Welcome: –
Call to Worship: –
(from Psalm 111: 1, 2a, 3, 4b, and 7 to 10)
With all my heart I will praise the Lord.
How great are the things the Lord does.
His acts are full of majesty and splendour,
And His righteousness endures forever.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
The works of His hands are faithful and just.
All His commands are dependable,
They are founded on goodness and truth.
God redeemed the people He loves,
He set us free and made an everlasting Covenant with us.
Holy is the Lord,
We come before God with the utmost awe and reverence.
The way to become wise is to honour the Lord,
He gives understanding to all who seek to live by His Word.
His praise endures forever,
Praise the Lord.
Comment on Psalm 111
This is a hymn of praise of God which writers suggest was sung at one of the Jewish Festivals, most possibly at Passover because of the reference to God redeeming His people. It stresses that God deserves praise because of His great works on Earth, His holy nature and character, and His rule in Nature and History. As we gather together today, we too consider the works and the nature of God, and we too respond with our grateful adoration and worship.Comm
(from Artur Weiser in The Psalms p698 and Leslie McCaw and Alec Motyer in Psalms in New Bible Commentary p522)
Prayer of Praise
(from Uniting in Worship Vol 1 p570 – 572)
God the Father, God over us, we adore you. You are the depth of all there is. You are the ground of our being. We can never grasp you, yet you grasp us. The Universe speaks of you and your incomparable majesty and wisdom.
God the Son, God beside us, we adore you. You are the perfection of Humanity. You have shown us what Human life should be like. In you we see divine love and human greatness combined. Through you we experience God’s grace and mercy.
God the Spirit, God around us, we adore you. You are the power within us. You give us abundant life and make us the people we are meant to be. You give us the divine gift to forgive and to forget the wrongs that are done to us.
Eternal God, we remember your goodness to us and to those who have gone before us, and we live with the confidence that you will reveal your goodness to those who will come after us. You are not our captive, God, nor are you a god of our own making. You are not bound by us nor controlled by us. You are ahead of us, leading us, guiding us and calling us. You are the Lord God, all-wise and all-compassionate. We lift up our hearts and worship you, one God and Lord, for ever and ever. Amen.
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing 2 songs:
“It’s no longer I that liveth” (Scripture in Song Volume 1 number 8) (based on Galatians 2: 20)
“He is Lord” (Scripture in Song Volume 1 number 49) (based on Philippians 2: 10 & 11)
Prayer of Confession
(from Ephesians 4: 17 to 5: 17)
Merciful God, we come humbly before you, acknowledging that we have been foolish and careless in our thoughts and actions.
Merciful God, we confess to things we should not have done, and confess of being neglectful of things we should have done.
We confess to using language that is not fitting for people who seek to follow you, of using language that is intended to hurt others and not to help them.
Forgive our sins.
We confess to becoming angry at small hurts and unfairness, causing us to be unloving in our reactions to others.
Forgive our sins.
We confess to a desire for things that have no worth or lasting goodness or benefit for us.
Forgive our sins.
We confess to a stubbornness of holding on to prejudices and an unwillingness to face new truths that challenge our long-held attitudes.
Forgive our sins.
We confess to lying and misleading others so as to hide our guilt or responsibility.
Forgive our sins.
We confess to a laxity in praying for the needs of others.
Forgive our sins.
We confess to habits and a seeking of comfort to leads us away from fellowship with you and obedience to your will for our lives.
Forgive our sins.
Merciful God, lead us out of the darkness of impure and unlovely thoughts and actions.
Holy God, lead us into a life that is controlled by your love for us and that is inspired by your Spirit of truth and grace. To your glory and honour we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
(from Ephesians 5: 2)
The Apostle Paul reminds us that “Jesus Christ loved us and gave His life for us”. Having confessed our sins before God we hold onto this promise that, through the redeeming work of God achieved through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our sins have been forgiven and we have been reconciled to God.
Thanks be to God.
Prayer of illumination
(from Holy Communion Two in Uniting Church Worship Services p21)
Bible Readings
1 Kings 2:
10 David died and was buried in David’s City. 11 He had been King of Israel for forty years, ruling seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 Solomon succeeded his father David as King, and his royal power was firmly established.
1 Kings 3:
3 Solomon loved the Lord by walking in the statutes of his father David, only he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places.
4 On one occasion King Solomon went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices because that was where the most famous alter was. He had offered hundreds of burnt offerings there in the past. 5 That night the Lord appeared to him in a dream and asked him, “What would you like me to give you?”
6 Solomon answered, “You always showed great love for my father David, your servant, and he was good, loyal, and honest in his relationship with you. And you have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place. 7 O Lord God, you have let me succeed my father as King, even though I am very young and don’t know how to rule. 8 Here I am among the people you have chosen to be your own, a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. 9 So give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice and to know the difference good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
Ephesians 5:
15 Be most careful then how you conduct yourselves, like wise, sensible people not like ignorant people. 16 Use the present opportunity to the full, for these are evil days. 17 So do not be fools, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.
18 Do not get drunk, which will only ruin you; instead, let the Holy Spirit fill you. 19 Speak to one another with the words of psalms, hymns and sacred songs; sing hymns and psalms to the Lord with praise in your hearts. 20 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, give thanks every day to God the Father for everything.
[Revised Standard Version, Today’s English Version, New English Bible]
This is the Word of God.
Praise to you Almighty God.
John 6:
51 Jesus said to them, “If anyone eats this bread, the living bread that came down from Heaven, they will live forever. The bread that I will give them is my flesh, which I give so that the world may live.”
52 This started a fierce dispute among them. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.
53 Jesus said to them, “I am telling you the truth, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you can have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them to life on the Last Day. 55 For my flesh is the real food, my blood the real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me continually, and I in them.
57 The living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me shall live because of me. 58 This, then, is the bread that came down from Heaven. It is not like the bread that your ancestors ate; they are dead. Whoever eats this bread shall live forever.” 59 Jesus said this as he taught in the synagogue in Capernaum.
[Revised Standard Version, Today’s English Version, New English Bible]
This is the Gospel of our Lord.
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
You ore invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn “Behold the Saviour of Mankind” (MBH193 Wesley’s Hymn number 22)
[This YouTube clip is for another hymn, but is used here for the tune]
Verse 1 of 4
Behold the Saviour of Mankind,
Nailed to the shameful tree.
How vast the love that him inclined
To bleed and die for thee.
Verse 2 of 4
Hark, how he groans, while Nature shakes
And Earth’s strong pillars bend;
The Temple’s veil in sunder breaks,
The solid marbles rend.
Verse 3 of 4
‘Tis done, the precious ransom’s paid;
‘Receive my soul.’ He cries.
See where he bows his sacred head,
He bows his head and dies.
Verse 4 of 4
But soon he’ll break Death’s envious chain,
And in full glory shine,
O Lamb of God, was ever pain,
Was ever love like Thine?
Samuel Wesley
Message
In our Call to Worship we read of the great things that God does, and, just as importantly, we read of the greatness of God:
His acts are full of majesty and splendour. (Psalm 111: 3)
God has shown His provision and power to His people. (Psalm 111: 6)
The works of His hands are faithful and just. Psalm 111: 7)
God redeemed the people He loves. (Psalm 111: 9)
Leslie McCaw and Alec Motyer, in their summing up of Psalm 111, write that “God is revealed in His grace, His Law and His holiness. Our response, consequently, is awe, obedience and praise.” (Leslie McCaw and Alec Motyer in Psalms in New Bible Commentary p522 & 523)
These verses from Psalm 111, read in the light of these writers’ comments, reveal to us two aspects of God:
God has power and control.
We read in today’s passages from 1 Kings 2:12 that Solomon succeeded his father, David, as King of God’s people, the people of Israel.
Solomon loved the Lord, walked in the statutes of his father and sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. This was in the time before the temple was built. Solomon went to Gibeon and it was there that The Lord appeared to him in a dream at night and God said, “ask what I should give you.” Dreams had real significance. It was a way for God to reveal his will in Old Testament times.
In 1 Kings 3: 5 to 14 the Lord promised to bless Solomon as King.
God was pleased with Solomon for asking to be blessed with God’s wisdom, an understanding mind so that he could lead God’s people “with justice and to know the difference between good and evil”. (1 Kings 3: 9) He admitted that he was young and had a lack of experience, but his heart was right before God. In verse 10 we read that God said to him, “Because you have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right I will give you a wise and discerning mind. God also said that he would give Solomon more than he asks for; riches and honour and if he walks in God’s ways, keeps his statutes and commandments he will lengthen his life.
God gave King Solomon the power to rule over his people, to have control and influence.
There are people in the world who want power, control and influence;
to promote a political, religious, cultural or social ideology, or
for material wealth, pleasure and a comfortable lifestyle.
And in doing so, they are willing:
to use and abuse people and World’s resources to achieve their goals.
In consequence:
there is a disregard for our responsibility as stewards of God’ Creation, to abide by God’s moral standards, to recognise the worth and dignity of others, and of our need to submit to God’s will.
This is the foolishness about which Paul writes, the way of the unwise, the ignorant, the fool, (Ephesians 5: 15 & 17) characterised by such thoughts as:
that you do not answer to any ‘higher power’,
that you can choose for yourself what moral code you live by or not live by,
that no-one determines your destiny but yourself,
that there is nothing after death.
And this leads to the greatest demonstration of Human foolishness:
that because you seek to define your own god, or that there is no God, you have no perception of such a thing as ‘sin’, and therefore,
you can disregard God’s offer of forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with him.
The writer of Psalm 111 makes the significant mention of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. “God redeemed the people He loves, He set us free and made an everlasting Covenant with us.” (Psalm 111: 9)
This was such a dramatic demonstration by God of his love for the people whom He loved, of His capacity to exert His power and authority over the greatest of the Worldly powers of the time, and of His determination to ensure that His will is done, that is, the sustaining of the Israelites on their journeying and of the provision of their own Homeland.
We read in Luke’s gospel that Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, “was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke God’s message:
“Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He has come to redeem His people and to set them free.” (Luke 1: 68) Here, Zechariah is quoting these words from Psalm 111: 9. Zechariah is reminding his listeners of the greatness of God in His redeeming the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. But Zechariah continues, proclaiming that God hasn’t finished His task of redeeming His people, for there is more to God’s will that God intends to fulfil.
Zechariah continues in his message saying,
“He has provided for us a mighty Saviour, a descendant of His servant David.” (Luke 2: 69)
It is here that Zechariah is alluding to the baby that Mary was carrying, but not by name.
God will truly demonstrate His power and authority over the very thing that reveals to Humanity the extent of their weakness, that is, the power of sin and death in their lives, and that
God will truly express His love for each person, for all of Humanity, by offering to each and every person the free gift of forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with Him.
“The fear or revering of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.” (Psalm 111:10) We saw earlier that King Solomon asked for wisdom and God gave it to him.
The Apostle Paul had a “be careful” message for the Church that was located in the city of Ephesus, located in present-day south-west Turkey:
“Be most careful then how you conduct yourselves, likewise, sensible people not like ignorant people. Use the present opportunity to the full, for these are evil days.” (Ephesians 5: 15 and 16)
Today’s English Version Greek word expanded meaning of the word
(how you) conduct (yourself) peripateo to walk in life, to live, to conduct
Be most careful (then) akribos exactly, diligently, perfectly, carefully
(not like) ignorant people asophos not wise, unwise, a fool, ignorant
(like) wise, sensible people sophos wise, sensible
to the full exagoradzo [make the most of every opportunity
use the present opportunity kairos [since none can be recalled if missed
(for these are) days hemera a time period or age
evil ponayros diseased, grievous, hurtful, evil
In the Greek words that Paul chose to use, he is stating his message clearly about conducting oneself wisely.
The joyful praise of Christian meetings is in direct contrast to the noisy, drunken behaviour seen in Ephesian inns. The contrast is seen in what it is that stimulates the person. For the Christian, it is the Holy Spirit, transforming a life and enriching the soul. For the non-Christian, it is a life of excess and of indecent behaviour that is destructive to body and mind and wasteful of a life that is gifted to us by God.
When the Holy Spirit fills a heart, the mind overflows with praise of God. We will walk the Christian life as we sing and talk of Christ.
(Henrietta Mears in What the Bible is all about p502 & 503, Henry Halley in Halley’s Bible Handbook p509)
Paul warns the Ephesian Christians of the danger of a life involved with others that is morally wrong with the ever present evil in the World. The Christian has the responsibility to seek wisdom from God as a guide to how they are to live their life, and not to be led into participating in their pagan environment. This wisdom is an attitude of life that involves gaining an understanding of God, an intentional avoidance of all that displeases Him, and of an intentional obedience to the will of God.
(Ralph Martin in Ephesians in New Bible Commentary p1119 & 1120)
There have been times when I have realised later that I would have been wise to listen to God, and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I believe that God puts things in our minds when that is the way we are meant to go or act.
This is an ongoing way of life, because we must seek for the Holy Spirit to shine a light into every dark corner of our life so that we can become aware of all that is wrong in our lives, of all that we should be ashamed, so that we can be led to confess it all to God and receive His healing and wholeness in our lives.
(Lesley Charlton in his study notes for 19 July 1989 in International Bible Reading Association Notes on bible Readings 1989)
There is also an outward focus for the Christian, for there is the parallel work of bearing witness to the grace and mercy of God, not only in our words and actions but also in our proclamation of the Gospel message, in the hope that others are led from ‘darkness’ into the ‘light’, led from a life destined for judgement to a life restored to fellowship with God. And it is here that an urgency is evident, since we do not know ‘the hour or the day” when God’s judgement will come.
(Francis Foulkes in Ephesians p150)
A reminder that we are to make the most of our time.
Salvation is God’s free gift unreservedly offered to us. Our response is to live in gratitude to God, giving thanks each day to the Father through and in the name of Jesus for everything that He has provided, seeking to get rid of our old way of life, and remoulding our life in the image of God and aligned with God’s will. Such an attitude acknowledges that God is Lord of our lives, but also that God rules the events that take place in our lives. It is in such a way that we would be living as wise people not like the unwise.
(from Ephesians in The Lion Handbook to the Bible p606 and Craig Keener in Ephesians in The IVP Bible Background Commentary to the New Testament p551)
“sing hymns and psalms to the Lord with praise in your hearts” Ephesians 5: 19
Paul explains that it is the experiencing this “good news” that should lead the Christian to live a life of praise and thanksgiving to God for every blessing, for that is the life of the wise. Be careful of the unwise, Paul warns, of those who intentionally seek to remain ignorant of God’s love, of God’s call to them, and of God’s will for their lives. Let us be careful to listen Paul’s warning.
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn ‘Sing praise and thanksgiving’ [TiS 107 AHB25]
[This YouTube clip is for another hymn, but is used here for the tune]
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=_oCcT-9yntc
Verse 1 of 3
Sing praise and thanksgiving, Let all creatures living
Now worship their maker with gladness and song;
All glory and honour we come to him bringing:
O praise to the Almighty, sing praise to our God!
Verse 2 of 3
Our lives of his making he brings to their waking;
In darkness he held us in his gracious care,
Now into the light we are called from our sleeping:
O praise to the Almighty, sing praise to our God!
Verse 3 of 3
Lord, frame our desiring to do your requiring,
That unto your glory be all that we do;
And where we have faltered, give strength and give healing:
O praise to the Almighty, sing praise to our God!
Adaption © C. A. Gibson
Offering
Offering Prayer
For the blessings of this and all our days, we thank you, gracious God. Accept, we pray, not just this money but also our lives freely offered in gratitude for all you have done for us. Use them both, in this place and wherever you might take us. Amen.
Prayers for Others
Almighty God, we pray for the Church, for a renewal of your Spirit in our hearts: that you will pour out the Spirit upon us in new ways so that we may make the most of every opportunity given us by you.
We pray for the gift of Wisdom, that we may grasp the meaning and purpose of the life that you offer us.
We pray for unity amongst Christians, that all who bear the name Christian will work toward healing the wounds of the Body of Christ and sharing common worship
We pray for our Nation, that leaders of government and business will be led by your wisdom to choose good rather than evil, honesty rather than deceit, and service rather than greed.
We pray for all who hunger for freedom, for respect, and for meaning in life, that through the words of Christ and the witness of Christians, they may find fulfillment for the longings of their hearts.
We pray for greater patience with ourselves and our loved ones, that we may slow down enough to appreciate all the gifts with which we have been blessed and to nurture those relationships that bring us life
We pray for all who are recovering from the natural disasters and for those who are assisting them, that you will give them strength, ease their suffering and fill their hearts with hope.
We pray for greater care and respect for your Creation, that the Holy Spirit will guide our choices in the use and protection of Earth’s resources.
We pray for the growth of peace, particularly in the Middle East, that leaders of Nations may have wisdom and courage to find new paths to promote the good of the Human family.
Copyright © 2018. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/20OrdB081824/ideas_other.html
Almighty God, we pray for the peoples of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.
We are thankful for the heritage of ancient trade routes, rich oral traditions and nomadic practices of people in the lands these countries now occupy, for humanitarian work to improve food security and livelihoods, especially for women, for pro-active efforts to preserve the environment in these desert lands, and for welcome and provision for those who often must flee across borders.
We pray for those impoverished who lack basic needs and rights, that these will be met, for desperate children and others who turn to crime or begging or become enslaved, for effective response to the frequent droughts and hunger in this area, and for more stable political rule in these countries to stem violence and provide for all.
PRAYERS
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Eternal God, we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, for Mali, Chad, Niger, Mauritania and Burkina Faso.
We know that in our part of the world some people are getting carried away by hatred – people who are unable to think clearly, and turn furiously on the people whom you have placed in this part of the world to enjoy your creation and witness to you. We pray for girls and boys, women and men, children and adults, and the elderly, for you to grant them peace, your peace. In the name of Jesus Christ, Lord, change the hearts of all those who are carried away by hatred, that they may find in you the Hope of Salvation, and that they may become messengers of peace for ever.
We thank you, Lord, for you are faithful to your promise.
Glory and praise be given to you for ever and ever. Amen
(Pastor Kinda Tegwende Leonard/Sore Mahamoudou, Burkina Faso.)
Prayer for Mauritania
Your land, O Lord, is divided and suffers from fighting between your children.
Injustices of all kinds, hatred and bitterness are part of the daily life of the people.
Families seek reconciliation. Tribes and ethnic groups need reconciliation and peace.
The country needs to be restored and reconciled with itself in order to deal with its past.
The downtrodden still struggle to live a decent life.
The powerful continue to exploit the powerless and the voiceless.
Send your Holy Spirit to reveal your presence and might to all.
May your name be feared and judgment brought upon those who continue to oppress the little ones.
Enter into hearts and lives and change them to become havens of love.
(© Dr Colette Bouka Coula, Cameroon, former staff member of the Lutheran World Federation in Mauritania)
Prayer for Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania
God, our Father, we bless you for the gift of life that you grant us,
that strength of faith, so fragile and so powerful,
which is nourished by the assurance of your love.
We pray to you, Lord,
for the sustenance of life for the people of these five countries,
Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.
Stir up the strength and courage of all those who are engaged
in lifting these countries out of poverty.
(Prières pour le monde 2004 © Fédération protestante de France, Paris, France. English transl. Terry MacArthur, © 2005 WCC)
The prayers on these pages can be printed for individual church services as long as they are not used for commercial purposes. – https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/burkina-faso-chad-mali-mauritania-niger
Almighty God, we pray for the Noongar Bible Translation team that will be visiting Figtree Anglican Church’s World Missions Conference this month in NSW. We pray for engaging and fruitful discussions, united around the mission of Bible translation in Australian Indigenous languages. We thank you for Figtree Anglican church’s partnership with Bible Society Australia in supporting Nungalinya College (a combined churches training College for Indigenous Australians) this year.
We pray for the Samoan Bible translation team as they aim to complete translation of the Minor Prophets books this year for the Samoan Contemporary Old Testament project. We thank you for the team’s newly appointed Administrator, Elizabeth, who will help coordinate the work in Samoa. As there are more team members needed to complete this project, we pray for your provision of committed members to join the team.
We thank you God for the successful filming that was able to take place for the Auslan Bible project. We pray that the next session of filming will go smoothly and that the team will be in good health before and during filming. We pray for more deaf translators to join the team and for your continued guidance and wisdom as the committee makes decisions about the project and on what Bible translations to work.
We praise you God for the progress of the Tongan Contemporary Bible project, which aims to make a contemporary translation of the Bible in Tongan. We pray for your guidance over the team as the project undergoes stages of review and consultant checking, and feedback from the public. We pray also for the health of the team members working on this project.
We pray for the Asia-Pacific Bible Translation Meeting which will be held in Fiji on the 20-22th of August. We pray for your blessing on this meeting as it will convene Bible Society translation consultants and coordinators in Asia and the Pacific to discuss and plan the Bible Translation Roadmap in these regions. We pray for your wisdom and guidance over all involved in this important work to build a legacy around your word for future generations.
We pray that the Samoan Old Testament in contemporary language will have an impact in people’s lives once this translation work is completed. Translation Consultant, Sam Freney, says, “Our hope is that it will become widely accepted in Samoa. Not only amongst the younger generations for whom it is aimed, but also amongst older people who may use it alongside their beloved older version.”
(Bible%20Society%20August%202024%20PrayerLetter.pdf)
We thank you God for our full team of Scripture Union Field Development Managers across Southern QLD and Northern Rivers. We pray that you will uplift them and give them wisdom as they communicate with a range of stakeholders and communities.
We pray for good networking and ministry opportunities to come from the Cairns Church Leaders Mayoral lunch event this coming Monday.
We pray for the SU Australia National Leadership Team as they meet and discuss ministry around the country together. May it be a time of strong fellowship and growth in Christ.
We praise you God for the way that many churches in Canberra work together. We pray for strengthened partnerships with churches who do not yet know much about SU Australia.
We pray for chaplains who are working hard in Term 3, for their energy and endurance as the 2024 school year continues and for encouragement in the work to which you have called them.
We pray for your support and guidance for the Camps and Missions Support Hub team as they prepare for the busy spring and summer seasons ahead.
We pray that the vacant chaplain and SRE/RI teacher positions would be filled by faithful and qualified people.
(Scripture%20Union%20Prayer-Guide%20July%20to%20September%202024.pdf)
Almighty God, we pray for wisdom and guidance for the Advocacy & Communications team of The Leprosy Mission India as it works on repealing discriminatory laws. Help them to know the right words to say, the right people to talk to, and the right strategies to use. May you bless the team as it works closely with the Government of India to create enabling policies. We pray that you will give an ear to those in power and help them build relationships that will be mutually beneficial.
We pray that you will bless our efforts of The Leprosy Mission India in connecting with the President and the Prime Minister on The Leprosy Mission’s 150th celebration event in New Delhi. We pray that you will open their hearts to hear the message of The Leprosy Mission and use this opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people affected by leprosy.
Lord, we pray that you will bless the Advocacy & Communications team as they work to find strategic partners across all our programmes. We pray that you will bring people together who share their vision and who are willing to collaborate with them to bring change in the lives of people affected by leprosy and other disabilities. We pray for blessings on the team as they work to build the capacity of champions and staff. We pray that you would give them the skills and knowledge they need to be effective advocates and communicators.
We pray that you will open doors for them to receive the financial and other resources they need to make a difference in the lives of people affected by leprosy. Lord, we pray that you will bless the TLM team as it works to create visibility for the organisation at a much bigger level. We pray that you will open doors for them to share their message with a wider audience so that they join them in the fight against leprosy.
We pray for the health and well-being of Nikita Sarah – Head of Advocacy & Communications.
(The%20Leprosy%20Mission%20Prayer%20Guide%202024.pdf)
We pray for those who undertake Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School in the coming weeks. Guide them in their preparation for the words to say and the approach to take with the children in their classes.
We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Scripture Union Chaplain at Bald Hills State School, as she addresses the concerns and needs of children, parents and teachers at the School.
We pray for those who we have not seen for some time and who are unable to attend worship regularly. Please guide and comfort them in their particular circumstances. May they be aware of your care for them as they meet what each new day brings.
Merciful God, hear our prayers this day and answer them so that your greatness may be known by all. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
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 “Trusting Jesus, that is all” (Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number 44)
Benediction
May our lives bear witness to God’s mercy and grace. May our thoughts and words reflect God’s love for all people. May all that we do be directed to the good of those with whom we live and move each day. And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Benediction Song: “Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us” (Scripture in Song Volume 2 number 111 / 316)
Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us.
Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us.
That we should be called the sons of God,
That we should be called the sons of God.
Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us.
Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us.
That we should be called the sons of God,
That we should be called the sons of God.
Patricia van Tine
Service for Sunday 21st May 2023, which was conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber 
Service for Sunday 16th July 2023, which was conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber 
Service for Sunday 7th May 2023, which included communion, and was conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber 
Service for Christmas Day 25th December 2024, which was conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber 