Welcome:  –

Call to Worship:  – 

The city of Tiberias, located two-third of the way down the western side of the Sea of Galilee, was founded in 20AD by the then ruler of Galilee and Perea as his capital in Galilee, and was named in honour of the then Roman Emperor, Tiberius.  It is sited on a “rocky projection above the Sea of Galilee (or Lake Tiberias as it was also known), which offered some “defensive advantages”, and was built “in (the) immediate proximity to a spa which had developed around seventeen natural mineral hot springs”, a place known as Emmaus in the time of Jesus  (which is not the Emmaus as mentioned in Mark 16: 12 & 13 and Luke 24: 13 to 35)  , and today called Hammat Tiberias.

  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberias, The Antiquities of the Jews Book 18 Chapter 2 paragraph 36 in The Works of Josephus translated by William Whiston in p478, John Paterson in Tiberias in The Illustrated Bible Dictionary Part 3 p1562) 

  The Apostle John, in his Gospel, mentions boats sailing from Tiberias to the location where the previous day Jesus had miraculously fed the large crowd from the unnamed boy’s ”five loaves of barley bread and two fish”.  (John 6: 9 & 23)  Aside from this brief mention, there are no further references made to the city in any of the four Gospels. 

  There are mentions of other towns in the vicinity of Tiberias, which are shown on the map:

Chorazin – Matthew 12: 21, Luke 10: 13,

Capernaum – Matthew 4: 13, 8: 5 to 5 to 13, 9: 1 to 7, John 1: 12,

Magdala – Luke 8: 2,

Cana – John 2: 1 to 11, 4: 46 to 54,

Nazareth – Matthew 13: 53 to 58, Mark 6: 1 to 6, Luke 4: 16 to 30,

Nain – Luke 7: 11 to 16.

  But Tiberias is not mentioned in any Gospel as a city or town in Galilee in which Jesus ministered.  Why would this be so?

  Henry Morton, in his book, In the Steps of the Master, writes,

“When they were digging the foundations of Tiberias, the remains of an ancient cemetery were discovered.  This, by Mosaic Law,  (Numbers 19: 11)  , rendered the place unclean and unfit for Human habitation.  No strict Jew could enter or leave the place without performing a seven day purification.  In order to secure a population, the ruler of Galilee was obliged to bribe slaves, beggars, and all kinds of ruffians and riffraff, to take up residence there.  The place stank in the nostrils of the rabbis.”  (p192) 

  So, in the days of the ministry of Jesus, not only were there no Jews living in the city of Tiberias, the city itself was ‘out-of-bounds’ to practicing Jews.  There was no synagogue in the city of Tiberias in which Jesus could preach, and Jesus could not alienate himself from his fellow Jews by entering the city and thereby intentionally breaking one of the Laws of Moses, thus making himself ritually unclean in the eyes of Jews and risk passing on that ritual uncleanliness to anyone with whom he came into contact.  The understanding among scholars is that these were the reasons why Jesus never entered the city at any time in his preaching and healing ministry.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberias, The Antiquities of the Jews Book 18 Chapter 2 paragraph 36 in The Works of Josephus translated by William Whiston in p478, John Paterson in Tiberias in The illustrated Bible Dictionary Part 3 p1562)    Now, we have no such physical limitations which would influence the ability of Jesus to minister in our lives, yet, in a way, our hearts and minds are ‘dead’ to Jesus if we choose to close them off to him, if we choose not to listen to his ‘still, calm voice’ calling out to us, such that Jesus is unable to minister in our lives.  It is crucial that, as we come to worship, we do so with an openness of heart and mind and will and soul to God, opening our whole being to the Holy Spirit inspiring us and enlivening us.  Upon that understanding, let us humble ourselves before God and come together to offer our worship and praise of God.

Prayer of Praise:  –

Most wonderful God, all powerful, holy and true, present in all things, yet limited by none, untouched by place, unaged by time, unhindered by years, beyond all change.  We praise you God.

  You draw us to yourself and embrace us.  You inspire us to live and to love.  Your mercies are more than we can number.  Your compassion is without end.  We receive your Word with joy and thanksgiving, for you are the source of truth and wisdom.  We praise you God.

  To the whole World we gladly proclaim your greatness and sovereignty.  We acknowledge your majesty and power in binding Satan, and ridding Humanity of the curse of sin and death.  We acknowledge the richness of your grace lavished upon us.  We acknowledge that you have graciously disclosed to us your intention to unify all things in the Universe in and through our Lord Jesus Christ?  We can only praise you to the limits of our vocabulary, and adore you to the capacity of our loving.

  God of love and mercy, you do for us immeasurably more than we can ask or think.  Your Spirit enriches our lives with a sense of your presence within us as well as around us.  You inspire our faith in Jesus Christ and regenerate your people with your energy and love.  For all you do, we give you our thanks.  For all that you are, we give you our praise.  Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing 2 Songs  ‘I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever’ 

(Scripture in Song vol 2 number 404)

James Fillmore

Song: “All that I can do”

(Scripture in Song volume 2 number 405)

Verse 1 of 3

When the Father sent His son

to live with us our lives to mend,

placed His love upon the altar

that with him we might ascend.

Chorus

And all that I can do is thank Him,

all that I can do is pray.

All that I can do is lift my hands

to sing His praise.

Verse 2 of 3

Lord, the blessed life you give me,

and the holy road you choose,

lead me all the way to Calvary,

and I’ll only follow you.

Chorus

And all that I can do is thank you,

all that I can do is pray.

All that I can do is lift my hands

to sing your praise.

Verse 3 of 3

Lord, I only want your blessing

as I’m sitting at your feet.

Nothing in this World can woo me

from your holy seat.

Chorus

And all that I can do is thank you,

all that I can do is pray.

All that I can do is lift my hands

to sing your praise.

And all that I can do is thank you,

all that I can do is pray.

All that I can do is lift my hands

to sing your praise.

Ted Sandquist

Prayer of Confession:   

Merciful God, we confess that we have not been diligent in living our lives to your standards and your desires for us.

We confess that we have not been pure in thought, word and deed.

We confess that we have not been the faithful witnesses for you that you have sought for us to be.

We have failed to be the light revealing your grace to those around us. 

We confess that our harsh words have hindered our relationships with others.

We confess that we have not brought healing to those crying out for compassion. 

We confess that we are proud of who we are, of where we belong, and of what we have achieved.

But in our pride, we are attempting to compare ourselves to yours greatness.

Please forgive the haughtiness that accompanies our pride of race, or of place, or of person. 

For it is only in humbling ourselves before you that we can put ourselves and the World in the right perspective. 

Have pity on us, God our Saviour.  Grant us grace and courage to cast off our sins, and to turn to you for healing. 

Show us in Christ the sure path of salvation, and strengthen us to follow gladly the way of the Gospel.  To your glory and honour we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Hebrews 10: 12) 

We read in the Letter to the Hebrews that Christ offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective forever.  Having confessed our sins before God, and professed our faith and trust in the saving work of Jesus Christ, let us rest on this assurance and know that God has heard our prayers, that God has forgiven us, and that God has cleansed us in His sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination 

God, source of all knowledge.  By your Word you give light to the soul.  Pour upon us the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, so that our hearts and minds may be open to know your truth and your way.  Amen.

Bible Readings

1 Samuel 2:

1  Hannah prayed:

“The Lord has filled my heart with joy: how happy I am because of what He has done!  I laugh at my enemies, how joyful I am because God has helped me!

2  No-one is holy like the Lord; there is none like Him, no protector like our God.

3  Stop your loud boasting; silence your proud words.  For the Lord is a God who knows, and He judges all that people do.

4  The bows of strong soldiers are broken, but the weak grow strong.

5  The people who once were well fed now hire themselves out to get food, but the hungry are hungry no more.  The childless wife has borne seven children, but the mother of many is left with none.

6  The Lord kills and restores life; He sends people to the World of the Dead and brings them back again.

7  He makes some men poor and others rich; He humbles some and makes others great.

8  He lifts the poor from the dust and raises the needy from their misery.  He makes them companions of Princes and puts them in places of honour.

The foundations of the Earth belong to the Lord; on them He has built the World.

9  He protects the lives of His faithful people, but the wicked disappear in darkness; a man does not triumph by his own strength.

10  The Lord’s enemies will be destroyed; He will thunder against them from Heaven.  The Lord will judge the whole World; He will give power to His King, He will make His chosen King victorious.”

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Luke 1:

46  Mary said:

“My heart praises the Lord:  47  my soul is glad because of God my Saviour,  48  for He has remembered me, His lowly servant!  From now on all people will call me happy,  49  because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me.

His name is holy:  50  from one generation to another He shows mercy to those who honour Him.

51  He has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans.

52  He has brought down mighty Kings from their thrones, and lifted the lowly.

53  He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away with empty hands.

54  He has kept the promise He made to our ancestors, and has come to the help of His servant Israel.  55  He has remembered to show mercy to Abraham and to all his descendants forever!”

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn:

‘All for Jesus, all for Jesus’

Mary James

Sermon:

Herod Antipas, a son of King Herod the Great, inherited a quarter of his father’s Kingdom upon his death in 4BC.  As such he received the title of Tetrarch, meaning, “inheritor of a quarter”  (Walter Wessel and Raph Earle in Study Note in the NIV Study Bible p1487)  ,but not the title of King as his father was called.  This is an important element when we consider later events.  He became Tetrarch of the territories of Galilee, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, or Lake Tiberias as it was also known, as I mentioned in the Call to Worship, and the Territory of Perea, a land bordering on the eastern side of the River Jordan.  (Luke 3: 1)  It was Herod Antipas who organised the construction of the city of Tiberias as his capital of Galilee. 

  He married a daughter of the King of the neighbouring Kingdom of Nabataea, but divorced her to marry Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Philip, who she divorced so that she could marry Herod Antipas.  And if that wasn’t confusing enough, it appears from my reading that Herodias was a niece of Herod Antipas, being the daughter of another of his half-brothers, Aristobulus.  (King Herod’s Family Tree in The Illustrated Bible Dictionary part 2 p643) 

  But in marrying Herodias, Herod Antipas incurred the wrath of John the Baptist, who “kept telling Herod, ‘It isn’t right for you to marry your brother’s wife (while he is still alive).’”, referring to Leviticus 18: 16 and 20: 21.  (Matthew 14: 4, Mark 6: 18, Luke 3: 19) 

  This, in turn incurred the wrath of Herodias, and, so as to placate her and to keep John the Baptist from creating any more public scenes, Herod Antipas had John the Baptist arrested and held in his prison at Machaerus in southern Perea.  (Luke 3: 20)  Herodias later got her revenge on John the Baptist by having Herod Antipas order him to be beheaded.  (Matthew 14: 1 – 12, Mark 6: 14-29) 

  Early in the ministry of Jesus Luke records that Herod Antipas became confused because people “were saying that John the Baptist had come back to life”, and so, “he kept trying to see Jesus”  (Luke 9: 9: 7 – 9)  . 

  Later in his ministry, some Pharisees warned Jesus that Herod wanted to kill him.  (Luke 13: 31)  And we gain a glimpse of the character of Herod Antipas and of the opinion which Jesus had of him, when we read that Jesus referred to him as a ‘sly and cunning fox’.  (Luke 13: 32)  

  It was after the arrest of Jesus that Herod Antipas finally achieved his goal of seeing Jesus, “hoping to see Jesus perform some miracle”.  (Luke 23: 8)  But, when he saw that Jesus was making no response to his questioning, let alone perform some miracle, “Herod Antipas and his soldiers made fun of Jesus and treated him with contempt, and sent him back to Pilate.”  (Luke 23: 6 to 12) 

  We need to understand the detail of the interaction between Herod Antipas and Herodias with John the Baptist and with Jesus as the context for later events.  In his book, Henry Morton refers to them as “the woman who slew the Forerunner and the man who had had it in his power to save the life of Jesus Christ”.  (Henry Morton in In the Steps of the Master p194) 

  But what were these later events?  It seems that Herodias had a spendthrift and homeless brother, Agrippa, who was always in debt to money lenders.  Herod Antipas offered him a home and income as the Governor of Tiberias, but grew tired of his ways and sent him away.  Agrippa moved to Rome where he developed a very close friendship with the new Emperor, Caligula.  Another half-brother of Herod Antipas, another Philip, was Tetrarch of the Territories of Iturea and Trachonitis, located to the north and east of the Sea of Galilee.  Upon his death in 34AD, Caligula passed on the rulership of these Territories to, you guessed it, Agrippa, and gave him the title of King, not just Tetrarch.

  Well, you can guess the reaction of Herodias.  Here is the ungrateful, spendthrift Agrippa returning to Palestine as a King, while her husband, who had shown generosity to Agrippa in his time of need, was only a Tetrarch.  Herodias pursued the matter with her Herod Antipas so much that he finally decided to travel to Rome to take up the matter with Caligula.

  Unfortunately for them, as Henry Morton writes,

“When Herod Antipas and Herodias arrived in Italy, the Emperor questioned them about arms that Herod Antipas had previously smuggled into Galilee, sufficient to fit out an army of 70,000 men.  Finding their answers unsatisfactory, he decided to banish both of them to Lyon in Gaul, present day France.  Together they departed into the mists of History.”  (Henry Morton in In the Steps of the Master p194) 

  And who was it who then gained the rulership of Herod Antipas’ former Territories of Galilee and Perea?  You guessed it, King Agrippa, to whom Emperor Caligula later added the Territories of Samaria and Judea.  It was King Agrippa who began to persecute the early Church as we read in Acts 12, ordering the death of James, the brother of John, and the arrest of Peter.  (Acts 12: 1 to 3)  It was King Agrippa who “an angel of the Lord (suddenly) struck down, because he did not give honour to God, who was eaten by worms and died.”  (Acts 12: 21 – 23) 

  Why go into such detail?

  What was it that Mary said to Elizabeth in her Song of Praise?

“My heart praises the Lord, He has brought down mighty Kings from their thrones, .. and sent the rich away with empty hands.”  (Luke 1: 52a & 53b) 

  These weren’t just empty words of Mary, for Mary saw them fulfilled in her lifetime.  We can presume that, whether she was living in Jerusalem or in Galilee at the time, she was fully aware of the fates of Herod Antipas and of Herodias, and of the sudden death of King Agrippa, and would have recalled the words of her song.  She was fully aware that what had happened to Herod Antipas, and to Herodias, and to Agrippa, was not simply the consequence of political wangling or circumstantial happenings, but was God’s judgement upon them.  She was fully aware of the reality of the power and authority of Almighty God, that it is God who directs the path of Time and History, and that it is God who passes judgement upon “the whole World”, upon paupers as well as Princes.  (1 Samuel 2: 10b)    And this is a lesson that today’s leaders and decision makers should note, for they, too, are and will be accountable to God for their actions, past, present and future.

  It is said that a “self-made” person “worships their maker”.  In Luke’s account of the death of King Agrippa, he records someone calling out as King Agrippa spoke to the crowd, attired in his fine royal robes and crowned as King,

“It isn’t a man speaking, but a god!”  (Acts 12: 22) 

  But, it appears that, instead of refuting this statement and giving glory to his God, King Agrippa was silent and accepted the praise.  It was then that he was struck down, because, as we read, “he did not give honour to God”.  (Acts 12: 23) 

  How many rulers of the past have acted as if they were only accountable to themselves for their behaviour and actions, and the way that their decisions have affected and influenced the lives of others?  How many rulers of today do the same?  And why?  Because they are worshipping “their maker”.  They are sitting on their ‘thrones’ and proclaiming the right to determine, by themselves, the direction of History and of the fate of others, answerable to no-one and to nothing. 

  Hannah, in her prayer of praise to God, proclaims to the World,

“Stop your loud boasting; silence your proud words.”  (1 Samuel 2: 3a) 

  Mary, in her song of praise of God, proclaims to the World,

“He has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans.”  (Luke 1: 51) 

  There is this common theme in both passages, that, in all the World, regardless of whatever social position or status you have earned, from whatever race or culture you come, of whatever is your age or whatever abilities you possess, of whatever creed or set of beliefs you have determined for yourself, we must all reverently come before God in utter humbleness, with no pretence of self-importance or worth.  Why is that so?

  Hannah proclaims,

“No-one is holy like the Lord; there is none like Him, no protector like our God.”  1 Samuel 2: 2 

  Hannah had experienced the real blessing of God.  Where before she had been childless, and powerless to have a child, now God had granted her a son, Samuel.  No one in all the World but God is capable of showing such compassion and of displaying such power.

  Likewise, Mary proclaims of “the great things the Mighty God has done for me”.  (Luke 1: 49)  

  Mary had experienced the very presence of God’s Angel, Gabriel, delivering the very Word of God to her that she would bear the Son of the Most High God, who was destined to be “King of the descendants of Jacob forever”  (Luke 1: 30 – 33)  Why, the response by both Elizabeth and by the child within her, testified to the fulfillment of God’s promise to bless Humanity through her child.

  But, how were the prayers of Hannah and Mark linked?

  Hannah’s final words were,

“The Lord will judge the whole World; He will give power to His King, He will make His chosen King victorious.”  (1 Samuel 2: 10b) 

  What makes these words significant for us is that, at that time, the People of Israel had no King.  God was their King.  We read Moses saying, “You, Lord, will be King forever and ever.”  (Exodus 15: 18)  It wasn’t until later, towards the end of Samuel’s life, that God agreed to the People of Israel selecting a King to rule over them and to lead them.  And we read in 1 Samuel 10: 1 of Samuel anointing Saul to be the first King of Israel.

  But it wasn’t any of the Human Kings of Israel to whom Hannah was referring, for no Earthly King of the united Kingdom of Israel, nor of the divided Kingdoms of Judah and Israel could ever be described as having such power or of being associated with judging the whole World.

  In Acts 10, we read of the Apostle Peter speaking to those assembled in the house of the Roman Officer, Cornelius, saying “And (Jesus) commanded us to preach the Gospel to the people and to testify that He is the one whom God has appointed Judge of the living and the dead.  All the Prophets spoke about Him, saying that everyone who believes in Him will have their sins forgiven through the power of His name”.  (Acts 10: 42 and 43)  There is a reference to a vision of Daniel recorded in Daniel 7 of “one like a human being, .. given authority, honour, and royal power, so that the people of all Nations, races and languages would serve Him.  His authority would last forever, and His Kingdom would never end.”  (Daniel 7: 13 and 14)  The Apostle John made reference to “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first to be raised from death and who is also the Ruler of the Kings of the World.  (Revelation 1: 5) 

  Thus, we see the fullest link between Hannah’s prayer and Mary’s song of praise, for the King which Hannah foresaw was the child of Mary, the culmination of God’s work of salvation for the World, who would bring renewal and relief to those who honour God,  (Luke 1: 50)  and who receive forgiveness of their sins though His name.

  One writer says of Hannah, “In the small mirror of her own experience Hannah sees reflected all the wonder of God’s character.  God has reversed her misfortunes, Peninnah’s taunts have been silenced.  Emptiness, misery and shame are gone, and in their place life, joy and honour are to be found.  And what God can do for one (person), He can do for all (of) His people.”  (The Lion Handbook to the Bible p232) 

  It is widely understood that Jesus never set foot in the city of Tiberias for the reasons outlined in the Call to Worship, but that does not mean that the pagan walls of that city were impervious to the calls of both John the Baptist and of Jesus for people to repent of their sins before God.  That does not mean that the Gospel message of the mercy and grace of God were not proclaimed in its streets.  That does not mean that people did not seek out Jesus to hear his message of hope to the World.

  Lewis Foster writes that, as Jesus travelled from one town and village to another, “he and his Disciples did not provide for themselves by miracles, but were supported by the service and means of grateful people who had experienced healing and blessing at the hands of Jesus.  (Lewis Foster in Study Note in the NIV Study Bible p1581)  One such person mentioned by Luke was “Joanna, whose husband was Chuza, a Steward in Herod Antipas’ Court.”  (Luke 8: 3a)  Here she is visibly travelling with Jesus and his Disciples and others of her group supporting the ministry of Jesus in spite of her husband’s position in Herod’s court, or perhaps, with the support of her husband in spite of his position in the Court of Herod Antipas.

  Luke records for us that among the teachers in the Church at Antioch was a Manaen (or Menahem) who, it is noted, “had been brought up with in the household of Herod Antipas”.  (Acts 13: 1)  The Greek of this phrase, Suntrophos , can be strictly translated as “fellow nurseling”,  (Strongs NT4939)  , and it indicates that he was not just a companion of Herod Antipas from childhood, but an intimate friend or a “foster-brother” of Herod Antipas from his childhood.  (Thomas Lindsay in The Acts of the Apostles p42)  Against such a background of growing up in the pagan household of the Herod family, we find him not just among the believers in the Antioch Church, but a leader in the Church along with Saul and Barnabas.

  Here are the accounts of two people intimately associated with the Court of Herod Antipas and who potentially lived in the capital city of Tiberias, but who had become associated with Jesus among his travels, who had responded to his message of Good News, and who had become involved in the life and witness of the early Church.  As such, their accounts are a witness of the power of God to speak to the hearts of all people regardless of their background and upbringing, and the hope that it brings to the hearts of all people of the promise of God’s compassion and forgiveness.

I came across this poem in my reading this week.

“There is no greater love

than that of Christ above,

that made him stoop to Earth, became a man,

and by his death provide Redemption’s plan;

there is no greater love.”  Peterson

  (from No Greater Love in Our Daily Bread, 11 November 2008) 

  Let us rest, assured of the great love that is shown to each us, manifest in God’s work for the redemption of Humanity and our reconciliation with Him.

Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn

‘O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus’

(Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number 280)

Samuel Trevor Francis

Offering

Offering Prayer    

With our hearts lifted high, we offer you these gifts as a token of our thanks and praise for your mercy and grace at work in our lives.  We ask for your guidance on their use so that your offer of salvation and reconciliation is made known to the World, near and far.  This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Prayers for Others

Merciful God, you came to give honour to the least, those forgotten, overlooked and misjudged.

You came to give first place to the last, those left behind, misunderstood and undervalued.

You came to give a warm welcome to the lost, those who are orphaned, abandoned and

destitute.

Help us to be your ears to listen to their cries.

Help us to be your voice speaking out love and acceptance.

Help us to be your feet walking beside those in need.

Help us to be your hands to clothe, feed and shelter them.

Conform our hearts to yours, and plant in us the seeds of hope for a future of lasting peace between people of different cultures and races and Nation.

We pray for those in positions of power, authority, and influence, that you would burden them with a divine conviction to stand for truth, and to act with justice and mercy.

By the power of your Holy Spirit, may a dream for a shared future be planted in the hearts of our leaders and so captivate their imagination, that all the people of every Nation on Earth may be liberated into life.

We pray that the eyes of the Nations of the World may be opened, that all may see the truth of your love and grace, and act for justice.

May your spirit of reconciliation inspire leaders of Nations to advocate for Human dignity to all, and to guide the peoples of their lands from the temptations of bias or indifference.

We pray that where there is bitterness or division among your people, the Church worldwide, that there will be forgiveness and reconciliation. 

We pray that where there is pride in their own achievements, it will be replaced by humbleness and a grateful desire to work together to bring about your Will and Purpose in the World.

Other Prayers (These prayers will not be used in the service in the church on Sunday)

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may be a light in times of confusion and turmoil through the witness of our lives and our compassionate care for others.

We pray for the grace of discernment, that we may understand the signs of the times and recognize your presence, action, and invitation each day.

We pray for the gift of hope, that no matter what challenges we face, we may remain confident that with you, all things are possible.

We pray for all who are facing crisis, loss, or grief, that the Holy Spirit will guide them, comfort them, and help them to face the future.

We pray for the grace of forgiveness, that we may be open to your unending forgiveness and share it with those who have offended us.

We pray for all who live amidst bloodshed and violence, that you will spur people to greater efforts for the establishment of peace and justice in every society.

We pray for all who have little hope, that you will open new opportunities for those who lack education, employment, healthcare, or safe housing and help them to move forth in faith.

We pray for displaced persons, that you will guide those who have fled violence, famine, or natural disasters, keep them safe from harm, and lead them to places of safety.

We pray for all who suffer with depression, that you will lift the darkness, give them new hope, and help them find support and acceptance.

We pray for all who have been abused, that you will heal their pain, renew their spirits, and help them to live life fully.

We pray for leaders of government, that you will give them an understanding of the critical needs of those whom they serve and wisdom to address them.

(Copyright © 2024. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/33OrdB111724/ideas_other.html)

Almighty God, we pray for the peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand and 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 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.)

(https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/aotearoa-new-zealand-australia)

Almighty God, we pray for the families of those who sacrificed their lives for Australia in times of war, that you will bring comfort to those who grieve and that their legacy of courage and service would inspire peace.  We pray for wisdom and protection over Australians currently serving in the armed forces, and for lasting peace in our world.

We pray for Bible Society Australia’s (BSA) Board as they prepare their Board meeting on the 28th – 29th of November, for your wisdom, knowledge and understanding as they make decisions, along with BSA’s CEO, Grant Thomson.  We pray for unity in purpose and mission, as they seek to fulfil the vision you have placed before them.

We pray for Bible Society of Myanmar’s ‘Literacy by Listening’ project, for peace and stability in the Nation.  We pray for the safety and protection of all students and teachers involved in this literacy project.  We pray for Myanmar’s Karen people to have the freedom to worship God and study without hindrance.

We thank you God for the pre-primary children in remote areas of Bangladesh who are being given access to literacy skills through Bible Society’s Bible-based literacy course.  We pray for those affected by Cyclone Remal in Bangladesh, that they would receive comfort and support in their recovery.  We pray for your guidance for literacy staff as they teach the children in the national Bengali language, to better prepare them for their primary school education.

We pray for Koorong teams around Australia, as it has been a challenging year with ongoing system issues affecting store and warehouse operations and increasing manual rework.  We  pray for your sustaining strength and guidance for every Koorong staff member as Christmas approaches and they enter the busiest time of their year, that you would help them navigate through the challenges; for productive and supportive relationships with customers; and for a successful Christmas trading period.

We thank you God for the transformation Alagini* a young student in the Bangladesh Bible Society’s (BBS) literacy course.  BBS shares that Alagini “has learned to recognise vowels and 11 consonants, can read and write numbers from 1 to 10, and delights in drawing pictures and learning [chorus songs] … Additionally, she has memorised Bible verses and even confidently sang the national anthem in front of her class.”

(Bible%20Society%20November%202024%20Prayer%20Letter.pdf)

Almighty God, we pray for the volunteer team in South Australia’s western suburbs as they prepare to take the Christmas story into schools.  We pray for more opportunities to minister in local primary schools through our Christian Options Program and for more volunteers to continue this good work.

As Sunny Coast Schoolies in QLD kicks off this coming week, we pray that the graduating students will have a pressure-free, fun time making new friends and experiencing a positive temporary community where they can also explore their faith journey

We pray for Glenn & Leanne Coombs as they share their Christmas Performance Art Assembly Presentation in ACT schools, that the presentation may soften hearts, and point many to the truth of Jesus.

We pray that you will empower chaplains in the Northern Territory will finish the year strong and that they will enjoy a deep rest over the holiday period.

We pray that you will protect and guide Terry Williams as he co-facilitates a Resource Development Workshop for SU European movements in France.

We pray for Tasmania’s new ‘Take the Lead Junior Leadership Camp’, that it will be a good opportunity to sow into the lives of young people, helping them grow into the strong Christian leaders that are needed in our world

We pray for ‘Hard Skills’, Victoria’s annual Coolamatong gathering of summer camp volunteers, being held this coming weekend, for the development of a useful and inspiring program, for strong team bonds to form and for safe travel as people journey to Coolamatong from all over the state.

(SU%20Prayer-Guide-October%20to%20December%202024.pdf)

Almighty God, we pray for a successful advocacy initiative so that persons affected by leprosy complications will be allowed admission at Chattogram Medical College Hospital and receive tertiary care (medicine and surgery).

We pray that children with disability will get support from schoolmates, teachers and their community so that they can continue their education.

We pray for the Proyash (which translates as ‘ambition’) Health Systems Strengthening Project, which hopes to achieve significant changes in the government health system during 2024, for good cooperation from the government, which will be key for success.

In 2023, The Leprosy Mission Banladesh faced long delays in importing drugs for the clinical trials they are conducting in Bangladesh, including importing rifampicin for the PEP++ study.  We pray that they will not face barriers to importing drugs and other research supplies in 2024.

We pray for success in developing a tool to help The Leprosy Mission Nepal diagnose leprosy earlier and quicker as a research priority.  The 2B or not 2B project– a partnership with TLM Nepal and Leiden University Medical Centre – started in 2023 to develop such a test, and we pray for success at every step of the way.

We pray that TLMI Bangladesh will have the necessary funding and support to make significant progress towards zero transmission across the country.  As TLMI Bangladesh needs to recruit new leprosy control staff who will work alongside government health staff, we pray for success in this recruitment and training of new staff.

We pray good health and guidance for Senior Research Staff, for Dr Abu Sufian Chowdhury – Research Coordinator, for Dr Rishad Choudhury Robin – Senior Research Technical Lead, for Dr Abhijit Saha – Project Manager PEP++, for Senior Leprosy Control Programme staff, for Mr Jeorge Biswas – Project Manager, Proyash and MEPD, for Mr Parach Chakma – Project Manager, Chattogram Hill Tracts, and for Mr Sultan Md. Elias – Project Manager, Chattogram Leprosy Management Project.

(The%20Leprosy%20Mission%20Prayer%20Guide%202024.pdf)

We pray for the Gospel to be shared with the unreached Chut peoples, Population: 8,100*. Language: Chut. Religion: Ethnic Religions.

We thank you God for the success of the FEBC Cambodian team to distribute solar lights and speaker boxes to rural communities.  We thank you for your role in helping to develop the capacity of church leadership in rural Cambodia through our audio Bible course.

We pray for your blessing upon FEBC Philippines’ ‘Radyo Gandingan’ on FM radio emphasising good family values and communicating the Good News of Jesus.

We pray for your blessing upon FEBC Thailand’s broadcasts in Thai and Issan languages on social media and local radio stations to reach those in remote areas.  We pray also for the ‘Christmas Give With Love’ Christmas outreach.  “When I first entered jail, I suffered the most.  But then I met God here and I now have a lot of hope.” – Listener, Thailand.

We pray for your blessing upon FEBC Indonesia’s ‘Adolescent Protection and Family Program’ that encourages teenagers to thrive in their God-given potential, for FEBC Indonesia’s PARS ministry which shares the Good News in Farsi on radio and online streaming platforms to more than 12,000^ refugees in Indonesia and many more worldwide.  In addition to being in schools, FEBC Indonesia’s BDKA (Adventuring in the Kingdom of God) program is now on Heartline Radio, where host ‘Uncle Timo’ will lead children to spend time in God’s Word.  We pray for protection for our Partner producing video translations of the chronological Bible into sign language, and providing skills training to members of the deaf community in a country where they are persecuted for their faith.

(FEBC Praise-Prayer-Dec-Oct-24-digital-FINAL.pdf)

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.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn:

‘I hear thy welcome voice’

(Alexander’s Hymns Number 3 number 133)

Lewis Hartsough

Benediction    

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing Benediction Song:

‘May the grace of Christ our Saviour’  (TiS777)

Verse 1 of 2

May the grace of Christ our Saviour,

and the Father’s boundless love,

with the Holy Spirit’s favour,

rest upon us from above.

Verse 2 of 2

Thus, may we abide in union

with each other and the Lord,

and possess in sweet communion

joys which Earth cannot afford.John Newton