Welcome:  –

Call to Worship:  –   

  “There are no accidents or chance happenings that are outside the scope of God’s knowledge and power.  Nothing can ever happen to us, but, in cooperation with God, we can turn it into spiritual gain.  Don’t run away and say, ‘Well, it’s just a matter of luck and all life is chance, and instead of purpose there are accidents.’  Nothing is allowed to happen that could ultimately defeat the purposes of God.”  (Leslie Weatherhead in in When the Lamp Flickers p71) 

  Is not this about which the Psalmist writes, when they state:

“By God’s own power and holy strength God has won the victory.  He has made known His saving power to the Nations.  All people everywhere have seen the victory of our God.  Clap your hands you rivers; you hills, sing together with joy before the LORD, because He comes to rule the Earth.  He will rule the peoples of the World with justice and fairness.”  (Psalm 98: 1b, 2, 8 & 9) 

  The author of Psalm 98 writes of God’s incomparable power and strength, which is visible to all peoples of the World, to all Nations on Earth.  Even God’s Creation, the rivers and the hills and the Seas, join in a joyous celebration of God.  In the face of the powers of Humans and of the opposition of Nations and of the Devil, God has achieved His victory.  It is His will and purpose that is being fulfilled.  There is the certitude of God’s gracious will being implemented in the World that overshadows all of our fears.  (Artur Weiser in The Psalms p639) 

  But we need to note two important phrases.  It is God’s “saving grace” that is central to His victory and to the nature of His rule.  God brings salvation to the peoples of Earth.  (Psalm 98: 2)  And we are told that this is not something that God achieved at the time of the Creation of Heaven and Earth, for the Psalmist writes that “God comes to rule the Earth”  (Psalm 98: 9) 

  Is not this the message of the Advent Season, the time of the Liturgical Year when we recall the coming of God in Human form to demonstrate God’s saving grace  (Psalm 98: 2)  , to bring about God’s victory over sin and death  (Psalm 98: 1)  , and to initiate God’s rule over “the peoples of the World with justice and fairness”  (Psalm 98: 9)  (Artur Weiser in The Psalms p639)  Derek Kidner correctly writes that this Psalm “sums up the Christian hope”.  (Derek Kidner in Psalms p353) 

  As we gather for worship and as we head into the Advent Season, let us join with the rivers and the hills and the seas, and with all the peoples of the Earth, to praise God for His saving grace and power.

Prayer of Praise  

(based on Isaiah 12: 1 to 6) 

I will praise you, O LORD, for you comfort me and do not turn away from me.

From you I receive the strength each day to face whatever the World places in my way.

I will praise you, O LORD, for you are my salvation.

In you I trust to keep your promise to forgive and to forget my sins.

I will praise you, O LORD, for in you I find true and deep joy.

You live among us and reveal your care for each one of us in such personal and meaningful ways.

I will praise you, O LORD, for the glorious things that you have done for your Creation.

I will shout aloud of your greatness so that all the world may hear.  I will exalt you above all things and above all people, for you alone deserve all of our praise and thankfulness.  Amen.

We sing Hymn ‘Majesty’  Scripture in Song Volume2 number 206

Jack Hayford 

We sing the Hymn ‘Come praise him, exalt him’  Scripture in song Volume 2 number 210

Come praise Him, exalt Him

And worship His name.

Today and forever He’s always the same.

Come praise Him, our Saviour,

The Lamb that was slain.

Come praise Him and worship;

The Lord is His name.

(repeat)

Bonnie Low

Prayer of Confession 

(from Isaiah 12: 1 to 6) 

We draw near to you, merciful God, aware of our failings, our rebelliousness towards you.

We plead for your favour towards us, we who have failed to be sincere and faithful witnesses to your love and grace.

Merciful God, you ask only that we place our whole trust in you to meet all of our needs.

Forgive us for when we seek to trust in our own efforts and abilities to achieve things.

Merciful God, you seek to reassure us that all of Heaven and Earth comes under your authority and power.

Forgive us for when we let the fear of what the future holds for us direct our thinking and our action.

Merciful God, your desire is for our lives to be ones of joy and thankfulness.

Forgive us for taking your gifts and graces towards us for granted and unappreciated.

Merciful God, you call us to shout aloud to the World, proclaiming your glory and greatness.

Forgive us for when we hide in our small corner of the World, hesitant to speak out to tell of your everlasting and encompassing love for the World, just in case the World should criticise us or laugh at us.

Merciful God, you are our Salvation, the source of our hope and our help for life beyond death.

Forgive us for when we place so little value on the cost of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for us and for all of Humanity.

Merciful God, we lay our lives bare before you, hiding nothing from you.

Forgive us for all that displeases you and disappoints you.  Remove from us all that hinders a right relationship with you, so that our lives may bear witness to the World of your great capacity to heal and to renew.  To your glory and honour we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from 2 Thessalonians 2: 13b) 

The Apostle Paul writes to the Church in Thessalonica saying, “from the very beginning God chose (for us) to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and through belief in the Truth (of the Good News of Jesus Christ)”.  Let us put our trust in God’s work of salvation, trusting that He has heard our prayer, that He has saved us from our sins, and has welcomed us into fellowship with Him.

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

Isaiah 42:

1  The LORD says,

“Here is my servant, whom I strengthened – the one I have chosen, with whom I am pleased.  I have filled him with my Spirit, and he will bring justice to every Nation.  2  He will not shout or raise his voice or make loud speeches in the streets.  3  He will not break off a bent reed nor put out a flickering lamp.  He will bring justice to all.  4  He will not lose hope or courage; he will establish justice on the Earth.  Distant lands eagerly wait for his teaching.

Micah 6:

7  Will the LORD be pleased if I bring Him thousands of sheep or endless streams of olive oil?  Shall I offer Him my first-born child to pay for my sins?  8  No, the LORD has told us what is good.  What He requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.

Ephesians 1:

13  And you also became God’s people when you heard the true message, the Good News that brought you salvation.  You believed in Christ, and God put His stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit He had promised.  14  The Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised His people, and this assures us that God will give complete freedom to those of us who are His.  Let us praise His glory.

Galatians 6:

7  Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God.  A person will reap exactly what they plant.  8  If they plant in the field of his natural desires, from it they will gather the harvest of death; if they plant in the field of the Spirit, from the Spirit they will gather the harvest of eternal life.  9  So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.  10  So then, as often as we have the chance, we should do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to our family in the faith.

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Matthew 4:

12  When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he went away to Galilee.  13  He did not stay in Nazareth, but went to live in Capernaum, a town by Lake Galilee, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali.  14  This was done to make come true what the prophet Isaiah had said:

15  “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, on the road to the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee, land of the Gentiles!  16  The people who live in darkness will see a great light.  On those who live in the dark land of death the light will shine.”  (Isaiah 9: 1 & 2) 

17  From that time Jesus began to preach his message:

“Turn away from your sins, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near!”

Luke 4:

16  Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he went as usual to the synagogue.  He stood up to read the Scriptures  17  and was handed the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.  He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written:

18  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed  19  and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save His people.”  (Isaiah 61: 1 & 2) 

20  Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.  All the people in the synagogue had their eyes fixed on him,  21  as he said to them,

“This passage of Scripture has come true today, as you heard it being read.”

[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.

For the Young and the Young at Heart

Screen 1

“The Little Mermaid”  (4 July 2019) 

  This is a photograph of “The Little Mermaid”.  I am referring, of course, to the statue in the background, not to the vision of loveliness in the foreground.  The statue is located in the harbour of the Danish capital, Copenhagen.  Kerry and I were privileged to see the statue during a tour around Copenhagen as part of a cruise that we embarked on in July 2019.  The story, which was the inspiration for the statue, was written by the Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen, and was first published in 1837 as part of a collection of his fairy tales.

  I have personally not read the fairy tale, and am relying for my understanding of the story on information gleaned from websites, a couple of which are listed below:

  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid) 

  (https://theconversation.com/the-little-mermaid-has-always-been-a-story-about-exclusion-and-its-author-was-an-outsider-191001) 

  From what I have read, I believe that the original tale differs markedly from the Disney transformation of the story as told in their 1989 animation.  Hans Christian Andersen was said to have described his fairy tale as “a tragic story with a happy ending”.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid) 

  Commentators, however, have described it as “a tragic story of suffering and extreme sacrifice”.  Pamela L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, is said to have written of her dislike of the mermaid’s protracted agony and to have found Andersen’s “tortures, disguised as piety” to be “demoralizing”.  (https://theconversation.com/the-little-mermaid-has-always-been-a-story-about-exclusion-and-its-author-was-an-outsider-191001) 

  Other critics have much ‘darker’ interpretations of the fairy tale, and I will let you read their comments on their websites.

  There are two aspects of the tale, though, on which I want to focus.

  Firstly, Hans Christian Andersen writes in the story that:  

“Humans have an eternal soul that lives on in Heaven, while mermaids turn to sea foam at death and cease to exist.”

  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid) 

  This disturbs me, because here he is writing about beings who are aware of their surroundings and of their relationship with and interactions with their surroundings, who are capable of making sane, rational decisions and plans for their immediate future, as do humans, all for it to end in a pile of “sea foam” at the point of their death, whereas the souls of humans live on in eternity in Heaven.  Is that all to which a mermaid can look forward to in life?  What is their motivation in their life, to “eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow we ‘dissolve’”?  What led Hans Christian Andersen to contemplate such a tragic fate for mermaids?

  Secondly, at the conclusion to the tale, we find that:

“Because of her selflessness, the Little Mermaid is given the chance to earn her own soul by doing good deeds for mankind for 300 years, and that one day she will rise up into Heaven.”

  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid) 

  This disturbs me, because the emphasis is on what the mermaid can do by her own efforts to earn the reward of an eternal soul in Heaven.  What led Hans Christian Andersen to contemplate a vision of Heaven where you could earn your entrance into it by good deeds?

  We are talking about a fairy story, a make-believe tale.  Surely no-one would seriously conceive of an existence in which someone exists, lives and interacts with fellow beings, all of whom do not have an eternal soul?  Surely no-one would seriously conceive of an existence in which someone can strive for, and to make or to earn for themselves “spiritual rewards” solely by the undertaking of “good deeds” for others?

Screen 2

‘These approaches to Christianity seem to embrace tenets unaligned with Jesus’s example of a voluptuous enveloping of others.  That revolutionary man blazed courageous compassion, a sense of tolerance’

  Nikki Gemmell in “Losing their religion” in The Weekend Australian Magazine  November 5 – 6  2022 

  Nikki Gemmell writes a weekly article in the Weekend Australian Magazine.  As a practice I do not read her articles, finding them light on fact and reason.  However, the title of her article in last weekend’s magazine attracted my attention, being “losing their religion”.

  To say the least, I was disappointed with what she wrote.  I will quote some of her words.

“Around the world we’re seeing youth-led reckonings with fundamentalist gerontocracies. … Younger generations in this country are also coming for Christian fundamentalism.”

“Many young people look on in bewilderment and revulsion at values (propagated by much of the Christian church that are) not of their world. … No wonder so many young people don’t define themselves as religious anymore.”

“the biggest problem I find with religion is the certainty of belief, which tends, ultimately, to lead to a kind of moral superiority, or dogmatism.”

“The world is morphing, ancient edifices crumbling, old certainties being questioned by the roar of under-35’s calling out unfairness and cruelty.”

“Stubborn old people of the church are destroying their institution; leaving it, in the western world in particular, as a fragile movement of its time – that’s not moving with the times.”

  Interestingly, she appears to accept the validity of an “historical” Jesus Christ.  However, in line with the approach taken by Islam and critics of Christianity, she restricts her conception of Jesus as simply a “man”, and of the life and witness of Jesus by the words:

“Jesus’s example of a voluptuous enveloping of others.  That revolutionary man blazed courageous compassion, a sense of tolerance”.

    She quotes Nick Cave and his definition of religion as “community, an exchange of love that operates in a circular way”.  “No wonder so many young people don’t define themselves as religious anymore,” she writes, “yet many see themselves as spiritual.  It’s a nebulous yet deeply felt spirituality unaligned with church certainties”.

  Nowhere in her article is there a reference to Almighty God, nor to any other god for that matter, just to this “nebulous spirituality”.  There is no mention of Heaven, nor of an eternity.  Hell is talked of as a tool used by religion “to terrify children”.  Truly, here is someone who writes of people who exist, live and interact with fellow people, all of whom do not have an eternal soul.  Truly, here is someone who claims that the sole purpose of meaningful and acceptable religion is “a voluptuous enveloping of others”, of demonstrating “courageous compassion (and) a sense of tolerance”, that is, the good deeds that you do and the acceptance and tolerance of others as they are, as they seek to express their beliefs, and as they seek to express their “spirituality”.

  “Isn’t this the essence of true spirituality as demonstrated in the life of the man Jesus Christ?” she asks?

Screen 3

‘He will not lose hope or courage; he will establish justice on the Earth.  Distant lands eagerly wait for his teaching.’

Isaiah 42: 4  (quoted in Matthew 12: 18 to 21)

  A passage from Isaiah 42: 4 concerning the promised “Lord’s servant”, which the Apostle Matthew, in Matthew 12: 18 to 21, claims is fulfilled in the life and witness of Jesus, appears to validate such an understanding, with its talk of establishing justice and presenting eagerly awaited teaching.

Screen 4

‘The people who live in darkness will see a great light.’

Isaiah 9: 2 quoted in Matthew 4: 16

  So too does a passage from Isaiah 9: 2, which Matthew, in Matthew 4: 16, also claims is fulfilled in the life and witness of Jesus Christ, with its reference to Jesus providing a “great light” to those who live unguided and uninformed in “darkness”.

Screen 5

‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed.’

Isaiah 61: 1 quoted in Luke 4: 18

  And surely this “voluptuous enveloping of others and “courageous compassion and tolerance” of Jesus, of which Nikki Gemmell writes, is surely exemplified in the prophesy from Isaiah 61: 1, which Jesus claimed was fulfilled in his person, as he claimed in the presence of those in the synagogue at Nazareth; this reference to:

“bringing good news to the poor”,

“proclaiming liberty to the captives”,

“recovery of sight to the blind”, and

“setting free the oppressed”.

  What more evidence could one seek to justify her claim about Jesus?

Screen 6

‘and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save His people.’

Isaiah 61: 2 quoted in Luke 4: 19

  And yet, how could Jesus be just a “man”, if he was God’s “servant”, who God has chosen, who God has strengthened, who God has filled with His Spirit, and in whom God was pleased”, as we find Jesus claiming?  (Isaiah 42: 1, Luke 4: 18) 

  And because Jesus claimed to be the embodiment of a prophesy from God, made centuries before he lived, a prophesy about someone who would set in motion God plan and purpose for the World, surely you must then consider the life of Jesus in relation to the will and purpose of God, or at the very least, accept that Jesus spoke of the reality of God and of our need to relate to Him, something that neither Nikki Gemmell or Nick Cave seem willing to do? 

  And what was the second half of the prophesy from Isaiah 61 about Jesus?

“and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save His people.”

Isaiah 61: 2 quoted in Luke 4: 19.

  What’s this about Jesus being the means through which “the Lord will save His people”.  Doesn’t this indicate that the life and witness of Jesus goes far beyond this “voluptuous enveloping of others and “courageous compassion and tolerance” by which Nikki Gemmell summed up Jesus?

Screen 7

‘From that time Jesus began to preach his message:

“Turn away from your sins, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near!”’

Matthew 4: 17

  This is clarified in the preaching of Jesus as recorded by Matthew, who wrote:

“From that time Jesus began to preach his message:

‘Turn away from your sins, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near!’”

Matthew 4: 17

  “Repent!” preached Jesus.  “Turn away from your sins!” Jesus told his listeners.  This isn’t a demonstration of an “enveloping” or a “tolerance” of the lifestyle by which others had chosen to live their life.  This is a direct challenge for people to consider their life against a set of precepts and standards, as set by Almighty God.  Here again, we see this need to consider the life and witness of Jesus in relation to the will and purpose of God.  How can we understand what Jesus is saying and doing outside of the context of what God is calling Jesus to fulfill for Him?

Screen 8

“You believed in Christ, and God put His stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit He had promised.”

Ephesians 1: 13

  And it is in the context of the death and resurrection of Jesus that we understand the essence of our Christian religion.  For our relationship with Jesus forms the basis for our relationship with God.  By faith we believe that Jesus Christ is the means by which our sins are forgiven and our reconciliation with God brought about.  God puts “His stamp of ownership” on us, so the Apostle Paul writes to the Church in Ephesus, the proof of which is the giving to us of the Holy Spirit as He had promised.  (Ephesians 1: 13) 

  There is no room for nebulous feelings of spirituality in our relationship with God.  There is certainty, there is clarity, there is a concrete context.

Screen 9

‘if they plant in the field of the Spirit, from the Spirit they will gather the harvest of eternal life.  So let us not become tired of doing good.’

Galatians 6: 8b & 9a

  But what of good deeds?  Paul writes to the Church in Galatia that good deeds are not to be understood as a means of meriting God’s favour nor as a means to earn entry into Heaven.  Paul writes of living our lives being led by the Holy Spirit, “planting in the field of the Spirit” as he terms it.  The doing of good deeds follows on from this desire to live a life according to the same precepts and standards of God by which Jesus challenged his listeners to judge their lives.

Screen 10

‘What He requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.’

Micah 6: 8b

  But none of this was new to the Jews in the time of Jesus.  The Prophet Micah, writing over 700 years before the time Jesus, sets out three aspects of true religion, that is, “what God requires of us”  (Micah 6 8b)  .  And these three aspects apply to us today as well.

  Firstly, he writes of “doing what is just”, living a life of holiness and purity, that which defines the nature of God.  (Philippians 4: 8) 

  Secondly, he writes of “showing constant love” to others, that which defines the manner in which God relates to all people.  (John 3: 16) 

  Thirdly, he writes of living “in humble fellowship with our God”, that which defined the manner in which God first walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  (Genesis 3: 8) 

  Two weeks ago, immediately after our Aussie BBQ, I needed to change the signs facing Gympie road as they were advertising the BBQ.  One that I put up read:

“Eternity is a long time to be wrong.”

  You may have seen it as you had walked by.

  On Friday morning I received a telephone call from a young mother from the school.  She was ringing on behalf of another family that goes to the school.  Apparently, a grandfather had recently passed away, who she said was an atheist.  The sign was upsetting the children of the family, the caller said, and she asked if it could be changed.  I did not press her as to exactly why the children were upset, nor how the parents were answering any questions that their children may have raised, nor as to her thoughts on the issue.  That was not the reason for her call.  I stated that I would arrange for the sign to be changed, since I did not want to hinder any further lines of communication with anyone.

  In the meantime, Kerry informed me that Ian had already changed the sign, as a way of promoting Kylie’s visit to us today.  And I would like to thank Ian for his foresight.

  But, if Ian had not changed the sign, I would have changed it to read:

“Truth fears no questions.”

  To me, this sums up the issue which we are addressing today, because people are afraid to face the truth, that is, they are afraid to face the reality of Almighty God.  For, if they did so, they would also need to face the reality of how they are to respond to His authority in Heaven and on Earth and to His rule over their lives.  Instead, people prefer to live out a nebulous spirituality, that it doesn’t matter in what or in whom you believe, or whether or not you have a belief, as long as your life is aligned with the values associated with “the tide of modern thinking”, as Nikki Gemmell put it.

  But, what it means is that people are choosing to live out their own “fairy tale”, unable and afraid to answer the questions that the truth of the reality of Almighty God asks of them.

  We, on the other hand, have the certainty of the presence of God with us every moment of every day, of the everlasting and inexhaustible love of God surrounding us, of the boundless mercy and grace of God ready and willing to forgive and to forget each and every sin, and of the sure promise of fellowship with God, now, and in the future, and to beyond the end of Time.

  I would like to finish with this poem:

“Jesus came to seek and save the lost,

Left Heaven’s glory, minding not the cost;

Looking high and low and far and wide,

The Son of Man for all was crucified.”

  (by Clair Hess in Our Daily Bread November 2 2005) 

Amen.

We sing the Hymn ‘Triumphing in Delivering Grace’  MHB412  Wesley’s Hymns number 276

[This hymn is to be sung to the tune Constance. The clip is for another hymn, but is used here for the tune]

Verse 1 of 4

Worship, and thanks, and blessing,

And strength ascribe to Jesus!

Jesus alone defends his own

When Earth and Hell oppress us.

Jesus with joy we witness

Almighty to deliver;

‘Tis nothing new that God is true,

And reigns a King forever.

Verse 2 of 4

Omnipotent Redeemer,

Our future has no worry,

Our Saviour great we need not wait

To give you all the glory.

Our ransomed souls adore you

Saved from all our temptation;

With heart and voice in you rejoice,

The God of our salvation.

Verse 3 of 4

The World and Satan’s malice

You, Jesus, have confounded;

And by your grace, with songs of praise

Our happy souls resounded.

Accepting our deliverance

We triumph in your favour,

We, for the love from God above,

Shall praise your name forever.

Verse 4

By faith we see the glory

To which you shall restore us,

The Cross despise for that high prize

Which you have set before us.

By faith you count us worthy,

We, through the Gospel story,

Shall see you stand at God’s right hand,

To take us up to glory.

Charles Wesley  (Some words have been amended.  Verse 4 is from MHB411)

Update on Chaplaincy at the Bald Hills State School by Kylie Conomos

We sing the Hymn ‘Praise to the Holiest in the height’  TiS141  AHB79  MHB74

John Newman

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774  

[This YouTube clip is for another hymn but is used here for the tune 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 meet in the presence of God, who calls us to share in Christ’s ministry of reconciliation.  In penitence and faith we commit ourselves to pray for God’s kingdom to come and work together with all people of good will toward that justice and peace between nations and peoples which is the hope of our calling.  We pray for all who in bereavement, disability and pain continue to suffer the consequences of fighting and terror.  We remember with thanksgiving and sorrow those whose lives, in world wars and conflicts past and present, have been given and taken away.

We hold before you all the violence done in your name; those maimed by war or scared by hatred, those traumatised by nightmares which years of peace cannot erase, those crippled in spirit as well as in body those who cannot or will not forgive.

Let your mercy and peace lead us in hope

We hold before you the tyrants of our age who wreak havoc with the minds and bodies of the young and force them to commit horrendous crimes.  We hold before you a World broken by despair where false prophets voice not words of peace but chant a mantra of revenge.

Let your mercy and peace lead us in hope

(https://www.assembly.uca.org.au/images/Remembrance_Day_resources.pdf)

Father of all, remember your holy promise,
and look with love on all your people.
On this day we especially ask that you would hold forever
all who have suffered during war, those who returned scarred by warfare,
those who waited anxiously at home,
and those who returned wounded, and disillusioned;
those who mourned, and those communities that were diminished and suffered loss.
Remember too those who acted with kindly compassion,
those who bravely risked their own lives for their comrades,
and those who in the aftermath of war, worked tirelessly for a more peaceful world.
And as you remember them, remember us, O Lord;
grant us peace in our time and a longing for the day when people of every language, race, and nation will be brought into the unity of Christ’s kingdom.

(https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/funerals/after-funeral/prayers-remembrance)

Lord, we are saddened at the thought of war,
of the soldiers who must fight
and all those people who are killed.
Today we remember their sacrifice with great sadness.
We thank them for what they did for us.

We also remember that they won for us a victory,
that without their bravery these wars may have been lost,
and our lives could have been so very different,
without the freedom we so much enjoy.
We thank them for what they did for us.

We are saddened at the thought of your suffering,
that you, too, had to be a great hero,
and walk to Jerusalem, be arrested, tried
and killed on that horrible cross.
We thank you for what you did for us.

We also remember that you won for us a victory,
that on Easter morning you rose again,
and helped us to overcome our human nature,
so that we might rise again with you.
We thank you for what you did for us.

God of justice and peace,
we pray for those who have been injured or disabled through war.
For those who have lost homes and security through conflict;
for those who have lost loved relatives in wars;
for those who face danger and take risks for peace;
for all those, especially children, caught up in current conflicts;
for refugees and all those in need of aid and other help.
God of encouragement
and Saviour of the despairing,
comfort those who remember past sacrifices
and guide us in building
a just and peaceful community for all.

As one family, we reflect today on the horrors of the past that continue
to haunt humanity and darken our world.
Lord, where pain still overwhelms, bring healing.
Where hearts are still breaking, bring comfort.
Where peoples are still oppressed, bring liberation.
Where communities are still victimised, bring justice.
Where children are still brutalised, bring compassion.
Where lives are still crushed, bring hope.
Where evil is perpetrated, bring repentance.
Where war still devastates, bring peace.
But most of all,
wherever a single voice cries out in the darkness,
bring us to one another,
in the name of the love you bear in your heart for all people,
all nations and all creation.

We entrust to you, eternal God,
those times when we can see only shadows
and lose sight of the hope to come;
the times when suffering seems so senseless,
life so fragile, war so unstoppable and death so permanent.
Bless us with the assurance that you are in all things,
the tragic and the beautiful,
the nightmare and the dream,
the light and the darkness.
This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ
the peace of the world, today, tomorrow and forever.

We pray for the Church, that we may offer hope and vision to all the Human family in times of confusion and offer support to those who are searching for you.

We pray for the grace of perseverance, that you will strengthen and sustain us in remaining faithful in our discipleship in times of trial and distress.

We pray for a spirit of hope, that you will drive disabling fear from our hearts and help us face the future with confidence and trust that you are always with us and will never abandon us.

We pray for leaders of the Christian community, that their ministry and preaching will help their communities of faith to continue their deeds of loving service and witness to the Gospel until Christ comes in glory.

We pray for all who are experiencing an “end of their world”, that those who have become ill, lost employment, been divorced, or are grieving the death of a loved one may know your comforting presence this day and be strengthened by your Spirit.

We pray for children who are rejected, abused, or neglected, that your tender compassion will comfort them and that they may experience love and nurture.

We pray for freedom from deceit, that we may hear the voice of the one true shepherd who calls us to life and not be confused by the many voices whose promises are false and whose fruit is destruction.

We pray for families that are divided and in opposition to one another, that your peace may touch their hearts and lead them toward reconciliation and healing.

We pray for all who are persecuted, deprived of their rights, and used as pawns by the

Powers of this World, that the Son of Justice may rise for them, heal their wounds, and raise the lowly to high places.

We pray for inspiration and guidance, that the Spirit will lead to freedom all who are addicted and give courage to all who are working to assist them.

We pray for peace, that you will bring an end to the violence in Ukraine, sustain the ceasefire in Ethiopia, and protect the Human family from weapons of mass destruction.

We pray for all veterans, that they may know your presence in their hearts, be healed of physical and mental injuries, and be blessed with health and well being.

We pray for all who have been elected to all levels of government and leadership, that you will give them wisdom to address the pressing issues and a spirit of collaboration to achieve the best for our country.

Copyright © 2022. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  –  https://liturgy.slu.edu/33OrdC111322/ideas_other.html

We pray for the peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia.

We are thankful for the beauty of the land and waters of Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia, and the special relationship that people enjoy with the natural environment, for the identities and cultural practices that indigenous peoples long have maintained, and for their increasing political voice, for how the people have welcomed new immigrants, and for how churches have witnessed and worked together ecumenically, especially amid challenges of apathy in highly secularized societies.

We pray for your support and guidance for churches to have the imagination, skills and energy to build bridges of understanding in increasingly multireligious and multicultural contexts,  for those who work tirelessly on issues of justice for the poor, the marginalized and the dispossessed, especially indigenous peoples, for those seeking refuge and a new life in these countries, and those supporting and providing for them, and for careful preservation of the fragile land, sea, and resources.

Prayer for the Side-lined, Lost and Over-looked People.

Holy One, may your Realm of Love come for
the insignificant, unremarkable, over-looked people of the world;
for the un-noticed and simply ordinary people;
back-water sort of people who will never make much impact.
For them  MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME.

Holy One, may your Realm of Love come for
those who are lost; who have disappeared or are missing;
for the up-rooted, exiled and enslaved ;
lost-rights sort of people who will seldom be seen or heard.
For them  MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME.

Holy One, may your Realm of Love come for
the fearful, the terrorised and the abused people of the world;
those who are unjustly imprisoned or entrapped;
voiceless people who will hardly dare to seek help.
For them  MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME.

Holy One, may your Realm of Love come for
the subjugated, silenced and subdued people of the world;
for the lonely, the lacking, the faded, the frightened;
shadowy people unable to bring attention to their suffering.
For them  MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME.

Holy One, may Your Realm of Love come for
all persons with disabilities;
for the redundant and poorly educated; the timid and un-appreciated;
struggling people who have to strive for support and respect.
For them,  MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME.

In the dynamic of your Love, may your Realm become a reality for them all. Amen.

  (© 2011 Glenn Jetta Barclay, Aotearoa/New Zealand) 

Greenness

Dear God, there are times when I hear your voice most clearly
in greenness: in the singing of sap,
the conversation of the leaves, the whisperings
of shoot and stem, root, sap and cell,
calling me back to creation to feel again the freshness of you
running through everything like a bright emerald current.
God of greenness, you know well my tendency
to fill my life with my own methods of communication.
Thank you for constantly returning me to the simplicity of yours.
Again I experience you in the rejoicing
of bare feet on a damp forest path,
in the wonder of light thrown against a kaleidoscope of tree ferns,
in the myriad textures of moss-clad trees,
in the shining of you beneath every surface.
Beloved Creator, coming to our greenness is always a coming home,
a time of peace and grace as the unimportant in me falls away
and I know again that bright green shoot of my own beginning
which comes from you and is one with you,
bright and beautiful God.

(By Joy Cowley, Aotearoa/New Zealand. Published in Aotearoa Psalms: Prayers of a New People by Joy Cowley, Pleroma Christian Books, Otane, H.B. New Zealand.)

Prayer of praise

Blessed are you, God of the Universe.
you have created us and given us life.

Blessed are you, God of the planet earth.
You have set our world like a radiant jewel in the heavens,
and filled it with action, beauty, suffering, struggle and hope.

Blessed are you, God of Aotearoa/New Zealand,
in all the peoples who live there,
in all the lessons they have learned,
in all that remains for them to do.

Blessed are you because you need us;
because you make us worthwhile,
because you give us people to love and work to do
for your universe, for your world and for ourselves.

(Copyright material taken and adapted from A New Zealand Prayer Book: He Karakia Miihinare o Aotearoa is used with permission. © General secretary of the Anglican church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, New Zealand, pp.619,641, 142.)

Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org)

We give thanks for the impact of Scripture Union Gents Camp at Yorke Peninsula which took place in South Australia in October.  We pray for ongoing opportunities to engage with community and encounter Jesus for everyone who attended.

We pray for Scripture Union holiday camp and mission teams to tap into your wisdom as they plan ways to invite participants to continue seeking you after programs end.

We praise you for profound growth in interns graduating across Victoria.  We pray that their next steps become clear and help them remain connected to SU Australia.

We pray for SU Schoolies/Leavers happening in QLD and WA commencing on Friday 18^th November, for a safe week of good memories and fun, and that you will use this time to make a difference in young lives.

We pray for the Hard Skills training weekend running for SU Victoria holiday camp volunteers in the coming weekend, that it would be a helpful and encouraging weekend.

  (SU Prayer-Guide-November-2022-BRIS.pdf) 

We pray for travel mercies for the Leprosy Mission India staff who are reaching out to counsel students in remote places, to provide post[1]training follow-up, which will improve these students’ employment opportunities.  We pray for the good health and prosperity of our existing partners to Leprosy Mission India, as they support them in providing placements, admission, training, training machinery, staff capacity building, and financial assistance to students.  We pray that more such partners will join in this enterprise.  We pray for the strengthening of Alumni groups across six the Vocational Training Centres operated by Leprosy Mission India, so that they can mutually support each other in terms of employment, financial support and addressing discrimination.  We pray for continuous support from local financial supporters, such as individual donors, churches, and organisations that are practicing corporate social responsibility.  We pray for the success of sustainability plans at the Vocational Training Centres, which are being developed by the team.  We pray for the support of donors as we arrange investment.  We pray for your blessing and protection upon the six VTCs, staff and their families, and students staying in the hostel.  We pray for the spiritual committees and church partners, so that they can continue to share your words.

  (2022 Leprosy Mission Prayer Diary.pdf) 

We pray for the Bush Chaplains from Frontier Services, who, every year, travel vast distances to offer practical, pastoral and spiritual care where it’s needed most to farmers and pastoralists and Aboriginal communities.

We pray for Outback Links volunteers who make such an incredible impact, turning up at the farm gate for those who need us so much, providing practical help that eases the burden of endless ‘to do’ lists on the land, providing a listening ear for conversations and sense of connection created by working side by side with property owners.  We pray for your support and protection as they travel and work on the properties.

  (https://frontierservices.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Frontier-News-November-2022-Edition.pdf) 

We pray for the Bible Society Australia publishing team as they work on ‘From Heaven to Country’, a book showcasing the work of Bible translation into Indigenous languages.  We pray for work on a third edition of the CEV ‘Big Rescue for children’, that writers, illustrators, designers and editors will work smoothly together to amplify and engage kids and families with your word.

We thank you that Bible Society Vietnam are seeking to engage people immediately with newly translated Scriptures in ethnic minority languages.  We pray for the distribution of Bible stories and Mark’s Gospel among different tribes, that people can get to know about Jesus in their own language.

We pray for the translation of the first Khongso New Testament, for good health for the translator, for the printing and distribution of 500 copies of the Khongso New Testament, and for peace in Myanmar.

We pray for Bible Society Australia’s Board and the Annual General Meeting being held on Friday 18^th November.  We thank you for the Board members and pray that the meetings will be full of wisdom and grace. We pray for the CEO, Grant Thomson, as he leads the organisation and staff.

We pray for Roy, a pastor for Khmer Christians in Vietnam, who is working with Bible Society on Scripture resources and books in his language, that the Christian materials written in Khmer will help the Khmer people to know you in a way that still preserves their own identity, so that they will understand that the Gospel is also meant for Khmer people, and that you are the God of Khmer people, too, and not a foreign God.”

  (Bible Society Australia November 2022 Prayer Letter.pdf) 

We ask that you will bless the efforts of Ian and the other volunteers who are leading Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School, that the Holy spirit is engaging with the children who attend the classes, opening hearts and minds with a clear message of your love for them.

  We pray for the Chaplain at Bald hills State School, Kylie Conomos, that you are guiding her efforts to care for the children and teachers at the School, that you are encouraging her in her work and supporting her as she gives of herself to those whom she serves there.

  We pray for the residents at PM Village, that they will find comfort and fulfillment during their time under care.  We pray for the staff, that they will have patience and compassion as they fulfill their roles and responsibilities for the residents.

Eternal God, you know our problems, and have promised that you will help us to solve them.  You know what we lack, and have promised to meet our needs.  Help us to depend upon you day by day and to call upon you when life gets hard.  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 ‘I need Thee every hour’ Alexander’s Hymns No.3 Number 71

Annie B Hawks and Robert Lowry

Benediction 

(Leslie Weatherhead in in When the Lamp Flickers p149 & 150) 

  It is all very well to call church worship “Divine Service”, but, actually, ‘divine service’ begins with our work and daily labours on Monday morning.  Our daily labours can be viewed as service to the Community.  As such, our work must be an offering to God, for we can only truly serve God as we serve others.  We are all called to be a ‘fellowship of Priests’, presenting our daily life and work as a pleasing offering to our God.  (Hebrews 13: 16, Revelation 1: 6)  Let us not then view our worship as independent of our work, but understand that God calls us to worship him in and through every aspect of our life.

  May the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Benediction Song

“Now to him who loves us saves us”  TiS771

[There is a short introduction – only the one verse is needed.]

Now to him who loved us, gave us

Every pledge that love could give,

Freely shed his blood to save us,

Gave his life that we might live,

Be the Kingdom

And dominion

And the glory evermore.

Samuel Miller Waring