Opening Prayer[1]

 Holy and awesome LORD

we gather in your presence,

to heed Christ Jesus,

to say no to ourselves,

to pick up our cross to follow Christ;

and thus we find ourselves.

We gather in your presence

to heed your Spirit

to say yes to the good news of God’s Spirit working within us,

and thus we find faith and wholeness.

Holy and awesome LORD

your promises are sure;

your love eternal;

your kingdom all encompassing,

therefore we pray

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours

now and forever. Amen

---

[1] based on Beu, B. J.; Scifres, Mary. The Abingdon Worship Annual 2018: Worship Planning Resources for Every Sunday of the Year . Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition

Prayer of Confession:

Holy LORD of creation and the nations,

we confess our silence, rather than praise,

our failure to witness to your saving action,

when we converse with those of younger generations…

Lord have mercy LORD HAVE MERCY

Holy Christ Jesus, steadfast in determination

to follow the way which would lead to death,

we confess our unwillingness to recognise

your call to the self-sacrificial life…’

Christ have mercy CHRIST HAVE MERCY

Holy Spirit, through whose power

Jesus was raised and new possibilities are created,

we confess our blindness to your energizing work

within our world and amongst us…

Spirit have mercy SPIRIT HAVE MERCY

The Promise of Reconciliation

Jesus our Lord, raised from the dead, 

was handed over to death for our trespasses

and was raised for our justification. (Romans 4:24,5)

In Christ sin is forgiven us,

therefore we exclaim with grateful hearts

THANKS BE TO GOD

Prayers of the People (from Uniting in Worship)

Thanksgiving for the Uniting Church

We give thanks.

For the first people of this land and their ways of belonging in this place, we lift up our hearts.

God, we give you thanks.

For all those who have come to these shores

from many lands and many traditions,

with the light of the gospel of Christ,

we lift up our hearts.

God, we give you thanks.

For this land of rich or sparse beauty,

its diverse and varied people, and our vocation in this land,

we lift up our hearts.

God, we give you thanks.

For all who have seen your vision of unity

in this country and across the world,

we lift up our hearts.

God, we give you thanks.

For those whose efforts, in the power of the Holy Spirit,

led to the inauguration of the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977, we lift up our hearts.

God, we give you thanks.

For those you called to lead us

in Assemblies, Synods and Presbyteries and in every congregation, we lift up our hearts.

God, we give you thanks.

For every faithful person

who has used the gifts you gave

to serve you and others in quiet and humble places,

we lift up our hearts.

God, we give you thanks.

For people and agencies of the church,

those associated with UnitingCare, such as Blue Care,

and Parish Missions, those small,

and the huge like Wesley Mission,

through whom we minister in your name,

we lift up our hearts.

God, we give you thanks.

For the mistakes through which you have taught us

and the challenges which have stretched our faith,

we lift up our hearts.

God, we give you thanks.

For your readiness to be with us

as our Word, our food, our way, our truth and our life,

we lift up our hearts.

God, we give you thanks.

For your special presence with all in need:

 the sick, the grieving and those who lack hope;

the homeless, the hungry and all who seek justice;

we lift up our hearts.

God, we give you thanks.

And with all pilgrim people

who have travelled this life,

as companions with you

and encouragers for us,

we bring you praise and honour,

glory and blessing, now and for ever,

through Christ our Lord.

Amen.