Welcome: –

Acknowledgement of Country: –

The Ancient of Days breathed life into this land and Her peoples.

From time beyond our reckoning, the People have blessed this place through their law and customs, their care and concern.

We pay our respects to their Elders and Leaders, past, present, and emerging, and pray for the future of their communities.

May we walk gently and respectfully on this Land.

Acknowledgement the legacy of past faithful followers of Jesus.

Over nearly 150 years, people of faith have worshipped here at Bald Hills, so we give thanks for all those who lived out their faith in this small corner of the Lord’s vineyard.  Their legacy is rich.  People in this congregation have been enriched and in turn passed on the Gospel of grace to many.  And, so, we give thanks as we worship here today.  

Introduction:

Each new day is a new beginning.  As we wake up each day we get dressed and prepare for the day.  As we clothe ourselves in the everyday, we also put on the whole armour of God and, supported by the ever-present Holy Spirit, we are ready for the twists and turns that may challenge our plans.

Horace, the Roman philosopher and poet, wrote, ‘carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero’, which translates as, ‘pluck the day, or ‘Seize the Day trusting as little as possible in the future’, even trusting as little as possible in the next day.

Taken in the larger context of his writings, what this basically means is something like, “don’t put off tomorrow what you can/should do today, because you never know what the future will bring”.

Also, it can be taken to a deeper meaning, that is, “make the most of the today so that it will stand you in good stead in the future”. So, for us today, now is the beginning, no matter what stage of our journey we are on.

Let us welcome each other in song as we celebrate our time together.

We sing Welcome, welcome, welcome. (Unfortunately we do not have any recorded music available for this song)

1. Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Lord’s house

Welcome, welcome, welcome in the name of the Lord

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Lord’s house

Rejoicing for the Lord is here.

• Welcome friends and neighbours to the Lord’s house…………
• Welcome young and old to the Lord’s house ………………
• Welcome everybody to the Lord’s house ………….

The Peace

And as we welcome each other, we can say, just as Jesus said,

Greeting: The peace of the Lord be with you

Response: And also with you

Call to worship

Children of God,
give praise to our God who loves you.
All who are broken and bruised,
glorify our God who will grant you peace.
All who are healed and restored,
stand in awe of our God who has and will transform your life.
Come now and worship.

PSALM 22:19 – 28

In this section of Psalm 22 David writes

^“O Lord, don’t stay away from me!
Come quickly to my rescue!
Save me!  Rescue me, because I am helpless!

I will tell my people what you have done;
I will praise you in their assembly:”

He calls out for all to join with him to

Praise him, you servants of the Lord!
Honour him and worship him,

He does not neglect the poor nor ignore their suffering;
he does not turn away from them,

but answers when they call for help.”

We offer a sacrifice of praise and encouraged to come, to join him.

As he worships the King of the Nations, so do we.

All nations will remember the Lord.

from every part of the World they will turn to him;
all races will worship him.
The Lord is king,
and he rules the nations.

So let us sing, sing to the God of Salvation

1. Let us sing to the God of salvation,

let us sing to the Lord our rock!

Let us come to his house with thanksgiving,

let us come before the Lord and sing!

Praise our Maker, Praise our Saviour,

Praise the Lord our everlasting King.

Every throne must bow before him,

God is Lord of everything!

2. In his hand are the earth’s deepest places,

and the strength of the hills is his!

All the sea is the Lord’s, for he made it,

by his hands the dry land was formed.

Praise our Maker, Praise our Saviour,

Praise the Lord our everlasting King.

Every throne must bow before him,

God is Lord of everything!

3. Let us worship the Lord our Maker,

Let us kneel to the Lord our God;

for we all are the sheep of his pasture,

He will guide us by his powerful hand.

Praise our Maker, Praise our Saviour,

Praise the Lord our everlasting King.

Every throne must bow before him,

God is Lord of everything!

4. Let today be the time when you hear Him!

May our hearts not be hard or cold,

lest we stray from the Lord in rebellion,

as his people did in time of old.

Praise our Maker, Praise our Saviour,

Praise the Lord our everlasting King.

Every throne must bow before him,

God is Lord of everything!

Let us pray together

Healing Lord,
we come with wounds that often only you know;
we bring weariness and fears as well as hopes and aspirations.
Heal us and refresh us; restore your image in us.
 Let us praise the Lord.
Seek and be satisfied.
Proclaim his name for he will never fail us.
Let our hearts honour and worship him.

In the name of Jesus we pray.
Amen.

We will sing Amazing Grace –

Conversation with Rev. Ted Hutton

There’s a true-blue bloke who attends worship faithfully, week by week, who sits in the back corner of our church.  He is our friend and brother in Christ who is the Reverend Ted Dutton.  A quietly spoken bloke who has a rich history of ministry across Queensland over many years.  Many folk have been blessed by his ministry.  He has many stories to tell.  I asked him to tell us specifically how he came to ministry and his early days.  (Unfortunately Ted wasn’t able to attend).

Prayer of thanks for Ted’s ministry.

Most gracious God,

We thank you for the ministry of Ted, our friend, who, in service for you, lived his life worthily in everlasting love for you.  His generosity of Spirit has touched many lives and for this we give thanks.

We thank you for his faithful encouragement for us in our Congregation today and as we uphold him in prayer may he know your companionship.

We ask this in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

 We sing ‘Guide me O thou great redeemer‘

Words William Williams   Music John Hughes

We sit quietly as we contemplate the words as we sing Search me O God which is based on the words of psalm 139 

1. Search me O God
and know my anxious heart.
Behind me and before me,
you lay your hand upon me.

2. Where might I hide
to flee your tender touch?
No darkness or the ocean
hides me from your devotion.

Chorus
You know my every need,
You know my thoughts, my joy, my crying,
God your wisdom ways
Surround me at my birth, my dying.

3. Woven by you
deep in my mother’s womb.
That moment of conception
you knew my life’s direction.

4. Search me O God
and purify my ways.
O teach me love surpassing,
guide me in all that’s lasting.

Chorus
You know my every need,
You know my thoughts, my joy, my crying,
God your wisdom ways
Surround me at my birth, my dying.

5.  Search me O God
and know my anxious heart.
Behind me and before me,
you lay your hand upon me.

Words: Leigh Newton based on Psalm 139  Music: Leigh Newton based on Ludwig van Beethoven (La Pathetique)
© 1993 Leigh Newton PO Box 1008, Uraidla SA Australia

Prayer of Confession

Lord, how the World needs your healing.  We think of the blight of plastic polluting our rivers and oceans, or the distress of creatures on the verge of extinction, the scars of climate change and the sufferings inflicted by conflict. Forgive us if we unwittingly play any part in these things.  Show us what we can do to help bring change in the world.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, mercifully hear us.

Lord, there are so many forms of pain and suffering.  How we need your healing hand.  Forgive us: when the pull of social media is so great that we stray into wrong territory; for pain we inflict by choosing to follow our own paths and schemes; or when we think ourselves to be better than others, or allow differences to separate us.  Your healing hands are always open.  Forgive us when we ignore them, whether through fear, ignorance or self-will.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, mercifully hear us.

Assurance of forgiveness

There is so much sin and pain in our broken world.
But when we journey with Jesus,
we find forgiveness and healing.
We are all one in Christ Jesus,
who has forgiven our sins
and leads us into eternity with him.
Amen.

Prayer of illumination

Our Bible declares that

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”    (2 Timothy 3:16-17)  

We pray that, as we listen attentively, that the words we hear may teach and equip us for every good work.

Bible Readings

Jeremiah 1:4-10

The Call of Jeremiah

⁴ The Lord said to me, ⁵ “I chose you before I gave you life, and, before you were born, I selected you to be a prophet to the nations.”

⁶ I answered, “Sovereign Lord, I don’t know how to speak; I am too young.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say that you are too young, but go to the people I send you to, and tell them everything I command you to say.  Do not be afraid of them, for I will be with you to protect you.  I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Then the Lord reached out, touched my lips, and said to me, “Listen, I am giving you the words you must speak.  Today I give you authority over nations and kingdoms to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Continuing with verses 17-19

Get ready, Jeremiah; go and tell them everything I command you to say.  Do not be afraid of them now, or I will make you even more afraid when you are with them.  Listen, Jeremiah!  Everyone in this land—the kings of Judah, the officials, the priests, and the people—will be against you.  But today I am giving you the strength to resist them; you will be like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall.  They will not defeat you, for I will be with you to protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Luke 10:1- 9

After this the Lord chose another seventy-two men and sent them out two by two, to go ahead of him to every town and place where he himself was about to go.  He said to them, “There is a large harvest, but few workers to gather it in.  Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest.  Go!  I am sending you like lambs among wolves.  Don’t take a purse or a beggar’s bag or shoes; don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.  Whenever you go into a house, first say, ‘Peace be with this house.’  If someone who is peace-loving lives there, let your greeting of peace remain on that person; if not, take back your greeting of peace.  Stay in that same house, eating and drinking whatever they offer you, for workers should be given their pay.  Don’t move around from one house to another.  Whenever you go into a town and are made welcome, eat what is set before you, heal the sick in that town, and say to the people there, ‘The Kingdom of God has come near you.’

This is the Gospel of our Lord

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Message

We are called along with our gifts and talents, and we offer them to God – not to hide them or the gospel message “under the bushel basket”.

God has called us to this place, and we are the body of Christ – saved, redeemed, and renewed, ready to live out our lives in Christ’s service.

Later in the service Geoffrey will give us a progress report of a rather intensive study of our Congregation’s place and connections in this Bald Hill area.

Hopefully we will have some ideas that will enrich our lives, strengthen our faith, and connect us in a real way with our neighbourhood.

I thought that a theme of Beginnings would be appropriate as I had asked Ted to share something about the beginnings of his ministry.

Our Bible is loaded with the beginnings of journeys of faith.  It starts with the attention-grabbing statement, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Much later in Revelation 21, at the very end of our Scriptures,  we hear the statement from the one seated on the throne, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” the beginning and the end, but at the same time, the one on the throne proclaims “Behold! I am making everything new”. Even at the end we look forward to a new creation.

They are the book ends but inside there are so many stories of beginning.

God calls people for his purpose.

Abraham starts a new journey to place to land God will show him.

Moses leads the people of Israel back to the land for a new beginning.

And, in the reading today, Jeremiah is called to be a prophet to the nations.

The Messiah’s birth is the beginning of the new covenant.

And Jesus calls a mixed bunch of locals to be his companion on the way.

Their lives are turned upside down as the follow their Master to new places and new thinking.

72 sent out by Jesus to announce that “the Kingdom of God is at hand!” and came back to tell of their exciting first mission trip.

Pentecost was the beginning of what we might recognise as the birth of the church and the 2000 year history that followed.

(We could have a competition – divide the congregation into 2 and give each group 10 minutes to write up the beginnings found in the Bible.  O so many!)

The message for us today is not to look back but look forward to where Jesus leads us.

For us here at Bald Hills, today is a beginning for “This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice”.

We are all commissioned as ministers of grace and, through our faith lived out, we reach those around us.

We have many roles and I’ll try to give you an illustration to help us understand our roles and put things in perspective.

A few years ago, when both Liz and I were teaching at Woombye State School, we participated in a course which was to help us understand more about ourselves so that we would be better teachers.  It gave each of us personal insights that really did change our thinking.  The course was to explain and teach Glasser’ Choice Theory.  William Glasser a psychiatrist from the US who lived most of his life in the last century and died in 2013.  He carried our extensive research into children’s behaviour in the classroom.

We learnt that we all have 5 basic needs 

1. survival,
2. love, belonging and connectedness,
3. empowerment,
4. freedom,
5. fun and enjoyment.

Once the basic need of survival, which includes food, shelter and safety, is satisfied, then the other four come into play.  They all need to be balanced and this can be illustrated with the humble chair. It has four legs.  The legs of:

Love, Belonging and Connectedness    Empowerment        Freedom,     

Fun and enjoyment.

Each one of us may have a greater need in one of these areas and the chair leg may be fatter, but for the balance of the chair the legs must all be equal.

Each leg of the chair must be equal in length, or the chair will wobble, very annoying.  If one leg is seriously longer or shorter, then the chair will collapse.

If our chair is unbalanced, then this will lead to distress and disruption in our lives and the relationships we have with each other.

Just as an aside ….

(With Liz’s chair, freedom leg is fatter whereas mine is love belonging and connectedness.)

Remembering that allegories, illustrations, examples, and parables only go so far in relating an idea.  The beauty of them is that, in few words or pictures, they cause the listeners or beholder to think more deeply and to question.

Can we then use the chair illustration to look at our lives in connection with our faith and our purpose in God’s Kingdom which is “at hand”.

If we can say that we have 5 basic areas:

1. Assurance that we are loved, saved, redeemed, and included in the God’s family
2. Church and congregation
3. Our own Family
4. Work and community
5. Recreation

Once we have the assurance (Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine), then, as we live out our everyday lives, the assurance flows into those areas.  The Holy Spirit permeates the whole of our lives.

Our lives of mission become the other four needs.

1. CHURCH AND CONGREGATION

 We need to be part of our Congregation and we come together and meet for worship.  This is our church life and may carry with it several responsibilities.  Here we encourage one another as part of the body of Christ.  One body with many different functions, and we use our gifts and talents for the benefit of all.

• OUR OWN FAMILY AND FRIENDSHIPS

This is a ministry as well, a most important ministry.  Many of us have large families and extended families.  We are called to love and care for them, and every relationship is different, taking time and effort.

• WORK AND COMMUNITY

We need to work and contribute to society at large.  Sometimes the demands and expectations placed upon us demand even more of our time and energy.  We are called to work for a living doing our best.  Paul worked as a tentmaker.

• RECREATION

Each of us enjoys different recreational pursuits.  Whether busy hands and/or busy minds, recreational activities help us recharge, readjust and re-energise our lives.  This allows us to be equipped ready for what life throws at us.  

The question now emerges.  Are the legs on our chairs even providing all round support?

Or are any of the legs a bit longer or shorter with our chairs starting to wobble, some disastrously so?

It is said that many times the preacher seems to be preaching to him or herself.  It is certainly true for me now.  With only a certain number of hours in a day, how do I fit in all the things that make up my life?

I take time out to recalibrate.  I pray and trust for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and assurance.

Jesus took time out to pray.  Jesus took time out to rest.  So why don’t I? This will be a beginning, heralding the start of a new chapter in my story. A new way of looking at what I do.

We will minister, for that’s what we are called for, trusting that each new day will herald new opportunities to be God’s people wherever we find ourselves and we will rejoice in the process.

We will minister to each other as God’s people here, for here we grow in faith together.

We will minister to our families, loving and nurturing them, for they will in turn share their love with others.

We will minister in our workplaces and community groups, for that is where we will also find God in their midst.

We will minister to ourselves as we pursue our recreational activities, and others will see the enjoyment in our lives and in turn be enriched.

The message for us today is not to look back but to look forward to where Jesus leads us.  (I’ll surely follow.)  It’s probably the best “carpe diem”.  So, God calls us to begin each new day with him.  Grab hold of it.  Enjoy it, for this will equip us for the future.  Who knows where this may lead?

Amen.  

OFFERTORY

We bring our gifts to God

DEDICATION

As we bring our offerings to you, we give back to you from the abundant blessings you have given us.  May our gifts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our God.  Amen.

We sing‘ Father I thank you for all you have done‘

You gave your son freely for me.

And I praise you for calling me drawing me near,

Out of blindness you caused me to see.

2.   Spirit of life, you are God’s holy fire.

You have kindled my heart with your blaze.

And I know you’re refining me, changing my life,

And by faith you’re revealing your ways.

3.   Jesus, I need you as Lord of my life,

I give all I have unto you.

Lord, I want to come under your heavenly hand

And to praise you in all that I do.

Prayers for others

God of comfort,

in the week that marks five years since the tragedy of Grenfell Tower, we pray for those who are still grieving.  As the nation is reminded of the disaster and remembers the night the tower burnt down, we are aware that those caught up in the fire live with the memory every day.  Help the survivors to find ways to work through their trauma, find justice, and experience a measure of your deep and healing peace.

God of comfort,
hear our prayer.

God of compassion,

thank you for the sunshine this week.  Thank you for the joy sunny days bring to lots of people.  But as the sun shines and we enjoy the heat, we are reminded of the many places in the world struggling to cope with the impact of climate change and rising temperatures.  We think in particular of the brutal heat wave currently happening in India and the impact this is having on lives and livelihoods.  As officials meet this week in Germany to talk about and prepare for the next UN climate conference, help the rich and powerful nations to see the damage wrought in the poorer countries of the world facing the most severe consequences of climate change.  May those with power and influence listen seriously to their concerns and act swiftly.

God of compassion,
hear our prayer.

God of justice,

we read this week that the UN’s emergency food budgets are going to be drastically cut.  The impact on places like South Sudan will be extremely serious.  As difficult decisions are made around aid, we pray for a spirit of justice; that everyone in need is seen and attended to.  Even in our own country, we are aware that reliance on foodbanks is growing even as donations are reducing due to the complexities of the cost-of-living crisis faced by so many.  Thank you for the work churches across our land are doing to relieve hunger.  Help us, as your people, to be agents of justice for those at the margins of our society.

God of justice,
hear our prayer.

God of wholeness,

The Gospel writers recall the encounter of Jesus with the man called ‘Legion’, an amazing occasion of a healed mind.  With mental health issues on the rise following the pandemic, we pray for those who are suffering.  We think of people we know personally who are struggling with their mental health.

  [In the next minute or so pray for any friends or family members about whom you are concerned.]

We pray for healing and wholeness, for the right interventions and for guidance for the professionals working with people with mental illness.

God of wholeness,
hear our prayer.

God of transformation,

thank you that the healing of the man mentioned in the Gospel accounts who was tormented by demons also brought about his complete transformation.  Thank you that he leaves his encounter with Jesus ‘proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.’  As we encounter Jesus, may we experience transformation.  Help us to be open to your love, comfort, compassion, and justice, and find wholeness in you.

God of transformation,
hear our prayer.

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.

Stats have faces – A report to the congregation

For several weeks, a small group has been participating in a program that goes under the name STATS HAVE FACES, which aims to make us more aware of the people in our community and of our congregation’s participation in community life.  There is a hope that, through the process, we will be better able to understand, define and write our mission statement and the goals for our congregation.  It has been rather intensive.  Jillian has been facilitating the process, which is nearly finished.  Today, Geoffrey will bring us a progress report. A full report will be available soon for you to review.

We will now sing the hymn, “Now let us from this table rise”.  Let’s understand that the “table” here indicates the fellowship we have with God.  The grace He extends towards us equips us to face the challenges of tomorrow’s day. 

Words Fred Kaan music Robert Jackson

1. Now let us from this table rise

renewed in body, mind and soul;

with Christ we die and rise again,

his selfless love has made us whole.

• With minds alert, upheld by grace,

to spread the Word in speech and deed,

we follow in the steps of Christ,

at one with all in hope and need.

• To fill each Human house with love,

it is the sacrament of care;

the work that Christ began to do

we humble pledge ourselves to share.

• Then grant us grace, Companion-God,

to choose again the pilgrim way

and help us to accept with joy

the challenge of tomorrow’s day.

BENEDICTION

We say together

May the grace of our LORD, Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship be with us always.

We sing the benediction song ‘Now unto him who is able to keep‘

Now unto him who is able to keep

Able to keep you from falling

And present you faultless

Before the presence of his glory

With exceeding grace

To the only wise God our saviour

Be glory and majesty

Dominion and Power both now and forever

Amen.

MUSIC TO GO OUT – Teach me to Dance – Graham Kendrick