Welcome:  –

Call to Worship: – 

(from Psalm 116: 5 to 7):  –

The Lord is merciful and good,

Our God is compassionate.

The Lord protects the helpless,

When I was in danger, He saved me.

Be at rest once more my soul,

For the Lord has showered gifts upon me.

Comment on Psalm 116: –

  Katharina von Schlegel, an 18^th century German hymn writer, published a hymn in 1752 titled “Stille, mein wille, dein Jesus hilft seigen”.  Jane Borthwick, a Scottish writer, translated this hymn into English in 1855, and it is the well-known hymn “Be still, my soul, the Lord is on your side”.  We are singing this hymn today, after the sermon.  Some attribute Psalm 46: 10 and 11 as the inspiration for Katarina von Schlegel for the words to her hymn.  (https://wordwisehymns.com/2010/10/22/today-in-1697-katharina-von-schlegel-born/ ) 

  However, I prefer the suggestion that her inspiration came from these three verses from Psalm 116, because they appear to have a broader context than does Psalm 46.  (https://www.hymnologyarchive.com/be-still-my-soul) 

  In these verses we are told of the incomparable nature of God, in that God is “merciful”, “good” and “compassionate”.  We are told of how God displays His nature to people, “when I was in danger, God saved me”, “because of His love for me, God showers gifts upon me”.

  And what is our response to God?  “Be at rest, my soul” writes the Psalmist, or as Jane Borthwick writes, “Be still, my soul”.  Our response is to put our hope and trust in our God when circumstances are beyond our control or influence.  Our response is to depend upon our compassionate and merciful God to deliver us and provide for our needs.  This is the God whom we have come together to day to offer our worship and praise.

Prayer of Praise  

(from David Hostetter Prayers of God’s People Year B pp186 – 188, Uniting in Worship p277, John Drescher Invocations and Benedictions p93, An Australian Prayer Book p256) 

  Lord of power and might, we give to you our praise for you are the Creator of Heaven and Earth.  Your mighty works are revealed to us in what we see around us, the vast oceans, the tall mountains, life in its abundance and variety, the stars and planets in the night sky, each a marvel of your creative power.  Your incomparable intellect is revealed to us by what we cannot see; the intricate structure of the smallest atom, the physiological systems interplaying within our bodies, the forces that keep a planet in its orbit around a sun and that move a comet through the solar system.

    Lord of wisdom and truth, we give to you our adoration because you are the author and giver of all good things; for through your goodness towards us we are nourished; for through your great mercy we are kept safe and secure.  We are blessed because you fill us with your gift of peace and share with us the joys of your Kingdom.  We can rest assured that your love is constant and that you will keep your promises towards us for ever.

    Loving God, your actions are guided solely by justice and compassion.  You care so much for the helpless and the disadvantaged.  Your heart goes out to the powerless and the abused.  Your great love extends to those who hide themselves away from others because of a deep loss or sorrow or anguish, to those who we choose not to see.  There is no force or being that can overcome your will.  There is no other authority or power in Heaven or on Earth that can stand in your presence, for all things must kneel before you.  For you are God, the one true God who will reign forever

    Almighty God, we are grateful for you have made yourself known to us through the healing and saving power of your Son, Jesus Christ.  You have provided the means for the forgiveness of our disobedience, for the wiping away completely of the stain of sin in our lives.  Everything else pales into insignificance compared to your sacrificial love for us.  May this inspire us to a life of worship of you and of service to others, to your glory and honour.  Amen.

We sing the Hymn

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me’  Scripture in Song volume 1 number 46https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSTlJTncKRg

John Peterson and Alfred Smith

“Praise the name of Jesus”  Scripture in Song volume 1 number 111

Verse 1 of 2

Praise the name of Jesus,

Praise the name of Jesus,

He’s my rock, he’s my fortress,

He’s my deliverer, in him will I trust.

Praise the name of Jesus.

Verse 2 of 2

Praise the name of Jesus,

Praise the name of Jesus,

He’s my rock, he’s my fortress,

He’s my deliverer, in him will I trust.

Praise the name of Jesus.

Roy Hicks

Prayer of Confession:

  (from David Hostetter Prayers for God’s People Year B pp186-187, An Australian Prayer Book p256, John MacArthur A Year of Prayer pp184 – 185, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Opening Prayers p106)  

Merciful God, we come before you contrite and repentant.  We come before you as fallen people. 

We are all guilty of letting you down, of going our own way; guilty of offences against your instructions for us and negligent in omitting to love others as you love them. 

We seek to forget about our sins, as if by out of our mind they are not in your mind, yet nothing is hidden from you.  We seek to treat them as unimportant and diminish their significance; yet each and every one causes you anguish and pain. 

You alone judge rightly, and search the depths of our hearts to reveal our true nature of disobedience and wilfulness.

We crave after things in an effort to satisfy a craving in our souls.  We seek after possessions and pleasures as if this was the purpose of life. 

Merciful God, forgive us.

We envy the wealthy and all the satisfaction in life that they seem to have, yet forget that possessions and money do not guarantee peace of mind and soul.  We boast of our qualities and skills.  We like to tell of what we are able to achieve all by ourselves, yet fail to acknowledge your blessings in our lives and neglect your call to live a life of modesty and gratefulness. 

Merciful God, forgive us.

We are hardened to the distress in other’s lives, and are unable to perceive their greater needs.  We withhold the simplest of help that we are asked to give.  We neglect to comfort those who need a quiet word of consolation.  We refuse to consider giving to someone because of the cost that it may mean for us. 

Merciful God, forgive us.

Merciful God, please forgive us for each and every time that we have failed you and have failed others.  Please forgive us for each and every time that we have not lived according to your perfect law and precepts. 

For we acknowledge that we alone are responsible for creating the chasm that exists between yourself and our sinful lives.

Yet merciful God, you declare your almighty power in showing mercy and pity towards us.  Your Word reveals that you are a God of boundless compassion, who eagerly forgives all penitent sinners.  There is no other god like you, for you are a God who pardons sins, whose compassion extends to casting our sins into the deepest depths of the ‘sea’. 

Let your Holy Spirit empower us in our worship and in our daily service for others.  Continue your work in our lives so that we may mirror your nature in our thoughts and words and deeds.  Complete your work in us when you call us to yourself to share in the table of abundance that you have told us has been prepared for us.  May we follow the path of repentance and faith, to your glory and honour.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness  (from James 5:15b – 16)  

James reminds us that a confession made in faith will be acknowledged.  Having confessed our sins before God we can be confident in knowing that God has listened to our prayers, that He has heard them and acknowledged them, that our sins have been forgiven and our lives made clean in God’s sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination 

(from Uniting in Worship Book 1 number 12 p599) 

  Prepare our hearts, O Lord, to receive your Word.  Silence in us any voice but your own.  In hearing these words may we perceive new truths that you seek to teach us, and may we perceive your will that you seek for us to follow, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Bible Readings

Psalm 124

1  If the Lord had not been on our side, let Israel now say,

2  if the Lord had not been on our side when our enemies attacked us,

3  then they would have swallowed us alive when their anger was roused against us;

4  then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;

5  the raging waters would have drowned us.

6  Blessed be the Lord, who did not leave us to be prey between their teeth.

7  We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s trap; the trap is broken and so we escaped.

8  Our help comes from the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth.

Esther 9

20  Mordecai had these events written down and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, throughout the Persian empire,  21  telling them to observe the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar as holidays every year.  22  These were the days on which the Jews had rid themselves of their enemies; this was a month that had been turned from a time of grief and despair into a time of joy and happiness.  They were told to observe these days with feasts and parties, giving gifts of food to one another and to the poor.  23  So the Jews followed Mordecai’s instructions, and the celebration became an annual custom.

24  Haman, son of Hammedatha, the descendant of Agag and the enemy of the Jewish People, had cast ‘lots’ (Purim they were called) to determine the day for destroying the Jews; he had planned to kill them all.  25  But Esther went to King Ahasuerus, and the King issued written orders with the result that Haman suffered the fate that he had planned for the Jews.  He and his sons were hanged from the gallows.  26  That is why the holidays are called Purim.

Because of Mordecai’s letter and because of all that had happened to them,  27  the Jews made it a rule for themselves, their descendants and anyone who might become a Jew, that at the proper time each year, these two days would be regularly observed according to Mordecai’s instructions.

Colossians 1

11  May God make you strong with all the strength that comes from His glorious power, so that you may be able to endure everything which patience,  12  and to give joyful thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to have your share of what God has reserved for His People in the Kingdom of Light.  13  He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us safe into the Kingdom of His dear Son,  14  by whom we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven.

[Revised Standard Version, Today’s English Version, New English Bible]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Mark 10

32  Jesus and his Disciples were now on the road going up to Jerusalem.  Jesus was going ahead of the Disciples, who were filled with alarm; the people who followed behind were afraid.  Once again Jesus took the twelve Disciples aside and spoke of the things that were going to happen to him. 

33  “Listen,” he told them, “we are going up to Jerusalem where the Son of Man will be handed over to the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law.  They will condemn him to death and then hand him over to the Gentiles,  34  who will make fun of him, spit on him. Whip him, and kill him; but, three days later, he will rise to life.”

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

Whether we gather for worship in the Church building on Sunday morning or whether we offer our worship in the ‘digital sphere’, it is important to recognise that, together, we remain one in Christ Jesus, we remain one in fellowship and we remain one in worship of our God.  With that thought in mind, let us uplift our hands and greet those both here and those in their homes: May the peace of God be with you all.

And also with you.

For the Young and the Young at Heart

Screen 1

“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?”

Mark 9: 50a

  In their Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke record an occasion when Jesus was talking to his Disciples about salt.  He commences by stating a truth that everyone accepts, “Salt is good”.  (Mark 9: 50a)  Anyone who cooks in a kitchen knows that salt is good, for it gives flavour to otherwise bland meat, it is an important ingredient in the preparation of some food, and, if used properly, it preserves meat that would otherwise spoil.  Salt is used in the making of soap and fertilizer.  We require a certain level of salt in our tissues to maintain fluid balance, nerve transmission and muscle function, and it is necessary for the health of the heart, liver, and kidneys.

  But then, Jesus makes the comment, “If salt loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?”  (Mark 9: 50a) 

Screen 2

Sodium Chloride: NaCl

  I was intrigued enough about the concept of salt losing its essential nature, its saltiness, to look further into how this could happen.  Alan Cole, in writing about this verse, describes such salt as “salt only in name”.  “If the very thing designed to bring savour to other things is itself savourless, what way out is left”, other than to throw it out onto the road where it is trampled into the mud, as Matthew writes.  (Matthew 5: 13)  (Alan Cole in Mark p154) 

  But the question remains, “Is it possible for salt to lose its saltiness?”

  Turkey’s largest salt exporter, Koyuncu Salt, in its website, states “in its natural form, salt is a mineral compound consisting of sodium and chloride (NaCI).  It is extremely stable and therefore cannot lose its flavour or degrade over time.”  https://koyuncusalt.com/en/salt-library/how-long-does-salt-keep-its-flavor 

  Another writer on her website states, “Salt is a very stable substance. The chemical bond between the sodium atom and the chloride atom is very tight.”   https://deneenwhite.com/2007/01/06/how-does-salt-lose-its-saltiness/ 

  Another commenter, on a further website, states “As a chemist, I think arguments about salt literally losing its saltiness really do not make much sense.  Sodium chloride is one of the three or four most stable compounds in the world!!  Virtually no natural reaction can cause salt to turn into any other compound.”  https://evidenceforchristianity.org/can-salt-lose-its-saltiness/

  These comments, from apparently respectable sources, seem to cast doubts on the validity of the possibility of salt losing its saltiness.  To what then are the Gospel writers referring?

Screen 3

adulterated

contaminated

  Salt can lose its saltiness because of the presence amongst it of impurities, of non-salt.

  One website states that the salt that was used in the past in the middle East was “a poor quality rock salt.  Salt in Israel came from the rock salt found by the Dead Sea.  Because it was crudely gathered, earth and other impurities were collected with it into a bag.  If the salt got wet and dissolved, the insoluble bits of rock would remain. It didn’t take much moisture to dissolve the salt and leave behind a bag of useless tiny stones.”  http://storage.cloversites.com/makinglifecountministriesinc/documents/How%20can%20salt%20lose%20its%20saltiness.pdf

  Alan Cole, in his Commentary on Mark, writes “Any who have lived in Eastern lands will know how salt is adulterated by unscrupulous retailers.”  (Alan Cole in Mark p154) 

  Jesus, as would all people living in first century Palestine, would have experienced the difference between pure salt and salt embedded with impurities, whether deliberately added in the shop or unintentionally contaminated by them during the collection of the salt.  Because we are so used to our refined salt, we have difficulty understanding the imagery that Jesus is using.  The Disciples could easily comprehend to what Jesus is referring.

Screen 4

“Have the salt of friendship among yourselves, and live in peace with one another.”

Mark 9: 50b

  We may not understand the imagery, but we do understand the message.  John Reilly, in his Commentary on Mark, writes of a close connection between the purity of our faith in God and ”the harmony in our lives” lived together with others.  (John Reilly in Praying Mark p115)  Alan Cole writes that “Christians are to be the moral preservative of the World; they are to savour life, to season it, and also to stop it becoming utterly corrupt.”  (Alan Cole in Mark p154)  Christians are Christian in name only if their interactions and relationships with each other mirror the imperfections of the world around them.  Let us be sincere in following the call for us to be the “salt of the Earth”.  (Matthew 5: 13) 

Hymn

“Spirit of faith, come down”  MHB363  Wesley’s Hymns number 85

[sung to the tune Leominster – there is no introduction]

Verse 1 of 3

Spirit of faith, come down,

Reveal the things of God,

And make to us the Godhead known

And breathe the living Word;

Your grace on us to apply

And give us eyes to see

Who did for every sinner die

Has surely died for me.

Verse 2 of 3

O that the World might know

The all-atoning Lamb;

Spirit of faith, descend, and show

The virtue of His Name;

The grace which all may find,

The saving power impart,

And testify to Humankind

And speak to every heart.

Verse 3 of 3

Inspire the faith so tall

Which does the mountains move,

And saves whoe’er on Jesus call

And perfects them in love,

You give us hope so full,

We trust your every word,

We cry, with joy unspeakable,

“You are my Lord, my God!”

Charles Wesley

Sermon

Screen 1

A bird trap

  The author of Psalm 124 writes of a time when the People of Israel were like a bird caught in a trap.  This Psalm starts with these words, “What if the Lord had not been on our side, when our enemies attacked us?”  There is nothing in the Psalm to definitely identify a specific threat from an enemy from one of the surrounding nations.  It may be that the writer of the Psalm is speaking generally about the many threats that the nation of Israel faced throughout their history, a history that is indeed a record of how time and again one or another of the surrounding nations sought to invade Israel so as to destroy it or to subdue it.  Psalm 124 concludes with these words, “Let us thank the Lord who has not let our enemies destroy us.  We have escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap; the trap is broken, and we are free!  Our help comes from the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth.”  (Psalm 124: 6 to 8)  The writer of this Psalm is exclaiming how God has demonstrated His love for his People, how God has demonstrated His absolute power and authority over History and the actions of other nations, in the way that He has ensured that His people, the Israelites, endured the hardship of invasion and were rewarded for the trust that they had put in their God.  Here we see how God answered the call of his people to bring them through a time of trouble and how He had saved them from a seemingly hopeless situation.

Screen 2

the trap is broken and so we escaped

  The imagery in the Psalm is not of the bird managing to escape from the trap by its own efforts, but that the trap itself has been broken, thus freeing the bird.  The danger itself has been destroyed, meaning that the bird has been completely delivered from the threat.  The writer is saying that, in the same way, God has completely delivered the Israelites from their dangers by ensuring that the surrounding nations were not in a position to threaten the security and prosperity of God’s people.  The reference to God as Creator of Heaven and Earth is a reference to God’s absolute power and authority over all that he has created, over all of Time and Space.  There is nothing in Heaven or Earth that can hinder His saving acts. 

  The word “help” in the Psalm comes from a root word meaning ‘to surround’.  (ezer : Strong’s OT5828)  So we gain a glimpse of God surrounding His People with his arms, protecting and aiding them in their times of need.  It is out of a knowledge of Humanity’s own helplessness in times of trouble that there grows the strength of faith which relies wholly on Him who alone is more than equal to every kind of danger that we may face.  From our experience of the miraculous help of God springs fresh confidence to face with hope whatever may happen in the future.  (A Weiser in The Psalms p756) 

  One of the readings for this week concerns the story of Esther, who became Queen of Persia during the reign of King Xerxes, in the 5^th century before the birth of Jesus.  The Book of Esther relates the tale of how the Jews living in Persia, who were descendants of those who had earlier been taken to Babylon as captives, had to deal with the threat of their destruction at the hands of the Grand Vizier Haman.  They were seemingly powerless to do anything to stop Haman’s scheme, whose position in the land seemed to guarantee that his plans would certainly be fulfilled, plans that were designed to ensure the deaths of all the Jews living in Persia and of the appropriation of their lands and property. 

Screen 3

Esther appearing uninvited before King Xerxes

    We read of the response of Esther upon being given the details of Haman’s plot.  In chapter 4 we read Esther saying to Mordecai, “Go and get all the Jews in Susa together; hold a fast and pray for me.  Don’t eat or drink anything for three days and nights.  My servant girls and I will be doing the same.  After that, I will go to the King, even though it is against the law.  If I must die for doing it, I will die”.  (Esther 4: 16) 

  Some Commentators suggest that there is little documentary evidence supporting Esther’s claim that she was risking death by appearing before the King unannounced and uninvited.  However, it is acknowledged that there was limited access to the King, not only because that was the proper Court procedure, but also to forestall any schemes to assassinate the King.  So we can confidently accept the account in the Book of Esther as correctly reflecting the Laws at the time.

  Of critical importance to this account, though, are the words she stressed, “and pray for me”.  Here we have a relatively young woman caught up in intrigues beyond her experience and expertise.  She is encouraged by Mordecai to risk her very life to make an appeal to the King on behalf of her People, the Jews.  How was she to do this without Haman knowing what was behind her actions and stopping her?  When was the most opportune time?  How was she to know that the King did not feel the same way as Haman and would reject her pleas?  Did she have the courage to front up to the King and to make her plea?  At Church Council we may have held a ‘brainstorming session’ to gather suggestions and then formulated a strategic plan to move forward.  But Esther’s earnest request was for nothing like that, but simply “pray for me”.  And we see the value of worshipping and serving with those who also worship God, the King of Heaven, for she adds, “My servant girls and I will be doing the same.”  (Esther 4: 16)  What support she must have received from knowing that those closest to her were also praying for her.  Here we see Esther acknowledging her inadequacies and insecurities, but putting her trust in God to deliver her and her People, and putting her requests to God in prayer. 

  In the remainder of the book of Esther we find out what happened when they prayed, for God thwarted the plans of Haman, and it was he and his family who perished and not the Jews.  God answered the prayers of His people.  God demonstrated that when they prayed to Him in their time of trouble, He answered their call for help and showed in such a dramatic way that it was His Will that was directing History, and that it was His authority that was directing the outcomes for His chosen People.  And to this day the Jews celebrate the feast of Purim as a celebration of the saving power of God in answer to their prayers.

Screen 4

In conflict

  There is a view of History that interprets the events recorded in the Old Testament as a series of attempts by Satan to counter the Will of God, as God sought to express His Will in and through His chosen and beloved People, the nation of Israel. 

  Their period of slavery in Egypt was Satan’s attempt to keep them under the control of a foreign power and prevent them from journeying to and occupying the land of Canaan and God had earlier promised Abraham.  Armed conflict between the Israelites and the Amalekites (Exodus 17) , the Kingdom of Arad (Numbers 21) , and the Amorites  (Numbers 21)  ,during the Exodus journey, was Satan’s attempt to destroy the nation of Israel and prevent them from continuing on to Canaan.  Constant armed conflicts between the Israelites and the neighbouring nations, the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11) , the Philistines (1 Samuel 4) , the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15) , the Moabites (2 Samuel 8), the Edomites (2 Samuel 8), and the Syrians (2 Samuel 8), after the Israelites had settled in Canaan, perhaps reflected in Psalm 124, were Satan’s continued attempts to destroy the nation of Israel, and prevent it  from continuing as the nation of God’s People in the Land of Israel.  Haman’s plan to “destroy the Jews”  (Esther 9: 24)  can be viewed as another of Satan’s attempts to counter the Will of God, by silencing the witness of God’s People who lived in Persia.  The arrest, trial and execution of Jesus, to which Jesus referred in today’s reading from Mark 10, was Satan’s supreme, but ultimately vain attempt to prevent God from fulfilling His Will and purpose for Humanity.

The Bible is our record of God’s continual deliverance of people who love and serve Him from Satan’s plans to lead them away from their worship of God and to prevent them from their worship of God.  Paul refers to this ‘conflict’ between God and Satan in his letter to the Church in Colossae, where he contrasts the “Domain of darkness” and “the Kingdom of God’s dear Son”, the Kingdom of Light.  (Colossians 1: 13) 

Screen 5

Darkness and light

  Donald Guthrie, in his Commentary on Paul’s letter to the Colossian Church, writes that, in this passage, “Paul thinks of two kingdoms at war with one another.  The word translated as domain is the Greek word exousia, meaning authority, and seems to draw attention to demonic authorities.  The word translated as Kingdom, the Greek word basileia, makes reference to the reign of Jesus in Heaven, on the right-hand side of God.  (Donald Guthrie in Colossians in New Bible Commentary p1142 & 1143) 

  In these verses, Paul writes of the triumph of God over the Satan, of God thwarting Satan’s plans, of God rescuing Humanity.  (Colossians 1: 13)  It is in Jesus that we have experienced God’s deliverance, for we have been delivered from our bondage to sin.  As Paul writes, it is through Jesus that “we are set free, and our sins forgiven”.  (Colossians 1: 14) 

  We, too, can share the joyous acclamation of the author of Psalm 124:

“Our help comes from the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth.”  (Psalm 124: 8) 

  Paul assures the Colossian Church that only in Jesus is there hope and salvation for the World.  (Outlines notes in Good News Bible p977)  Paul encourages the Colossian Church to “hold fast to Jesus who is the source of life and spiritual growth”.  (Outlines notes in Revised Standard Version p1762)  Let us too hold fast to Jesus and to the hope that he brings to us.  Amen.

Hymn

“Be still my soul: the Lord is on your side”  AHB48  TiS123

[sung to the tune Finlandia – there is a short introduction]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDNxo_aIZQw

Verse 1 of 3

Be still, my soul, the Lord is on your side,

Bear patiently the cross of grief and pain,

Leave to your God to order and provide,

In every change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul, your best, your Heavenly friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Verse 2 of 3

Be still, my soul, your God will undertake

To guide the future as He has the past.

Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake,

All now mysterious shall be clear at last.

Be still, my soul, the waves and wind will know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Verse 3 of 3

Be still, my soul, the hour is hastening on

When we shall be for ever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgotten, love’s pure joy restored.

Be still, my soul, when change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Katharina von Schlegel

(translated by Jane Borthwick)

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774 

[ sung to the tune Austria – disregard the words – only the one verse is needed]

[alternatively, if you have the facility on your computer to play such music, double-click on the Mp3 file below and then select ‘open’ – there is a very small introduction]

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

Let us come before God with our cares and our concerns.

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may welcome the gift of the Spirit and be transformed by the Spirit’s work in us so that your mercy, compassion, and presence may be manifest to our World.

We pray for the grace of discipleship, that we may never prefer anything, even our most treasured possessions, to our relationship with Christ.

We pray for freedom of spirit, that you will break the chains of jealousy and greed that work to claim our hearts and hold our society in bondage.

We pray for a renewed sense of mission, that we may each use our unique gifts and opportunities to share your love through words, deeds of healing, hospitality welcome, or cups of water.

We pray for all who exercise leadership in the Church, that the Spirit will give them clear insight into the wounds and weaknesses in the hearts of believers so that they may find new ways to connect with you.

We pray for all young people, that your Spirit will fill them with wisdom and understanding so that they may correctly perceive the values of life and not be seduced by wealth, fame, or power.

We pray for all whose faith is weak, that the Spirit will draw them closer to you.

We pray that you will cleanse the Church of all that hinders the spread of the Gospel.  End the conflicts between communities of faith and stimulate conversation and cooperation.  May your Church be a haven for the wounded, the sick and the sorrowful, such that it can be a place of hope and tranquillity and healing.

We pray for all who have been cheated or defrauded of their income, that you will overturn the injustice and provide for their needs.

We pray for a new understanding of money, that you will help our society to recognize money as a means to fulfill our responsibilities rather than an end in itself.

We pray for all children, particularly those who lack food, homes, or healthcare, that you will guide us in providing for them.

We pray for healing and renewal, that the Holy Spirit will bring healing of mind, body, and spirit to all who have experienced abuse.  Help their voices to be heard, and guide us in supporting them.

We pray that you will renew and give strength to all who are serving others by caring for the sick, fighting wildfires, dealing with floods or earthquakes, or distributing relief supplies.

We pray for refugees and immigrants, that you will give them courage as they seek lives free of violence and intimidation, and that they may find a welcome in their new communities.

We pray for the sick, that you will renew the gift of life within them and restore them to activity and health.

We pray for World leaders, that they will promote justice and fairness, and make decisions and judgements that respect life and ethical treatment of all peoples, regardless of race or colour or creed or class.

We ask for your mercy on the heads of nations as they lead their countries through this season of fear and despair associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.  Give them wisdom and bless them with capable advisors and administrators as they seek to make decision for the good of the country, especially in the face of criticism and community unrest.  Please keep us from complacency and apathy as we consider those who are most impacted by the Covid-19 virus – at home and abroad.  Open our hearts to those who struggle.  Continue to prompt your love to overflow in us to them.

Strengthen us in prayer, so that we may be sustained by your continual presence.

Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  https://liturgy.slu.edu/ 

(also from Leading Intercessions by Raymond Chapman p78 & 79, and Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year B by David Hostetter p188 & 189)  www.lca.org.au

We pray for the camps being run by Scripture Union during the School holidays, that you will keep leaders and campers safe and well, that you are inspiring the leaders to reflect the love that you have for each camper and that campers will be challenged in deepening their relationship with you.

We pray for the Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School, that the Holy spirit will reveal to the children who attend the classes that God is real and that His love for them is real.  Please encourage those who lead the classes that they will have the right words to say so that a convincing message to given.  We pray that they will be supported by the Administration staff of the School in the successful leading of these classes.

We pray for Kylie Conomos, the chaplain at Bald Hills State School, that she will be encouraged and supported in her task of caring for the needy and troubled children at the School, and of ministering to their families.

Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care.  To your glory we pray.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

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

Give us today our daily bread.

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

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

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

Now and forever.  Amen.

Hymn

“Jesus I am resting, resting”  Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number 164

[there is a short introduction]

Verse 1 of 4

Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art,

I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.

Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, and Thy beauty fills my soul,

For by Thy transforming power, Thou hast made me whole.

Chorus

Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art,

I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.

Verse 2 of 4

Oh, how great Thy loving-kindness, vaster, broader than the sea,

Oh, how marvellous Thy goodness, lavished all on me.

Yes, I rest in Thee, beloved, know what wealth of grace is Thine,

Know Thy certainty of promise, and have made it mine.

Chorus

Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art,

I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.

Verse 3 of 4

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, I behold Thee as Thou art,

And Thy love, so pure, so changeless, satisfies my heart,

Satisfies its deepest longings, meets, supplies its every need,

Compasseth me round with blessings, Thine is love indeed!

Chorus

Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art,

I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.

Verse 4 of 4

Ever lift Thy face upon me, as I work and wait for Thee,

Resting ‘neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus, Earth’s dark shadows flee.

Brightness of my Father’s glory, sunshine of my Father’s face,

Keep me ever trusting, resting, fill me with Thy grace.

Chorus

Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art,

I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.

Jean Pibott

Benediction    

Act with integrity towards others; give purpose and hope in all you do and say; have purity of mind in all you think, and live in peace with one another.  And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be upon you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Benediction Song

“Now to him who loves us saves us”  TiS771

(only the one verse is needed)

Now to him who loved us, gave us

Every pledge that love could give,

Freely shed his blood to save us,

Gave his life that we might live,

Be the Kingdom

And dominion

And the glory evermore.