Land be blessed.

From breath to song, from step to dance, May those who follow Your Song lines guide us on the journey of living honourable in this place.  From greeting to Amen, from silence to chorus,

Call to Worship   (Abingdon Services 2018)

Centred in this house of worship, sing God’s praises. Centred in the seat of your soul, delight in God’s splendour. Centred in the silence of the ages, pray and meditate on the goodness of our God.

Come! Dwell in God’s courts forever.   Happy are those who live and pray in God’s house.

In God alone our hearts sing for joy.   In God alone do we find strength.

O Lord of hosts, how lovely is your dwelling place.  We have come in prayer to worship the Lord.

The theme of the Service today was “Thin Places – Where this world meets the Eternal world”

Hymn  TiS 44                         “How lovely is your dwelling place”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHxisf6FmHM

This hymn is based on the Scottish Psalter 1650.  (Psalm 84: 1-7, 10 -12)

There followed a prayer to stir and inspire us: “God of signs and wonders, who is your equal in heaven or on earth?  Walk with us in faithful love, that we may know your ways and walk in the paths of righteousness.  Clothe us with the belt of truth and the breastplate of justice that our words may be true, and our actions may be just. Protect us with the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is your holy word, that we may spread your word of peace. Fill our lives with your presence, as you filled Solomon’s temple with your glory and power, that we may stand our ground during the time of trial.” Amen

The Prayers of Confession and the Declaration of Forgiveness were followed by the Passing of “The Peace” where we exchanged greetings of Peace with the worshipers around us.

Children’s Message:  

John talked about the challenges of young children as they learn to walk and navigate obstacles and hazards, like furniture and hot things.  He used these thoughts to explain how the writer of Ephesians is “teaching us how to stand firm and how to move through life without being harmed by powers we cannot see but which can create damage not only in our own lives but in the lives of others. Powers such as cruelty, selfishness, abuse, jealousy, greed, etc.”   In Ephesians, the image of armour is used to represent a battle between good and evil. 

Offering & Dedication:

Hymn TiS 449                        “Stand up and bless the Lord”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ34W-gJONs

It was fitting to sing this hymn by James Montgomery (1771-1854) after looking at the difficulties of learning to stand and walk.  The poet, James Montgomery is one of my favourite hymn writers.  He gave lectures in poetry in Sheffield and at the Royal Institution, London.  He was the editor of the “Sheffield Iris” Newspaper for 31 years and was imprisoned twice for printing material about the “Fall of the Bastille” and riots in Sheffield. He was a great advocate for Foreign Missions and the Bible Society.   

Bible Reading:          Read by Elaine     1 Kings 8:22-30, 41-43            John 6:56-69

In the reading from Kings, we heard that; “Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands to heaven.  He said, ‘O Lord , God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart.”

The reading from John’s Gospel finds Jesus teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum and it is easy for us to relate to many of his disciples who heard what he said and responded; “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?”

Reflection:  (1 Kings 8:22-30, 41-43)   “Thin Places”

        John introduced his theme of “Thin Places” by talking of the “Da Vinci Code” in which Scotland’s Rosslyn Chapel featured as a “thin place” where the natural and supernatural are said to overlap. The Celtic Christians believed that these mystical places, called “thin places,” were places where the veil between the holy and the human is traversed so that we may transcend the ordinary for a glimpse of the infinite. 

          John went on; “I do not know what to believe except that people are drawn to thin places—to places where they can sense the supernatural. That is what Solomon’s temple was intended to be. Ironically, that is what a Christian church is supposed to be. That is what our Church buildings are meant to be. People need for churches to be thin places where they can come and feel the presence of God. Maybe that is why it is so disheartening to come to church hoping to encounter a living God and find only a dead congregation in a lifeless worship service. A church can be an awfully thick place.”

           “There were lots of houses for lots of gods in the ancient world. The thing that made Solomon’s temple different was that on the day they dedicated this house of God, God actually showed up and moved in.”

            “When the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house . . .’ for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord’.  This cloud of the Lord is seen throughout scripture. It hovered over Mount Sinai when Moses met with God. It led the children of Israel through the wilderness and later on it enveloped Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration. The cloud was God’s way of letting people know his presence.  The people could not actually see God, but at least they could see where God was. The cloud let them know they were in a very thin place. The “thinness” was simply that God was in the place. And whenever God is in a place, things get really thin. The concept of thin places need not conflict with the doctrine that God is in every place.”

            How I enjoyed John’s beautifully linked thoughts and all I can do here is give you some of the highlights that had me nodding my head in agreement.  “Solomon knew that no human-made structure could house God, but he felt divinely compelled to build a dwelling place for God.  It was not that God needed a place like that. It was that God’s people needed a place like that.”

            “A church is meant to be one of those places. There are some churches where God’s presence is so strong you can feel it. There are other churches where God’s presence is seemingly absent. You can feel that, too.  If there is such a thing as the presence of God in a church, there is also such a thing as the absence of God in a church.”

            As I listened to John I remembered some special places that my husband and I have visited.  Places like Whitby Abbey and St. Alban's church where I was strangely moved and inspired.  If I study my travel diaries I should perhaps go back and call some of them “thin places”.  I remember thinking as we left the huge and magnificent church of St. Alban with the shrine on the spot where the saint was martyred for his Faith in the 3^rd Century that he would have been quite satisfied to see “his” church so alive with hundreds of excited children and their families on a week-day after school.  We were welcomed and pressed to stay to see and hear the children present a concert.  However even with all the commotion going on at the end of the concert, I felt a “shiver” as I knelt at the simple shrine - and a “veil” lifted for me.

            I liked John’s thoughts that “We cannot conjure up God’s presence with emotional hype. We can no more control God’s movement than a farmer can control weather patterns. Preachers are like farmers in that regard. But perhaps farmers can teach us a few things about relating to the cloud(s) and to God. There is more life and more that points to God on most farms than in many churches. Farmers have learned to work hard at preparing the soil and leaving the clouds to God. The farmer must prepare the surfaces, so the soil can receive the moisture.”

            “If we want our churches to be thin places, we must deal with our hard places. If we want God to make himself at home in the houses we have built, we need to prepare those houses for God’s comfort, not our own. Some of the things that make a church appealing and inviting to God are apt to make us uncomfortable.”

            “Jesus promised that the “pure in heart . . . will see God,” and that those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness . . . will be filled”. There is apparently something about an earnest desire for God that attracts God. I guess even God likes to feel wanted. David wanted to experience God’s presence so much that his soul panted like a deer for the water. Solomon wanted it so much that he spent seven and a half years preparing a dwelling place for God.”

“All the preparation and desire paid off the day the cloud of the Lord came and filled the house of the Lord. God moved in and made himself at home among his people. Heaven and Earth overlapped a little. All God’s people knew they were in a mighty thin place.”

Hymn TiS 376                        “I know that my Redeemer lives”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4Hy0zqnqbU

This hymn was written by Samuel Medley (1738 – 1799), who joined the Royal Navy but was severely wounded in a battle with the French Fleet in 1759.  He had to retire from active service, and was converted when his grandfather read a sermon of Dr. Watts and he joined the Baptist Church in, London.  In 1767 he received a “call” to become pastor of the Baptist Church at Watford.

Prayers of the People:  Val led the prayers of Intercession today and we finished these special prayers for those people whose needs we know; in our church, in our country and all over the world -  by sharing in the Lord’s Prayer.

Hymn TiS 456                        “Your hand, O God, has guided”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmMQTcyLvRc

Edward Hayes Plumptre (1821-1891), whose impressive theological career began at King's College, London, and University College, Oxford, wrote this hymn. He attained a number of important and influential appointments, including that of Assistant Preacher at Lincoln's Inn; Select Preacher at Oxford and Professor of Pastoral Theology at King's College, London.   

Blessing:   

Draw strength from God’s power.     We will put on the full armour of God.

Stand boldly in God’s truth.    We will wear the belt of truth and put on the breastplate of justice.

Put on the shield of faith and pray with the saints. We will wear the helmet of salvation and proclaim the gospel of peace.

Go as ambassadors of the living God, in the name of that same God, Creator, Redeemer and Giver of Life.    We will wear the helmet of salvation and proclaim the gospel of peace. 

Go as ambassadors of the living God, in the name of that same God, Creator, Redeemer and Giver of Life.

Hymn: TiS 778                        "Shalom to you now" 
shalom, my friends.  May God’s full mercies bless you my friends.  In all your living and through your loving, Christ be your shalom, Christ be your shalom.”

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 20^th August 2018

Call to Worship:   

The theme of the Service today was “The wisdom to do what God Wants.”

Hymn  TiS 107           “Sing Praise & Thanksgiving”

This hymn written by Lutheran Minister, Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) is one that always makes me feel encouraged by the words and the lilt as it builds to a crescendo which is like a beautiful prayer of supplication and praise.

“Lord, frame our desiring to do your requiring, that unto your glory be all that we do; and where we have faltered, give strength and give healing: O praise to the Almighty, sing praise to our God!”

Prayers of Thanks & Confession: 

After these prayers Warwick said; “In Jesus Christ we find the one who forgives us and gives us courage to begin again.”   And we responded; “Thanks be to God.”

Children’s Message:  “Keep praying. God is there. Ask him.”

A childhood memory of praying to God when he was seven years old and had broken his arm, was the way that Warwick introduced the children to the ideas of how and why we pray and for whom we might pray.  He did mention before he began, that his story was intended for all the children under 90 years old; however I am sure even those few people above that age, could also relate to the message. 

Offering & Dedication:

Hymn TiS 168            “For the fruits of all creation, thanks be to God”

Frederick Pratt Green (1903-2000), who wrote this hymn, was an ordained British Methodist Minister who felt there was a need for some hymns to bridge the gap between the older traditional hymns and the very modern ones of more recent times.  I specially like the last few lines for the reminder that we still don’t know everything and we should enjoy God’s wonders and be thankful if we are loved; “Thanks be to God”.

Bible Reading:          Read by Stephen        1 Kings 2: 10-12, 3: 3-14       Ephesians 5:  15–20

In the reading from Kings Solomon asks for wisdom and discernment - God was pleased with that choice.  He granted it - and much more.

The reading from Ephesians elaborates on the importance of wisdom, not just in making daily decisions, but as a tool in following God’s will.     

Reflection:                 “What do we ask for?  - and the wisdom to do what God wants.”

Warwick began by asking; “What have been some of your prayers? Were they answered? Or answered in a different way? Are there some prayers that you are now glad that God didn’t answer?  “What requests have you made of God?”  After showing us a painted mural at Altkoetzchenbroda, Dresden he translated it to say; “God, protect this house against affliction and fire, local government planning - and taxes”.   

He then invited the congregation to “huddle” in small groups and discuss some of their prayer experiences. 

More questions from Warwick followed; “How do we tune out of ourselves and tune into God?       How do we do what God wants, doing it at the right time, in the right way or with the right attitude?”

He then read for us, from the Covenant Service in Uniting in Worship, John Wesley’s writing in 1755, in which he urged Christians to rededicate themselves to Christ:

“Christ has many services to be done: some are easy, others are difficult; some bring honour, others bring reproach; some are suitable to our natural inclinations and material interests; others are contrary to both. In some we may please Christ and please ourselves; in others we cannot please Christ, except by denying ourselves.  Yet the power to do all these things is given us in Christ, who strengthens us.”

Warwick also spoke of the other reading of the day from Psalm 111: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and they who live by it grow in understanding” a good understanding have all those who practice it.”

I found his comments most insightful:

“Wisdom is not just knowledge, but understanding - a fine distinction!“Fear” - not being scared, not something to escape from.  But respect, reverence and obedience.

Respect: Servants’ attitude to their master

Reverence: awe in the presence of greatness and holiness: “reverential affection for God”.

Obedience: doing what God wants, putting that wisdom into practice.”

Warwick admitted what most of us have found to be true; “Discerning God’s will is not always easy.”  He said; “My personal wrestle of faith includes; How do I know that God wants me to do this?  Particularly suspicious if it was something I WANTED to do!”  He went on to say; “Even Christians whom we admire, can make errors of judgment.”

Warwick then introduced the story of Deitrich Bonhoeffer who was a young German Lutheran pastor and theologian, who stood up against Hitler and the Nazi dictatorship and was involved with the German Resistance and Underground activities and was in the end, executed by hanging in April 1945, after being accused in a plot to assassinate Hitler.  Earlier, Bonhoeffer had been disappointed in his own behaviour in April 1933 in relation to a request from his Jewish brother-in-law to conduct a funeral for his father.  The Lutheran Bishop he consulted advised him that he should not “stick his neck out!”  By November he had written to his brother-in-law lamenting his unforgivable behaviour and asking for his forgiveness of his weakness.

It was, as Warwick pointed out, obvious that a person of his standing “A man of God, a modern day saint” ought to have behaved differently.  Then Warwick suggested the question we should ask ourselves when uncertain, is always; “What would Jesus do in these circumstances?

What would Jesus do?”

Hymn TiS 136            “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”

This hymn was written by Frederick William Faber, (1814-1863) and its message is uncomplicated and finishes; “If our love were but more simple we should take him at his word; and our lives would be illumined by the goodness of our Lord.”

Men’s Singing Group:

“It’s me, it’s me oh Lord, Standing in the need of Prayer” was chosen by the group with no prior knowledge of the theme of the service today.  God often surprises us the way he helps us make our worship fit together in such meaningful ways.  I really love it when this happens.

Prayers of the People:  Warwick led the prayers of Intercession today.  He spoke of the importance for him to be able to picture the face and circumstances of the people for whom we pray as he read out the names of the people and the issues that had been mentioned in our prayer sheets.  This is always a special time for our congregation as we pray for people and issues all over the world and close to “home”.  Then we shared together in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.

Hymn TiS 158            “God has Spoken by His Prophets”   

G. W. (George Wallace) Briggs, (1875-1959) who wrote this hymn was a Canon of Worcester Cathedral and a leading member of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland.  The words give us great reassurance and hope for the future. “In the world’s despair and turmoil one firm anchor holds us fast: God is king, his throne eternal, God the first, and God the last”.

Blessing:   “The blessing of the God of life be ours, the blessing of the loving Christ be ours, the blessing of the fire of the Holy Spirit be ours, the blessing of God - Father, Son and Spirit, rest upon us now and always.” Amen.

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 breath give you life.

May the child of God grow in you and His love bring you home.

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.

Sunday Service Marsden Road Unitng Church 15 July 2018

 

This week the reading I focused on was from Ephesians 1: 3-14 where Paul was trying to assure the gentile community of their place in the Kingdom.

He tells the people there that God has called them from before the beginning of time, despite what anyone else may have been saying to them.

Much has been made of these verses over the years and there has been discussion about how it clashes with the notion of free will. Further, if some are predestined to belong, the corollary is that some are predestined not to belong which is at odds with all that Jesus preached.

So, my interpretation is that in an effort to cement in the minds of the Ephesians that they were valid members of the kingdom in a way which could not be undermined later, Paul used extreme language to make his point.

Of course, some people have not accepted the invitation to be redeemed, which is clear, because of all the evil in the world.

I added to this by making the point that we should be very careful about judging others because some so-called “sins” we see in them or suffer guilt about ourselves could simply be breaks in cultural norms.

Therefore our assumption should always be that others are children of God, whether they know it or not.

And whether a person has accepted the redemption offered or not, our task is to continue showing them the love of God.

As an application of this, I shared details about the work done by our local Christian Community Aid. It should be noted that most of the people helped by CCA are people who are isolated for one reason or other and more than anything need gathering into the community.

The message was timely because on the previous day our National Assembly released the decision made about whether the Uniting Church in Australia would marry same-gender couples.

A decision was carried by more than two-thirds majority was:

“that the most profitable way forward was to offer two different definitions of marriage, essentially one between ‘a man and a woman’ and the other between ‘two people.’” and then that both ministers and church councils should decide separately as to whether they could, in good conscience marry or not marry same-gender couples.

It was noted that for some this was a more radical change than they were comfortable with, while for others it did not go far enough.

The implication is that there are now people in the Uniting Church in Australia who are grieving over this matter. Our prayer is that they will find a way to experience solidarity with those who are in favour of the change as they find previously.

Division was never sought. Those seeking change wanted it in the name of offering people of any sexual orientation the same gift of marriage as heterosexual people enjoyed.

However, as in any disagreement, our concern for each other can hold us together. One of our ministers wrote most eloquently:

 

The Uniting Church has a courageous heritage. This Assembly has seen us live this out in a range of bold, wonderful, and painful decisions. We are all God’s people, so may we now focus on what unites us and be about God’s business - reconciliation and renewal.

 

To that I can only say AMEN! v

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 8 July 2018

This was a service which I led myself and there were two themes but the one I wish to focus on in my reflection is the issue of pride and our need for status and recognition. The reading came from Corinthians and face the account of Paul speaking about his vision.

Paul isn't known for his meekness and as a Pharisee he proudly persecuted the people who followed the teachings of Jesus.

He was so sure that he was doing the work of God in ridding the place of these people who were polluting the Jewish people.

God brought him undone and through a vision that was at the same time a revelation, God blasted Paul with the truth. I think we are all familiar with the account.

Paul could have acted with great pride and  started telling people of his exalted status in God’s kingdom in being given such a vision but he says that he was given a thorn in the flesh to remind him of his lowly status, so he isn't going to boast about being given such an experience but that he will boast in the exceptional character of the revelation.

I should say at this point that I don't believe that God ever does bad things to any of creation. However, there are consequences, so, for example, if Paul fell down and injured himself around the time of having that vision, I can see how he would attribute that to God’s action. There are many possibilities.

It would appear that this “thorn” is quite debilitating to the point that Paul asked God to take it from him no less than three times. But Paul tells us that instead of doing that God let him know that His grace was sufficient to carry Paul through any suffering caused by the affliction and still do God's work effectively.

We really want people around us to see us in our successes but the times that I have thought the most highly of people is when I have witnessed them struggling with some difficulty and clearly calling on God’s grace to get them through.

We visited one of our very elderly friends and despite having to lean on every piece of furniture on her way around her house, she insisted on providing afternoon tea.

The cups clattered onto the saucers from her unsteady hands and the water didn't quite all make it into the cups but she did it all with a smile you couldn't beat, all the while saying how pleased she was that we were there.

Her wounds were always getting better. She didn't fall over, just lost her balance for a bit. And as far a she was concerned everyone did everything so well…it was all so lovely!

My 94 year old brother-in-law is another one…he is always doing what he can for the old people. Until quite recently he would cook rice puddings and deliver them to “the old people” who were probably younger than he is.

These are angels walking the earth.

What would the world be like if we could all be like them!

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 1 July 2018

Today I thought I would focus on the Prayer of Intercession and the hymns.

Before she led us in prayer, Joan directed our attention to some of the verses of TIS 690:

Beauty for brokenness. Hope for despair

Lord, in your suffering. This is our prayer

Bread for the children. Justice, joy, peace

Sunrise to sunset. Your kingdom increase!

                  Shelter for fragile lives. Cures for their ills

                  Work for the craftsman. Trade for their skills

                  Land for the dispossessed. Rights for the weak

                  Voices to plead the cause. Of those who can't speak

God of the poor. Friend of the weak

Give us compassion we pray. Melt our cold hearts

Let tears fall like rain. Come, change our love

From a spark to a flame…

 

Some people seem to live broken lives and the above words bring hope to anyone in such a situation. But all of us have times when we experience brokenness, despair and suffering. Whether such times are limited or prolonged, the belief cradled in the words above can lift us out of our desperate state.

 

Not just lift us above our poverty but sweep us up into a place of joy.

 

The source of all this was reflected in the first line of Joan’s Prayer of Affirmation:

“God of everlasting love, who provides everything.”

 

The Prayer continued, raising our awareness that in everything we are dependent on God and that the transformation from despair to joy can only work as we surrender all we are, as individuals and as a congregation, into God’s keeping.

 

As Joan continued we were opened to an understanding of how suffering can take so many forms and how we as Christians must look to God so that we can alleviate the suffering of others.

 

It is easy to think we are not qualified or that we may be intruding but a hand outstretched in love allows another person in need to be aware of our offer to give any help we can, even if all we can do is sit and be with the suffering one.

 

Joan prayed for God’s guidance through the Spirit and that each of us, as Christians will seek to show God’s love to the world. If we try to carry out some plan of goodwill founded on our own ideas, we are sure to fail, because we cannot know what another needs, but God does.

 

This intention to follow God’s will was the idea in line one of the first hymn:

TIS 474, “Here in this place, new light streaming” with the same idea continuing until “make us your own” rounded off the ending.

And for those who think they are not good enough, the old favourite TIS 693 “Come as you are” gave the assurance that the invitation to be God’s child and to do God’s work is for everyone.

But we can't sit still hugging ourselves with our self satisfaction. TIS 531 “Sent forth by God’s blessing,” calls us to action so that others will benefit from God’s love through us.

But TIS 778 says it all: “Shalom to you now…shalom my friends”. In this we wish the very best of everything to all, again a reflection of the Prayer of Intercession, binding the service and our participation in it, together.