Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 21 February 2016

Dermot led us in a service through which we were able to think about our relationship with God and each other.

He Called us to Worship by reminding us that all creation speaks of God and then invited us to join with creation to reveal God through our worship and praise of him.

For this creation we praised God by singing the

Hymn TIS 137 "For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies" expressing our thanks and praise in a familiar way, known since childhood, for all that God showers upon us.

In the Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving, Dermot kept our attention on God's gift of creation, expressing our appreciation of all the minute details of God's handiwork and confessing that we often miss the vibrancy of what is directly in front of us. He continued, praising God for the way creation touches every one of our senses but then confessed that even with such opportunities, how we still miss God right beside us in created things.

Dermot claimed the forgiveness that is offered to us and spoke of how our thanks swells within us, blessing God's' name.

After receiving the Offering, Dermot prayed that with God's blessing it will do great and powerful things in His name.

With the Scripture reading and Sermon to follow we asked for God's' hand upon us in another familiar

Hymn TIS 569 "Guide me O Thou great Jehovah" We acknowledged our weaknesses and inability to negotiate our way without God's wisdom and thanked him for his gift to us.

Scripture Readings. Philippians 3: 17 - 4:1 The Philippians are being exhorted to stand firm in their faith and are being assured that those that follow any other way are not going to end well. This is not a threat, it is simply a reminder that if you don't follow the maker's directions, the product won't work.

Luke 13: 31 - 35 Jesus is warned that he is in danger but is not intimidated and says to tell openly what he is doing. The next section would have sounded very confusing except in hindsight after the Passion. Then, Jesus predicts that they will understand and Bless his name.

Sermon Dermot acknowledged consulting the online help of Bill Loder for guidance in analyzing the text and explained that Paul was frustrated in his attempts to guide the new Christians in their faith. Many of the Christians were Jews and wanted to cling to their Jewish rules, despite now being under the New Covenant. They shouldn't be blamed for this because those rules had been their security for so long. At the same time we can imagine Paul's frustration: Why did Jesus come? There was a new way. A New Covenant. They were released from the old ways.

Many of these old ways applied to dietary laws and other laws affecting the body, which could be adhered to without a Temple and still cement their Jewishness. This approach had grown out of their exile when there was no Temple and when they were surrounded by other religions. So laws were stressed which would prevent their merging with non -Jewish people. They would keep their distinctness.

But did these laws bring them closer to God? Did it make them a vibrantly God-centred people? It seems not.

So Jesus came to put an end to it and open the door to the New Covenant. And Paul is taking a big stick to those who want to cling to the old ways.

Listen up!

Then in the words of the next hymn we asked that God would safeguard our adherence to the new way.

Hymn TIS 407 "Breathe on me breathe of God" - "until this earthly part of me glows with thy fire divine". Enough said.

We began Prayers of the People with a time of contemplation, bringing our own needs before God and then Dermot led us in praying for the personal concerns of the congregation.

Our final Hymn TIS 106 "Now thank we all our God" again we thanked God and gave praise for all the multitude of blessings he gives us.

After the Blessing we sang to each other

Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling and to 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 ever. Amen

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 7 February 2016

Call to worship

The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.

Let us praise your great and glorious name, you are Holy Lord.

Mighty King, lover of justice, establishing equity, justice and righteousness in Israel;

Extol the Lord our God, worship at his footstool, holy is he! (Psalm 99: 1, 4)

Hymn TIS 143 “Immortal, invisible, God only wise” It is interesting that God is hid from us but we know him so well.

Prayers of Praise and Thanksgiving Jan led us in Thanking our God for blessings beyond anything we could have ever imagined ourselves. Isn't it so? We sit, having a quiet complain that we don't have everything the way we want it, while all the time missing the magnificent blessings we do have.

Prayer of Confession For us, Jan confessed our smallness of thought and vision which prevents us seeing God with new eyes, trapping us and causing us to "refuse to believe in connections with your sacred being." For this we asked forgiveness.

Words of Assurance "Our God, in Christ, is indeed near to us... Let us believe that we can see this love above us and beside us. For we are forgiven!" Thanks be to God.

Offering Jan prayed that our gifts would be blessed for use in the community and wider world for the healing that is needed, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hymn TIS 537 “Let us talents and tongues employ” We speak of our experience at Communion. We are aware that we are bound together by the Spirit that pervades the whole service.

Holy Communion –Iona liturgy Both our readings today tell of people being overwhelmed by their knowledge of God's presence. In our Communion service we are invited to share in a tradition where people open themselves to the presence of God, symbolized by bread and wine or juice, in remembrance of the sacrifice Jesus was prepared to make for us. It was a sacrifice of love made for all people, not because anyone is or was worth that sacrifice, but because Jesus loved us enough to die, rather than turn aside from his mission to show all people the way to wholeness. And that is ALL people.

The invitation today is "So come to this table You who have much faith And you who would like to have more; You who have been to this sacrament often, And you who have not been for a long time; You who have tried to follow Jesus, and you who gave failed. Come. It is Christ who invites us to meet him here." Nobody is worthy in their own right but we are all invited because we are all, every one, loved by God. And so we ask towards the end of the service: "Hear us now, O Christ And breathe your Spirit upon us. And upon the bread and wine. May they become for us your body, Vibrant with your life, Healing, renewing and making us whole..." But all invitations only take effect when we say "Yes" to them.

Prayer after Communion Jan prayed for the power to keep us walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

Bible Readings Laurel read to us: Exodus 34:29-35 The Israelites knew that Moses had spoken with God simply by his appearance. We often know people who have been touched by God and their affect on us is as it was for the Israelites. We know we have to listen to them.

Luke 9:28-36​​ The disciples knew Jesus was being shown to them in some special way. Peter, not knowing how to cope with this, made an offer that wasn't particularly useful or relevant. But God spoke to their hearts and they knew the truth of Jesus.

Sermon 'Encountering the uniqueness of Jesus and his transforming power’ Jan began by asking us if we had ever had a time when we had been very aware of God's presence.

She continued, speaking about her recent holiday and how the many natural formations and processes had been a reminder to her of God's power, his constancy of love and Grace. She was reminded of God as life's "great lifesaver, and if and when the waves knock us off our feet, or we get in too deep, he is there for us."

Our experiences can be different but our faces can shine with the joy of the moment. These are times when God shows us something other than the ordinariness of life.

Jesus came in love because the world was going off course and needed God's mercy and healing. He came to bring life, purpose and direction to people and patience to deal with the ambiguities and mysteries. Jan spoke about so much more but space prevents my writing any more today.

Song to listen & reflect on “See Yourself” by Robin Mann about Transfiguration

The chorus was telling: Open your eyes, see yourself, In the one who's shining on the hill. Hear the voice say to you "This is the one I love."

Musical interlude before prayer While we sat in contemplation, quietly considering our own needs and those that concern each of us in the world around. A good time.

Prayers of Intercession – Jack told us of the need for prayer as Nth Sydney and Kuringai presbyteries unite. Each has been run differently and now those differences will have to be negotiated. He then prayed for our personal concerns and for our leaders followed by The Lord's Prayer.

Hymn TIS 474 “Gather us in” Gather all of us in. That can only happen if we, God's hands and voice, make his invitation clear to the world. His invitation of love. Claire told us about that last week.

Blessing May the blessing of God who is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be amongst you and remain with you, always. Blessing song TIS 778   ‘Shalom to you now’ God's greatest blessings be yours. Amen.

Sunday Service Marsden Road Untitng Church 31 January 2016

Welcome to worship this morning.

Claire led us: "As a visitor in this place, I pause to acknowledge the Barramattagul people of the Dharug nation. I honour them for their loving custodianship of the land on which we gather." Claire then introduced the theme of love, saying that it is never easy but if we follow Christ, "we cannot avoid the privilege and responsibility we have to be people of love."

Not only did those words privilege and responsibility hit me, but so did others Claire used in the same welcome: scandalously inclusive. Jesus gave his life gathering in ALL lost, broken and fallen people in his work of love and commissioned us all to do the same.

​"'I am the light of the world’, said Jesus to his followers. ‘You are the light of the world’, said Jesus to his followers.'"

Call to worship

​The work of the Creator is visible. ​Let us respond with praise.

​The example of Jesus is apparent. Let us respond with obedience.

​The wind of the Spirit is blowing. Let us respond with joy.

​The Word of God is calling. Let us worship in spirit and in truth.

Song​TIS 477 "Jesus calls us here to meet him" This song reminded us of Jesus' promises and of our part in his plan, which constrains us to praise him and to tell his story to others, remembering that Jesus saw none of the differences between people that we might see. As we grow more like Him, we will become blind to minor things that cause some of us to use the word "stranger" when Jesus knew no such idea. 

Prayers of Praise and Thanksgiving.

Today's prayer took the form of a video: John Rutter ‘Look at the world’. As I watched this video of the Earth's magnificent structures, the never-ending Cosmos, the variety of living types and the representation of the cycle of decay and emerging growth, God's vivifying presence sank into my awareness.

​Praise to thee, O God, for all creation, Give us thankful hearts, that we may see,

​All the gifts we share and all the blessings, ​All things come from thee. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Claire prayed on our behalf, acknowledging that we are fully aware of the contrast between our own meanness and God's extravagant love and kindness. She went on to confess our consciousness of the barriers we place between ourselves and God. She confessed our need to be forgiven and to forgive, to receive hope to live graciously and prayed that we be taught how to live lives of grace, generosity and love.

Words of assurance

"Hear now the cry of the apostle John: ‘How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. For so we are.’ (1 John 3:1). Brothers and sisters, know and be assured that by the grace of God, through the love of Christ, in the power of the Spirit, you are forgiven and free, accepted and loved.Thanks be to God. Amen."

Song​TIS 229  "Jesus loves me, this I know" A simple song communicating everything we need to know: that God reaches out to each of us in love.

Children’s talk

Love puts everything back together. Claire demonstrated, through the use of a not-so-magic, magic trick that it's love that holds us together.

Song​TIS 153 God is love! As we sang together, I became more and more aware of the love that holds this congregation together. The same love that was there before the universe began and created every last atom of creation. That love which shines from the genius of each structure, living and non-living.

Bible Readings

Ruth read to us Paul's letter to the Corinthians, reminding them, because they had lost track of the point of their faith, that actually, it's all about love and any other gifts or talents they may have had were of no worth without it. And that we couldn't understand these things clearly now but that when we joined God we would see clearly.(1 Corinthians 13:1-13). She then read the gospel account of the people beginning to reject Jesus and of their running him out of town. After all wasn't he Joseph's son? What would he know? (Luke 4:21-30)

Sermon Love Actually

Claire's reflection began with a comment on how popular the 1Corinthians 13 reading is at weddings because it has "no awkward references to God or Jesus to dampen the mood." But then that led on to her raising a most important point that I have never thought upon - the context. As a stand-alone passage this reading is a good lesson in Christian living but when we consider the context, it becomes something much more powerful.

The Corinthians were behaving in a most un-Christlike manner. As in any congregation, the gifts varied from person to person but instead of being grateful for any gift each had, contributing to the whole, there was rivalry about whose gift was the most important. Claire pointed out that we are "one body." We are all needed, and none is more important than the other. But the bigger lesson was, and is, that whatever gifts we have they count for nothing without love. When Claire emailed her sermon to me, she sent the whole document including sections which she had omitted because of time. I was so taken with one of those sections I thought it was worth including in full. We don't take each other to court over perceived grievances the way the Corinthians did, but we do nurse hurts and grudges.

"Let’s hear again what Paul says love demands. I’d like you to close your eyes and whenever you hear the word ‘Love’, silently say your own name. ‘Love… is patient and kind and envies no-one. Love... is never boastful or conceited or rude. Love… is never selfish. Love… is never quick to take offence or hold a grudge. Love... doesn’t enjoy being proved right or being better than others. Love… hangs in there with people through thick and thin.’ … Friends, I don’t know if I could say all that of myself, all the time. Could you?"

Another point that hit home was that about who we are to love: 'God's love is to the alien - and enemy". When the people realized that, they killed Jesus.

Can we pray with all our hearts for the well being of ISIS, or Vladimir Putin or a child molester. What miracles might be wrought if we could.

Song​TIS 648, vv 1, 2 and 4. A prayer that we may understand how we are all part of Jesus' kingdom of loved children, regardless of any superficial differences. A prayer that we be taught to see the fallen humanity we all share and the needs we all have and can only meet by caring for each other.

​Prayers of Intercession and Lord’s Prayer

Pat prayed for our leaders nationally and of the church, especially Jan, as she ministers to us here at MRUC. She prayed for all those suffering and grieving, especially those known to us. We then joined in The Lord's Prayer.

Song​TiS 152 Joyful, joyful we adore you Joyful, joyful we adore you, ​God of glory, God of love; ​Hearts unfold like flowers before you ​Opening to the sun above...Fill us with the light of day. That's a wrap!

Blessing and word of mission

Blessing song ​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.

Marsden Road Uniting Church Sunday January 17, Epiphany 2

Call to Worship:

We are the Body of Christ, gathered in celebration of your transforming presence through which we can become new people, reaching out in love to a waiting world.

Life can be enlarged and enhanced, bearing witness to the creativity of God and the wonder of the Holy Spirit.

People: Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Hymn TIS 121                      "God himself is present"

Let us now adore him. A reminder to ourselves of why we have come today.

Prayer of Invocation:   Ruth

Holy Spirit of God, hover over our lives and bring to us all that we need, to be your true people.  
People: Come Holy Spirit, come.

For we cannot be who we long to be without your presence among us.  
People: Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Breathe your peace within us, and inspire us with your wisdom, inviting in us your passion for good.  
People: Come Holy Spirit, come.Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving:   Glenn

Thanks be to you, Holy God, as we discover with gratitude small signs of your divine life within us and among us.

People: Thanks be to you O God, from whom all goodness comes. Amen.

Prayer of Confession:  Margaret

O God, who listens to us as we face our humanness with honesty, we confess that we are not always open to your enlivening work. Sometimes we would rather cling to our comfortable ways. Help us step out into whatever possibilities you have for us. Help us believe that you will always support us whatever risks we take, in your name.

People: Forgive us and bring us to a new day, O God. Give us the faith to act as your people and to believe that we can support each other. Amen

Words of Assurance:  Margaret

God, in Christ, understands our journey and the vulnerability of our humanness.

Grace is always waiting for us, when we come in humble prayer. Our lives are restored to hope and promise. For we are forgiven

People: Thanks be to God.

Hymn TIS 64:                       "O Bless the Lord, my soul"

Again, reminding ourselves of all God's many blessings to us and praising him for them.

Readings:  Pat:                    Psalm 36: 5 - 10; the Psalmist has been in a bit of a pit, telling all the evil people what is in store for them but in this part of the psalm he remembers God's blessings on his own.  John 2: 1 - 11 The account of Jesus first public act after his baptism: the turning of water to wine. Not quite what we were expecting.  But there are lessons there for all of us.

Sermon:   Margaret: 
Are you a Water Christian or a Wine Christian? 

This service was mine and I took a different view of the bible reading from the usual one. I think I was being tapped on the shoulder by God about my own Christian life but I thought what I was thinking was worth passing on.  Water is unique and essential to life on earth and so are "Water Christians" to the faith.  But wine is richer, richer in colour and aroma and can add richness to other things such as a casserole.  Also it comes in so many varieties.  So it occurred to me that because of this richness and variety, this is the sort of Christian who would be of greater service to God's' kingdom. This is the sort of Christian who could contribute to a richer Church.  But to be a wine Christian we need to open up every last little bits of our lives to God. That takes courage. Are we up to it?  The condition of God's church depends on it.

Hymn TIS 398                      "Come down O Love Divine"

Having heard the challenge, this hymn provides us with a way of giving an invitation for God to fully renew us.

Offering:  Margaret : Now let us bring our gifts to God and to others in grateful thanks for all we have received. O God, we place these our gifts into your hands. Guide those that use them for the continuing life of the church.

Prayers for the People:   Margaret prayed for the leadership of our church and our country and the leaders worldwide that they will all be guided by God's Spirit.  She then asked for God's hand to guide in local concerns.  Margaret asked for God's blessing on the church at Marsden Road and all that belong to it, including its leaders and then turned our attention to the personal concerns of the congregation.  Then we joined in the Lord's Prayer.

Hymn TIS 212:                    "Christ whose glory fills the skies" 
Not so much just an invitation but an affirmation that we know God is ready to act and that we are willing for his glorious work in our lives.

Blessing:    Margaret : Let us go forth, holding each other in love.

Let us lift up our hearts in hope for new visions of who we could be as Christ's Church, confident that Jesus has walked this way before us.

And may the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you, and remain with you always.  Amen."

Blessing Song: 781   "Father bless us as we go, Jesus walk beside us, Holy Spirit guide us." And to show we mean it, we sang it twice,

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 10 January 2016

Call to worship

God is present in our midst! God shares in our joys and our sufferings.

God is present in our midst! The Spirit is blowing through our Synod.

God is present in our midst! Christ is calling us to follow.

Let us move with God, Let us transform our communities,

Let us unite for the common good, As we bring our worship, thanks and praise! (Based on Liturgy from Synod Mission Plan)

Hymn TIS 442 “All Praise to our redeeming Lord” This hymn reminds us that we have been commanded to work hand in hand with each other in harmony, depending on God's grace to guide and inspire us. So often we just rush ahead without consideration for either our neighbour or even God himself.

Prayers of Praise and Thanksgiving

Thanks was given for all God's gifts but at this time the grace and refreshment of Baptism. Thanks was given for God's great love that gives us the inspiration to see a new future and see the world differently. Sometimes, when I am despairing of all that is going on in Australia and the world, it is only the inspiration of God that makes me realise that good is possible and that good people are working to make the world a better place in the face of all that is bad in the world.

Prayer of Confession

Confessing that we are not worthy of the blessing of baptism. It is always a comfort to me that my worthiness or unworthiness plays no part in God's plan. I only have to be open and willing and God's grace is freely given. And the amazing thing is that God doesn't wait until I am 100% open and willing. I only have to respond just a little and he is prepared to bless abundantly.

Words of Assurance

The love of Christ burns with passion which is enfolded in a love which knows no ending. Christ the Human One knows all that we face and enfolds our lives each day with the great gift of pardon. Thanks be to God.

DVD Geese

Elaine showed us a brief video on how the behaviour of geese in flight provides a model of pastoral care. They share the burden of leadership. They look after their sick and ailing. It was an interesting lesson: given the care of an animal group for each other, how much more should we care for each other.

Hymn TIS 494 “In water we grow” Reflection on the role of water in our lives but more importantly to its role in baptism. "Our old self goes under, in Christ dead and drowned. We rise, washed in wonder, by love clad and crowned."

Bible Readings These were brought to us by Jack. ​Isaiah 43:1-7 A promise from God to Israel that he will protect them - no matter what.

Luke 3:15-17,​ The people became very excited over John but he said it wasn't him but one who would come after him: He will Baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand. 21 - 22 Jesus was baptized but something different happened: You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.

Sermon "Being baptised by the Holy Spirit and fire! What does that mean for us?” Epiphany is a time to "reflect on the way in which Christ began his ministry to all people." It is also a time to think upon our own baptism and call to discipleship.

John was baptizing in obedience to God as a sign that people needed to be cleansed of their sins and the way the Jewish religion was practised. They needed to turn away from their purely outward form of religion. Perhaps we could think about this from time to time. Are we just going through the motions or are we leaving ourselves open to guidance of God's spirit in us? "John the Baptist's ministry could be linked with the Essenes who were a Jewish monastic community...were seeking to separate themselves from much of the corruption of the Jewish religious system..."

"John's comments were: The Messiah was more powerful than John, and John saw himself as the servant of Christ...the Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit and Fire, not just water...The Messiah would be involved in a sorting out process...The Messiah would call people to be faithful to God."

Time to reflect on our own baptism. Jan had done some research "people...would be fully immersed and overpowered by God's spirit within, where God would write his law on our hearts and minds...Jesus’ ministry enabled God to break through in the most powerful way...he promised the Holy Spirit would be poured out...Pentecost was a life changing event for those who received the Holy Spirit, and for us when we came to our faith commitment. Baptism reminds us that we are deeply loved by God...God's grace is freely given...but we know we will sometimes fail..God and each other...but there is always room for forgiveness and restoration. Are you drawing on the grace that God has for us, letting the wind of the spirit blow the cobwebs away and being fired up for a year of service and blessing?

Hymn TIS 270 “On Jordan’s bank the baptist’s cry” Praise for everything that has happened in the story above. Because of all these things, we can be free of our burden of sin and energized to live a life of service.

Prayers of Intercession Jan prayed for all areas of our church life, finally asking: Send your Spirit upon us, O God, that we might image you in all that we do. She then prayed for the personal concerns of the congregation and then we joined together in the Lord's Prayer.

Hymn TIS 168 “For the fruits of all creation” Thanks for all God's gifts, both material and spiritual and the opportunity to share with our neighbour.

Blessing This time of blessing always draws the service to a close and prepares us for the week ahead.

Blessing Song TIS 781 “Father bless us as we go, Jesus walk beside us, Holy Spirit guide us."