Welcome: –

Passing the Greeting: –

  Last Thursday marked 46 years since the ‘birth’ of the Uniting Church in Australia.  While that may be a significant date in the calendar of our Denomination, it is not so much for us as a local Congregation here at Bald Hills, since we are over three times as old.  As such, I did not want to focus too much on what has taken place over these past 46 years.  None-the-less, we do need to acknowledge the occasion, so I thought that we could uplift our hands to greet those both here and those in their homes with these words:

Happy Birthday to you all.

And also to you.

Call to Worship 

(from Psalm 68: 4, 19, 20 & 35) 

Sing to God, sing praises to His name.

Shout for joy because we are in His presence.

Praise the Lord, who carries our burdens day after day;

He is the God who saves us.

How awesome and majestic is our God.

He gives strength and power to His people.  Praise God!

Prayer of Praise  

(adapted from Uniting in Worship Book 2, p279 & 280) 

  Almighty God, we give you thanks for the diversity of people who make up Your Church, the first peoples of this Land, as well as those others who proudly call this Country their birth place, and also those who have come from distant lands and cultures to become one of us.  We thank You for the diversity of gifts that they all bring to Your service, and for their generosity of time and effort.

  We give You thanks for this Land of bountiful resources and produce, for its rare and captivating beauty, for the way that it swings between plenty in times of flood and scarcity

in times of drought.

  We give you thanks for all who have seen Your vision of unity in this Country and across the World, for those whose efforts led to the inauguration of the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977, and for those who maintain the vision of uniting with others in the future.

  We give You thanks for those who have answered the call to lead us in Social and Political life, and for those who You have called to lead us in Assembly, in Synods and Presbyteries, and in every Congregation.

  We give You thanks for Your readiness to lead us and keep us; for being the way, the truth and the life; for Your work of salvation through Your Son Jesus Christ; and for Your gift of our helper and advocate, Your Holy Spirit.  And as with all pilgrim people travelling through life, we value Your companionship and encouragement, Almighty God, as we bring to You praise and honour, glory and blessing, now and for ever.  Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing 2 Songs

The first is ‘Freely, Freely’  (Scripture in Song  volume 1  number 41)

Carol Owens

The second song is ‘He is Lord, he is Lord’  (Scripture in Song  volume 1  number 49)

Steve Vest

Prayer of Confession

 (adapted from Uniting in Worship Blue Book pp168 & 169 “A Litany of Invocation”) 

Come to us God of peace, come with Your healing and reconciling power.

For we acknowledge that people are prone to act out of fear and not out of trust, that

Nations seek comfort and security behind weapons of war and hate, and see gentleness only as a sign of weakness.  Forgive us Lord and heal us.

Come to us God of justice, come with Your righteous judgements and mercy. 

For we acknowledge that the cries of the oppressed throughout the World is often neglected, and the suffering of the poor and needy in our Land often goes unnoticed.  Forgive us Lord and heal us.

Come to us God of love, come with Your extravagant kindness and Your goodness.

For we acknowledge that the love that You have for people of every race and culture are not reflected in how people are treated by those with whom they share the very Earth in which we all live.  Forgive us Lord and heal us.

Come to us God of unity, come with Your forgiveness and Your healing grace. 

For we acknowledge that we live in a divided World in which few seek reconciliation with their neighbour, in which few seek to forgive real or imagined wrongs but instead hoard their feelings of resentment and their desires for revenge.  Forgive us Lord and heal us.

We come, God of hope, as Your pilgrim people, on our journey to Your Kingdom,

We come in penitence, seeking Your forgiveness and asking for Your guidance, so that we can live humble and obedient lives to the glory of Your name.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Acts 2: 38) 

On the Day of Pentecost the Apostle Peter preached saying “Each one of you must turn away from their sins and be baptised so that your sins will be forgive.”  Therefore having confessed our sins, we can be confident in accepting this guarantee from God that our sins are forgiven.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination 

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

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

Bible Readings

Jeremiah 20:

11  But the LORD is on my side, strong and ruthless, therefore my persecutors shall stumble and fall powerless.  They will be disgraced forever, because they cannot succeed.  Their disgrace will never be forgotten.  12  But, Almighty God, you test people justly; you know what is in their hearts and minds.  Let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.  13  Sing to the LORD!  Praise the LORD!  He rescues the needy and oppressed from those who would do them wrong.

Romans 6:

5  For since we have become one with Christ in dying as he did, in the same way we shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was.  6  And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  7  For when a person dies, they are set free from the power of sin.

8  Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.  9  For we know that Christ has been raised from death and will never die again – death will no longer rule over him.  10 And, so, because he died, sin has no power over him; and now he lives in fellowship with God.  11  In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Jesus Christ.

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Matthew 10:

26  “So do not be afraid of people.  Whatever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known.  27  What I am telling you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight, and what you have heard in private you must announce from the house tops.  28  Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in Hell.  29  For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s consent.  30  As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted.  31  So do not be afraid: you are worth much more than many sparrows.  32  If anyone declares publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in Heaven. 33  But if anyone rejects me publicly, I will reject them before my Father in Heaven.

34  Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the World.  No, I did not come to being peace, but the sword.  35  I came to set sons against their families, daughters against their mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law;  36  a person’s worst enemies will be members of their own family.  Whoever loves their father and mother more than me is not fit to be my disciple; whoever loves their son or daughter more than me is not fit to be my disciple.

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 ‘I will sing of my redeemer, and his wondrous love for me’  (Alexander’s Hymns No. 3  number 426). The words are printed below:

Verse 1 of 4

I will sing of my Redeemer, and his wondrous love for me,

On the cruel cross he suffered, from the curse to set me free.

Sing, oh sing of my Redeemer, with his blood he purchased me!

On the cross he sealed my pardon, paid the debt and made me free.

Verse 2 of 4

I will tell the wondrous story, what he did my life to save,

In his boundless love and mercy, he the ransom freely paid.

Sing, oh sing of my Redeemer, with his blood he purchased me!

On the cross he sealed my pardon, paid the debt and made me free.

Verse 3 of 4

I will praise my dear Redeemer, his triumphant power I’ll tell,

How the victory he gives me over sin, and death, and hell.

Sing, oh sing of my Redeemer, with his blood he purchased me!

On the cross he sealed my pardon, paid the debt and made me free.

Verse 4 of 4

I will sing of my Redeemer, and his Heavenly love to me,

He from death to life has brought me, Son of God, with him to be.

Sing, oh sing of my Redeemer, with his blood he purchased me!

On the cross he sealed my pardon, paid the debt and made me free.

Philip Bliss

Sermon

  The Macquarie Dictionary defines “morality” as:

“conforming to the principles and habits of right conduct, that which is just or ethically good or proper”  (The Macquarie Dictionary  New Budget Edition P259 & 345) 

  Sounds good in theory, but practice is a different matter.

  It has been said that an old Chinese Proverb reads:

“If you don’t want anyone to know, don’t do it.”  (Reader’s Digest Quotable Quotes p71) 

  This highlights the importance of motivation in relation to determining why we do things or why we don’t do things.  Do we engage in morally correct conduct only through a fear of being found out doing the opposite, that is, doing what is immoral conduct?  Or is there a far more basic impetus for living a “morally correct” lifestyle?

Sermon slide 3

  Aristotle, the well-known and often quoted Greek philosopher, is quoted as having said:

“Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit.  We become just be doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.”  (Reader’s Digest Quotable Quotes p70) 

  So, for Aristotle, we do what is morally excellent because our reasoning tells us that such

behaviour is best, and because our practical experience reinforces what we have initially deduced from our reasoning of what is best behaviour.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle) 

  But this is not the approach taken by the Apostle Paul.

  The Apostle Paul writes to the Church in Rome saying,

“As the Scriptures say:

‘There is no one who is righteous, no one who is wise or who worships God.  All have turned away from God; they have all gone wrong; no one does what is right, not even one.’”  (Romans 3: 10b to 12, quoting Psalm 14: 1 to 3 and Psalm 53: 1 to 3) 

  So, for Paul, the root cause for immorality is one’s failure to maintain a right relationship with God.  Conversely, the impetus for engaging in moral behaviour is one’s intimate relationship with God.  One’s relationship with God is like a “two-sided coin”.

  On the one hand we find Paul exhorting the Church in Rome:

“you are to consider yourselves dead, so far as sin is concerned”  (Romans 6: 11a) 

  What Paul is saying here is that we must accept that we are no longer bound by the sinful nature that characterises Humanity, “we cease to be answerable to sin’s power”.  (Romans in the Interpreter’s Bible p479)  We are no longer driven by our faults, nor by our foibles, nor by our failures.  Why that is the case, is explained by the second half of Paul’s statement.

  Paul states that we are, instead,

“living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus”  (Romans 6: 10b, 11b) 

  Paul goes into more detail about this in his Letter to the Church in Rome, but these few words sum up what Paul is seeking for the Church in Rome to understand.  Paul is explaining that “you cannot limit Christianity to an ethical demand”.  (William Barclay in The Letter to the Romans p86)  Living a moral lifestyle, that is, living a lifestyle not bound by the sinful nature that characterises Humanity, living a lifestyle that is in tune to the nature and the will of Almighty God, is not so much a choice made by Christians, nor a response to something by Christians.  Living a moral lifestyle is not ‘an end in itself’ for the Christian.  

  Paul explains:

“we have been put right with God through our faith”  (Romans 5: 1a)  in the effectiveness of “the sacrificial death of Christ Jesus”  (Romans 5: 9a)  for the forgiveness of our sins and to put us in a right relationship with God.  (Romans 4: 25, 5: 9a) 

  We have abdicated from ruling our own life, and, instead, have “submitted to God’s reign”, we have submitted to His “beneficent sovereignty”.  This “means more than being conscious of God’s presence”.  (Romans in the Interpreter’s Bible p479) 

  Paul writes to the Church in Rome encouraging them to :

“surrender your whole being to God to be used for righteous purposes”  (Romans 6: 13b)

  William Barclay writes that what Paul is saying is:

“There is a real union with a real identification with Christ.  …  Unless we are in Christ, and Christ in us, we cannot live the life of God.”  (William Barclay in The Letter to the Romans p86) 

  Geoffrey Wilson reminds us that this life is ours “only through the gracious act of God (which has) put Christ’s righteousness to our account.”  (Geoffrey Wilson in Romans p101) 

  How can we live a life of fellowship with God unless it is a life characterised by righteous living, which is to be understood, at the very least, to demonstrate morally acceptable conduct.  Roger Bowen writes that Paul’s teaching emphasises that “our duty is to make sure that our behaviour matches our new life.”  (Roger Bowen in A guide to Romans p85) 

  And the grammatical tense of the words used by Paul, that is, “living in fellowship with God”, implies “a continuous relationship”  (Vincent Taylor in The Epistle to the Romans p43)  , a life full of vigour and intent and purpose, not one characterised by dour repression bound to a harsh set of rules and regulations.

  And why is this the case?  It is because, we have submitted all aspects of our life to God, or as Paul writes:

“let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind.”  (Romans 12: 2a) 

  As we endeavour for this to take place, “the impulses which sins prompts no longer control

our actions, (setting us free) to serve God and to do His will.  …  (and) as we do His will we learn to share it, and we delight to discover that such behaviour is “what is good and pleasing and perfect”.  (Romans 12: 2b)  (Romans in the Interpreter’s Bible p479) 

  This has nothing to do with our own abilities to control our thinking and our behaviour, it is God “transforming” us as we allow Him to make changes in our lives through the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds, a continuous work throughout our life, which is part of this “living in fellowship with God” to which Paul refers.

  But how do we do this in a World that openly despises God, that openly rejects the will and purpose of God, that openly and intentionally seeks to initiate and implement its own will and purpose that is counter to the will and purpose of God.

  And we only need to open our daily Newspaper to find such examples.

  We have cartels and criminal gangs “intent on flooding our streets with drugs”.  (SM p1)

  We have high profile fugitives flouting their rich lifestyle based on “drug sales that are coming into Australia killing our kids”  (SM p12)  ,celebrating their successful endeavours to evade arrest and to be brought to account for their actions.

  We have a Nation State engaging in open conflict with a neighbouring Nation on the basis of forcing its will upon them so as to accomplish territorial expansion for itself.

  How do we continue to “live in fellowship with God” without despairing about the state of affairs in our own neighbourhood, or in our state, or in our Nation, or in the World?

  In this context I want to draw attention to our three responsibilities, two of which I will address firstly, and the third which I will address later.

  We have just read from Paul’s writing of our responsibility to “live in fellowship with God” and all which that entails.

  We have the call of Jesus to go “to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples”, as we read in Matthew 28: 19.  This is the context for today’s reading from Matthew 10, where Jesus is sending out the 12 Disciples throughout Judah, “to preach, to heal the sick and to drive out demons”.  (Matthew 10: 6 – 8)    This call by Jesus to his Disciples to go to live in fellowship with God and to be his witnesses, is the same call that he issues to us, to go to live in fellowship with God and to be his witnesses.  As he gives this call to his Disciples, and to us, he gives what I believe is more than just advice, but a promise:

“Do not be afraid of people.”  (Matthew 10: 26a) 

  Why is this a promise?

  Jeremiah writes of his confidence in God:

“the LORD is on my side, strong and ruthless”  (Jeremiah 20: 11) 

  The cultural context of this verse is that if you sought to face an adversary so as to settle a matter of disagreement or of conflict, you would bring along an ally to stand ‘by your side’ to support you and, if necessary, fight with you.  Of what more could you seek, than to have Almighty God to be the ally standing by ‘your side’, for, if God is there to support you, then your endeavours will surely succeed.

  What did Jesus tell his Disciples?

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in Hell.”  (Matthew 10: 28) 

  Sure, said Jesus, there may arise an occasion where you will be killed for proclaiming my message of repentance and forgiveness.  People have killed God’s messengers since time immemorial.  But if that occurs because you have been faithful in following my call, you have the identical promise that I gave to the criminal who was crucified by my side at Calvary, “today you will be in Paradise with me”.  (Mark 23: 43) 

  Instead, Jesus said, people should fear the retribution of God for their unbelief,  (Jeremiah 20: 12)  ,for their rejection of God’s offer of forgiveness and reconciliation, for their active opposition to the will and purpose of God.  Jesus clearly states:

“But if anyone rejects me publicly, I will reject them before my Father in Heaven.”  (Matthew 10: 33) 

  How do we know that all people will be held accountable before God, at His chosen place and in his chosen manner, for everything that they have done or have not done in their life?

  The Prophet, Jeremiah, writes of God:

“you test people justly; you know what is in their hearts and minds”  (Jeremiah 20: 12)  , meaning that God knows the real motivation behind someone’s thoughts and actions.

  Jesus writes:

“Whatever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known.”  (Matthew 10: 26b)  ,  meaning that there is nothing in our lives, no thought or deed, that we can hide from God and for which we will not be held accountable to God.

  What assurance do we have of God’s intent to undertake this judgement of people?

  The Prophet Jeremiah writes of God:

“He rescues the needy and oppressed from those who would do them wrong.”  (Jeremiah 20: 13b) 

  God has compassion for those in need and for those who suffer because another person has refused to treat them as someone who is loved by God and as deserving of God’s compassion.  Why should not God judge a person on the basis of whether or not they have treated others in their life as God treats these other people?

  Jesus writes of the breadth and depth and width of God’s compassion.  He writes that God has compassion for the smallest of seemingly insignificant sparrows, how much more then, does God have compassion for us, for we are “worth much more than many sparrows”  (Luke 12: 7b)  God has such compassion for us individually, for every aspect of our lives, that “even the hairs of your head have all been counted”.  (Matthew 10: 30)  What reassurance it is to know that God “holds us in His hands”.  (Psalm 139: 10 [KJV]) 

  “Do not be afraid of people” is a promise from God that He is overseeing all things, that it is His will and purpose that will ultimately prevail, in our own individual lives, and in the life of our local community, and State, and Nation, and throughout the World, in the time of His choosing.  Whatever is happening should not lead us to despair, for Almighty God is God of all.

  We are called to “live in fellowship with God”, and to go “to all peoples everywhere and make them (Christ’s) disciples”.  Some are called to do this on the international scene, others on the National or State level.  Most of us are called to do this in our own ‘small corner of the Earth’. 

  But wherever we are called to live out our witness for God, we are all called to fulfill the third of our responsibilities to which I have referred above.

  Paul encourages the Thessalonians to “pray at all times”, or to “pray without ceasing” as the New Revised Standard Version reads  (1 Thessalonians 5: 17)  .  We are to pray for specific people and for specific happenings, that it will be God’s will and purpose that is being fulfilled in that person or that happening.  Rather than despairing about the drug problem or about international strife and conflict, are we praying about it?

  Although we may not be able to influence the outcome of a happening, are we praying that God will intervene according to His will and in His timing?

  Jesus said to his Disciples:

“When you pray and ask for something, believe that you have received it, and you will be given whatever you ask for.”  (Mark 11: 24) 

  And, when we pray for something, do we pray expecting that God will intervene?  Do we really pray with hope that it is God’s will that is being done and that it is God’s Kingdom that is coming?

  When we pray, we really do have God by our side, supporting us in our concern for the World, supporting us in our concern for the plight of individuals and of Nations in their times of need.  To have a prayerful concern for God to demonstrate His power and His compassion in the World is part and parcel of “living in fellowship with God”, as is “right living”. 

  May we go out, seeking to be transformed in our inner self so as to become that person for whom God seeks for us to be.  May we go out, dedicated to pray for the World, close at hand and far away, seeking for it to become the World for which God seeks for it to be.

  I will leave you with this poem:

God gives to us the gift of time to use as best we can,

To live each moment in His will according to His Plan.

  (by David Sper in Our Daily Bread 1 June 2007) 

Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn  ‘O God of love, whose heart is ever yearning’  (TiS614)

This YouTube clip is for another hymn, but is used here for the tune. The words are printed below.

Verse 1 of 3

O God of love, whose heart is ever yearning

That fixed on you our wayward thoughts may be,

Now grant us grace to live as in your presence,

And help us all our erring ways to see.

May love subdue the ill in every Nation,

And all to you as subjects bow the knee.

Verse 2 of 3

O Father God, moved ever by compassion

For children crushed by sorrow’s heavy load,

Be swift to aid the downcast and the cheerless,

Lift up the fallen on life’s thorny road.

Give calm and strength to overcome with patience,

And safely bring them to your blest abode.

Verse 3 of 3

O God of peace, whose Son with our sins laden

Died to secure from bondage our release,

Help us to banish hate between the Nations,

To live as neighbours, and make wars to cease.

Bring in the reign of friendship universal,

And in your mercy grant to us your peace.

Randall Pittman

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774  

This YouTube clip is for another hymn, but is used here for the tune. The words are printed below.

For the life that you have given,

For the love in Christ made known,

With these fruits of time and labour,

With these gifts that are your own:

Here we offer, Lord, our praises;

Heart and mind and strength we bring;

Give us grace to love and serve you,

Living what we pray and sing.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Prayers for Others

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

We bring to you our prayers for the World around us and for people individually.

We pray for the grace of freedom,

That you will free our hearts from fear and anxiety so that we may respond with love and concern in whatever you ask of us.

We pray for a spirit of reverence,

That our life goals may be based on the awareness that all life is a gift from you and should lead us toward an ever-deepening relationship with you.

We pray for the gift of courage,

That we may confidently bear witness to our values and principles even in times of opposition and resistance from the culture of the World around us.

We pray for a deeper commitment to the truth,

That we may readily speak the truth that the Spirit has planted deep in our hearts when we are presented with the opportunity.

We pray for all who are experiencing persecution for their faith,

That they may give faithful witness to Jesus and that you will strengthen and preserve them through all suffering and every loss.

We pray for all who live under the threat of violence,

That you will strengthen them against neighbourhood turmoil, gang or organized crime threats, or armed conflicts, and help them to bear witness to the truth and your redeeming love each day.

We pray for all who are struggling financially,

That you will calm their hearts, guide them to the resources they need, and open the hearts of many to accompany them.

We pray for all who are researching treatments and vaccines for dangerous illnesses,

That you will guide and inspire their work so that life and health can be preserved.

We pray for all elected leaders,

That you will give them insight into the effects of their decisions and help them to make choices that will bring about the greatest good for our society,

We pray for all who are grieving,

That you will heal their pain, give them a new vision for life, and restore their hope for tomorrow.

We pray for a listening spirit,

That family members, neighbours, and co-workers may listen more closely and work to understand the pains, values, and goals of one another.

We pray for the Church,

That we may live in the confident assurance of your abiding concern and providential care for us.

(Copyright © 2023. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  https://liturgy.slu.edu/12OrdA062523/ideas_other.html)

We pray for the peoples of Malawi and Zambia.

We are thankful for the biodiversity and natural wonders in these lands, for the church leaders who have spoken out and countered sexual violence and human rights abuses, for those who are dealing with challenges of migrations within, and to, these countries, and for stable governance and economies, and rising living standards for many people in recent years.

We pray for greater food security for those most vulnerable, especially in times of climate change, for an end to political and economic corruption, for rising standards of living, particularly for those most poor, and for an end to exploitation of resources and of the people, especially those who are young and/or female.

Prayers

Oh God, our Father, of all the people of the earth, look with favour upon us and hear the prayer we make for our country Zambia.  We ask for your loving guidance upon all men and women in all that they do so that your blessings will be upon them.

We thank you for your protection and the peace that we have enjoyed in this country for the past 50 years. We thank you for the peace you gave us especially during the Golden Jubilee celebration as an independent nation. Let the jubilee celebrations bring more blessings to our country. We, therefore, pray for all our leaders who are serving your people in various capacities that you will give them wisdom and knowledge to know you as the sovereign Lord who created the heavens and the earth and that you are the only God among all. You deserve to be praised.

We remember especially our political leaders and ask you to bless the work of their hand and to guide their decision so that our country may continue to be peaceful and that we may deserve an honoured place among all nations.

We pray for the young men and women upon whom the future of this country depends.  Teach them to be responsible citizens so that they can grow in the knowledge of your word, in the fear of sin and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to the whole world for the salvation of humankind.

We pray for all churches in Zambia. Bless all the clergy, the church workers and all the church members. Help us all to witness to others so that we all may be one in Christ Jesus. Be with the United Church of Zambia as they celebrate in 2015 the Golden Jubilee of its existence as a united church. We thank you for the blessing of this double golden jubilee, one as a country and the other as a church.

May the Holy Spirit continue to guide and protect us.  In the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord we pray, because he reigns for ever and ever.  Amen

(Sarah S. Kaulule, The United Church of Zambia, former vice moderator of the WCC Commission on Faith and Order)

God of love, God of compassion,
in the midst of death and evil,
you mercifully look after us:
protecting, providing and smiling,
constantly reassuring us of your care.
Grant to us the joy of this occasion,
especially as we celebrate our birthdays,
knowing that your love is life.
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may acquire a heart of wisdom,
through him whose life has become our light, even Jesus Christ.

(Rev. Dr Augustine Musopole, Malawi. In: Africa Praying: A Handbook on HIV/AIDS Sensitive Sermon Guidelines and Liturgy, ed. Musa W. Dube, WCC, 2003, pp.164, 11-12, 89)

We pray for the work of the Bible Society Australia to produce audio Scriptures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which provide the gospel in a format communities can readily access.  A printed Bible, even translated into a heart language, is at times not sufficient for people to Open The Bible for themselves.  Some people are unable to fully engage with the printed text of their Scriptures due to poor eye health, low literacy skills, or other reasons.  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are oral cultures; important information is conveyed through story telling rather than the written word. This means that Indigenous communities readily engage with audio content in a way non-Indigenous cultures do not often appreciate or understand.

We pray for the Bible Society in its working with World Hope Ministries to offer hope with God’s powerful word in some of South Africa’s darkest places – its prisons.  The objectives of this project are for prisoners to engage with the Scriptures through lessons on practical issues of Christian life.  Most of the prisoners have never owned a Bible and have a great need to hear the transformative message of God’s love. In addition to this, there’s an opportunity to reach out to Department of Correctional Services (DCS) Officials, who experience many challenges.

We pray for the Scripture Union run Jump Camp, Mackay, as that is held from June 25-28. We pray for a fantastic few days and for quality conversations as campers explore the big 23 questions of life around faith, meaning and purpose. We pray for OverComers Camp kicking off in Southern QLD this weekend. We pray that this camp, designed for young boys from difficult home-lives, would be a 24 safe and welcoming space for all involved.  We pray for Übertweak Winter Camp as that begins this weekend.  This camp caters towards young people with a love for technology, science and gaming – and we pray that there would be strong relationships built among the campers.  We pray for the Sports Holiday Program in North QLD taking place early next week, for primary school aged children who live in Townsville.  We pray for KidsGames Pittsworth also happening early next week just outside of Toowoomba. We pray for safety and a great time for all the young people attending, and pray for wisdom for our leaders running the event.

We pray for the work of The Leprosy Mission Indonesia as it partners with NLR Indonesia to work in one of the poorest districts in West Java, Indramayu.  The project supports the work of the local health facilities by intensifying case finding, improving leprosy control, providing a preventive antibiotic known as PEP (to household and social contacts of someone newly diagnosed with leprosy) and strengthening community involvement and empowerment. Two new projects with NLR Indonesia, supported by The Leprosy Mission Australia, started in July 2022.  They focus on mechanisms to make it easier for people who have – or suspect they have – leprosy to reach out to the health system.  One of these projects is called The Leprosy Friendly Village with an initial focus on northern Sulawesi.  The other project is the Urban Leprosy Project, with an initial focus near Jakarta.

We pray for the Church of North India, Diocese of Eastern Himalayas, in its support for a small school in a remote mountain village in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, enabling boys and girls from neighbouring hills to access good and affordable education. 

The area is steep jungle-covered terrain, with families mostly eking out a subsistence livelihood.  To get to school, children previously had to walk up to four hours through jungle tracks.  The dropout rate was very high, especially amongst girls.  Young people were at high risk of human trafficking as they sought livelihoods in low-skill jobs. 

We pray for enough funding for post-graduate training for their teachers, to enable the school to become accredited for government subsidies, and so that the school can provide affordable, high quality education for children living in this remote region who cannot afford high fees. 

We pray for the work of the Protestant Church of Maluku Indonesia (GPM) and their development agency to expand their initiative of planting community kitchen gardens to address growing poverty and food insecurity.  Three new community kitchen gardens have been planted in 2023, using the land of local congregations and individuals in the church.

We pray for the success of Day Camp being held next week at Pine Rivers Church and at Samford Church, that it will be a time for children to become aware of your reality in their lives and for them to be challenged to respond to your call come into a close relationship with you.  Please keep the leaders and helpers safe and healthy throughout the week, as they endeavour to bring your message of hope and grace to the children who attend.

We pray for those who will recommence Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School this year.  Guide them in the words to say and the approach to take with the children in their classes.  May the Holy Spirit challenge the children in the RI classes to come to a closer relationship with you.

We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Scripture Union Chaplain at Bald Hills State School.  Please guide and equip her as she starts a new school year, and as she seeks to address 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.  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.

Lord God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your lovingkindness.  To your glory we pray.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil,

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

Now and forever.  Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn ‘All my human weakness feeling’

This YouTube clip is for another hymn, but is used here for the tune. The words are printed below.

[When you sing each verse, the second beat of each of the first three lines is to be held for the count of two, while the first beat of the fourth line is to be held for the count of 2.  Let the trumpet music guide you as you sing.]

Verse 1 of 6

All my human weakness feeling,

In your blessed name appealing,

Now for more of your revealing,

Lord, I come!

Verse 2 of 6

Nothing of my own possessing,

Sin and selfishness confessing,

For an undeserved blessing,

Lord, I come!

Verse 3 of 6

Though I often have denied you,

‘Twas my sin that crucified you,

Yet forgive me, be my guide too,

Lord, I come!

Verse 4 of 6

Kindle now the sacred fire

In my soul for you, and higher

Lift me, for this one desire,

Lord, I come!

Verse 5 of 6

From death’s dark mysterious river

You will my poor soul deliver;

I’ll be yours, yes yours forever,

Lord, I come!

Verse 6 of 6

Hold Thou still the cross before me;

Watch in tender mercy o’er me

Till I see your face in glory;

Lord I come!

Charles Gabriel

Source: Calvary’s Praises #77

Benediction  

(from Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the UCA : order of worship p2) 

On this day, as on every day, God stands, arms wide open to embrace us; heart wide open to forgive us.  The Spirit is poured out upon us, restoring the relationship between Human and Divine; between Heaven and Earth.  As we hear this good news, let us be moved to share it with those with whom we live and move, on this day and every day.

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

Benediction Song

‘I am His, and He is mine.’  (Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number 193)

Verse 4

His forever, only His,

Who the Lord and me shall part?

Ah, with what a rest of bliss

Christ can fill the loving heart!

Heaven and Earth may fade and flee,

First-born light in gloom decline;

But while God and I shall be,

I am His, and He is mine.

But while God and I shall be,

I am His, and He is mine.

Wade Robinson