Service for Sunday 10th July 2022, which was conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber.

Welcome: –

Call to Worship: –

(from Opening Prayers by the Joint Liturgical Group of Great Britain p 85 and Invocations and Benedictions by John Drescher p132 & 133)

We come, with a thirst to be in the very presence of God.

We come, casting away our pride and self-righteousness.

We come, to kneel before God in reverence and awe.

We come, seeking to be renewed and made whole.

We come, seeking to be rescued from the powers of darkness.

We come, seeking to be lifted out of the mire of a life away from a closeness to God.

We come, seeking binding for our wounds.

We come, seeking for our spirits to be nursed back to health.

We come, for we have experienced the love of God.

We come in worship and praise, for we have experienced the grace and mercy of God.

Prayer of Praise

Awesome and majestic God, your creative power and your glory are beyond our imagining. Your greatness is told in the heavens and declared by the Earth and all living things. We stand in awe of the way you have scattered the stars and have gathered up the land and the seas.

We stand ashamed compared to your righteousness and holiness. Yet you chose to pour your love into our hearts in a most personal way, by sharing our humanity in Jesus Christ. He revealed the human face of your love, and through that love demonstrated the depth of your divine love for us.

You equip and bless us for our journey through life and beyond, by breathing new and everlasting life into our very beings, through the gift of the Holy Spirit. God – Creator and renewing power of our lives, we worship and adore you.

You have revealed yourself so that we can know what is the truth. You have given your Word to us so that we can know the right way to live. You have blessed us with the life of your Spirit so you can make us a faithful community living out our faith in you.

In humility and assurance we awaken each day to the knowledge of your provision for us, for our body and our soul. We look forward to the time when we will live in communion with Jesus in the mansions in your Kingdom that he has prepared for us. We are blessed that now we live in communion with your Spirit who unites us and empowers us.

Redeemer God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you alone are our hope, you alone are our salvation, you alone are our life. To you belongs all majesty and glory. To you we offer our praise and our worship, now and always. Amen.

We sing 2 Songs:

The first is ‘In Christ there is no East or West’ AHB391 TiS459

William Dunkerley

“The second song is: ‘Come and Praise the Lord our King, Hallelujah’ He’s everything to me number 88

[This song is sung to the tune for the song ‘Michael row your boat ashore’.]

Chorus

Come and praise the Lord our King, Hallelujah.

Verse 1 of 4

Christ was born in Bethlehem, Hallelujah.

Son of God and Son of Man, Hallelujah.

Chorus

Come and praise the Lord our King, Hallelujah.

Verse 2 of 4

From him love and wisdom came, Hallelujah.

All His life was free from blame, Hallelujah.

Chorus

Come and praise the Lord our King, Hallelujah.

Verse 3 of 4

Jesus died at Calvary, Hallelujah.

Rose again triumphantly, Hallelujah.

Chorus

Come and praise the Lord our King, Hallelujah.

Verse 4 of 4

He will be with us today, Hallelujah.

And forever with us stay, Hallelujah.

Chorus

Come and praise the Lord our King, Hallelujah.

Michael Perry

Prayer of Confession

(from Failure to Love in Australian Prayers by Bruce Prewer p88 and An Australian Prayer Book p240)

Merciful God, you raised Jesus from death to be the power of saving love in our midst.

We confess our failure to seek and to trust his love.

We have not loved you God, with his fervent love.

We have not loved others with his class of love.

We have not loved ourselves as you seek for us to do,

Enough to cherish and to nurture our lives in the ways of Jesus Christ.

As a result, our characters are stunted,

Our lives mis-shapen, and too often fruitless.

Have mercy on us we pray,

Break down all the barriers which we erect against your love.

Enter the dark and dusty places of our being, purifying and enlightening us.

Restore to us the desire to seek after you with our whole heart.

Graft in our hearts your true and boundless love,

Guide us in the way of Christ,

Nourish us with goodness and faithfulness,

So that Jesus may grow larger in all of our activities. To your glory we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness

(from Colossians 1: 13 & 14)

We take assurance from the advice that Apostle Paul gave to the Church in Colossae, that God, through Jesus Christ, has forgiven our sins, has set us free from the power of darkness, and has brought us safe into His kingdom.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination

(from Uniting in Worship Book 1 number 13 & 14 p599)

Prepare our hearts, O Lord, to be guided by your Word and the Holy Spirit, that in your light we may perceive your mercy and grace, that in your truth we may find freedom, and that in your will we may discover peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bible Readings

Psalm 82:

1 God presides in the Heavenly Council; in the assembly of the gods He gives His decision. 2 “You must stop judging unjustly; you must no longer be partial to the wicked! 3 Give justice to the poor and the orphans; be fair to the needy and the helpless. 4 Rescue them from the power of evil people.

5 How ignorant you are! How stupid! You are completely corrupt, and justice has disappeared from the World.”

Amos 7:

7 Amos said, “I had another vision from the LORD. In it I saw Him standing beside a wall that had been built with the use of a plumb line, and there was a plumb line in His hand. 8 He asked me, “Amos, what do you see?”

“A plumb line.” I answered.

Then He said, “I am using it to show that my People are like a wall that is out of line. I will not change my mind again about punishing them. 9 The places where Isaac’s descendants worship will be destroyed. The holy places of Israel will be left in ruins. I will bring the dynasty of king Jeroboam to an end.”

Colossians 1:

9 For this reason we have always prayed for you, ever since we heard about you. We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will, with all wisdom and understanding that His spirit gives. 10 Then you will be able to live as the Lord wants and will always do what pleases Him. Your lives will produce all kinds of good deeds, and you will grow in your knowledge of God.

11 May you be made strong will all the strength which comes from His glorious power, so that you may be able to endure everything with patience. 12 And with joy give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to have your share of what God has reserved for His People in the Kingdom of light. 13 He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us safe into the kingdom of His dear Son, 14 by whom we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven.

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Luke 10:

25 A Teacher of the Law came up and tried to trap Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”

26 Jesus answered him, “What do the Scripture say? How do you interpret them?”

27 The man answered, “’Love the Lord you god with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind.’ (Deuteronomy 6: 5) ; and ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself.’ (Leviticus 19: 18) .

28 “You are right,” Jesus replied, “do this and you will live.”

29 But the Teacher of the Law wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbour?”

30 Jesus answered, “There was once a man who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him, stripped him, and beat him up, leaving him half dead. 31 It so happened that a priest was going down the road; but when he saw the man, he walked on by, on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite also came there, went over and looked at the man, and then walked on by, on the other side of the road. 33 But a Samaritan who was travelling that way came upon the man, and when he saw him, his heart was filled with pity. 34 He went over to him, poured oil and wine on his wounds, and bandaged them; then he put the man on his animal and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave then to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he told the innkeeper, ‘and when I come back this way, I will pay you whatever else you spend on him.’” 36 And Jesus concluded, “In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a neighbour toward the man attacked by the robbers?”

37 The Teacher of the Law answered, “The one who was kind to him.”

Jesus replied, “You go, then, and do the same.”

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

We are one in fellowship and in worship of our God, whether we gather together in the Church building on Sunday morning or whether we worship in the ‘digital sphere’. It is important that we recognise that, together, we remain one in Christ Jesus. With that thought, let us uplift our hands and greet those both here and in their homes:

May the peace of God be with you all.

And also with you.

We sing the Hymn ‘Lift up your hearts to things above’ MHB722

[This hymn is is based partly on Colossians 1: 11.]

Verse 1 of 6

Lift up your heart to things above,

You followers of the Lamb,

And join with us to praise His love

And glorify His name.

Verse 2 of 6

In Jesu’s name give thanks and sing,

Whose mercies never end,

Rejoice! Rejoice! The Lord is King,

The King is now our friend.

Verse 3 of 6

We, for His sake, count all things loss,

On Earthly good look down,

And joyfully sustain the cross,

Till we receive the crown.

Verse 4 of 6

Mercy and peace your portion be,

To carnal minds unknown,

Through hidden manna, and the tree

Of life, your love is shown.

Verse 5 of 6

The blessings all on us are shed

Which God in Christ imparts,

We pray the Spirit of our Head

Into our faithful hearts.

Verse 6 of 6

Live till the Lord in glory come,

And wait His Heaven to share,

Our Saviour now prepare our home,

Go on, we’ll meet you there.

Charles Wesley

Sermon

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“How ignorant you are! How stupid!” Psalm 82: 5

I came across this ‘informative’ webpage dated 16/12/2016 in my research this week. It is signed by a Jeff (no relation) from The Flat Earth Society (Yes, it exists!). It reads:

“I stumbled upon this nice video that shows that it would be impossible to build high buildings using plumb lines, (except at the Equator and the Poles), because if the Earth is an oblate spheroid, at a height of 100 meters, a plumb line at ground level would be 30cm away from a plumb line at the top of the building, (at an altitude of 45^O from (the) Equator. We all know this doesn’t happen. F(lat) E(arth) victory once again.”

Since I am not in the habit of referring to ‘oblate spheroids’ in everyday discussions, I sought to obtain a definition for this term:

The oblate spheroid is the approximate shape of rotating planets and other celestial bodies.

A sphere that has a bulged-out centre and flattened poles is defined as an oblate spheroid. The equatorial region of the Earth is bulged out and the polar regions are flattened due to the rotation of the earth, and this is why the Earth is considered an oblate spheroid.

Now, I can guarantee you that every photograph taken of the Earth from Space reveals that its shape is that of an ‘oblate spheroid’. Geomorphological and seismic studies reveal that the shape of the Earth is that of an ‘oblate spheroid’. In the event of a Lunar Eclipse, the shape of the shadow of the Earth as it travels across the face of the Moon, as the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, is that of an ‘oblate spheroid’.

I find great difficulty then in following the logic of this Jeff when he seeks to convince us that the shape of the Earth cannot be that of an ‘oblate spheroid’. In the words of the writer of Psalm 82, I would feel compelled to say to him:

“How ignorant you are! How stupid!” (Psalm 82: 5) .

Now, these are fairly strong words of criticism. I feel that they are warranted in the case of this Jeff who composed the Webpage in question. But, to whom, and on what grounds, is the writer of Psalm 82 using these words?

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jesus-crucifixion-wood-engraving-published-in-1862

“we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven” Colossians 1: 14

First, we need to establish a firm foundation and framework, a firm understanding of the things of God. The Apostle Paul, writing to the believers in the Church at Colossae writes:

“And with joy give thanks to the Father” (Colossians 1: 12)

Why does Paul say this? Why should the Christians at Colossae be joyful and give thanks to God? Paul gives five reasons.

Firstly, in and through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has demonstrated His supreme and ‘life-giving’ power as the Creator and sustainer of Life. We have been rescued, liberated, by the power of God from the ‘grip’ of Satan. (Colossians 1: 13a) Jesus once said to a group of Jewish Authorities:

“Just as the Father is Himself the source of life, in the same way He has made his Son to be the source of life.” (John 5: 26)

Secondly, we have experienced a transference from a life lived in darkness to a life lived in the light of God. (Colossians 1: 13a) Where once we lived as people groping and stumbling in the dark, not knowing what to do, not knowing to where we were going, living in the shadows of doubt and ignorance, now, God has given us a light by which to live. Jesus once said to some Scribes and Pharisees:

“I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.” (John 8: 12)

Thirdly, we have experienced a transference from slavery to freedom. (Colossians 1: 14a) Without God, we are slaves to our fears, slaves to our sins, slaves to our helplessness and faults. In Jesus Christ we are “set free”, in which fear and frustration are taken away. Jesus once said to a crowd:

“everyone who sins is a slave of sin, (but) the Son (will)set you free, (and) you will be really free.” (John 8; 34 & 36)

Fourthly, we have experienced a transfer to the Kingdom of God (Colossians 1: 13b) , included as members of God’s chosen people, God’s special and unique possession. At the Last Supper, Jesus prayed for his Disciples saying:

“Father, just as I do not belong to the World, they do not belong to the World. Dedicate them to yourself by means of the truth.” (John 17: 16)

Lastly, “our sins are forgiven.” (Colossians 1: 14b) We are no longer condemned and under the judgement of God because of our sinful nature and sinful tendencies, but, rather, we have experienced the love of God and the forgiveness of God. As Jesus commanded his Disciples at the time of his ascension up to Heaven:

“the message about repentance and the forgiveness of sins must be preached to all Nations” (Luke 24: 47)

Upon this understanding, Paul then prays that God will grant the believers in Colossae two things:

“knowledge of God’s will for them”, and

“the wisdom and understanding that the Holy Spirit gives to God’s people”. (Colossians 1: 9)

Why? For what purpose?

Paul is seeking for them that which will promote moral maturity and spiritual growth. He expresses this in three parts:

So that they will “live as God wants and according to what pleases God” (Colossians 1: 10a) ,

So that they will “produce all kinds of good deeds” (Colossians 1: 10b) , and

So that they may grow in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1: 10c)

Paul is stressing two things to them:

“only in union with Jesus Christ is there hope of salvation for the World” and of reconciliation with God, and, following this and arising from this,

there are “implications” for how this new-found faith in God must be “lived out” for God in the World.

(William Barclay in Letters to Colossians p133 & 134 and Introduction to Paul’s Letter to the Colossians in Good News bible p977)

Paul is expecting that moral maturity and spiritual growth arise in the individual as a result of their reconciled relationship with God. Knowing this, and knowing the importance of living a life striving for these God-given goals, what are the consequences for deviating from such goals in your life?

These consequences are referred to by the writer of Psalm 82, by the Prophet Amos, and by Jesus in the parable of the Samaritan

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person-sleeping-on-the-street

“Give justice to the poor and the orphans; be fair to the needy and the helpless” Psalm 82: 3

The writer of Psalm 82 exhorts their readers to stop certain behaviours and encourages them to strive for certain behaviours.

“stop judging unjustly” (Psalm 82: 2a) ,

“don’t show partiality to the wicked” (Psalm 82: 2b) ,

“defend the rights of the poor and orphans” (Psalm 82: 3a) ,

“be fair to the needy and helpless” (Psalm 82: 3b) ,

“rescue them from the power of evil people” (Psalm 82: 4).

But, they are not writing about anything that was new to their readers, or about a moral way of life which their readers had not been previously been informed, for their Laws covered such things, their Laws which God had given to His People since the days of Moses.

“do not help a guilty man be giving false testimony” (Exodus 23: 1),

“do not deny justice to a poor man” (Exodus 23: 6),

“be honest when you make decisions in legal cases: do not show favouritism to the poor or fear the rich.” (Leviticus 19: 15),

“if there is a fellow Israelite in need, do not be selfish and refuse to help them, instead, be generous to them” (Deuteronomy 15: 7 & 8),

“do not deprive foreigners and orphans of their rights” (Deuteronomy 24: 17).

Why was there this expectation that their actions would reflect such “moral maturity”? It was because their God, who had chosen to be in a Covenant relationship with them, demonstrated such high standards in His interactions with people. Moses wrote of God saying:

“The LORD is perfect and just in His ways; your God is faithful and true; He does what is right and fair” (Deuteronomy 32: 4)

God was expecting His People to exhibit this same just and fair approach to those people with whom they shared the Land which God had given to all of them, to those people whom God equally loved and to whom He showed the same mercy and generosity.

Is this what the writer of Psalm 82 saw within the Society of their time? No, for they write:

“you are completely Corrupt, justice has disappeared” (psalm 5b)

Instead of that which God expected of them, all that they saw was unjust behaviour, partiality towards the rich and powerful, and the oppression of the poor and the orphans, of the needy and the helpless.

It was on this basis that they then passed judgement upon their readers:

“How ignorant you are! How stupid!” (Psalm 82: 5a)

Why was the writer of Psalm 82 justified in saying this? It was because their readers knew of that way of life of which God expected them to live. It was because the people knew of their responsibility to treat others as God treated these people and as God treated them.

It was because they knew that God’s expectation and hope for them was that moral maturity and spiritual growth would arise in the individual as a result of their faithful living out of their covenantal relationship with God.

The writer of Psalm 82 rightly calls their readers stupid, for their foolishness in thinking that God would overlook their immoral and unjust behaviour, that God was powerless to interfere, that they could usurp the will and purpose of God, or, worse, that God did not exist, and, therefore, that they could act as they chose without any consequences.

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“God said, ‘I am using it to show that my People are like a wall that is out of line.’” Amos 7: 8

The Prophet Amos, too, saw that such behaviour was prevalent in the Society of his time. Amos looked around him and, too, saw that which was unjust, unfair and oppressive, that which was self-serving and motivated by greed and wickedness.

God gave to Amos the image of God using a plumbline by which He was measuring the People of God, comparing their behaviour with His expectations. The people of the time would have been familiar with the use of plumbline for ensuring that their structures were straight and level and perpendicular. They were also familiar with the tragic consequences of buildings that were not straight and level and perpendicular, for it was these buildings that collapsed or fell apart. There was a great need to ensure that they were guided by these principles when erecting their buildings. So, too, they needed to be guided by God’s principles when building their relationships, be it in their families or in the wide society.

What God found was that “my people are like a wall that is out of line” (Amos 7:8b) . What God found was that their way of life was out of alignment with His will and purpose for them. Their way of life did not reflect a faithfulness to His covenantal relationship with them.

The Prophet Amos could, just as rightly, call his readers stupid, for their foolishness in thinking that God would overlook their immoral and unjust behaviour, that God was powerless to interfere or intervene in their immoral and unjust behaviour, that they could usurp the will and purpose of God, or, worse, that God did not exist, and, therefore, that they could act as they chose without any consequences.

God reassured Amos of His power and authority over His people, God reassured Amos of His passing judgement upon His people, not just because of their disobedience to His Laws but also because of the wilfulness of their disobedience. (Amos 7: 8) And the punishment that God would bring upon His people would be severe:

Places of worship “will be destroyed” (Amos 7: 9a) ,

Holy places “will be left in ruins” (Amos 7: 9b) ,

The Kings dynasty “will end” (Amos 7: 9c) .

There were to be consequences for the people of Israel for not aligning their way of life upon the way of God, for the absence of moral maturity and spiritual growth in their lives that should have resulted from their being faithful to their covenantal relationship with God. They showed no love for their neighbours because they showed no love for their God.

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“The Samaritan took the man to an inn, where he took care of him” Luke 10: 34

Jesus saw the same hesitancy in the Teacher of the Law to align his life to the will and purpose of God. Luke writes that the Teacher of the Law wanted to “justify himself” (Luke 10: 29) , to limit his responsibility towards God and towards his neighbours, to define for himself what it meant to be obedient to God’s Laws, to minimise the moral maturity and spiritual growth to which God was calling him.

Jesus challenged the racial and social and cultural and religious norms and prejudices of his time. Jesus challenged the Teacher of the Law to accept his responsibility to respond to the need of the person and not to the race or culture or religion or social standing of the person, for that is the way of God. Jesus challenged the Teacher of the Law to give back in his service for God the good things that God had given to him, to be generous as God is generous. Jesus challenged the Teacher of the Law to show the same mercy and grace to all people, just as God willingly demonstrates His mercy and grace to all people.

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‘A loving response is what God requires and not mere observance of external laws’

There was an interesting article titled “Restoring faith in our national heritage” written by Paul Kelly in last weekend’s The Weekend Australian. In the article he argues that our 2000 year old Judaeo-Christian heritage forms the basis for the shared moral principles “to which we are all accountable, into which we are all educated and which we have internalised”, the moral code upon which is based our institutions, our governance and our laws. However, he fears that “we have begun a journey down the road to moral relativism and individualism”, of the danger of Society drifting towards a place in which there is no fundamental agreement about good and evil”. He writes that this is taking place against the backdrop of “the demise of Christian religion” which, it is argued, is evident in the most recent Census results.

Paul Kelly writes, “Every axiom on which our shared culture rested is dismantled, disputed or lost – we cannot agree on freedom of speech, on how we should live, on how we should die, on how children should be raised, on what is a woman, on what is a man, on the meaning of marriage, on what our schools should teach, on our Nation’s history, on the limits of privacy, on whether religion should be allowed in the public square and, ultimately, on what is virtue.”

Elsewhere he writes of the predominant view that while one may value “Christian tradition”, this need not be linked with an “enthusiasm for Christian Theology”, that “you

don’t need a belief in the Holy Trinity to grasp the civilising role of Christian tradition.”

Paul Kelly didn’t say so explicitly, but I would content that it is the opposite that is the reality. A Christian tradition arises from an acceptance of a Christian Theology. The Apostle Paul stated to the Church in Colossae that “moral maturity and spiritual growth” arise in the individual as a result of their reconciled relationship with God. These cannot exist in isolation to one’s relationship with God. The thoughts of the writer of Psalm 82, the revelations of the Prophet Amos and the interactions of Jesus with others, demonstrate that where there is no relationship with God, there is moral and spiritual decay. Upon what can you base moral maturity and spiritual growth other than upon a relationship with God as Lord and Saviour, the God who restores relationships, the God who restores the worth of individuals, the God who is just and fair in His dealings, the God whose Will and Purpose for Humanity is paramount, the Almighty and Majestic Creator God who has demonstrated His saving power at the cross and the empty tomb.

I’ve started to read this book titled “The Unexpected Enemy”, about the life of Ghulam Masih Naaman. In it he declares with confidence:

“God has become real to me, and I know that He acts within our World.” (p9)

“The fact that He (is) concerned with me, and with even the smallest details in my life now fills me with wonder.” (p19)

“A loving response (is) what God (requires) and not mere observance of external laws.” (p17)

I have only read the early chapters of the book, but the author, like Paul, stresses the understanding that our relationship with God is of paramount importance, and is the foundation upon which we live out our ‘external beaviours’.

Ask yourself:

“How real is God to you?”

“Have you experienced God’s concern for the smallest details of your life?”

“Does your experience of God fill you with wonder?”

May our lives truly be lived as a loving response to a loving God.

I will leave you with this poem by an anonymous author:

“I do not rest on shifting sand,

Or fear the storm that rages;

For calm and sure, I stand secure

Upon the Rock of Ages.”

(from February 19 in Our daily Bread for December 2005 to February 2006)

We sing the hymnHymn ‘O God of love, whose heart is ever yearning’ TiS614

[This hymn is sung to the tune Finlandia. It is based in part on Luke 10: 25 – 37.]

[This YouTube clip is for another, longer hymn, so stop the video after the third verse.]

Finlandia hymn tune – Bing video

Verse 1 of 3

O God of love, whose heart is ever yearning

That fixed on you our wayward thoughts may be,

Now grant us grace to live as in your presence,

And help us all our erring ways to see.

May love subdue the ill in every Nation,

And all to you as subjects bow the knee.

Verse 2 of 3

O Father God, moved ever by compassion

For children crushed by sorrow’s heavy load,

Be swift to aid the downcast and the cheerless

Lift up the fallen on life’s thorny road.

Give calm and strength to overcome with patience,

And safely bring them to your blest abode.

Verse 3 of 3

O God of peace, whose son with our sins laden

Died to secure from bondage our release,

Help us to banish hate between the Nations,

To live as neighbours and make wars to cease.

Bring in the reign of friendship universal,

And in your mercy grant to us your peace.

Randall Pittman

Offering

Offering Prayer

“For the life that you have given” TiS774

[This YouTube clip is for another hymn so disregard the words – only the one verse is needed.]

For the life that you have given,

For the love in Christ made known,

With these fruits of time and labour,

With these gifts that are your own:

Here we offer, Lord, our praises;

Heart and mind and strength we bring;

Give us grace to love and serve you,

Living what we pray and sing.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Prayers for Others

Loving God, knowing your love for all of Humanity, especially your compassion for the needy, we come to you with our cares and our concerns.

We pray for the Church, that we may follow Christ, the head of the Church, more closely and continue his mission of reconciling others to both yourself and one another.

We pray for insight, that you will help us recognize our neighbour in the refugee, the homeless person, and the marginalized of society, and inspire our response to their needs

We pray for conversion of our spirit, that you will teach us how to love with our whole heart and guide us in moving our religious ideals from ideas to action.

We pray for freedom of spirit that you will free us from fear, attachments, and wounds so that we may fully respond to all that you ask of us.

We pray for a new encounter with you, that through prayer and reflection on the Scriptures, we may enter into a deeper relationship with Christ, the firstborn of creation and the first risen from the dead.

We pray for all who have been the victims of crime, that you will restore their loss, heal their wounds, and help them to trust others again.

We pray for all who care for those in need, that those working in outreach ministries, housing assistance, healthcare, pregnancy centres, or refugee services, may continue to bring your love and compassion to those whom they serve.

We pray for all who are ill or recovering from surgery, that they may know your tender healing touch.

We pray for the healing of racism, that we may be instruments of reconciliation, working for justice, and promoting the advancement of all who have suffered prejudice or discrimination.

We pray for growth in respect in civic dialogue, that political leaders may listen to opposing views, respect the dignity of those with different ideas, and strive to find a path that will promote the welfare of all.

We pray for better stewardship of your Creation: that being aware that all Creation came through Christ, we may work to honour and protect it as a sign of your love for all people.

We pray for all who are in transition, that you will guide those in Congregations that are being reorganized and ministry leaders who are beginning new roles, to find effective ways to listen and to cooperate in bringing forth your reign today.

We pray for peace, that we may turn to Christ, whose death and resurrection offers the only peace that endures, to bring an end to violence and bloodshed and give us a new vision for cooperation and justice.

We pray for the peoples of Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda. We are thankful for how the churches in Sudan and in South Sudan, as well as Ecumenical Network Sudan, have consistently pursued peace processes, healing and reconciliation in these war-ravaged countries. We are thankful for those who work to bring justice for the victims of genocide and war crimes, including the International Criminal Court. We are thankful for the many who carry out humanitarian work in these countries and who settle those who are displaced. We are thankful or the economic progress and peacebuilding that has occurred in Uganda, and for effective measures to curb the spread of HIV and AIDS.

We pray for a cessation of ethnic animosities and violence, and increased understanding between ethnic and religious groups. We pray for Governments to respect the will and best interests of their people and the human rights of all. We pray that natural resources to be preserved and the land saved from further desertification.

Prayers

Prayer for South Sudan

Our Heavenly Father,
We come into your presence with thanksgiving and gratitude for your grace, mercy and love in South Sudan.
We know things are not going so well in the country, but we believe that You will do the changes in Your own time.
We trust that South Sudan belongs to you, and therefore we surrender all things into your hand in faith.
For in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Prayer for peace

Bless, O Lord, those who hear your word and believe it.
We pray for the people who are in remote areas,
and live in fear of the world of spirits,
that they will know your power as Saviour of the world.
Bring peace to our land
and all parts of the world that are disturbed,
so that the gospel of salvation may be preached to all humankind.
In Jesus’ name we pray.

(Episcopal Church of Sudan. PEW #123.)

Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org)

We pray for strength for church leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo who have been trained by partner hospitals of The Leprosy Mission. We pray that they will recognise people suffering from diseases like leprosy in their communities, and that you will provide physical and spiritual care for them. We pray for the successful launch of the new DHARA smartphone app, a tool to help health workers in India screen and manage cases of leprosy and related diseases on home visits.

We pray for the Canadian charity, the Effect Hope, for their team and partners as they launch new innovative programmes that include integrated, cross cutting approaches to care for communities facing leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, and other neglected tropical diseases. We pray for success with the launching of a new website, a fresh logo, new advocacy campaigns, and a re-focused identity. We pray that you would work through these efforts to touch and inspire the hearts of Canadians who do not yet know about people living with neglected tropical diseases.

We pray for the Irish charity, Mission to End Leprosy, for the development of their research projects and the piloting of our new programmes around the world to fight against leprosy, and other neglected infectious and parasitic diseases.

(The Leprosy Mission Prayer Diary 2022)

We pray for the work organised by the partner church of UnitingWorld, the Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua (GKI-TP) and its development unit P3W, aimed at helping alleviate poverty, improve nutrition and empower women and children in Papua Province, Indonesia. We pray for success as it aims to provide skills training, and disaster preparedness to several communities in the highlands and around Jayapura.

We pray for your support for the project to help women to grow vegetables like soya and kidney beans, spinach and kale in their gardens, to feed their families and also supplement their family income. We pray also for your blessing on the provision of education and training about financial management, to help them be able to better save money for education and emergencies.

We pray for the work organised by the partner church of UnitingWorld, the Protestant Church in Maluku (GPM) and their development team Sagu Salempeng Foundation (SSF), in the Maluku Province in Indonesia. We pray for success as they work to support mixed groups of Christian and Muslim women with education and microfinance to increase access to economic opportunities in the community and the ability to have a voice in household decision making. We pray that it will encourage friendships between women from different faith backgrounds, enabling women to act as agents of peace within their families and community.

(https://unitingworld.org.au/projects/peacebuilding-and-womens-empowerment/)

We pray for the success of the Scripture Union Schools Ministry Conference being held that it will be a valuable time for chaplains to develop skills and be quipped and inspired for their work in the coming school term. We pray for the success of Scrip0ture Union run camps and activities, for the Performing Arts Camp in Victoria, the LEADS Camp in ACT, the youth event in Hamilton, Victoria, and the SUPA & Beyond Camp and the Family Winter Gathering happening in Tasmania. We pray for the health and safety of the leaders and for those taking part, for the Holy Spirit to challenge people to come to a closer relationship with you, and for a wider engagement of local churches.

(SU Prayer Guide July 2022)

We ask that you Spirit will work in the minds and hearts of all the children who attend religious instruction classes at Bald Hills State School. May these children be open to you leading them into right living and a loving relationship with you.

We ask that Kylie Conomos will return to school refreshed and enthused to continue her work among the children, families and teaching staff at Bald Hills State School. Please guide her as she meets the often tremendous needs of children and their families.

We pray for the Deception Bay Congregation, for your guidance and insight for them with their call for a new Minister of the Word.

We thank you for Jillian and her work with the Church Council and the people of the Congregation to clarify our vision and mission goals as your people in the Bald Hills area. We pray for your blessing on the deliberations of those on Church Council as they continue to consider how the Congregation is to move forward in the future.

We pray for those whom we have not seen for some time. We ask that you will be with them, guiding them, encouraging them, and assuring them of your presence with them each day.

Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care. To your glory we pray.

The Lord’s Prayer

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.

We sing the Hymn ‘God is now willing: Are you?’ Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number 36

[We are singing this hymn to the tune The Glory Song – refer MHB116 “Sing we the king who is coming to reign”.]

[This YouTube clip has organ music only and is for another longer hymn. So stop the video after the fourth verse and chorus. There is no introduction.]

Verse 1 of 4

God is now willing, in Christ reconciled,

Willing to pardon and cleanse the defiled,

Willing to take you and make you His child,